October 11 is National Coming Out Day

Liz

October 11 marks the anniversary of the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987, and every year since then, it has been celebrated as National Coming Out Day, and October more generally as Coming Out Month. We thought we’d take the opportunity to highlight just a small number of the library’s many LGBTQ-related resources. A shout-out to Bentley PRIDE for reminding us of Coming Out Day, and contributing suggestions!

Our collections include a wealth of books, films, and e-resources. We’ve hand-picked some suggestions for you to start with: just check out our Pinterest board we’re calling “Out in the Stacks.” Never read Alison Bechdel’s award-winning graphic memoir Fun Home, or seen the classic documentary The Celluloid Closet? Check them out, or try some recent acquisitions like It Gets Better, a book of essays stemming from Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better” project.

Or take a look at the Gender & Sexuality section of our streaming film database, Films on Demand, to see videos ranging from interviews with transgender people to documentaries on LGBTQ people in Latin America and the Arab world.

For even more books, check out the complete list of winners of the Lambda Literary Award, given to books that make a significant contribution to LGBTQ literature and nonfiction.

For more information about the history of National Coming Out Day, take a look at the Human Rights Campaign’s website.

On Display: New & Notable Nonfiction

Lisa

Our new display places the spotlight on some of the most notable and interesting nonfiction received at the library within the last six months.

Bentley Library reference librarians have hand-picked these books from each of their subject areas to bring attention to titles you may have missed when they were first added to the shelves.  You’ll find a wide variety of highly recommended academic titles, as well as bestselling nonfiction that will appeal to all readers.

Stop by and browse our selections.  We will continue to add new books that catch our eye as they arrive, so check back often!

Columbus Day Weekend / Mini-Break Hours

Lisa

Bentley University undergraduate students will be enjoying a Mini-Break over the Columbus Day holiday weekend from Saturday, October 6 – Tuesday, October 9.

The Bentley Library will remain open during this break with a couple of small exceptions to our normal operating hours. On Sunday, October 7, the library will have a late opening at 1:00PM and early closing at 9:00PM. On Monday, October 8 (Columbus Day), we will have a late opening at 10:00AM and an early closing at midnight. All other opening and closing hours are unchanged.

Saturday, October 6
9:00AM to 7:00PM

Sunday, October 7
1:00PM to 9:00PM

Monday, October 8
10:00AM to midnight

Tuesday, October 9
7:30AM to 2:00AM

Please note that the Deloitte Cafe will have modified hours Saturday through Monday. For complete information please view our online Hours Calendar.

Books, DVDs & Audiobooks Added in September

Lisa

Check out our book, popular reading, DVD and audiobook acquisitions for the month of September. Go to our New Books & DVDs page to browse by subject or format.   If you find something you want, simply hit the “Request” button to place a hold on it.

September 2012 Selected New Titles

 

Now Showing in the Art Gallery: Inter(play)

Lisa

Opening today is a new exhibit featuring artwork by three local artists who have collaborated on a unique interactive exhibit. Please scan the QR code below to learn more about the exhibit and artists Leah Craig, Joe Joe Orangias and Joanna Tam.

All are invited to attend the opening reception on Wednesday, October 3, from 5:00PM-7:00PM. There will be a Q&A session starting at 5:30PM.  An RSVP is not required, but you may indicate your attendance on the event invitation at the Arts at Bentley University Facebook page.  Light refreshments will be served.

Leah Craig, Joe Joe Orangias & Joanna Tam
Inter(play)
October 1 – November 2, 2012

Opening Reception:
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
5:00PM – 7:00PM
Artist Talk and Q&A at 5:30PM

Inter(play)
Inter(play)

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Banned Books Week

Lisa

Banned Books Week
September 30 – October 6, 2012

Banned Books Week 2012This year marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, a week used to recognize our freedom to read and to call attention to attempts to challenge that freedom.  Banned Books Week is especially celebrated in the library community. This is not surprising, given that libraries have a long history of, and commitment to, providing unfettered access to information and ideas.

Last year, libraries across the United States reported 326 book challenges to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

The 2011 top 10 most frequently challenged books included:

  • The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins (Reasons: anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence)
  • The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie (Reasons: offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group)
  • Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley (Reasons: insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit)
  • To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee (Reasons: offensive language; racism)

If you’d like to learn more about banned and challenged books, take a look at this special timeline – 30 Years of Liberating Literature – or visit the Frequently Challenged Books website. One of the ways in which you can show your support of Banned Books Week is to participate in the Banned Books Virtual Read-Out.  The Read-Out is a way for readers from around the world to participate in the 30th anniversary celebration of Banned Books Week by posting videos to a dedicated YouTube channel.  In this video, several well-known authors discuss their favorite banned books.

We hope you’ll take a moment this week to reflect upon your freedom to read.

Have You Heard About Our Research Guides?

Lisa

What do you do when don’t have time to ask a librarian for help? Where do you turn when the Reference Desk is closed? We recommend you use our online library research guides.

Library research guides are available for a number of popular research topics, course assignments (like GB 214 and GB320), and common questions. The guides are designed to help you locate the best resources for your research. Research guides can answer questions like:

The entire collection of library research guides is available at http://libguides.bentley.edu/, or just look for the link on our homepage.

Library Research Guides
Look for the Research Guides link on our homepage.

If you’d like to suggest a topic for a library research guide please comment on this post. Don’t forget, you can Ask a Librarian for help 7 days a week! Visit us in-person at the library, send us an email (redesk@bentley.edu), use our chat widget, or give us a call  at 781.891.2300.

Learn About Downloadable Books at Our Overdrive Clinics

Lisa

mobile devicesHave you checked out our Overdrive collection recently?  We’ve been busy adding downloadable ebooks and audiobooks – including current bestsellers Joseph Anton by Salman Rushdie and Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon, perennial favorites by authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Crichton and John Irving, and classics by Jane Austen and Bram Stoker.  Simply log-in to Overdrive to view our Newest Additions or to browse the ebook and audiobook collections by genre.

If you haven’t already set-up your laptop, Kindle, iPad, NOOK, smartphone or other device, we’d love to help you get started. We are holding two drop-in clinics next week to answer questions about Overdrive:

Overdrive Downloadable Books Clinics

Monday, October 1
2:15PM – 3:15PM

and

Friday, October 5
11:30AM – 12:30PM

No RSVP is required – just come to our classroom (lower level, room 11) and we’ll be there to lend you a helping hand! If you bring your device with you we can help you with the initial set-up or troubleshoot any problems you’ve been having. We hope to see you there.