Explore Abandoned Arkansas on Monday, February 10th

Posted on February 5, 2020 Written by

Poster for the Abandoned Arkansas announcing times and locaitonJoin the Ross Pendergraft Library on Monday, Feb. 10th at 7:00 P.M. in RPL 300A as we take a trip through the state’s forgotten places with authors Ginger Beck and Michael Schwarz who will discuss their book, Abandoned Arkansas: An Echo From the Past. As part of the Library’s Second Monday Author series, we are featuring two local authors who will share their adventures and photographs of once popular destinations which now lie in ruins throughout the state.

Book cover for featured book, Abandoned ArkansasExplore the forgotten history of the Natural State, from the Majestic Hotel in Hot Springs to Dogpatch near Jasper in Newton County. Abandoned Arkansas weaves historical background and photographs from the past alongside their heartbreaking pictures of ruin from the present.  Through historic documentation, these photographers hope to immortalize the stories of the places they visit beyond the building’s finite lifespan, and to preserve an echo from the past.

For more information on their work, as well as photographs of more than 150 locations they have visited, see their website, Abandoned Arkansas, at https://abandonedar.com/

For more information about this event or the Second Monday Author series, contact Luke Heffley at (479) 964-0546 or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to stay in the loop on all Library events.

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Haunted Sites at Arkansas Tech University

Posted on October 17, 2019 Written by

Flyer for haunted sites featuring grayed out images of the buildings of Tucker, Caraway, and WitherspoonHave you heard of the ghostly piano player at Witherspoon?  Have you felt a cold presence in Caraway Hall?  Are you worried that your classroom was built on an old Cherokee burial ground?  Does Tucker terrify you?  Prepare to be creeped out on Monday, October 28th at 7:00 in RPL 300A as we welcome a guest presentation from Amy Milliken on the spooky stories and folklore centered around several historic buildings at Arkansas Tech University and other campuses around the state.

Amy is the Education Outreach Coordinator for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program at the Department of Arkansas Heritage.   This agency is responsible for identifying, evaluating, registering, and preserving the stat’s cultural resources.  She will share not only historical information about the buildings and grounds, but she will also separate the myths from the facts behind the campus’s most famous ghosts and ghost stories.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information about the event, contact Luke Heffley at 479-964-0546 or lheffley@atu.edu.


 

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Warning: Graphic Material To Be Shown at the Library

Posted on October 9, 2019 Written by

"Warning: may contain graphic material". Dr. Donna R. White, Monday October 14, 7PM in RPL 300AJoin us on Monday, October 14th at 7:00 PM in RPL 300A for the next installment of the 2nd Monday Author Series.  This month will feature Dr. Donna White who will discuss how comics have grown-up and transformed from a ten-cent plague to Pulitzer Prize winners.

Photo of Dr. Donna WhiteDr. White is professor of English at ATU, and has served on the faculty since 2001. An alumna of Arkansas Tech, White also holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Texas and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Minnesota.  Her interests range from children’s and young adult literature, science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels to Celtic literature, Edwardian literature, and Jane Austen. She is on the editorial board of Mythlore and is a consulting editor for the Children’s Literature Association Quarterly, The Lion and the Unicorn, and Children’s Literature.

She is also a co-editor and contributor to Posthumanism in Young Adult Fiction: Finding Humanity in a Posthuman World, published in 2018.

This talk is free and open to the public.  All are welcome!  For more information, contact us at (479) 964-0546 or email lheffley@atu.edu.

If graphic novels and comics draw you into reading, the Ross Pendergraft Library has made some recent additions you might want to check out:

book jacket cover of They Called Us Enemy featuring little boy holding a suitcaseThey Called Us Enemy by George Takei; illustrated by Harmony Becker –  A stunning graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps, located in Rohwer, Arkansas, during World War II.

book cover of Animal Farm featuring farmyard animalsAnimal Farm : the Graphic Novel by George Orwell; illustrated by Odyr – Old Major, Napoleon, Squealer, Snowball, Boxer, and all the animals of Animal Farm come to life in this newly envisaged classic.

book jacket of "Speak" featuring a tree with a face in itSpeak : the Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson; illustrated by Emily Carroll – A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda’s freshman year in high school.

Cover of Watchmen, featuring comic book villians type folksWatchmen by Alan Moore; illustrated by Dave Gibbons – As former members of a disbanded group of superheroes called the Crimebusters start turning up dead, the remaining members of the group try to discover the identity of the murderer before they, too, are killed.

Cover for Monstress featuring scary woman in black leather and a giant humanoid shape made out of a dark liquid and eyeballsHaven (Monstress v.3) by Marjorie M. Liu; illustrated by Sana Takeda – n this third volume of MONSTRESS, collecting issues 13-18, Maika’s journey takes her to the neutral city of Pontus, where she hopes to find temporary refuge from her pursuers.

To find more graphic novels, comics, manga, and more at the library, search our database of books and other materials, Find It.  Use keywords like “graphic novel” or “Comics” or “Manga.”  You can also come visit us at the library to browse our Popular Reading, Young Adult, and general Book collections by call number 741.5.  Take a much deserved fall break with a graphic novel or a comic book during our open hours.  See you Monday!

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Shoot ’em With Biscuits, Monday Sept. 9th

Posted on September 4, 2019 Written by

Join us on September 9th in RPL 300B as we kick off this year’s Second Monday Author Series with Dr. Aaron McArthur, Assistant Professor of History and Public History Program Director at Arkansas Tech University, discussing his latest book, The Annals of the Southern Mission.

The evening begins with a reception at 6:00 PM before the main program at 7:00.  The event is free and open to the public.

Photo of Aaron McArthurDr. McArthur obtained his PhD in the History of the United States West from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he mainly focused on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) history during the last half of the nineteenth century.  His first book, St. Thomas, Nevada: A History Uncovered, told the story of the city of St. Thomas from its founding under the direction of Brigham Young to its inundation by Lake Mead.

Cover of the book featuring man reading another bookHis second book, The Annals of the Southern Mission: A Record of the History of the Settlement of Southern Utah, constitutes a transcribed and annotated version of the 2,266 loose, handwritten, and lined pages representing the early history of Southern Utah originally written by James G. Bleak.  Dr. McArthur, along with Reid Nielson, transcribed this important historical document, bringing to light details of early pioneer life during the period from 1849-1900 in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.

This presentation is part of our Second Monday Author Series featuring the works of our local writers and researchers.  You can stay up to date on the series and all library events by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.   For more questions or information about the Second Monday Author Series, contact Luke Heffley at (479) 964-0546.

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Climate Change Discussion

Posted on April 12, 2019 Written by

Decoding the Weather Machine Panel Discussion: Ross Pendergraft Library, April 16th at 7 PM in RPL 300AOn Tuesday, April 16th, at 7:00 P.M., the Ross Pendergraft Library will hold a panel discussion on climate change—what is it, how does it affect our environment, and what we can do to help save our planet.  The discussion will feature four experts in business, chemistry, sustainability alternative energy and natural disasters:

  • Bob Allen, Professor of Chemistry (Emeritus)
  • Andy Barrett, Alternative Energy Professional
  • Pat Ford, Agri-Business Owner
  • Caroline Hackerott, Assistant Professor of Emergency Management

The discussion will center on the PBS NOVA series episode, Decoding the Weather Machine. This event is free and open to the public—all are welcome!

For more information about the event, you can visit our event guide or contact the library at (479) 964-0569.  You can stay up to date on the series and all library events by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Dance Party at the Library

Posted on March 27, 2019 Written by

Pictures of fiddle players, dancers, and another musical instrument made of wood. I think it is a lute or a harp, but smaller.

Come shake it up to live music next Saturday, April 6th at the Ross Pendergraft Library as we host our second Contra Dance in RPL 300B from 7:00-9:00 P.M.  No partner and no experience necessary.  Each dance will be taught before it begins, and no one will be left behind.  The event includes live music from the Valley Jam Session Players and caller Cynthia Callahan.

An old-time contra dance, also referred to as a barn dance, is an informal country dance stemming from such dances in 17th century Western Europe. It has evolved just as the old-time music has. Traditionally this type of dance always uses live musicians playing fiddle tunes.

As part of the Echoes of the River Valley series, the library is bringing to life the folk arts of the past for a new generation.   In addition to dancing, the series has featured events like yarn spinning, hand-quilting, and open jam sessions.  The Jam Sessions occur every Thursday night from 5:30-7:30 PM in Doc Bryan 133.  To learn more about this event, or others in the series, check out our resource guide or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Monday Night – The Rabbi and the Civil Rights Movement

Posted on March 6, 2019 Written by

Poster featuring Rabbi Ira Sanders advertising a talk by Dr. James Moses, "The Rabbi and the Civil Rights Movement"Join us Monday night, March 11th, at 7:00 P.M. in RPL 300B for a look back at the struggle for Civil Rights in Arkansas from professor of history and author, Dr. James Moses.  Dr. Moses’s latest book, Just and Righteous Causes: Rabbi Ira Sanders and the Fight for Racial and Social Justice in Arkansas, 1926-1963, focuses on the efforts of Rabbi Ira Sanders of Little Rock who fought for justice and equality for African Americans in the segregated south.  Dr. Moses will discuss Rabbi Ira Sanders as well as the role of Southern rabbis as change agents.  All are welcome to attend.

Photo of Dr. James Moses

Dr. Moses earned his Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University, a Master of Arts from the University of New Hampshire, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Tulane University.  He has been a professor at Arkansas Tech since 1999 and specializes in modern United States and cultural history.   His current research projects include the completion of his book on the career of Justice William O. Douglas, and a project tentatively entitled Before Brown: The Long Civil Rights Movement, 1945-1954, which focuses on the often-overlooked decade between the end of World War II and the Court’s landmark Brown decision. In his off time, he enjoys jazz, playing drums, and collecting comics.

Photo of book cover, "Just and Righteous Causes"His book, Just and Righteous Causes, was published by the University of Arkansas Press. In one review, Mark K. Bauman, editor of Southern Jewish History called it,  “. . a must read for anyone interested in Little Rock, Arkansas and southern history, the civil rights movement, and southern and American Jewish history.”  Read more about the book and Ira Sanders in Tablet Magazine’s article, “Tikkun Olam, Y’all: Rabbi Ira Sanders of Arkansas, little-known Civil Rights hero”.

Stay up to date on more library events, including our next second Monday Author, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  For questions or more information about the library, email your friendly neighborhood librarians at: askus@atu.libanswers.com.  We hope to see you this Monday!

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Going Old School

Posted on February 15, 2019 Written by

Get your hands on history here at the Ross Pendergraft Library as we host a special series called Echoes of the River Valley, aimed at exploring the culture and the craft of our local past.  Join us for music, dancing, sewing, and spinning all semester long as we partner with community members to connect with the skills and talents that helped shaped the character of the Ozarks.  Here’s a list of the open classes and events hosted this month:

Saturday, Feb. 16th @ 10:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. in RPL 300B–Spinning Yarns: Literally and Figuratively. 

The Ozarks Fiber Group will be here for a spin-in at the Library.  Live demonstrations of spinning fibers of many kinds will be done. Materials in various stages of the yarn or string making process will be available. This is is the literal portion.  The figurative part of the program will look at Arkansas and Ozark region folklore and stories. Books by Vance Randolph and other story collectors and tellers will be featured. There may even be a story or two to be told.

This is a drop-in/open-house event.  Come when you want–stay as long as you like.  We will be working on projects throughout the day. 

Old school spin class
Every 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Thursday @ 5:30-7:30 P.M. in Doc Bryan 133– Open Jam Session. 

We invite student, faculty, staff, and community members to come to a jam session of fiddlers, guitar pickers, and banjo players.  You don’t need to be Doc Watson to play; the chords and notation to the songs are posted on the screen.  We’ll be playing music heard during the 19th century–classic fiddle songs invented long before bluegrass.  Players and listeners are welcome!

Flyer announcing Open Jam Sessions featuring a row of shadow figures playing fiddle.
Saturday, Mar. 9 @ 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. in RPL 300B–Stitches in Time: The Art of Hand Quilting.  

Learn the art of hand quilting as it has been done for centuries. Local quilters will display hand quilted pieces both old and new. There will be a short presentation discussing the background and process of quilting by hand rather that by machine followed by a demonstration.  Learn more about hand piecing by visiting this guide.

pictures of quilt tops with different methods of creating them.
Saturday, Apr. 6 @ 7:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M. in RPL 300B–Contra Dancing with Live Music.

An old-time contra dance,  also referred to as a barn dance or square-dancing, is an informal country dance stemming from such dances in 17th century Western Europe. It has evolved just as the old-time music has. Traditionally this type of dance always uses live musicians playing fiddle tunes. No experience or partner necessary! Each dance will be taught before it begins, and no one will be left behind.

Image of dancers with guitars

More events are scheduled throughout the year.  Be sure to check the calendar for more information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for upcoming events, photos, and other news from the library.

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Time Travel with Dr. Stanley Lombardo

Posted on February 6, 2019 Written by

Picture of Stanley LombardoSaddle up for an adventure through time and space with author and professor of English, Dr. Stanley Lombardo, as we welcome him February 11th at 7:00 P.M. in the Ross Pendergraft Library, room 300B, as part of our Second Monday Author Series.

Dr. Lombardo is the author of a popular series of genre-bursting books called the The Crosstime Adventures of Carter Paxton in which a Yale-educated, buffalo hunting cowboy from the nineteenth century travels through time using an Apache medicine cave in Arizona.  Already on its fourth installment, Who Murdered Shakespeare, the series delivers something to satisfy fans of western, sci-fi, romance, and historical fiction genres.

cover of Paxton at Bosworth Field featuring black and white images of medieval armies clashing with ghostly nineteenth century old west cowboy image in the background

Learn more about this series as well as Dr. Lombardo’s children’s books by joining us this Monday in RPL 300B.  All are welcome to attend, and one lucky attendee will be entered into a door prize of one free autographed book by Dr. Lombardo.

If you want to get started on the Carter Paxton series, you can check them all out at the Ross Pendergraft Library.  It’s the best way to travel through time and space—no Apache Medicine Cave required.

The Crosstime Adventures of Carter Paxton
Children’s Books
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Check out a book at the Human Library

Posted on November 13, 2018 Written by

A photograph advertising the Human Library--pictures of people on a book shelf.

This Thursday, Nov. 15th, check out more than a book from the library—check out a human book.  From 6:30 until 9:00, the Library will host its 3rd annual Human Library in RPL 300B.  This event is free and open to the public—all are welcome.

The Human Library project is a national program promoting dialogue and understanding between people.  Each ‘book’ his a person sharing their experiences with prejudice, discrimination, or hardships beyond their control in an environment that allows for candid conversations within a smaller group. The purpose is to promote understanding within a diverse community.

“Readers,” the people coming to the event, will browse the shelves and choose a book to sit down with. The book will tell their story allowing for the reader to ask questions.

This year the library will feature 10 books for readers to choose from.  Titles include:

  • Naturalization: Becoming a Citizen of the United States.
  • Librarian in Blue: Chicago police officer becomes a librarian
  • My Past is Part of Me But Not All of Me: A non-traditional student overcomes abusive childhood in a strict religious home.
  • 30 and Still Nerdy: He speaks fluent nerd and owns a 13 volume encyclopedia of Middle Earth—capable of adulting yet hasn’t grown out of these nerdy things.
  • International Student: A student from the Middle East shares his experiences studying in Arkansas.
  • Sick Chase: A story of the survival of a religious crisis.
  • Not Your Average “Duke”: The story of a small-town moonshiner’s grandson and how he broke free from the social norm surrounding him.
  • Graditutde & Gears: A first generation Latina engineering major shares her experiences cultivating a postive network in college.
  • Invisible: A seemingly happy-go-lucky college student struggles with anxiety and depression complicated by the feelings of shame associated with the stigma of mental illness.
  • Unexpected: A first generation college student and her unexpected journey into parenthood.

For more information on the Human Library, including a list of past speakers, other Human Libraries, and videos, visit our website about the project: http://libguides.atu.edu/humanlibrary/home.  If you are interested in becoming a book yourself for next year, consider signing up.  No dust jacket required.

Stay in touch with all our books and programs by following us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  We hope you will come Thursday night and check out some books!

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