Thursday, February 9, at 8:15 p.m.

Polar exploration, an unemployed professor of African American studies, gigantic hairy ice monsters, motel-quality paintings, Little Debbie Snack cakes, the African diaspora and Edgar Allan Poe’s mysterious novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket: these are the reasons (and there are more) why you should come hear Mat Johnson read from his bracing and hilarious novel Pym.

The New York Times Book Review called Pym “relentlessly entertaining,” a starred review in Kirkus praised the book as “An acutely humorous, very original story that will delight lovers of literature and fantasy alike,” and Colson Whitehead, author of Zone One, proclaims:” Pym is a spectacularly sly and nimble-footed send-up of this world, the next world, and all points in between.  A satire with heart, as courageous as it is cunning.”

Aside from his novels Pym (Spiegel & Grau, 2011), Drop (Bloomsbury, 2002), and Hunting in Harlem (Bloomsbury, 2004), award-winning author Mat Johnson has also written the comics Incognegro  (Vertigo, 2009) and Dark Rain (Vertigo, 2011), and a nonfiction novella titled  The Great Negro Plot (Bloomsbury, 2007). He teaches creative writing at the University of Houston.

In the Hollins Room; free and open to the public, and followed by a free reception.

Brought to you by the Beanstalk Fund, a joint venture of the Creative Writing Program and the Library.

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Sara Baartman was a Khoikhoi woman who was taken from South Africa in 1810. She was exhibited as a freak across Britain, and used by scientists for research that formed the bedrock of European ideas about black female sexuality. Join us for a film about her remarkable story:

The Life and Times of Sara Baartman, “The Hottentot Venus” by Zola Maseko, introduced by Prof. Rachel Nunez

Sunday, February 12, 2:00 p.m. in Jackson Screening Room
Free and open to the public and followed by a free reception.

A telling and quite powerful film. —American Historical Review
Best African Documentary, 1999 FESPACO African Film Festival ; Best Documentary, 1999 Milan African Film Festival.

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MALS student John Whitney will present “Outsiders,” an exhibition of his naive style oil paintings, through February 5 on the second floor of the library.

An opening reception will be held on Thursday, January 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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Did you know your bank account, race and zip code may be more powerful predictors of healthiness than your medical coverage,
habits, and genes?

UNNATURAL CAUSES sounds the alarm about the extent of our alarming socio-economic and racial inequities in health-and searches for their root causes. (2009 Radio / TV / Film Award, National Academy of Sciences & Institute of Medicine.)

Join us for this eye-opening film, introduced by associate professor of Sociology, Art Poskocil:

Sunday, January 8, 2:00 pm
Jackson Screening Room
free and open to the public, followed by a free reception.

The Now at the Library documentary film series is sponsored by the Library, by Student Services and the Film Department.

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December 4th – 8th: open until 2:00am
December 9th (Reading Day): open all night
December 10th – 12th : open until 2:00am

• Hungry? No problem: starting Reading Day we’ll have free coffee and snacks in the evening hours.
• Need to de-stress? We’ve got that covered, too: our ever-popular stressbusters including play-doh, bubbles and silly games will also be available starting Reading Day.
• Check out the newest study space in the library, with a comfy couch in the corner of the first floor near the DVDs!
• And don’t forget that on Reading Day, the third floor of the library becomes a quiet zone for those wishing to study in peace; groups are encouraged to use a study room or other space on the second and first floors.
• Need some help? Our reference librarians are standing by to help you solve that knotty problem. You’ll find us at the desk, by email: askref@hollins.edu, by IM: askwyndham or by phone: 540-362-7465.

Good luck with your exams!!!

*The Library would like to thank Student Services for sponsoring the exam snacks, and Cultural & Community Services for lending us their play-doh!

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The second annual Wyndham Robertson Library Undergraduate Research Award is a recognition of exemplary work completed in a project for a Hollins course. Considerations include extensive and creative usage of the library’s resources; the ability to synthesize those resources in completing the project; and growth in the student’s research skills. Last April, six Hollins students were honored for excellence in research projects: four received citations as finalists and two students received the $250 prize, winning in the first-year/sophomore and junior/senior categories.

Students: remember that paper or presentation you were really proud of? Your sleuthing led to great sources, a new and original thesis, and an A – but that’s not all there is. Submit it for the research award and you might win a great credit for your graduate school application, and a $250 prize!

Faculty: remember that student whose name you’d like to see acknowledged for the great work she’s done? Recommend her for the research award to give her the opportunity for credit beyond the course grade.

Applying is easy: students fill out a brief application, professors a brief recommendation form; students then email the project, along with a 250-500 word essay. All current Hollins undergraduate students are eligible. Finalists and winners will be recognized at a reception in the library in April.

Applications are due Feb.29, 2012 ; information and applications are at http://libguides.hollins.edu/award

 

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The Sweetest Sound, screening on December 4 at the library, is a witty, smart and insightful inquiry into our names. What does a name mean? If your name was different would you have a different personality, a different life? If you met others with your name, would they be like you?

Using his own name, award-winning documentary filmmaker Alan Berliner has made an extended meditation on the psychology and philosophy of names. His style is personal but the questions he asks are universal: to all of us, our names are integral to our identities – and our own names are “the sweetest sound.”

Join us for this fascinating film, introduced by assistant professor of Film, Amy Gerber-Stroh:

Sunday, December 4, 2:00 pm
Jackson Screening Room
free and open to the public, followed by a free reception.

The Now at the Library documentary film series is sponsored by the Library, by Student Services and the Film Department; The Sweetest Sound is a collaboration with POV, the award-winning independent nonfiction film series on PBS (www.pbs.org/pov).

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Wednesday, Nov. 16 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

in Moody lobby

Come take a look at what our library and the public library have to offer for your e-Reader!

• E-reader Petting Zoo: try out reading on a Nook, Kindle or Sony Reader or iPhone
• E-books from Hollins: thousands of titles provide research at your fingertips with advanced features such as full-text search, saved notes and more.
• E-books from Roanoke Public Libraries: access thousands of popular titles via the Overdrive service- FREE!

If you don’t have a public library card, sign up at the e-bookmobile: all you’ll need is your Hollins ID.

For more information, contact Maryke Barber at 540-362-6328 or mbarber@hollins.edu

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Here is an excerpt from an editorial “Thanksgiving Day” from the student newspaper (Hollins Student Life) on Nov 21, 1931, p. 2:

The Thanksgiving season is lovely here.  The big Odd and Even game [field hockey] is, of course, exciting, and Thanksgiving Day itself is so delightful that everyone should stay on campus to enjoy it to the fullest.   There is always an impressive service in the morning, a delicious luncheon at noon and at night, an unsurpassable banquet.  The girls who have been here before naturally wouldn’t think of missing any of this.  But to the new ones who might make the fatal mistake of staying in town to eat a forlorn dinner of cold turkey at the S. and W., we issue a warning—don’t fail to be here for a taste of Hollins’ Thanksgiving cheer!

Student Life wishes to extend to the students and faculty the very heartiest wishes for a happy holiday.  It is hoped that if you go to the game the side you bet on wins, and that your beautiful chrysanthemums don’t start to wither before Sunday at the earliest.

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Documentary Film Series
Sunday, November 6, 2011  @ 2 pm
Jackson Screening Room, lower level, Wyndham Robertson Library

“What’s On Your Plate?” (75 min., 2009) by Catherine Gund.

With an introduction by Dr. LeeRay Costa ; followed by a reception. FREE and open to the public.

A witty and provocative documentary that challenges you to investigate your food, ‘What’s on your plate?’ follows two eleven-year-old city kids as they explore their place in the food chain. Sadie and Safiyah talk to food activists, farmers, and storekeepers, as they address questions regarding the origin of the food they eat, how it’s cultivated, and how many miles it travels from farm to fork.For more information see www.whatsonyourplateproject.org/