Sterne Library News

To be honest, Where the Wild Things Are was never my book as a kid. And I have mostly ignored the build up to today’s movie release. The Maurice Sendak classic has promised to be the stuff of movie making legend for decades, if only the right writers could be found.  And the right director. And the right actors.  Perhaps they have found the right combination with Spike Jonze (director of Adaptation and Being John Malkovich) and Dave Eggers (writer of What is the What).  Having just watched the trailer, I must say, “WOW.”  I obviously missed out on something. If anything, I wish that I could go back and be a Wild Thing. Don’t you miss out! Be a part of the Wild Rumpus! Checkout a copy of Where the Wild Things Are today!

DH

At first glance the term “food insecurity” seems like just another buzz word to come in and out of fashion. But for many, over half a million people in Alabama, food insecurity is a real problem. “Will I have enough food to get the energy and nutrients I need to do well in school or focus at work?” is a real question. Is there an answer?  Maybe.

Since 1981, those in the battle against hunger have spotlighted October 16th as World Food Day. Events this year range from a teleconference at the UN, a food drive that includes all schools in the Southeastern Conference, a Fair Trade Festival in Oklahoma City and A Billion for a Billion Campaign. If you are looking for something more local, look no further than Magic City Harvest. For fourteen years Magic City Harvest has worked to reclaim food waste and alleviate hunger. Their World Hunger Day is an annual event, used to draw attention to the needs of the undernourished in Jefferson, Shelby and Talladega counties. Here at Sterne, Patty Pilkerton and Candy Cahall have successfully pestered folks for years to be their better selves during the boxed lunch drive.

Of course food insecurity is a complex issue. “How complex” you ask? Have a look at our databases CQ Researcher and Opposing Viewpoints to see how complicated the fight against hunger can be.  Check out the titles below to delve a little deeper.

• OECD-FAO agricultural outlook 2006-2015 (Electronic Book)
• The man who fed the world : Nobel Peace Proze laureate Norman Borlaug and his battle to end world hunger
• Finding solutions to hunger
• World hunger from Africa to North Korea: hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Eighth Congress, first session, February 25, 2003. (PDF)
• Contemporary debates in applied ethics

Check out the cloud of words from the titles read at our Celebration of the Freedom to Read! Generally, size matters when you build a word cloud like this. But the system wouldn’t accept the title most frequently read, 1984. Hmmmmm….

The 11th annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival officially begins today with the first event being held at UAB’s Heritage Hall.  The world renowned illustrator and animator, Bill Plympton, will lead a master class today at 3 pm in Heritage Hall, room 102.  This event is free and open to the general public with reserved seating for UAB students with a valid student ID.  Everyone in attendance for this event will receive a free Bill Plympton drawing.

For those of you interested in the films that will make their debut this weekend check out the schedule here.  The Festival is the kind of annual event that you can enjoy regardless of the weather outside, so do make this a priority this weekend if you can.  If you cannot make it to Birmingham for Sidewalk, but you would like to watch some films made my UAB students, check out the ethnographic film collection on Sterne’s website.  The UAB ethnographic filmmaking course allows UAB students to create films about local issues, events or places, and each year films from the previous semester are screened at Sidewalk.  For more information on these films and the course, please read this article from UAB Media Relations.

If you need any additional information and would like to talk to a friendly Sterne Librarian, please contact us here. Have a great weekend!

What? Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read

When?
Tues, September 29th 10-2pm
Wed, September 30th 10-2pm

Where? Across from Circulation

How? Email Dana Hettich (dhettich@uab.edu) to sign up

Why? Be a part of something special this September. Every year hundreds of books face the challenge of being found unacceptable for the reading public. This year, Sterne is going to “Celebrate the Freedom to Read” by encouraging others to do just that.

If you would like to volunteer to read a selection from a challenged book, contact Dana Hettich to set a time and select a book from a list of the American Library Association’s most challenged. Volunteers can sign up to read in 15 min intervals from 10-2pm. (Of course, volunteers can choose to read for as long or short of a time as they find comfortable.) We will be happy to provide the items if volunteers don’t have items of their own.

All members of the UAB community, readers and listeners, are welcome! Checkout the list of the most frequently challenged titles, including classics.