Book signing and reception to follow.  The event is free and open to the public.

Co-sponsored by The Alabama Center for the Book,UA Libraries and the College of Arts and Sciences

 

School winners in UA’s essay contest were recognized at the University Club with a luncheon in their honor.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and UA faculty member Rick Bragg was the guest speaker.

The essay contest began in 2001 to recognize author Harper Lee’s induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor.

Contest submissions were accepted from public, private and home-schooled high school students.

Each participating school chooses a winning entry, and a monetary prize is given to each of the winners. Participants were required to write a 500-750 word essay about how the book speaks to readers in today’s society.

In her essay, this year’s statewide winner, Melissa Lawrence of Hewitt-Trussville High School wrote, “Through the life lessons that are exemplified by Atticus Finch, the novel still illuminates the world Scout dreams of, where people are just ordinary people and social classes are nonexistent.”

As the state winner, Lawrence received $500 and $500 was also awarded to her school, Hewitt-Trussville High School. A panel of judges from the UA Honors College and English department selects the statewide student winner.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” speaks to students in this generation as powerfully as it did to students of previous generations,” said Dr. Fran Oneal, associate director of the University Honors Program and director of the International Honors Program, who also oversees the essay competition.

All students who win the essay contest at their individual high schools were invited to attend the luncheon and an awards ceremony at UA. Student essays are also archived in UA’s Hoole Special Collections Library.

Noted author Rick Bragg, a faculty member of the UA department of journalism, was the featured speaker at the luncheon. Bragg is known for his writing on the South and contemporary America. His most famous work, “All Over but the Shoutin’,” is a critically acclaimed autobiography about growing up in the South. The book is found on the reading lists of universities throughout the country.

Bragg’s other books include “The Prince of Frogtown,” an exploration of his father’s life in their hometown of Jacksonville, and “The Most They Ever Had,” stories of men and women who worked in the Jacksonville cotton mill.

The essay contest is sponsored by the UA Honors College and the Alabama State Department of Education. Further support is provided by The Alabama Center for the Book, the UA Offices of Academic Affairs, Alumni Affairs and Undergraduate Admissions, and the University Libraries.

The 2012 winners included:

February 15 – April 15

For centuries individuals have been collecting miniature books.  To promote knowledge of these tiny treasures, the Miniature Book Society has created a national traveling exhibit showcasing modern masterpieces as well as historic examples.  Gorgas Library on the campus of the University of Alabama will be the site of the exhibit February 15 – April 15, 2012.  The exhibit is sponsored by University Libraries and the Alabama Center for the Book.

The traveling exhibit also includes books from the Miniature Book Society’s annual competition.  Two University of Alabama students from the School of Library and Information Studies Book Arts Program entered the 2011 competition. Their books will be featured in the collection.

Mary Elizabeth Watson’s book, CAT TALK, measures 3” x 2 5/8” and features images hand drawn and printed from photographic plates.

Timothy Winkler’s book, JUMBLE, 3” x 3” in size, is a letterpress book printed with polymer plates and linocuts.  The design is meant to represent a chaotic “mess” of ideas.  Winkler is both author and illustrator.

To accompany the exhibit, four additional display cases will be filled with 22 miniature books from W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library’s Book Arts Collection and information about the art of collecting miniature books.

In the United States, a miniature book is usually considered to be one which is no more than three inches in height, width, or thickness.  These petite jewels can be very valuable. Earlier this year, a miniature book from 1749, ‘T Oranje Geslagt, was priced at $20,000 on a bookseller’s website.

The exhibit is open to the public and can be viewed during regular library hours:  Monday-Thursday:  7:30 am – 2:00 am, Friday:  7:30 am – 6:00 pm, Saturday:  10:00 am – 6:00 pm and Sunday:  12:00 pm – 2:00 am.  For holiday closings and exceptions, visit:   http://www.lib.ua.edu/spring2012 or call (205) 348-1416.

If you are visiting campus during the week between 7:00 am and 6 pm, there are three parking decks you may park in as a visitor:  Ferguson Center, Campus Drive, and North ten Hoor.  After 6 pm and on weekends a parking permit is not required and visitors may park behind Gorgas Library on Campus Drive.  For additional parking information visit:  http://bamaparking.ua.edu/pages/visitor-parking.html  or call (205) 348-5471.

Click here for more information.

You are invited to an Alabama Center for the Book Gathering

Alabama Special Collections and Archives for the 21st Century

Saturday, March 3, 2012 ∙ 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, 711 Capstone Drive, room 205 

The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Co-Sponsors:  University of Alabama Libraries, the School of Library & Information Studies, and the College of Communication & Information Sciences

This day-long meeting will engage individuals and institutions state-wide interested in sharing information about its many public and private archives and special collections. The meeting creates opportunities for librarians, curators, archivists, book artists, museum administrators and collectors to share their thoughts on defining and redefining collecting, compare notes on physical and virtual exhibitions, and have a fruitful dialog about opportunities and options for special collections over the next two to five years.

2009 MacArthur Fellow Timothy Barrett, from the University of Iowa, will speak about his work in studying under what conditions ancient papers survive and thrive.

For a change in pace, renowned book artist Tim Ely will discuss his one-of-a kind painted books, written in his own language and inspired by thoughts of alien worlds.

Kenneth Gaddy, director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum, will give insight to physical and virtual exhibits.

John Cole, director of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, will conclude the afternoon with his thoughts on how special collections will evolve over the next five years.

Around these centerpiece presentations we will, with your participation, attempt to identify some of the many unique Alabama archive and special collections.

*If you are interested in presenting, up to five minutes, about your special collection, please contact Dr. Bob Riter, rbriter@slis.ua.edu. In your email, please include a brief description about your collection including the title, venue, and address.

SCHEDULE:

8:30 Coffee and Introductions

9:00 Welcome – Dr. Louis Pitschmann, Dean of University of Alabama Libraries, and Dr. Heidi Julien, Director of the School of Library & Information Studies, University of Alabama

9:15–10:00 On The Longevity of Paper, Timothy Barrett, University of Iowa

10:00–10:30 Coffee Break

10:30–11:30 Defining Archives and Special Collections—Who Are We? A series of 5-minute speed talks moderated by Dr. Bob Riter and Professor Steve Miller, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alabama*

11:30–12:30 Defining, and Redefining Collecting, moderated by Bill and Vicky Stewart of Vamp & Tramp, Booksellers, Birmingham, Alabama

12:30–1:30 Box Lunch

1:30–2:15 On Imagination and The 21st-Century Book, Tim Ely, Book Artist from Colfax, Washington, Introduced by Mary Ann Sampson, Ragland

2:15–3:00 Physical and Virtual Exhibitions, moderated by Kenneth Gaddy, Director, Paul W. Bryant Museum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Introduced by Steven MacCall

3:00-3:20 Break

3:20–4:30 Opportunities and Options for Special Collections and Archives Over the Next 3–5 Years, a presentation by John Cole, Director of the Center of the Book in the Library of Congress, Introduced by Dean Louis Pitschmann

4:30 Final Observations by Dean Louis Pitschmann

Click here to download the 2012 Registration Form.

W. S. Hoole Special Collections Library, Second Floor, Mary Harmon Bryant Hall,                 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

UA assistant professor in the Creative Writing Department, Dave Madden, will read from his new book, The Authentic Animal:  Inside the Odd and Obsessive World of Taxidermy (St. Martin’s Press, 2011).  A reception and signing will take place before and after the talk.

Publisher’s Weekly says that The Authentic Animal “muses with verve and wit on the relationships between human and animal, art and artifact, as well as on the collector’s obsession.”  Kirkus Reviews calls the book a “readable, sometimes chilling tour of an intriguing subculture.”  And booklist sees “genuine curiosity, respect, depth, and wit,” in the writing of “this remarkably entertaining and thought-provoking book.”

Everyone is invited!

http://www.lib.ua.edu/libraries/hoole/happenings/events.htm

Contact:  Jessica Lacher-Feldman, 348-0506

Statistics compiled by the Association of Research Libraries show that University Libraries have risen in the rankings in several key areas, including investment and in overall criteria. Since 2003, UA Libraries have moved from 97 to 56 among all criteria for the ARL’s member libraries, which include the top private- and public-university libraries in the United States and Canada.

Among public universities, UA Libraries have risen from 61 to 32 since 2003. Among the 23 ARL members in the Southern University Group, including the University of Florida, University of North Carolina and University of Georgia – UA’s ranking has risen from 21 to 12.

As for investment in libraries, UA has risen from 92 to 76 overall and from 56 to 41 among public universities. In the Southern University Group, the ranking has risen from 18 to 15.

“This recognition of our libraries reflects our commitment to providing the best academic and research materials for our students and our faculty,” said Dr. Judy Bonner, UA executive vice president and provost. “We are proud of the tremendous effort Dean (Louis A.) Pitschmann and all our librarians have made to improve the quality of our libraries.”

“The rise in investment stands as a key benchmark for the University,” said Pitschmann, UA dean of libraries.

“What these numbers represent is the University’s commitment to investing in a library that is commensurate with the quality of the teaching and research that is currently taking place at the University,” Pitschmann said. “Without this level of funding, we could not put in place the type of library UA’s current programs and priorities require.”

The increase in rankings, for both investment and for overall criteria, represents the University’s efforts to improve access to materials for both students and faculty engaged in cutting-edge research. He notes that in 2003, University Libraries provided access to 23,000 periodicals for scholarly research; in 2011, the University community has access to more than 88,000 unique titles – almost all of them in electronic formats.

“An estimated 90 percent of the electronic information that one can access through the Internet needed for higher education is not free,” Pitschmann said. “Libraries must license and purchase that material. Thanks to funding from the University and donors, we’ve been able to move the library to higher qualitative levels.”

As investment has increased, so has University Libraries’ commitment to augmenting the life of UA’s scholarly community, including undergraduates.The new Scout unified resource discovery interface from EBSCO, for example, allows students and faculty to search for articles and information simultaneously among electronic resources and catalogs of printed materials.

Librarians also have sought to acquire access to materials undergraduates can use for class assignments and original research. The result: Staff members have not only improved the quantity of material available but also the quality of the collection.

“We’ve moved to a totally different qualitative level that would have been impossible without the funding increases we’ve received,” Pitschmann said. “This funding also has allowed us to hire more staff. We have a very strong and committed library faculty who are developing the collections and developing new forms of access to the electronic information.”

Membership in the Association of Research Libraries is based on meeting high standards for libraries in research institutions. In Alabama, UA and Auburn are the only two members of ARL.

Other members include Harvard, Yale, the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Georgia and Louisiana State University. Membership in ARL is a strong indicator of UA’s strengthening position as a major U.S. research institution and benefits the University in several ways.

“Membership allows us to work with and collaborate with some of the largest and oldest research libraries in the United States and Canada, and it assures us that we stay current with trends and opportunities that will support the University’s teaching, research and outreach agenda,” Pitschmann said.

Pitschmann also says the rankings reflect the commitment of UA President Robert E. Witt and Provost Bonner to improving the quality of the University as a community of scholars.

“Dr. Witt and Dr. Bonner have shown exceptional support for the libraries, and our growth is directly attributable to their support,” Pitschmann said.

http://uanews.ua.edu/2011/10/steady-growth-investment-raise-rankings-of-ua-libraries/

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is experiencing significant growth in both enrollment and academic quality. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state’s economy, is in keeping with UA’s vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state’s flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.

CONTACT: Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782
SOURCE: Donna Adcock, UA Libraries, 205/348-1416, dbadcock@lib.ua.edu