Banned Books Week Sep 26−Oct 3, 2009

Celebrate the freedom to read by learning more about Banned Books Week. Observed since 1982, Banned Books Week serves as a reminder of one of our most empowering rights, the privilege to freely choose what we wish to read. To quote Franklin Roosevelt: “Books cannot be killed by fire …books never die...no force can take from the world the books that embody man's eternal fight against tyranny.”

Please visit our Banned Books Week page.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Sep. 15 - Oct. 15

The following Central American countries share a common language and similar cultures:

Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

In the course of their development, they also share a major historical connection - what is it? The answer provides an explanation for the unusual time-frame for Hispanic Heritage Month. For this and other interesting facts about this important national observance, please visit our Hispanic Heritage page.

September 17 is Constitution Day!

On September 17, 1787, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton were among the patriots who secured their place in history by signing the United States Constitution. Constitution Day is yearly reminder of their legacy and serves to promote greater awareness of our great nation’s history. For additional information, please visit our Constitution Day page. Test your knowledge at http://www.constitutionfacts.com/.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month

If you have not already discovered the wealth of information available through the Alabama Virtual Library, we encourage you to sign-up for an AVL Card at either campus library sometime during this month. The Alabama Virtual Library provides convenient and user-friendly access to thousands of full-text journal articles covering a wide range of topics from the convenience of your home computer.
See the AVL FAQs page.

Library Materials for the Visually Impaired

The Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Montgomery provides audiobooks to qualifying individuals. Interested persons should download an application from the Library of Congress website: English Application / Spanish Application. After completing the application and having it certified by a medical professional, it should be mailed to: Regional Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, 6030 Monticello Dr, Montgomery, AL 36130.

Severe Weather Information

Online Emergency Resources

• Escambia County FL Dept of Public Safety
• Intellicast Weather
• My Fox Hurricane
• National Hurricane Center (NWS)
• WEAR-ABC 3-Pensacola
• WKRG-CBS 5-Mobile/Pensacola
• WPMI-NBC 15-Covering the Coast

Saffir-Simpson Scale

• Category 1 - 74-95 mph winds
• Category 2 - 95-110 mph winds
• Category 3 - 111-130 mph winds
• Category 4 - 131-155 mph winds
• Category 5 - 155+ mph winds

New TEMPORARY location!

The library has established a temporary home in Wallace 107. We are still able to provide a number of important resources and services:

• access to Blackboard and online courses
• access to the Alabama Virtual Library
• current magazines
• daily newspapers
• growing collection of DVDs
• Interlibrary Loan Services
• Internet access
• personal assistance with research
• photocopiers, a fax machine, and a networked printer
• scheduling of instructional equipment
• test proctoring

CINCO DE MAYO is a Mexican holiday which commemorates the defeat of French forces on May 5, 1862, in the Battle of Puebla during which General Ignacio Zaragoza led the vastly outnumbered Mexican army to victory over the forces of Emperor Napoleon III. This triumph became a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism.

CINCO DE MAYO is sometimes confused with Mexican Independence Day (September 16), which commemorates the anniversary of the day in 1810 when revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla issued a proclamation declaring Mexico independent from Spain.

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! [source: Encarta Academic Online]

Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 30th!

Poem in Your Pocket Day! The idea is simple: select a poem you love and carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends. Poems from pockets will be unfolded throughout the day in parks, libraries, schools, workplaces, and bookstores.

Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day in a baker’s dozen ways:
· Text a poem to friends
· Add a poem to your email footer
· Use a poem for your screen saver or wallpaper
· Send a poem to a friend or loved one by snail mail
· Post a poem on your blog or social networking page
· Browse the links on the library’s Poetry Resources page
· Read a few poems by an author you’ve never heard of before
· Try to compose your own poem when you have some free time
· Look for a poem in the library’s display cases (we still have a few books)
· Make copies of your poem to distribute to friends, colleagues, classmates
· Use a poem on your answering machine, voice mail, or cell phone greeting
· Post pocket-sized verses in public places (be sure to clean up afterwards!)
· Listen to an audio recording of poets reading their own poems (in library)

April 21st is Holocaust Remembrance Day!

Take a look at our Holocaust Remembrance Day page to see whether you or a loved one might have been a target of Nazi extermination.

Annual Survey of Library Services

If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to complete our Annual Survey of Library Services. Your participation will assist with our long-range planning. Thank you for your input!

National Poetry Month

The Favorite Poem Project is dedicated to celebrating, documenting and encouraging poetry’s role in Americans’ lives. Robert Pinsky, the 39th Poet Laureate of the United States, founded the Favorite Poem Project shortly after the Library of Congress appointed him to the post in 1997.During the one-year open call for submissions, 18,000 Americans wrote to the project volunteering to share their favorite poems — Americans from ages 5 to 97, from every state, of diverse occupations, kinds of education and backgrounds. The collection of 50 short video documentaries showcases individual Americans reading and speaking personally about poems they love.

Women's History Month

The library is celebrating Women’s History Month during March. Please come by and see our nice selection of books and videos on famous women and their contributions to civilization. For starters, you might visit the National Women’s Hall of Fame which includes information on the 2009 inductees, one of whom is world-renowned artist Louise Bourgeois. Thank you for supporting the library!

Facts about Black History

The first black history observance was launched in February of 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. Several landmark events in black history occurred in February, for example:

• February 23, 1868: W. E. B. DuBois, important civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, was born.
• February 3, 1870: The 15th Amendment was passed, granting blacks the right to vote.
• February 25, 1870: The first black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels (1822-1901), took his oath of office.
• February 12, 1909: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded by a group of concerned black and white citizens in New York City.
• February 1, 1960: In what would become a civil-rights movement milestone, a group of black Greensboro, N.C., college students began a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter.
• February 21, 1965: Malcolm X, the militant leader who promoted Black Nationalism, was shot to death by three Black Muslims.

Just for Fun - Podcasts!

Fresh Air IHMC Stem Talks NPR Podcast Directory Podcast Alley Science Friday Story Corps TED Podcasts  This American Life

December is Universal Human Rights Month

As Eleanor Roosevelt stated: Every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination.

• Amnesty International
• The Birmingham Pledge
• The Earth Charter Initiative
• Human Rights Watch
• Minority Rights Group International
• United Nations - Human Rights
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• The Witness

November is Native American Heritage Month!

Help the library celebrate Native American Heritage during the month of November by investigating our collection of books, reference sources, and videos related to the historical and cultural contributions of Native Americans. Come by and see our attractive and informative displays.

National Disability Employment Awareness

October is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Millions of Americans live with disabilities, and many other Americans will become disabled at some point in their lives. To integrate people with disabilities more fully into every aspect of life, our country is working to advance greater freedoms at work, in schools, and throughout communities. By expanding employment opportunities and fighting false perceptions that hinder people living with disabilities from joining the workforce, we can uphold America's moral values, strengthen our economy, and make America a more hopeful place.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Since its beginning more than 20 years ago, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues, especially the importance of early detection.  Many strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, but even more still needs to be accomplished.  Women are encouraged to take charge of their own breast health by: practicing regular self-breast exams, making sure to schedule an annual mammogram, adhering to prescribed treatment, and knowing the facts about recurrence.

 

Hispanic Heritage Month - Sep 15-Oct 15

The choice of September 15 as the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the anniversary of independence for five Latin-American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. According to the National Council of La Raza website, the Hispanic population is the largest ethnic minority in the country. As of July 1, 2006, the estimated Hispanic population in the U.S. was 44.3 million, constituting 15% of the nation’s total population. For additional information, please visit our Hispanic Heritage page.