discussions, film, displays, and patron-generated videos at Goffstown Public Library (NH)

It was with great anticipation that we received a post to our listserv from Sandy Whipple, the Adult Services/Outreach Coordinator for the Goffstown Public Library, in Goffstown, NH. We were excited to read Sandy’s post, because for the past three years, her words describing her library’s programs filled our imaginations and caused us to pine for a plane ticket to the other coast.

From films to traveling exhibits about the cost of war, to an inspired program where the community was invited to express on paper stars their “wishes for the world,” this year, like those past, Sandy and her colleagues have organized another program worthy of anticipation. From Sandy:

Finding inspiration in the words of Bill Erbes, we will join in the Libraries Remember initiative, opening our doors at 12:01 AM on 9/11 and remaining open until 11:59 PM. During that 24 hour period, we will conduct business as usual in testament to and celebration of our many freedoms. In addition, a Banned Books display and exhibit from the Long Island Coalition Against Censorship will be featured. Our Friends of the Library will provide coffee, tea and refreshments throughout the night.

On Tuesday, September 16th, we will host a New Hampshire Humanities Council program entitled A Short Course on Islam for Non-Muslims. We will be joined by Chuck Kennedy, Professor Emeritus of Religion from Virginia Tech, as he discusses the interaction between and among the three major monotheistic faiths and their effect on life and politics on the world stage. Beginning with a reading of the Apostle’s Creed through Muslim eyes, he will discuss the differences and similarities among the religions.

Scheduled for Wednesday, September 24th is a showing of The War Tapes, the first war movie filmed by the soldiers themselves who also happen to be members of a NH National Guard Unit. Straight from the front lines in Iraq and winner of Best Documentary at both the Tribeca Film Festival and the BritDoc Festival, the film provides a rare and raw glimpse of these men at war as well as a portrait of their families as they struggle with their roles on the homefront.

During Banned Books Week running from 9/27 until October 12, along with our display and exhibit, we will hold a Young Adult “Create a Poster” contest based the celebration of our rights as Americans. There will also be a daily Banned Books Quiz. Winners will receive a copy of a banned book.

Our final event will be a discussion of The True Patriot facilitated by a faculty member of St. Anselm’s College Institue on Politics. Begging questions such as “what is a true patriot?”, “does patriotism require more from individuals than wrapping oneself in the flag?”, “have we diverged from the path laid for us by our founding fathers?”, the discussion promises to be an engaging one.

Throughout the entire month, we are making our staff and film equipment available to individuals, families or groups wishing to film 20 second “Shout Outs” or words of encouragement to be sent to our troops via Armed Forces Network.

Goffstown did it again–what an impressive program! We look forward to hearing more about how their events were received, and hope to share photos of their library, too. (hint, hint!)

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Connecting NY, WA, and Afghanistan at Summitview Branch Library (WA)

This year, the Yakima Valley Libraries welcome community members to learn how a neighbor’s life–and perhaps their lives–are connected to those in Afghanistan. Cynthia Garrick, Reference Services Librarian at the Yakima Valley Libraries, let us know about their compelling event this September:

As part of the September Project at Yakima Valley Libraries, Dr. Ken Zontek, history instructor at Yakima Valley Community College, will describe his perspective on 9/11, its relationship to his subsequent Afghan deployment as an Army officer, and post-deployment effort to improve Afghan lives working with a women’s shelter in Afghanistan.

His talk is entitled “From Big Apple to Apple Capital to Afghanistan; Emotion, Reason and Commitment” and will take place on September 11 at 6:30 at the Summitview Branch Library.

If you’re in Yakima this September, be sure to visit the library!

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Seven September Project Events at Wadleigh Memorial Library in Milford, New Hampshire

It’s difficult to say what makes a “perfect” September Project event but I’m sure it has something to do with appealing to as many audiences (and ages) as possible.

Recently we heard from Michelle Sampson, Library Director of Wadleigh Memorial Library in Milford, New Hampshire. Michelle and her colleagues have organized seven diverse and engaging September Project events that will take place at the Wadleigh Memorial Library from September 7-11.

Events include:

THE CHILDREN REMEMBER
Children can stop into the Children’s Room at any time to write a letter thanking our local fire fighters, police officers, and emergency personnel for the hard work they do to keep Milford safe. We will also have craft projects available; all artwork will be displayed on our “We Remember” board throughout the month of September.

“REMEMBER SEPTEMBER” POETRY CONTEST
The Wadleigh Memorial Library welcomes entries in our “Remember September” poetry contest. We are looking for poems that show what peace and democracy mean to you. Poems about an everyday hero or the impact of September 11th are also welcome. The winning poem in each age category will be published in The Milford Observer. Entries will be accepted in three categories: 4-5 grade, 6-8 grade, and 9-12 grade.

COMING HOME: THE SOLDIER EXPERIENCE
Please join us this evening in welcoming Terrie Raposo, Program Manager for Operations Enduring & Iraqi Freedom at the Manchester VA Hospital. She will be joined by her colleague, Dr. Ruef, a clinical psychologist working on post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at the Manchester facility. Ms. Raposo will be accompanied by a NH National Guardsman who will share his personal experiences after returning from a recent deployment to Iraq.

ESCAPING RWANDA: THE STORY OF JUSTIN MAZIMPAKA
We often take for granted the freedoms & luxuries we enjoy as citizens of the United States. Please join us this evening in welcoming Justin Mazimpaka. A native of Rwanda, he was a college student there when civil war erupted. The conflict eventually led to the genocide of an estimated 1,000,000 people. Justin escaped Rwanda 16 years ago. Come hear his riveting story of survival, escape, and relocation to our very own Milford.

THE WAR TAPES: A DOCUMENTARY
Please join us this evening as we show the documentary The War Tapes, 2006 winner of Best Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival. Prior to a 2004 deployment to Iraq, NH National Guardsmen were given small video-recorders to document their experiences. The result is what the New York Times describes as a “moving, complicated movie that illuminates, with heartbreaking clarity, some of the human actuality of this long, confusing war.”

LONGITUDES & ATTITUDES: EXPLORING THE WORLD AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH
Our Senior Book Discussion Group will meet this month to talk about Thomas L. Friedman’s provocative bestseller Longitudes and Attitudes. The author is a former Pulitzer prize winner and a longtime foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times. Copies of the book are available at the library’s front desk.

IN MEMORY: HONORING NH SERVICEMEN & WOMEN
To conclude our week of programs, we welcome Sgt. Major (Ret.) Richard Fredette and a contingent from the NH Military Forces Honor Guard.

An informational presentation on services the Honor Guard provides to NH veterans and their families will be followed by a brief ceremony. Kyn Gdanian, Chaplain of Milford Emergency Services, will officiate and the NH Military Forces Honor Guard will hold a Basic Honors Ceremony in emory of all NH servicemen and women.

After the ceremony, the presentation flag will be put on permanent display in the Library in memory of all NH soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedom as citizens of the United States.

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September Project events in Portland, Oregon

Interim Central Library Director Candy Bertelson recently posted to the project listserv to share what Multnomah County Library in Portland, Oregon is doing for their September Project, Banned Books Week, Freedom to Read, and the 2008 Election.

Their events include:

Writers Talking: Join Jewel Lansing who will discuss her book Portland: People, Politics, and Power, 1851-2001. Ms. Lansing was one of the first two women elected to Multnomah County government office and, since her retirement in 1986, spends her time researching and writing about history. This presentation will include a brief introduction to the history of politics in Portland, OR. Sunday, September 21, 1-2 p.m., Central Library

Vote 2008: Join Jim Moore, Professor of Political Science at Pacific University, for a discussion about the presidential hopefuls and the race to date.  Enjoy Dr. Moore’s commentary, bring questions for the group, and prepare to get involved in the debate.  Sunday, September 28, 1-2 pm, Central Library

Café Banned: Celebrating the Freedom to Read: Lawyer Steven T. Wax will be our guest speaker. As head of the Oregon Federal Public Defenders’ Office, Mr. Wax was responsible for representing inmates at Guantánamo. He also represented Brandon Mayfield, an Oregon lawyer who was falsely linked to the Madrid train station bombing. His book, Kafka Comes to America: Fighting for Justice in the War on Terror – A Public Defender’s Inside Account, examines this and other cases and the erosion of civil liberties in the wake of 9/11. Saturday, October 4, 1-2:30 p.m., Central Library

Ballot Measures 101: November Election Issues You Should Know About: Join the League of Women Voters of Oregon for a presentation and discussion about local ballot measures in the November election. Monday, October 20, 6:30-7:45 pm, Hollywood Library, and Wednesday, October 22, 6:30-7:45 pm, Central Library.

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September Project events for children, teens, and adults at all eight branches of Arapahoe (CO) Library District

All eight branches of the Arapahoe Library District, a public library system serving more than 200,000 residents living in Arapahoe County and other major suburban counties that make up the greater metropolitan area surrounding Denver, Colorado, are participating in this year’s September Project in a big way. It’s exciting when entire library systems get involved in the September Project, especially when each of the branches organizes different events for their different communities.

On a map, Arapahoe Library District’s participation in the September Project looks like this:

Librarians at Arapahoe Library District have decided to dedicate the whole month of September to Democracy @ Your Library and will be having voter registration and will be distributing constitution booklets at four of their branches. Further, all eight libraries will sponsor September Projects. As Cindy Mares, Program Coordinator at Arapahoe Library District, posted to the September Project listserv, their children, teen, and adult September Project events include:

Children’s Programs:
Wheels Parade and Crafts for Kids – Bring your decorated bike, wagon, or stroller for a patriotic parade around the parking lot! Make a craft to take home and top off the fun with cookies and lemonade!
Red, White and Blue Wreath – Make a wreath of red, white and blue foam and listen to a patriotic story. Ages 4+
Beaded Patriotic Pin Craft – Make a patriotic pin to wear and listen to a story about America. Ages 6-11.
Presidential Plane Race – Build a red, white and blue airplane to race for prizes and listen to a story about our country.
National Treasure: Two groups race to steal the Declaration of Independence and outwit each other and the FBI in order to find hidden treasure. A great action movie!
Shooting Star Memory Box – Keep your American memories in a sparkly box you decorate yourself.

Teen Programs:
Movie Night:
First Daughter:  Samantha wants to be a normal college student, but with the Secret Service protecting her, it doesn’t look likely.
Book Club:
First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover: Sameera, adopted Pakistani daughter of a Presidential candidate, is getting a makeover to make her appear more “American”. But what makes someone an American?  (A copy of the book will be available to the first 10 teens who register.)
Program:
Win Your Argument!  Do you like to debate multiple topics with your friends, teachers or parents? Learn the great art of successful persuasion; then apply those techniques to the issues that affect your life!

Adult Programs:
Ballot Speak – Learn about the issues that will be on the Colorado Ballot in November. The League of Women Voters will present an objective view that will help you make informed decisions.
Highline Silver Cornet Band – Enjoy lively patriotic music from the late 19th Century with the Highline Silver Cornet Band.
UltraSoniX Quartet – Members of the Denver MountainAires Barbershop Chapter present a patriotic tableau of soul-stirring red, white and blue tunes with a special tribute to Bob Hope’s USO Shows that toured the armed forces at a time when worldwide freedom was in peril.
Health Care: Issues & Options – With over 40 million uninsured Americans and spiraling health care costs, the need for a better health care system is clear to most Americans. Join Active Minds to look at our options, including how other nations of the world address the issue of health care for their citizens.

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Waffle Brunch with Benjamin Franklin at Beaufort Branch Library!

Last week, Beaufort Branch Library adult events programmer Amanda Brewer emailed the September Project listserv to share the following news:

The Beaufort Branch Library in Beaufort, SC is a medium-sized library located along the beautiful South Carolina coast known as the Lowcountry. This is our first time joining the September Project!

As the adult events programmer, I have planned two special events in addition to our usual book clubs and computer classes for the month of September that fit the aims of the September Project. Our programs are:

1) Saturday Movie: Saturday, Sept. 13th
National Treasure: Book of Secrets, PG open to all ages

Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates is back and looking to discover the truth behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He finds John Wilkes Booth’s diary and is determined to uncover the mystery within the 18 missing pages in this great action adventure.

2) Brunch with Ben Franklin, Saturday, Sept. 27th

Historical impersonator and professor emeritus, Ed Beardsley, will be performing as Benjamin Franklin during an all ages brunch. [See Beardsley as President Woodrow Wilson!] As participants enjoy a hearty breakfast of waffles, muffins, and fresh fruit, they will learn about the formation of the Constitution from an entertaining Ben Franklin.  At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to mingle with Ben Franklin asking questions and snapping pictures.

You heard that right: “As participants enjoy a hearty breakfast of waffles, muffins, and fresh fruit, they will learn about the formation of the Constitution from an entertaining Ben Franklin.” It is exciting to see so many of this year’s September Projects involving food and community meals! I hope folks at Beaufort Branch Library and ol’ Ben Franklin will take a lot of photographs because these events sound delicious.

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The Soiling of Old Glory: The Photograph That Shocked America – an author presentation and community discussion at Highland Park (NJ) Public Library

On Thursday, September 11 at 7 pm, Highland Park (NJ) Public Library will host author and professor Louis P. Masur for a presentation and discussion about race and other current issues.

Masur, a professor and director of the American Studies Program at Trinity College and a Highland Park resident, will talk about his recently published book, The Soiling of Old Glory: The Photograph That Shocked America, at the public library in Highland Park, New Jersey.

Masur’s book is about a photo taken on April 5, 1976 that fully exposed the racial tensions in the city of Boston during the era of forced school busing. The author uses this photo and others to show the powerful effect image has had on history and will open up discussion on race and other current issues.

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Events at Sugar Grove Public Library

Beverly Holmes Hughes, the Director of the Sugar Grove Public Library (IL) recently shared with us that her library is once again participating in the September Project. After knowing Beverly through her posts and her library’s events over the years, David and I had an opportunity to meet Beverly during a visit to the Bensenville Public Library while we were in Chicago for ALA. It was a pleasure to put a face to her name and voice to her words.

One year I was able to participate in a global event hosted at Sugar Grove and at the National Library Board of Singapore.

Ivan Chew and Beverly organized a teen event that took place completely online using Instant Messenger, where teens from different sides of the world–Illinois, Singapore–discussed how they were different and how they were the same. It was a remarkable event, embodying my personal dreams for the September Project of bringing people together to learn from each other, to be challenged, and to consider a better world. I was honored to be a part of this inspired September Project event, and it remains one of my most treasured library experiences. Thanks, Beverly and Ivan.

Following is Sugar Grove’s 2008 program:

Libraries Remember, September 11, 2001

The Sugar Grove Public Library (IL) will be joining with other libraries across the nation in a day of remembrance and celebration. According to Bill Erbes, of the Bensenville Community Library “libraries represent the sum of all human knowledge, and they represent equal access to that knowledge. Libraries represent freedom of expression, celebration of diversity, a playing field that is level, preservation of heritage, and commitment to the future.”

The Sugar Grove Public Library will open our doors for service at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, September 11, 2008 and remain open for 24 hours. During this time we will host Ceremonies at our Flag Pole, provide the opportunity for community gatherings, and library business as usual. Sugar Grove Library Friends will be hosting a Coffee/ Snack Bar throughout the event in addition to their membership drive and silent auction.

On this day we are hosting the Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce & Industry for their monthly meeting. Their meeting will be on our lawn as a community picnic. Mr. Ed Huss, Veteran and Local Activist, will be our speaker, his topic is “Being Patriotic.”

Library staff will encourage people to register to vote on this day. The Library will sponsor hourly door prize drawings for gift books. A gift book is a book placed in the library collection in honor or memory of an individual or group of your choice. We invite you to join us throughout this 24 hours remembrance to read, reflect and resonate with pride in celebration of our American freedoms.

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Multiple events at Seattle Public Library

In its 5th year of participating in the September Project, the Seattle Public Library is organizing a suite of events that are provocative, diverse, and worth attending. The Seattle Library–especially my old neighborhood branches of Ballard and Capitol Hill–holds a dear place in my heart. If you’re in town, please attend at least ONE of their events!

“All the King’s Men”: Front Porch Theatre

7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10

Central Library, Microsoft Auditorium

The Seattle Public Library and Intiman Theatre present the first in a series of county-wide, informal dramatic readings from Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men,” adapted for the stage by Adrian Hall. A dialogue about how the story resonates in this historic presidential election year will follow the readings. Join Seattle luminaries and community members and bring family and friends to create a storytelling circle; read a 40-minute excerpt from the play aloud and bring the characters of this monumental tale of politics, power and history to life. For more information: www.intiman.org

Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer: “The True Patriot”

7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11
Central Library, Microsoft Auditorium

6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25
Capitol Hill Branch

6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8
Green Lake Branch

Who gets to call themselves a patriot? In this presidential election year, the true meaning of patriotism will be widely contested. Join authors Nick Hanauer and Eric Liu for a lively civic discussion of their new book and what it means to love America and be a patriotic citizen. For more information: http://www.truepat.org

“The Corporal’s Diary”: Film screening and discussion

7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23
Central Library, Microsoft Auditorium

“The Corporal’s Diary” tells a timely and timeless soldier’s story. Jonathan Santos, 22, documents his 37 days in Iraq on video and in writing, never knowing that day 38 would be his last. From high explosives to clandestine home brew, his video footage and witty narrative tie together personal musings on life, death, and the future he imagined but would never see. His best friend Matthew, who barely survives, brings the war back home. For more information: http://thecorporalsdiary.com

Filmmakers Patricia Boiko and Laurel Spellman and members of the Santos family will attend the screening.

Robert Fisk, “Age of the Warrior: Selected Essays”

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26

Central Library, Microsoft Auditorium

The veteran British war correspondent best known for his insightful writing on the contemporary Middle East reads from essays collected from his articles in the Independent. Topics include terrorism, the sinking of the Titanic, Iraq and Israel, Ireland and Fisk family history.

This program is presented in cooperation with The Elliott Bay Book Co. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

All events are free and open to the public. Tickets and reservations are not required. Limited parking in the Central Library garage is available for a $5 special event rate. Limited parking at branches is free. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins.

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Sacramento Public Library, One Book One Community program

We just received word from the Sacramento Public Library (CA), who has organized their September Project around a “One Book, One Community” program. Read on!

“The Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento, California will present its One Book Sacramento:  Connecting Our Communities free event on September 9, 2008, featuring Greg Mortenson, best-selling author of Three Cups of Tea:  One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time, in the Community Center Theater which seats 2,400.

On September 10, 2008, the Sacramento Public Library will host a special free program, Three Cups of Tea or Three, featuring author Greg Mortenson at the Central Library for 300 guests.”

I’m a big fan of One Book programs, especially when I’m lucky enough to see an author share her or his perspective. This program is no exception, and sounds like one that will encourage a thoughtful discussion. If you’re in the area, please attend!

(And be sure to check out the Sacramento Public Library’s insightful blog, too. It’s a good one!)

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