Banned Books Week

September 21-27 is Banned Books Week, a time in which we can celebrate our freedom to read and explore diverse ideas. This year Banned Books Week focuses on challenges to graphic novels and comic books. Events planned over the next several days include a talk on censorship, a lunch time Read-Out, a discussion of Alison Bechdel's graphic novel and memoir, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, and a comic book swap. 

Banned Books Week events are sponsored by The Johnston Center, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Armacost Library and assistance from the Art Department. Special thanks go to Leela MadhavaRau, M.G. Maloney, Daniel Kiefer, the students of Portraying Our Diverse Identities first-year seminar, and Tim Seiber. 

Schedule of Events:

Banned Books Display
All week
Location: Library entrance, 2nd floor
Drop by the Armacost Library to view banned and challenged comics and graphic novels.

Censorship On and Off the Page

Monday, September 22, 3:00 p.m.

Location: Holt Lobby

Obscene words on television, cultural knowledge about healing, and evolution in contemporary textbooks. A talk led by Tim Seiber. 

Banned Books Read-Out

Wednesday, September 24, noon

Location: Outside the plaza 

Stop by and listen or read from your favorite banned or challenged book. Led by the Associate Dean for Campus Diversity and Inclusion, Leela MadhavaRau.

Too Graphic

Wednesday, September 24, 7:00 p.m.

Location: Armacost Library Conference Room, 3rd floor of the Library

The illustrated memoir, Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel was challenged by the South Carolina Legislature. A discussion led by Daniel Kiefer and Portraying Our Diverse Identities first-year seminar students.

Comic Book Swap

Friday, September 26, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Location: Bekins Lawn

Bring your old comic books, graphic novels, and zines to share, trade, or display. P.S. Bring your own cape.

National Constitution Day is Sept. 17th

That’s the date that the Founding Fathers signed the United States Constitution establishing our government and the rights and freedoms that “We the People” enjoy today.
Have you ever read this document? This week the Political Science department is sponsoring a reading of the Constitution.
How about trying this Naturalization Test! Can you pass the test to become a United States citizen?
Stop by Armacost Library and see our display.

Other good reads might include: The Upside-Down Constitution by Michael S. Greve explaining how federalism has a totally different meaning now than is described in the Constitution.
Akhil Reed Amar’s American’s Unwritten Constitution arguing that the written Constitution doesn’t include all that we think including no explicit mention of separation of powers or the rule of law. Constitution 3.0, Freedom and Technological Change edited by Jeffrey Rosen and Benjamin Wittes, which provides analysis of the technological challenges to our constitutional values.

Your Learning Toolbox: Librarians and the Library Website

Welcome new and returning students! Have you taken full advantage of the librarians and Library website? Consider the following whether you're a novice or an ol' research pro.

Cultivate your research & critical thinking skills

Use the "Ask Us" bulldog to meet or speak with, chat or email a member of the library faculty. Contact us when you're forming a topic, figuring out what you'd like to say in your research assignment, questioning the authority of an author and publisher, revising your search strategies, or any other research activity.

Use Research Guides (by subject and course)

Library faculty have crafted these guides to help you learn about research strategies, habits of mind, and anything else that can develop your scholarship, including recommended resources.

Get quick answers to questions with "How Do I?"

Use "How Do I?" when you want to know, "How do I renew my books? How do I find scholarly articles? How many items may I borrow at a time?"

Follow Library News

Stay informed with Library News. Subscribe to the RSS feed or follow by email to learn about opportunities, exhibits, upcoming changes, and more at your library.

Find databases by resource type

When you visit Article Databases & Online Resources, you can find databases by subject, title, and type of resource. Use this to find newspapers, videos, audio, etc.

Read a specific journal, magazine, or newspaper

Sometimes your professor will recommend a specific journal. To see if the library has it, go to Article Databases & Online Resources and use the "Read a journal, magazine, or newspaper" box. Check if we have the specific year and issue. This isn't always as easy as one might expect so get help at any time.

1Look up a specific article

Sometimes all you'll have is a citation; does Armacost Library have the article you need? To find out, go to Article Databases & Online Resources and use "Look up a specific article." It's not always easy so seek help at any time.

Locate a book

To locate a book, you'll need the location and call number from the Library Catalog. New this year is the ability to view a book's location within the Library. Just click on the location (e.g. Reference, Periodicals, etc.) to view a map.

Save it to a list

When you search the Library Catalog and find a book, music score, CD, or DVD you like but don't have time for just yet, save it to a list. Select the item, click on "Save," and select the list to which you'll save it.

Request, Recall, or Place a Hold

Ever search for something in the Library Catalog and find it's not available? Request, recall, or place a hold by selecting the item, then click on "Request" and follow the directions provided.

Recommend a Library Purchase

Found an excellent book that's missing from the Library Catalog? Log into your library account and suggest that the Armacost Library purchase it and list the course(s) to which it relates.

Receive Alerts When the Library Acquires Something You Like

If you've made a purchase suggestion or if you simply want to know when Armacost Library acquires the latest book from your favorite author log into your Library account, run a search, then click "Save this search." To receive an email when a new title matching your search arrives, view your record, click on "Saved Searches," and select the "Mark for Email" box.

Do you have a favorite learning tool? Let me know by adding a comment below.

Thanks,
Paige

Paige Mann
Physical Sciences Librarian and Web Experiences Librarian