Screenwriter visits the Hill Freeman Library

It was wonderful to see so many of you here yesterday for the visit by screenwriter Brenda Fontaine! We had a full house for the table read from Ms. Fontaine's script for The Magic Man. The script was delightful, and so were the actors, including Wayne Glowka, Cassie Wright, Jamie Thomas and Connor Williams as the Magic Man. This particular script focuses on a seriously ill young mother, a writer of adventure stories, who determines to bring one of her adventures to life as a last gift to her family.

While there was little she could say about it due to nondisclosure agreements, Ms. Fontaine revealed that she has recently signed a contract for a new film, Harry's House.

The audience, which I believe consisted mostly of creative writing students and other aspiring writers, was excited to hear Ms. Fontaine tell the story of how she get her start as a screenwriter. Since writing her first script less than 5 years ago, she has found her passion. Writing "defines her life," as she put it. A natural storyteller, Ms. Fontaine says her ideas begin in fantasy but soon become rooted in her personal experience. She writes, she said, from the universal experiences we all share.

While Ms. Fontaine has written poetry and prose, it is screenwriting that is her natural medium. She credited the screenwriting guides by Syd Fields with helping her learn the nuts and bolts of the craft, and some classes she took from Academy Award winner Ernest Thompson (On Golden Pond) with changing her life. She promised she would give Dr. Donna Coffey some information about these classes, so please see Dr. Coffey if you're interested in taking some. (I know I am).

Check out Coretta Scott King award winners

In honor of Black History Month, stop by and check out our display of Coretta Scott King Book Award winners in the library! The American Library Association awards this distinction annually to African American authors and illustrators for "outstanding inspirational and educational contributions." The award honors Mrs. King's courage and determination to work for world brotherhood and non-violent social change. Coretta Scott King Book Award winners are recognized for their "understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their advancement of the American dream of a pluralistic society."

"Year Of Oceania" winners announced

Congratulations to the following winners of our Year Of Oceania Valentine's Day contest: Marlana Camp, Heather Crook, Anna Dollar, Nahum Vigo-Fas, Kellie Richardson, Ontarius Shelly, Ann Smith, Cathy Wilson, Sandra Zuniga! These folks each won a "Year of Oceania" t-shirt for sharing with us which "Year of" events have touched them the most this year. Their input will help the Year of Oceania committee plan more events in the future!

Hope all of you had a wonderful Valentine's Day! We <3 our Reinhardt patrons!

Review of our library, by an actual user!

A marketing student at Reinhardt wrote the following paper for a class. We obtained permission to share it here! All views expressed here are his:

The Library

Over the past few years at Reinhardt University, I have used the library many times. This past semester I took eighteen hours so I was in the library three to four nights a week. I feel that the library is a great service that is provided to the students by the university. The library's many resources and tools help students to better complete their schoolwork, study, or use the internet.
In my opinion, the best thing about the library is the twenty-four hour internet access. Not everyone on campus has their own laptop, and I think that it is great that the students here have a place to go to get on the internet whenever they need to. Also, the internet in the residence halls can be very bad at times, and it's nice to know that one can just go to the library if they really need to use the internet.

The research tools that the library provides are very helpful as well. One tool that is very helpful are the databases that provide copious amounts of information on various subjects. I have used these databases on numerous occasions, and they are great if one is scholarly source that is reliable. Google and Wikipedia aren't alwys trustworthy, and these databases are a solid source of legitimate information.

Books are another great source of information. There is a librarian on duty until 11 pm [Monday through Thursday],...and he or she will be able to help one find the book that they are looking for. Although the selection of books is not that great, it is sufficient enough to do research. One can also check out books for leisurely reading. The fees for late books are not very severe, either. I accidentally kept a book for an entire summer once, and I think the fee was about six dollars.

The library is also great for studying. There are cubicles on the third floor, which is usually deserted, that students may use to study their books or notes from class. This is a great alternative to studying in one's room, which can be very distracting at times. Overall, the library is a great tool for success at Reinhardt. One is able to have unlimited amounts of research at their fingertips twenty-four hours a day. The staff is very helpful if one needs to find something or use the hole punch machine or stapler. I do not have any serious complaints about the library. My main concern is about the noise level on the second floor. This is the room with most of the computers and it can become crowded at times. Occasionally people will begin to talk too loudly or even play music using their cell phones. This can be very distracting, and depending on who is working at the time, something may never be said to the noise polluter. Other than this small problem, I think the library is one of the best services that Reinhardt offers its students. A survey of various Reinhardt students revealed that approximately 80% of students thought that the library was a sufficient resource for students to enhance their learning experience. This survey had a relatively small sample size and the data may not accurately reflect the opinion of the student body of Reinhardt University as a whole.

Readers' theatre brings local history to life

Got plans for this weekend (other than Homecoming activities of course)? Well, scrap 'em, because you won't want to miss "Echoes of Cherokee County," presented by Reinhardt University Theatre. This readers' theatre features letters, newspaper reports, legal documents, and other primary documents outlining just a few of the important events and movements that affected this area during the half-century leading up to the the Civil War.

"It's about 40 minutes of legal documents, letters, diaries, and newspaper reports. It covers gold rushes, school building, preaching, Indian removal and oppression, and, for the finale, a truly terrifying speech delivered on the eve of the war to the Cherokee Riflemen by a women's sewing guild. Goes WAY beyond "war of northern aggression" rhetoric," said RU professor of English and Theatre Dr. Kevin Crawford.

Crwaford was helped in researching the material for the show by RU History professor Dr. Ken Wheeler and local historian/library favorite G. Richard Wright.

"It's a fun way to interact with this material," said Wright, who will also be speaking at the event.

"Echoes of Cherokee County" will be held at the historic Canton Theatre in downtown Canton on February 11th and 12th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are only $5 (cash or check only). Don't miss it! I won't.

Black History Month: 1966, Reinhardt integrates

February is African American History Month. As I sat thinking about the display I might assemble in the library this month (I'm thinking it will be a collection of Coretta Scott King Book Award winners), it suddenly occurred to me that I didn't know anything about when Reinhardt was integrated. I didn't even know the name of our first African American student. Fortunately I do know our archivist, Joel Langford, and he pointed me in the right direction.

As it turns out, compared to some other colleges and universities in the South, the desegregation of Reinhardt was relatively peaceful. There were some minor tensions in the early years, but for the most part, the integration of Reinhardt went very smoothly.

Upon receiving notice from the United States Office of Education that Reinhardt would have to sign an agreement not to discriminate in the admission of students if it wanted to continue to receive federal financial aid, then-president Dr. Rowland Burgess called a meeting of the executive committee of the board of trustees. Burgess suggested that they vote to sign the agreement, providing there was no protest from the other members of the board. According to Burgess's memoirs, chairman Mills Lane responded, "No. Let's authorize the agreement and notify them that we have done so." Burgess expected that he would have to cast the deciding vote, but the committee vote was unanimous. Reinhardt would integrate.

Reinhardt University, then Reinhardt College, was integrated in the fall of 1966 with one African American student. His name was James Jordan. Burgess's memoirs describe Jordan as "a...young man with a ready smile...a very popular student." Jordan was a member of Omega Kappa Pi fraternity and was elected to the Student Government Association.

Jordan graduated from Reinhardt (which was then a two-year junior college) in 1968. Some time later, Burgess related, he and his wife saw Jordan and his girlfriend at a gas station in Newnan: "As we rushed toward each other to shake hands, I noticed the nervous movement and scowling faces of some men sitting nearby. Suddenly the thought hit me! This is the first time in your life you forgot that a person was black."
Above, James Jordan from the 1966-1967 Cherokee Phoenix, Reinhardt's yearbook. Right, Dr. Rowland Burgess, the same year.

The Lord of the Libraries

Hello all!

I wanted to share with you this wonderful video from the library at the University of Kansas! It was written and directed in 2004 by Emmy award-winning writer Chris Martin ("Heroes") when he was a student. Enjoy!

TIME-SENSITIVE! Read all you want--for two days!

Springer has offered us a trial of their excellent multidisciplinary book and image files. These contain over 43,000 books and 2,843,990 images.

You can find the link on the library home page, on the left-hand side under "Trial Databases."

If you see a green box by a book title, we have temporary access to it.

Take advantage of these now! The trial ends Saturday. Trial databases are only accessible from campus.

Check it out here.

OCEANIA TRIVIA CONTEST

We have a winner of our January trivia contest--three winners to be exact!

The question: New Zealand has a healthy population of marine mammals, thanks to its extensive coastline. What are the three main groups?

The answer: Whales, Dolphins, and Seals/Sea Lions.

Congratulations to Ashley Bryant, Michael Cass, and Peggy Collins Feehery! Their names were drawn from the correct entries.

Didn't win this time? Don't give up! Our February Trivia Contest has begun. This month's question is:

According to the Maori, what is the term they use to denote "descendant", and what is its meaning?

Stop by the library this month to submit your answer! Winners will be drawn... from correct entries. Good luck!