Archive for the “Events” Category

Three events having to do with Cion are coming up in the next few weeks.  First up, on  Wednesday, October 21st, will be a screening of two short films having to do with racism:  Illusions and Blue Eyed, Brown Eyed.  These films will be shown back-to-back in Alden Library room 319 (the Friends Room) at 7 pm.

Next, on Friday, October 23rd at 1 pm, English 151 instructors Paul Shovlin and Wendy VanDellon will be discussing how they used Cion in their classes, as part of Alden’s Brown Bag Lunch Series.  This event will also be held in room 319.

We’re saving the best for last, as Zakes Mda will be reading from Cion on Tuesday, October 27th at 7 pm in Baker Center Theater.

For more information on any of these events, see the full posting on the Ohio University Libraries Newsblog.

Next Tuesday, February 10th, at noon in Alden room 251, we will present our workshop on doing research on Cion, which set a new record for workshop attendance last quarter. This time it promises to be even better, as librarian Marne Grinolds walks you through some of the best places to start when doing research on Cion. Not only can you learn more about the history behind this fascinating book, but you also might learn some tips and tricks that can help you in researching other historical novels. See you on Tuesday!

Tuesday, February 3, Alden Friends of the Libraries Room, 7-9 p.m.

Zakes Mda, Cion author and Ohio University English Department Professor of Creative Writing, will read from his book and answer audience questions about the story, its history, its symbolism, and its meaning.

Dr. Glen Jackson of OU’s Chemistry Department will do another presentation about his scientific analysis of the famous “Stain” at The Ridges on Wednesday, November 5 from  7-9 pm in Walter Hall Rotunda. An earlier post gave some background on his research. Here’s a little more:

In March 2007, a production company in California who was filming a new pilot for the History Channel contacted Dr. Jackson.  They were following the story of Margaret Schilling, which lead them to the “stain” at the former Athens Insane Asylum, now the Ridges, a place that takes on the role of a major character in Cion.  They wanted to know whether or not the stain on the floor—where her body was apparently discovered—was authentic.  Glen led the investigation: “We used several analytical techniques and instruments in our lab to analyze the residue found in the stain.”  Glen will discuss the results of his investigation.

If you’re at all interested in the quilting theme in Cion, be sure to visit OU’s Multicultural Center to see the exhibit entitled “The Quilter’s Eye.” It features quilts from this region, including some from Kilvert, and connects with Cion’s rich symbolic history and features Mda’s book in one of its cases. You can preview several more quilts in this exhibit on this page from the Multicultural Center.

On Friday, October 24 from 5-7 pm  there will be a Gallery reception for the quilt exhibition; it will be free and open to the campus and Athens community.

The Multicultural Center is in 205 Baker Center, and is open from 8 am-10 pm Monday through Friday, and noon to 5 pm on Saturday. You can preview several more quilts from this exhibition on this page from the Multicultural Center. Please note: the exhibit ends on November 20.

Puzzled by the fuzzy borders between fact and fiction in Cion? Wonder what’s real and what isn’t? Come and learn “CION: the Real Story,” a presentation by Reference Librarian Sherri Saines. Sherri is a member of the Reference and Instruction Department, and serves as the First Year Outreach Librarian.

She’ll reveal the mysteries of Cion at noon on Tuesday, October 28 in Alden 323 (just outside the entrance to the Faculty Commons). We hope to see you there!

Our second, and final, speaker of the quarter in the Alden Lunchbag series will be Dr. William Condee, J. Richard Hamilton/Baker and Hostetler Professor of Humanities and Professor of Theater, School of Interdisciplinary Arts.

Speaking on “Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Race in 19th Century Ohio,” he will address questions such as: How has the reception of Uncle Tom’s Cabin changed during the sourse of American history? How did Uncle Tom’s Cabin, as a novel and a play, change American history? How can Uncle Tom’s Cabin serve as a lens for understanding race in 19th century Ohio?

Dr. Condee’s presentation will take place on Wednesday, October 22 at noon in the Friends of the Library Room (Alden 319).

First Lunchbag of the Quarter – in support of the Common Reader, CION, the speakers this quarter will focus on themes within the novel.  Bring your lunch.  Light Refreshments will be served in the Friends Room at Alden Library, Wednesday September 24th from 12-1.

SPEAKER: David Lucas, Associate Professor of Communication and Acting Associate Dean, Southern Campus

The Blackfork Project undertaken by faculty and students at Ohio University Southern campus investigated settlements in Blackfork and Poke Patch, Ohio. The study reveals that 200 years ago Native Americans, blacks, and whites lived harmoniously in these communities. The initial results of this prolonged cultural investigation so intrigued the faculty of OU Southern that they launched an all-campus fall academic festival centered around collaborative and learning community research and study. The library and library staff at OU Southern continue to play a vital role in collecting, mining and revealing data.