From the article:

Even the author Ray Bradbury put up a fight, but it was not enough to save the H. P. Wright Library in Ventura, Calif.

Sandy Caron visited the H. P. Wright Library in Ventura, Calif., before its closing. Ray Bradbury had tried to help save it.

The library, like so many around the country, had fallen on hard times as city and state budgets tightened. Mr. Bradbury, a fierce advocate for public libraries, appeared at a fund-raiser last June aimed at helping to save the ailing branch. While that helped the library hang on for a bit, the long-term picture was bleak, and a recent bond measure that would have helped close a $650,000 deficit sunk.

The library’s final day on Nov. 30 was met with a candlelight vigil. “Needless to say, they put up a good fight,” said Sydney Weisman, a spokeswoman for the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library, which tried to keep the library afloat.

Access the Complete Article

http://www.evergreenreview.com/120/electronic-book-burning.html

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/civil-religion/general/2009/10/halloween-book-burning-at-baptist-church-to-include-copies-of-the-bible/

Come join the Broken Arrow Community as NSU and the Big Read host renowned author and speaker Chris Crutcher as he explores the themes of Ray Bradbury’s classic novel Fahrenhite 451. Chris Crutcher is the author of several award winning works such as Deadline, and Whale Talk. The Big Read program will be distributing free Fahrenheit 451 readers guides and other materials to promote literary reading. Don’t miss out on this wonderful evening event and a chance to meet Chris Crutcher! This program is free and open to the community.

Event Location: NSU BA Auditorium, 3100 E New Orleans, Broken Arrow, OK 74014
Date: Tue, Oct 6, 2009
Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm

OR

Date: Wed, Oct 7, 2009
Time: 9:30am – 11:00am

The Big Read Display @ NSU-BA!

The NSU-Broken Arrow Big Read display is finally complete!  Our thanks go to our student worker, Dena Leetch, who  has done a fabulous job putting this display together.

Rebecca Elder

Last Friday, in conjunction with the Big Read program, the NSU Broken Arrow campus hosted a Preservation Workshop entitled:

“Preserving Your Historical Records: An Archival Holdings Maintenance Workshop.”

The presenter was Rebecca Elder (an adjunct Preservation Field Services Officer) from AMIGOS. 

The session was very well attended with over 25 registered attendees from all across NE Oklahoma!  A fun-filled and informative day of preservation!

Posted by Tom R.

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.  Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week.  BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

For more information, visit the ALA website.  There is even a section where you can check out which books have been challenged the most frequently by year, by author, by decade, and which “classics” have been challenged.

(Source: the American Library Association)

What’s so unique and valuable about this particular edition?  There are only 200 copies and they were made with an asbestos cover/binding and signed by Bradbury.

To place your bid, visit: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?  ViewItem&item=270455680979&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching#ht_500wt_976

And you’d better hurry . . . time left: 1 day 10 hours (Sep 22, 200920:14:15 PDT).  So far, there have been no bids (hmm, who’d've thunk). 

But if you’ve just got to have this one, but are not willing to shell out the 35 grand . . . check out http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=863757934&searchurl=an%3Dbradbury%26kn%3Dasbestos%26sts%3Dt%26x%3D44%26y%3D9, they are only asking $12,500.

Sizzling!

As the Big Read continues to gear up . . . the NSU BA Library display is starting to take shape.   Of course, the theme of the display reflects the book we are reading (Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury).

All of the credit for this display (the idea, the materials, the construction, etc.) goes to one of our student workers, Dena Leetch!  Great job Dena, keep up the good work.  I can’t wait to see the finished product.  Off to a sizzling start! 

Check back later for a photo of the next phase.

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