The second book to be discussed in the Points of View theme is Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Discussion events will be held at A.K. Smiley Public Library. Please register online with University of Redlands Armacost Library.
LTAI:MJ Points of View theme: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
First of the Points of View books to be discussed at A.K. Smiley Public Library is In the Country of Men. Spaces are limited. Please register online through the University of Redlands Armacost Library website.
LTAI:MJ Points of View theme: In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar
LTAI:MJ 2013 Denver Workshop list of project directors
LTAI:MJ 2013 Denver Workshop list of project scholars
Dr. Patrick Wing and I attended the LTAI:MJ workshop in Denver, CO on August 15 and 16, 2013. It was an interesting trip, which got me very excited about implementing the plans we had developed and outlined since a year ago.
LTAI:MJ 2013-2014 program @ University of Redlands and A.K. Smiley Public Library
Because of logistical limits, the book discussions will be held at A.K. Smiley Public Library’s Assembly Room. However the speaking events and the film screening series will all be held at different locations on the University of Redlands campus.
One take-away I gained from the LTAI:MJ workshop was emphasizing the ‘journey’ in Muslim Journeys. When we think of Islam, Muslim Americans, Muslims around the world, and current events happening in the Muslim-majority societies in the Middle East, the temptation is great to simply assume that Islam, Muslim societies, and associated events and stories are monolithic and never-changing. One of the most important ideas that this Bridging Cultures initiative aims to emphasize and achieve are that people, and the matters we all care about, are not monolithic and impervious to change. Bridging Cultures intends to encourage us all to see and appreciate the fluid nature of history, culture, and the labels and representations of selves and others.
My LTAI: Muslim Journeys badge
Our theme, Points of View, emphasizes these exactly. The speakers matter. As do the vantage points from which they speak, what they speak about, and who they are speaking to. We advocate that there is a lot to learn about Islamic faith, traditions, and the cultures and histories of its followers. The programs we have planned are all meant to develop understanding and inquiry. Please join us.
I had somewhat of a hiatus from blogging. Mostly because I needed to focus on the IRL things that were pressing me for more of my attention.
ALA Annual 2013 in Chicago, IL
One was working and preparing for the big annual librarians’ meet up. This year, American Library Association (ALA) Annual was in Chicago, IL, a city that is new to me.
The biggest surprise during this ALA Annual (the 4th I’ve been to, ever) is my receiving the honor of winning the ACRL/LLAMA leadership moment essay contest. I totally didn’t expect it. (ACRL = Association of College & Research Libraries; LLAMA = Library Leadership & Management Association) But I am extremely grateful and full of warm fuzzies because of the nod. Thank you, ACRL and LLAMA!
Another is getting things wrapped up for some professional group responsibilities I had, then preparing for new ones that I will be assuming in the very near future. I will most definitely write about these as I go merrily along. Aren’t you excited? Of course, you are!
USETDA 2013 Conference, Claremont, CA
Just as I’ve gotten myself readjusted after my trip to Chicago, I will be heading to another conference really, really soon. USETDA 2013 is coming to SoCal! To Claremont, California at the Claremont Colleges to be exact. USETDA = United States Electronic Theses & Dissertations Association. I am particularly proud of this conference because I, with an intrepid group of higher education and library professionals, worked very, very hard to make it happen. I had worked as a track director, who funneled and reviewed presentation proposals, and as an organizer for the networking breakfast event we have planned for one of the conference days. My attendance at USETDA 2013 is as an organizer/worker. I will be making introductions at particular presentations, providing facilitation and moderation, and doing all-around, general go’fer-ing. To think, this thing started as a proposal, written and led by Allegra Swift at Claremont Colleges and Marisa Ramirez at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, way back in the late summer of 2011. So many fabulous professionals have done wonderful work to bring USETDA 2013 into being: Carmen Mitchell, Laura Hammons, Brena Smith, Israel Yáñez, John Hagen, Stacy Wallace, Christopher Jones, Frances Chu, and many more. It has finally come. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the conference program planning!
Meanwhile, life, work, and love go on. My oldest child is currently studying the craft of writing and the beauty and artistry in classical Greek literature at Stanford University. She will be back home to Redlands in mid-August. My youngest is having an idyllic summer spending time with relatives and friends. I’ve had little adventures, here and there, with Peter, the dogs, and the girls. The laundry keeps piling up and shows no signs of stopping. Food, shelter, and health care continue to be top needs that require time and attention. Little, and not so little, joys and heartaches. And all the while striving and struggling against the expected and the unexpected.
Summer is upon us here in Southern California, but my mind is in the upcoming fall and spring seasons. Why? Because of the programs that I have coming up.
First flyer for Muslim Journeys Fall 2013
Second flyer for Muslim Journeys Fall 2013
First flyer for Muslim Journeys Spring 2014
Second Flyer for Muslim Journeys Spring 2014
Back in May 9, 2013, I received an email from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) stating that our grant proposal for Let’s Talk About It: Muslim Journeys was given the monetary award we sought. I honestly didn’t think this would happen, so I am extremely elated (something else to scratch off my By 45 list)!
Of the 940 previous recipients of the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys, our proposal is among the 125 chosen to be awarded. There were only 6 winning organizations from California (I can’t say for sure why this matters to me, but it does). The programs we proposed will be implemented starting September 2013.
LTAI:MJ Selected Libraries and Humanities Councils
We had chosen the Points of View theme of the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys, which focus on contemporary concerns prevalent in Muslim-majority societies and the United States.
In addition to the discussion events for each of the 5 books from the Points of View theme, we will be hosting a film series at the University of Redlands consisting of 5 films and inviting 2 (maybe 3) speakers to come to campus. All of these events are detailed in the webpages that I’ve updated for this endeavor.
Let’s Talk About It: Muslim Journeys (LTAI:MJ) is a scholar-led book-based discussion series made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA). Our local community partners for this endeavor are University of Redlands Campus Diversity & Inclusion, Redlands Peace Academy, and A.K. Smiley Public Library. Dr. Patrick Wing of the University of Redlands history department will be our effort’s main scholar, especially for the book discussions. Stay tuned for more information about the programs we have planned.
Armacost Library News: World Book Night 2013: The Gift of Books.
WBN 2013
I signed up as a book-giver again this year. And I signed up Armacost Library at University of Redlands as a pick-up location for WBN 2013. The link above is the brief post I wrote about my library’s tiny book-giver reception.
World Book Night-US 2013 is next week, Tuesday, April 23.
University of Redlands’ Campus Diversity & Inclusion held the 23rd annual Living on Common Ground Multicultural Festival this past Saturday, on April 6, 2013. Armacost Library had a small, modest showing with Redlands Peace Academy to promote the community offerings at Peace Academy and the Armacost Library’s Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys. Here are some images.
Muslim Journeys at 2013 Living on Common Ground Multicultural Festival, University of Redlands
Cultural items from Redlands Peace Academy members
Helpers at the table. Artifacts were from India, Pakistan, Morocco.
Muslim Journeys Bookshelf: Upcoming Events for Spring 2013
Armacost Library News: Muslim Journeys Tea & Discussion: Islam 101.
It’s a Book by Lane Smith. Via Good Reads.
Armacost Library News: Sharing the Joy of Reading Through Read Across America.
Read.
Lane Smith’s It’s a Book trailer on YouTube.
Watch.
You must be logged in to post a comment.