BookTalk at BSC – The Bathhouse

BookTalk at BSC 2010 continues with discussion of The Bathhouse by Farnoosh Moshiri on Sunday, February 7, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the BSC Library.  Suzanne Kramer-Brenna, BSC English adjunct instructor and NDCAWS staff member, will lead the discussion.

About the Book

The Bathhouse won the Black Heron Press Award for Social Fiction and is based on interviews with Iranian women who were imprisoned in the early days of the Islamic revolution.  The story’s central character is a 17-year-old girl, arrested and imprisoned because of her brother’s involvement with leftist politics.  In a starred review, Booklist said, “Written with the simple authority of an oral deposition, packing the punch of All Quiet on the Western Front, this is a gripping, harrowing story of personal courage and endurance.”

The Bathhouse can be purchased from local booksellers or checked out from local libraries.  BookTalk at BSC discussions are free and open to all.   BookTalk at BSC is supported by the BSC Library and a grant from the BSC Foundation.

Library Adds History Databases

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

(sometimes called Santayana’s Law of Repetitive Consequences)

 — George Santayana

To help YOU remember the past, we’ve added a couple of terrific history resources to the Library’s databases collection.

 American History in Video

American History in Video provides the largest and richest collection of video available online for the study of American history. The collection allows students and researchers to analyze historical events, and their presentation over time, through commercial and governmental newsreels, archival footage, public affairs footage, and important documentaries. 

 History Reference Center

History Reference Center (EBSCOhost) “ is the world’s most extensive full-text history reference database designed for secondary schools, public libraries, junior/community colleges, and undergraduate research.” The database features full text for more than 1,620 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books from leading history publishers, and full text for more than 150 leading history periodicals.  You will also find nearly 57,000 historical documents; more than 77,000 biographies of historical figures; more than 113,000 historical photos and maps; and more than 80 hours of historical video.

Want to learn more about using these and other library resources?  Ask a BSC Librarian.

Making the Best of a Shrinking Budget – Teleconference

You are invited!  The Bismarck State College Library is hosting a series of teleconferences through the Library Learning Network at the College of DuPage.  The next one in the series is:

Making the Best of a Shrinking Budget: Creative Practices in a New Economy

• Friday, January 29, 2009
• 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Central time)
• BSC Library, Information Skills Classroom (Library lab)

Librarians and library workers comprise the target audience for the teleconferences, but others will find them interesting as well.   Please join us!  There is no charge and no need to pre-register.

Artists of the Upfront

"Blushing Buffalo" by Amber Parsons

Stop by to see the new artwork in the Gannon Gallery/BSC Library!

• Title: Artists of the Upfront Show
• Dates: January 11 – February 18, 2010
• Location: Gannon Gallery/BSC Library
• Reception: Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 4:30-7:00 p.m.

This show features an exciting variety of artwork produced by the artists in residence at the Upfront Gallery in downtown Fargo.  These young, upcoming, talented North Dakota artists include: Mackenzie Kouba, James Wolberg, Bill Thompson, Amber Parsons, Donald Renner, and Adam Priebnow.  

Although the artists won’t be at the reception, it is a great opportunity to mingle and enjoy some refreshments while viewing the show.  Join us!  

This event is free and open to the public.

Library Holiday Hours – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

The BSC Library will observe these hours during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend:

• Friday, January 15 — 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Saturday, January 16 — CLOSED
• Sunday, January 17 — CLOSED
• Monday, January 18 — CLOSED

Regular library hours will resume on Tuesday, January 19, when we open at 7:30 a.m.

ODIN and the Library’s databases are available 24/7.

Caspian Rain – BookTalk at BSC

BookTalk at BSC 2010 opens with a discussion of Caspian Rain by Gina B. Nahai on Sunday, January 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the BSC Library.  “Strange Times, My Dear,” the theme of the series was inspired by Ahmad Shamlu’s poem, “In This Blind Alley,” which was written in response to the Islamic Revolution.   

Caspian Rain received rave reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.  Publishers Weekly said, “… Nahai explores the struggles of an Iranian family in the tenuous decade before the Islamic revolution … a poignant tale of a ‘damaged family.’”

Arlene Gray, adjunct music instructor at BSC, will lead the discussion.  Arlene worked as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years in the early ’70s in the town of Babol, Iran, near the Caspian Sea. 

BookTalk discussions are free and open to all.  The books can be borrowed from local libraries or purchased from local booksellers. 

BookTalk will continue on Sunday, February 7, 2010, with a discussion of The Bathhouse by Farnoosh Moshiri, and end on Sunday, March 7, 2010, with a discussion of Iran Awakening by Shirin Ebadi.