Latest News Regarding THE BIG READ
2.13.09
Prendergast Library has named Jennifer Champ to moderate discussion groups for The Big Read featuring “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
The Library will host four sessions for people who would like to talk with others about this classic American novel. Free and open to the public, discussions will take place in the library’s Fireplace Room at: 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24; 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26; 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 10; and 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19.
Ms. Champ is a Jamestown native who graduated from Jamestown High School in 1996 and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the State College at Fredonia in 2000.
In 2001, she received a master’s degree in women’s studies from the State University at
Albany, where she also worked as a graduate teaching assistant in the women’s studies department. She is particularly interested in 19th century Southern history with a focus on gender and race relations.
For the last three years, Ms. Champ has worked in New Paltz as the public programs coordinator for Historic Huguenot Street, a 17th Century collection of stone houses built by French Huguenots. She plans to move to New York in August to further her career in the museum education field.
Along with “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, a new biography by Gail Jarrow titled “Robert H. Jackson: New Deal Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Nuremberg Prosecutor” is being featured in this year’s Big Read program under the theme Lawyers and Literature.
Ms. Jarrow will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the Robert H. Jackson Center on the topic “Bringing Archives to Life: How I Researched & Wrote the Biography of Robert H. Jackson.” After the presentation, she will sign copies of her book.
The Jackson Center will also host a series of movies about lawyers at 7 p.m. each Wednesday in March. Titles are “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Twelve Angry Men,” “Inherit the Wind” and “Nuremberg.”
At Prendergast Library, the Jamestown Audubon Society will help children “Make a Mockingbird” during a craft event at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, and inform adults about “Backyard Birds and Their Songs” at 7 p.m. Monday, March 9.
Because the main character in the Big Read novel walked to work every day, two colleagues from Fredonia College will share tips on starting a walking regimen with a Prendergast audience at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24.
Other book discussions, movie showings, displays and programs are scheduled at public libraries throughout Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties during February and March. Information is available at www.fredonia.edu/bigread/ <http://www.fredonia.edu/bigread/> or by calling any local public library.
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.
Major sponsors are the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Fredonia College, the Robert H. Jackson Center and the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System.
1.21.09
Robert H. Jackson Center Board Chairman
Gregory L. Peterson, left, and Executive Director Adam C. Bratton,
right, discuss Gail Jarrow’s new biography of Justice Jackson with Randy
Gadikian, director of Daniel A. Reed Library at SUNY Fredonia, during a
workshop at Prendergast Library. Ms. Jarrow’s book and “To Kill a
Mockingbird” will be the featured titles during a local Big Read in
February and March.
JAMESTOWN – The Robert H. Jackson Center located at 305 E. Fourth St., Jamestown, has joined SUNY Fredonia and the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System to sponsor The Big Read during February and March.
The three organizations will encourage people to read Harper Lee’s classic novel “To Kill a/ /Mockingbird” and Gail Jarrow’s new biography called “Robert H. Jackson: New Deal Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Nuremberg Prosecutor.”
“As a young person’s book to accompany The Big Read title, Gail’s book is a natural. It’s also a book adults would enjoy as a means of becoming more familiar with Justice Jackson. It’s a quick read, very approachable, and gives an excellent picture of his many contributions,” said System Director Catherine A. Way.
She said the theme that binds the two books and the three Big Read organizations together is “lawyers in literature.”
The Robert H. Jackson Center will host several events during The Big Read: an appearance at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, by Charles Shields, author of two biographies of Harper Lee; and a series of four lawyer movies beginning at 7 p.m. March 4 with “To Kill a Mockingbird” and continuing March 11, 18 and 25 with “12 Angry Men,” “Inherit the Wind” and “Nuremberg.”
Atticus Finch, the main character in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” had many of the same traits as Robert H. Jackson, Ms. Way said.
“They both stood up for what is right and fought for the equality of all,” she said.
“The lawyer film series is a terrific idea, and the lecture by Ms. Lee’s biographer will give listeners food for thought about how authors bring history to life,” said Adam C. Bratton, executive director of The Robert H. Jackson Center.
Although no date has been set, Bratton said The Jackson Center also hopes to bring Ms. Jarrow to Jamestown in late February to describe the process she went through to research and write her book about Jackson.
SUNY Fredonia submitted an application to the National Endowment for the Arts to partner with the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System again after the two institutions collaborated successfully on a “Fahrenheit 451” Big Read last fall, said Randy Gadikian, director of the Daniel A. Reed Library on campus.
Public libraries throughout the two counties have received materials such as books, book marks, readers’ guides, and audio commentaries to circulate, and they have been encouraged to plan project activities.
“Workshop groups have brainstormed about how to go beyond book discussions and movie showings to incorporate food tie-ins, theatrical events, guest speakers, crafts, contests, displays and the involvement of local schools,” Ms. Way said.