Archive for March 2007
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March 30, 2007
Need a book? Don't wait! Use the new Hold for Pickup feature
The UT Libraries' Hold for Pickup service brings the books you need to a library service desk near you
Don't have time to get to the stacks? The UT Libraries' new Hold for Pickup service makes getting the books you need a little easier.
When you find the book you need in the libraries' catalog, click the link labeled Request. Students, faculty, staff, and library subscriber card holders can have the books they need pulled and waiting for them at the service desks at Hodges Library, Pendergrass AgVetMed, Map, Music, and Preston Medical Library. It will take two business days to process most requests.
Library Express customers (faculty, graduate students, and staff) can have books delivered to their departmental offices (not personal) or use Hold for Pickup at the branch library of their choice. Library subscriber card holders can also have storage items as Hold for Pickup.
For more information about borrowing library materials please visit www.lib.utk.edu/circ/circ/borrowing.html.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:05 PM in Announcements
March 29, 2007
UT Libraries presents Knoxville and Appalachia in the works of Cormac McCarthy
Dr. Chris Walsh to lead book talk on Tuesday, April 17 in Hodges Library
The importance of Appalachia in the works of Cormac McCarthy will be the topic of a book talk sponsored by UT Libraries on Tuesday, April 17 from 12-1:30 p.m. in room 605 of Hodges Library. The event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Chris Walsh, a lecturer in UT's English department, will discuss how McCarthy's Appalachia is a place for rejuvenation and regeneration in his most recent work, The Road. Published in 2006, The Road was nominated for a National Book Critic's Circle Award and chosen by Oprah Winfrey as her latest book club selection. Walsh will also speak about McCarthy's four early novels, The Orchard Keeper, Outer Dark, Child of God, and Suttree, which are all set in Appalachia.
Cormac McCarthy is one of the most unique, paradoxical and demanding voices in Southern and American literature. The Road is a post-apocalyptic tale that describes a journey taken by a father and his young son. Over several months, the father and son travel across a landscape blasted years before by an unnamed cataclysm which destroyed civilization and most life on earth. In the book McCarthy uses the physical and figurative terrain of Appalachia to a haunting degree.
The event is sponsored by the University of Tennessee Libraries Ready for the World committee. Dr. Walsh is a a McCarthy scholar and has also organized The Road Home: McCarthy's Imaginative Return to the South, a conference sponsored by the University of Tennessee English Department to be held April 26-28. Visit www.lib.utk.edu/refs/mccarthy/ for more information about the conference.
About Cormac McCarthy
McCarthy was born in Rhode Island in 1933 and moved to Knoxville with his family when he was four. He attended the University of Tennessee from 1951-52 and 1957-59 but never graduated. While at UT he published two stories in The Phoenix and was awarded the Ingram-Merrill Award for creative writing in 1959 and 1960. He has written ten novels. All the Pretty Horses, published in 1992, won the National Book Award and brought McCarthy into the public spotlight. He currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife and young son.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 05:13 PM in Events
Writers in the Library: Jon Manchip White to read on World Book Day, April 23
April 23 is an important day in literature: in 1616, both William Shakespeare and Miguel Cervantes died on that date. In 1995 the United Nations named April 23 as World Book Day, and throughout the world the day is set aside to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright.
To celebrate World Book Day, Writers in the Library will host author and UT emeritus professor of English Jon Manchip White. The reading will begin at 7 p.m. in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of Hodges Library and is free and open to the public.
Jon Manchip White is a distinguished Welsh-American author who has published over 30 books of fiction and non-fiction. His most recent work is Solo Goya: Goya and the Duchess of Alba at Sanlucar, an historical novel based on the life of the great Spanish painter Francisco Goya. Solo Goya was published in 2007 by Iris Press.
The Writers in the Library series is sponsored by the University of Tennessee Libraries and the Creative Writing Program of the UT English Department. For further information, please contact Jo Anne Deeken, head of technical services, UT Libraries, at 974-6905 or jdeeken@utk.edu, or R.B. Morris, Jack E. Reese writer in residence, UT Libraries, at 974-3004 or rbmorris@utk.edu.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 04:50 PM in Writers in the Library
March 27, 2007
Student Authors to Read at Writers in the Library
Writers in the Library features award-winning creative writing students on April 16
Students in UT's Creative Writing Program compete annually for the John C. Hodges Graduate Writing Prizes in fiction and poetry. This year's award-winning students will read at Writers in the Library at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 16, in the John C. Hodges Library auditorium. The prizes were endowed by the same long-time UT English professor, author of the Harbrace College Handbook, for whom the Hodges Library is named.
Author of Harbrace Handbook made significant contributions to University Libraries, English lit
Dr. John C. Hodges came to UT Knoxville in 1921 and was named head of the English department in 1938, remaining in that position until his retirement in 1962.
His enthusiastic commitment to learning did not end with retirement, however. Three years earlier he had begun the task of improving the university's library collection, and he continued to serve voluntarily as coordinator of library development until his death in 1967.
His 41 years at the University were marked by far-reaching contributions to the study of English literature and the improvement of educational methods. Dr. Hodges' influence on the teaching of English continues today through his Harbrace College Handbook, the most widely used college text in the country.
The current John C. Hodges Main Library, which opened in 1987, was constructed around the John C. Hodges Undergraduate Library built in 1969.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 11:29 AM in Writers in the Library
March 23, 2007
University of Tennessee Special Collections Library acquires rare invitation to Sam Houston's 1829 wedding
The Special Collections Library at the University of Tennessee recently purchased a copy of an invitation to the sudden January 1829 wedding of then-Tennessee governor Sam Houston and Eliza Allen. This rare item may be only one of its kind.
Aaron Purcell, university archivist, discovered the piece on eBay.com and purchased the invitation on February 14, 2007, just over 178 years after the wedding date. The invitation was kept by descendants of one of the wedding guests for five generations.
Sam Houston is an important figure in Tennessee's history, serving as governor from 1827-1829 and representing the state in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1823-1827. Born in Lexington, Virginia, in 1793, his family moved to Maryville, Tennessee, in 1806. Houston joined the army in 1813 and fought at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814. There he caught the attention of Andrew Jackson. Jackson became Houston's mentor and helped guide his political career.
While governor, Houston briefly courted 18-year-old Eliza Allen, daughter of a wealthy Gallatin, Tennessee, businessman. On January 15, 1829, the couple mailed a handful of invitations to a small January 22nd wedding at the Allen family home. It is one of these few invitations that UT was able to purchase.
The invitation UT acquired is addressed to Miss Harriet Roulstone, the daughter of George Roulstone, who in 1791 founded the Knoxville Gazette, the state's first newspaper.
Shortly after the ceremony, the newlyweds were at odds. After 11 weeks, Eliza Allen left her husband and returned to her family's home in Gallatin. There are many theories as to why the marriage was so short-lived, but none are substantiated. Allen burned all of her letters regarding the relationship and Houston was reluctant to speak about his brief marriage.
The invitation gives few details about the wedding, but the piece remained in the Roulstone family for many years, tucked in a trunk with other important family papers.
Shortly after his marriage dissolved, Houston resigned his position as governor and fled to Indian Territory. He married a Cherokee woman and became a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Houston returned to public service in Texas, serving as president of the Republic of Texas, U.S. senator, and making several failed presidential runs. He died in 1863, leaving behind a complex legacy.
"Sam Houston materials are exceedingly rare and expensive," Purcell said. UT holds only one other Houston item in its collections, a letter to Colonel Ramsey, dated February 1829. Both items are available for research use in the Special Collections Library at 1401 Cumberland Avenue.
About the Special Collections Library
The University of Tennessee Special Collections Library was founded in 1960 and resides in the historic James D. Hoskins Library building. Materials in special collections include manuscripts, books and other rare materials for research use. For more information, contact the library at (865) 974-4480 or visit www.lib.utk.edu/spcoll/.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 11:10 AM in Press Releases
UT Libraries Focuses on Civil Rights in East Tennessee
UT Documentaries in the Library to present film about the Clinton 12
The UT Libraries will show the film Clinton and the Law: Desegregation in Clinton, TN with remarks from a Clinton High School student who lived through the experience as part of their Documentaries in the Libraries series. The event will be held on April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of Hodges Library and is free and open to the public.
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education ended legal segregation in public schools. In January 1956, Federal District Court Judge Robert Taylor was forced to overturn his own earlier ruling and mandated Clinton High School to desegregate by the fall semester of 1956.
On August 27, 1956, Clinton High School became the first public, all-white high school in the Southeast to enroll black students. In all, twelve black children enrolled in the high school that year, in the face of protests, violence and media scrutiny.
Alfred Williams, one of the "Clinton 12," will join in the discussion session after the film. Robert Willis, one of the last Clinton residents bussed to Austin-East High School in Knoxville and Alan Jones, pastor of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Clinton and an accomplished artist, will also participate. The evening's discussion will be led by Susan Williams (no relation) from the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, TN.
The film Clinton and the Law was produced by legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow as part of his See It Now series on CBS. Selections from You Got To Move, a documentary about working toward union, civil, environmental and women's rights in the South, will also be shown.
UT Libraries' Documentaries in the Library series is exploring aspects of Appalachia through film and video during the spring 2007 semester. More information about the series can be found at www.lib.utk.edu/mediacenter/docs/.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 09:48 AM in Documentaries in the Library
March 20, 2007
Special Collections Lecture Series presents: Appalachian Removals and Relocations, Spring 2007
Lecture series will examine the diversity, culture and identity of Appalachia and its inhabitants
As part of the University of Tennessee's Appalachian Celebration, the Special Collections Library is hosting a lecture series entitled Appalachian Removals and Relocations, which will examine the diversity, culture and identity of Appalachia and its inhabitants.
Appalachia is a region of great transformations and intersections. Humans have fought over its natural resources, land, and legacy for centuries. In this lecture series, scholars from the University of Tennessee will offer their perspectives on how the people who have lived in and left Appalachia made an enduring mark on this vast territory.
Lecture Calendar
Tuesday, March 20 John Finger, UT history professor emeritus, will present "Cherokee Removal: A National and Regional Perspective." Dr. Finger is an expert in Native American history, and author of The Eastern Band of Cherokees, 1819-1900 and Cherokee Americans: The Eastern Band of Cherokees in the Twentieth Century.
Tuesday, March 27 Benita Howell, UT anthropology professor emeritus, will present "Nineteenth-Century Come-Heres: Planting Intentional Communities in the Rocky Soil of Tennessee." Dr. Howell's research interests include rural development, environmental planning and folk culture studies of Southern Appalachia. Her books include Folklife along the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and Culture, Environment, and Conservation in the Appalachian South.
Tuesday, April 10 Bruce Wheeler, UT history professor emeritus, will present "Goodbye to the Old Home Place: Removals by the National Park Service and the Tennessee Valley Authority." Among his many publications, Dr. Wheeler has written the books TVA and the Tellico Dam: A Bureaucratic Crisis in Post-Industrial America and Knoxville, Tennessee: A Mountain City in the New South, which was published in 2005 by UT Press.
Each event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a reception and lectures will start at 6 p.m. The lectures will be held in the Delivery Hall of the historic James D. Hoskins Library, 1401 Cumberland Avenue, on the UT Campus.
The Special Collections Library will also hold an exhibit featuring original materials that explore the themes of Appalachian removals and relocations. The exhibit opening will be Monday, March 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the Special Collections Library and will run through October 2007.
The lectures and exhibit are free and open to the public. These events are part of the University of Tennessee's Ready for the World programs, which are chosen to expose students to aspects of another culture. This academic year's emphasis is on Appalachian culture and its influence. For more information about the Special Collections Lecture Series, visit http://www.lib.utk.edu/spcoll/lecture.
Contacts:
Aaron Purcell, associate professor and university archivist, (865) 974-3674
Posted by Laura Purcell at 02:53 PM in Events
March 15, 2007
Nikki Giovanni to Launch National Book Tour from Knoxville on March 27
The world-renowned poet will be joined on stage by UT's Love United Gospel Choir
University of Tennessee's Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature is very pleased to host Nikki Giovanni for a special appearance at the Tennessee Theatre at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27. The renowned writer/poet will be joined on stage by UT's Love United Gospel Choir. The event is free and open to the public. Carpe Librum Booksellers will provide books for signing.
Giovanni and her publisher, Candlewick Press, chose Knoxville for the launch of her new book, On My Journey Now - Looking at African American History Through the Spirituals. Giovanni's personal journey began in Knoxville where she was born in 1943 and where she and her sister spent subsequent summers with their grandparents after her family moved to Cincinnati, OH.
In her famous children's poem, "Knoxville, TN," Giovanni returns to her nostalgic roots with warm memories of summer in the mountains. There, she celebrates going to a church picnic where she listens to gospel music outside.
As a little girl, Giovanni was deeply inspired by the early gospel lyrics and beats of her ancestors. In On My Journey Now, she weaves the words of those spirituals with the inspiring story of Africans in America. As she paints compelling portraits of the lives of her ancestors through familiar songs such as "Go Down, Moses" and personal favorites such as "Ain't Got Time to Die," she celebrates people who overcame enslavement and found a way to survive, worship and build.
Giovanni is the author of the best-selling Rosa, a biography of Rosa Parks illustrated by Bryan Collier; The Sun Is So Quiet, illustrated by Ashley Bryan; and Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy Like My Sister Kate. Three of her poetry collections for adults have received NAACP Image Awards. She serves as University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg where she now lives.
"We are honored that Candlewick and Giovanni have chosen our event as the launch of this important book," says Ken Wise, co-founder of the Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature. "Her devotion to this area is a testament to the rich literary tradition in our own back yard. She will continue to inspire young people for generations."
The Love United Gospel Choir, which is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, is a student organization at the University of Tennessee with 100 students who come together to serve the campus and local community through service and song. Jocelyn Milton is the faculty advisor for the choir. Gospel music is an integral part of the African American culture and represents the theme of Giovanni's latest book.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
UT's Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature works to promote the use of literature in the education and lives of children and young adults by providing workshops for teachers and librarians, and sponsoring talks by authors and illustrators which are open to the public. Publishers of children's and young adult books provide review copies of their most
recently published books for study and examination within the center by librarians, students, teachers and the public.
The center is a partnership between the University of Tennessee Libraries, the School of Information Sciences, and the College of Education, Health and Human Services with participation from Knox County Public Library, Knox County Schools, Maryville City Schools, Oak Ridge City Schools, the Children's Defense Fund, and the Webb School of Knoxville.
For more information about this event or UT's Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature, please contact Ken Wise at (865) 974-2359.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 12:49 PM in Press Releases
March 14, 2007
Documentaries in the Library: Appalachian Series
Discuss and discover how aspects of Appalachia have been explored through film and video at the University of Tennessee Libraries this spring, with its Documentaries in the Library series.
Thursday March 8 The Appalachians: Culture of Survival with discussion led by Jack Neely, Metro Pulse columnist.
Monday, March 19 Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Legacy (no discussion; attend Dr. John Finger's lecture on March 20 at Special Collections)
Wednesday, March 28 Fixin to Tell about Jack and Hamper McBee: Raw Mash with discussion led by Michael Lofaro, professor of English.
Wednesday, April 4 Clinton and the Law: Desegregation in Clinton, Tennessee and selections from You Got to Move with discussion led by Susan Williams from the Highlander Research Center and a special presentation by Alfred Williams, one of the Clinton Twelve.
Wednesday, April 18 Appalachian Impressions: Hiking the Appalachian Trail, with discussion led by Ken Wise, author of The Best Short Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Wednesday, April 25 Selections from Louie Bluie, Sprout Wings and Fly, and Nimrod Workman: to fit my own category with discussion led by Sean McCullough, professor of music.
All showings are free and open to the public and will be held in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of Hodges Library beginning at 7 p.m.
Visit http://www.lib.utk.edu/mediacenter/docs/ for more information.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:09 PM in Documentaries in the Library
March 07, 2007
Writers in the Library features musician-poet Keith Flynn
Rocker poet to read March 26
At nearly seven feet tall, Keith Flynn's mere presence commands a room. And with poetry as passionate and energetic as Jerry Lee Lewis's piano playing, his reading at Writers in the Library on March 26th is an event that should not be missed. The reading will begin at 7 p.m. in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of Hodges Library on the UT campus and is free and open to the public.
Flynn is a poet and former rocker, who performed with the nationally acclaimed band The Crystal Zoo from 1985-1988. He is the founder and managing editor of The Asheville Poetry Review and was twice named the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet for North Carolina.
Flynn is the author of five books, including four collections of poetry: The Talking Drum (1991), The Book of Monsters (1994), The Lost Sea (2000), and The Golden Ratio (Iris Press, 2007), and a collection of essays, entitled The Rhythm Method, Razzmatazz and Memory: How To Make Your Poetry Swing (Writer's Digest Books, 2007). His poems have been published in The Colorado Review, The Southern Poetry Review, and Shenandoah, as well as many other anthologies and journals.
The Writers in the Library series is sponsored by the University of Tennessee Libraries and the Creative Writing Program of the UT English Department. For further information, please contact Jo Anne Deeken, head of technical services, UT Libraries, at 974-6905 or jdeeken@utk.edu, or R.B. Morris, Jack E. Reese writer in residence, UT Libraries, at 974-3004 or rbmorris@utk.edu.
Posted by at 12:54 PM in Writers in the Library
March 04, 2007
Documents to the People: 100 years of keeping you in the know
UT celebrates more than a century of providing government information
From the Declaration of Independence to your great-great grandfather's military records, from the Civil Rights Act to Smokey Bear's conservation efforts, the United States government produces a tremendous amount of information that influences our daily lives.
And the UT Libraries has played a major role in making that information available to Tennesseans for more than a century.
In 2007, the University of Tennessee Libraries celebrates some important milestones in its history of providing access to federal and state government information: 110 years as a designated depository library (1897), 100 years as a land-grant depository library (1907), and 90 years as a Tennessee state depository library (1917).
UT Libraries is one of 1,200 Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) libraries in the nation and one of six depositories for state of Tennessee government publications. As a depository, the libraries are a vital link to bringing government information to students, faculty and surrounding communities. Anyone can visit the UT Libraries and use the federal and state depository collections, which are filled with information on careers, business opportunities, consumer information, health and nutrition, legal information, demographics, and many other subjects.
Government publications form a critical component of the University of Tennessee Libraries' collections. They are rich in primary source materials that provide a window into the history, culture and daily life of the United States for researchers. Because users expect and prefer electronic formats, the libraries
now offer government publications in digital format.
Free access to government publications is important to the libraries and a central part of its service philosophy. The UT Libraries will continue to serve as a government information access center and help guide users to information in the digital environment.
To celebrate these important anniversaries, the libraries will highlight different government documents, publications and collections throughout the year. Visit www.lib.utk.edu/refs/govdocs100 for more information.
For assistance with government documents, just AskUsNow! or consult the UT Libraries' Government Documents and Microforms department, the Pendergrass Agricultural and Veterinary Medicine Library or the Map Library.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 01:29 PM in Announcements
March 03, 2007
Quilts! Exhibit and Film Series
Quilts are more than just bed coverings--they tell stories, document the past, and express a range of emotions, from love to sorrow.
In honor of Women's History Month, the UT Libraries presents an exhibit and film series focused on quilts and the women who made them.
Exhibit
March 1-April 2: Merikay Waldvogel's quilts will be on display in Hodges Library outside the Lindsay Young Auditorium. These quilts come from Waldvogel's personal collection. A nationally recognized quilt historian, Waldvogel will speak on March 7 from 7-9 p.m. at the McClung Museum Auditorium.
Films
Tuesday, March 6: Hearts and Hands: The Influence of Women & Quilts on American Society. Showings will be at 12:30 and 1:35 p.m. Room 251, Hodges Library.
Tuesday, March 20: The Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend, 11 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. and The Quilts of Gee's Bend, 12:05 p.m. Room 251, Hodges Library.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:27 PM in Announcements, Exhibits, Film Series
March 02, 2007
Women's History Month: Film Series
Join the UT Libraries in celebrating Women's History Month. In honor of this month, the libraries' Diversity Committee will be sponsoring three film showings. Additional resource guides on women and women's history are also available. Visit www.lib.utk.edu/refs/women/ for more information.
Film Schedule
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Hearts and Hands: The Influence of Women & Quilts on American Society
Showing Times: 12:30 pm; 1:35 pm; & 5:00 pm
Location: Hodges 251
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Iron Jawed Angels
Showing Times: 12:40 pm - 2:40 pm & 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Hodges 251
Tuesday, March 20 2007
The Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend
Showing Times: 11:00 am; 12:40 pm; 5:00 pm
Location: Hodges 252
The Quilts of Gee's Bend
Showing Times: 12:05 pm & 6:05 pm
Location: Hodges 252
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:23 PM in Film Series
Sunshine Week 2007: Closed Doors, Open Democracies?
A Web cast celebrating the public's right to know
Date: March 20, 2007
Time: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Hodges Library Commons, practice presentation room (room 235)
In celebration of the 100th anniversary as a land-grant depository library, UT Libraries is sponsoring the Web cast, Sunshine Week 2007: Closed Doors, Open Democracies?
This second annual national program explores government secrecy and openness. Join Ira Flatow, host and executive producer of NPR's Science Friday, and two panels of experts addressing issues of access to government information, including the impact of government suppression and the manipulation of scientific information on public health and safety.
Sunshine Week provides us an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the importance of open governments and the public's right to know. Sunshine laws provide the public with a voice as to how local, state and federal governments make decisions and conduct business on behalf of the people they represent. Sunshine laws are also the basis for the broad legal protections we enjoy to access information from our government.
More information about Sunshine Week is available at www.sunshineweek.org.
[Note: The program is an archived version of the March 12, 2007 Web cast. It begins with a lively discussion of the issues and ends with ideas for action. The program features video segments and a question-and-answer period.]
Posted by Laura Purcell at 02:02 PM in Events