Author Archive for tammerarace

1968 & 2008: Years of Transformation

Published
by
tammerarace
on November 13, 2008
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

What made 1968 notable as a year of transformation? What changes still impact us today? How are 1968 and 2008 similar? During the week of November 10th, faculty, staff, students, and community members will be examining these questions as they relate to politics, education, science, and culture. As part of this retrospective, our Library exhibit focuses on 1968 themes of Civil Rights, controversy and war, and life on college campuses.

Community members are invited to attend any of the planned events. Of special note, Richard Dudman, award-winning journalist and author of 40 Days with the Enemy, will lead a discussion on Friday evening, November 14, at 6:30 p.m. Dudman served as the Chief Washington Correspondent for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch during the 1950’s, ‘60’s, ‘70’s and ‘80’s. He was captured by the Vietcong guerrillas in Cambodia while covering the Vietnam War. 40 Days with the Enemy chronicles this experience. Dudman’s discussion is titled 1968 Through the Eyes of One Journalist. For more information about all of the retrospective events, please visit www.umpi.edu/1968.

Banned Books Week September 27 to October 4

Published
by
tammerarace
on October 2, 2008
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Our current library exhibit encourages patrons to “Celebrate Your Freedom to Read – Party with a Banned Book!” This week marks the 27th annual national celebration of the freedom to read. Begun in 1982, Banned Books Week draws attention to the threat of censorship, and spotlights books and authors that have been challenged or banned. Banned Books Week sponsors include: The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, The American Library Association, The Association of American Publishers, The American Society of Journalists and Authors, and The National Association of College Stores.

Each year, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles a list of the most challenged books and authors. In 2007, the OIF received 420 reports of challenged books. The OIF defines a challenge as “a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.” The OIF estimates that 420 is a fraction of actual incidents. For each reported challenge, four or five challenges are unreported. In 2007, the ten most challenged books were:

#1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

#2. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence

#3. Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes

Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language

#4. The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman

Reasons: Religious Viewpoint

#5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain

Reasons: Racism

#6. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

#7. TTYL, by Lauren Myracle

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

#8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou

Reasons: Sexually Explicit

#9. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris

Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit

#10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

Talk about my Constitution: Constitution Day, September 17

Published
by
tammerarace
on September 16, 2008
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

The Constitution of the United States was signed on September 17, 1787. To commemorate the original signing, Congress designated September 17 as Constitution Day - a day to celebrate, and educate about the Constitution. Our Library exhibit focuses on the Constitution as a product of debate and discussion, and emphasizes that those debates and discussions are ongoing. Featured resources available through URSUS include:

Our Constitution: A Conversation [videorecording], The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands (2005)

How Democratic is the American Constitution? Robert Alan Dahl (2001)

Unruly Americans and the Origins of the Constitution, Woody Holton (2007)

A More Perfect Constitution: 23 Proposals to Revitalize Our Constitution and Make America a Fairer Country, Larry Sabato (2007).

Two hundred and twenty one years of discussion continue at UMPI on September 17, from 1 to 2 PM, in the Campus Center. President Don Zillman and Dr. John Zaborney will discuss the origins of the Constitution,  key provisions, Amendments (including the Bill of Rights), and the importance of the Supreme Court to interpreting Constitutional language. Please join us at the Campus Center and the Library as we celebrate, and talk about, our Constitution. And for more information about the Constitution, visit an interactive version at www.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/.

Armchair Travels in June

Published
by
tammerarace
on June 25, 2008
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Looking for a great summer read?  Our Library and Computer Services Staff selected the following favorite picks.  Whether you’re looking to share a family book, experience a reading adventure, learn more, or gain a different perspective, one of the following titles could be your ticket to a wonderful book vacation.  Stop by to see our selections on exhibit at the Library this month.  Better yet, check one out.  All of the titles are available through URSUS or MaineCAT.  Happy reading!

Our favorites…

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

The Cider House Rules by John Irving

The Dark Tower Series: The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

The O’Hurley’s Series by Nora Roberts

One Child by Torey Hadyn

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb

Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin

For kids of all ages…

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

For young adult readers

Alanna, The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce