1960s art and music to be highlighted at event in Mattoon

Posted on October 31st, 2014

Original artwork created by Mattoon high school and middle school students will be on display on Nov. 13 as part of an event that examines artistic influences of the 1960s.

Art students under the direction of Janahn Kolden and Rob Niemerg created pieces in the “pop art” and “optical art” styles of the 1960s. In addition, high school artists designed sculptures inspired by artist Robert Arneson.

The public is invited to view the artwork and meet the student artists during a reception at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Lone Elm Room at the Mattoon Depot.

Following the reception, two Eastern Illinois University faculty members will present “Reflections on ‘60s Music,” a program including audio and film clips from the era, at 7 p.m.

Newton Key, professor of history, will present “Global Influences on the American Pop Charts of the Sixties,” looking specifically at the “British Invasion” of groups such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Jemmie Robertson, assistant professor of music, will present “Influential British Film Scores of the 1960s,” including clips from films such as “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Dr. Strangelove” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

All events are free and open to the public.

The program is co-sponsored by Booth Library at EIU and the Mattoon Arts Council. The program is part of the library’s fall exhibit and program series, “Revolutionary Decade: Reflections on the 1960s.”

For a complete schedule of events in the “Revolutionary Decade” series, visit the program website at www.library.eiu.edu/exhibits/1960s/.

Booth Library is a donation site for local Toys for Tots program

Posted on October 31st, 2014

The campus community is encouraged to donate books or money to help local families this Christmas. Booth Library, in conjunction with the Mattoon Public Library, is a donation site for the Toys for Tots program.

Donations will be distributed through the One Stop Community Christmas program. One Stop is a collaborative effort of many different area organizations (civic groups, schools, businesses, aid organizations, churches, sororities, health care providers, etc.) to come together and provide help and hope to families from seven counties during the holiday season. The program services Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie and Shelby counties.

More than 2,000 children will be helped through the program this year, and the goal is for each child to receive a book. Donations of new or gently used books or coloring books will be accepted. A list of suggested book titles is below.

New, unwrapped toys also will be accepted. Donations may be placed in the Toys for Tots box located in the Marvin Foyer near the north entrance of Booth Library until Dec. 11.

Monetary donations in the form of cash or checks also will be accepted. Checks should be made out to the South Eastern Illinois Community Foundation (SEICF), with a memo indicating the donation is for “One Stop Books.” Mail donations to Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation: One Stop, P.O. Box 1211, Effingham, IL 62401.

For more information on the One Stop Community Christmas program, visit www.OneStopCC.org or call the Mattoon Public Library at 234-2621.

During the fall semester, Booth Library’s regular hours will be from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 1 a.m. Sunday. For more information on the library, visit the website, www.library.eiu.edu; call 581-6072; or find the library on Facebook or Twitter.

1964 WORLD ALMANAC BESTSELLERS

Posted on October 30th, 2014

If you are looking for more 60’s bestselling fiction, here they are: from the romantic adventure in “The Explorer,” to the political drama of the first black President in “The Man,” and the sexy exploits of a female student’s tell-all, “Candy.” There’s something for everyone!

                                       1964 WORLD ALMANAC                                        —Best Selling Fiction—

1. The Rector of Justin by Louis Auchincloss  / Drama / PS3501.U25 R4x

Frank Prescott’s life—the founder of prestigious Episcopal school for boys—is told through the eyes of six interweaving points of view, chronicling the 80-year evolution of the man; his successes, failings, virtues, and his crisis in faith.

2. You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming / Spy PR6056.L4 Y68 1964x

Bond is taken (shaken, but not stirred) to the exotic Orient, Dr. Shatterhands & his suicide gardens, as well as the lovely, enticing, and delightful Kissy Suzuki.

3. Herzog by Saul Bellow  / Drama / PS3503.E4488 H5x

The story of a tragically confused intellectual, Moses E. Herzog, who sends out a series of letters to all kinds of people after suffering from a sort of midlife crisis: The letters are thoughtful ruminations on the break-up of his second marriage; growing up Jewish; and the perceived general failure of his life.

4. Hurry Sundown by K.B. Gilden / Drama / PS3557.I3427 H8x

With its themes of race, gender and inequality, this story centers on black and white Southern sharecroppers. Although a popular bestseller–it quickly garnered the husband and wife co-writing team of Katya and Bert Gilden movie rights to their book–critics panned the 1100 page book. The 1967 movie version stars Michael Caine and a saxophone-playing Jane Fonda, directed by Otto Preminger.

5. Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman /
Drama / PS3561.A83x U6

An optimistic and idealistic first-year teacher in a large metropolitan high school is beset by red-tape, inadequate facilities and memorable students.

6. The Explorer by Frances Parkinson Keyes / Adventure drama / PS3521.E86 E9x

Adventurer Nicolas Hale needs a son to inherit his name and carry on his life’s work on a lost city in the Andes. When he marries a woman he deems suitable to mother his child, Margaret Porterfield, she soon finds herself left behind and never able share in his passionate life’s work…

7. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre / Spy thriller / PR6062.E33 S64x 1964

English spy Leamas is put on the shelf and now a paid defector in order to find out how Mundt, a double-agent in Germany, is able to dispose of so many English agents. In the process, Leamas finds himself attracted to a Communist woman. A whole host of victims, belligerence and revenge ensues…

8. The Horse Knows the Way by John O’Hara / Short Stories / PS3529.H29 H67 1964x

“The latest volume of 28 short stories in O’Hara’s Comedie Humaine, from one the most penetrating observers of the contemporary scene. So much sheer life, so many stunning portraits, so much shrewdness and raw power” (from the critics, back in the day…).

9. Candy by Terry Southern / Sex / (I-Share)

All about Candy’s thesis which is based on her experiences: “to give of one’s self…is a thrilling privilege.” Simultaneously described, back in 1964, as pornography, burlesque, farce, satire… and just plain funny. Candy’s “no, no” to a psychiatrist, a hunchback, a yogi…just might mean “yes, yes.”

10. This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart / Suspense / (I-Share)

Lucy Waring is on holiday in the Greek Island of Corfu–believed to be the real scene of the Tempest–with her married sister. The two sisters stumble upon a goofy Shakespearean actor (with handsome son in tow), a beached dolphin, Albanian money smugglers, and wild motorcycle rides.

11. Armageddon: A novel of Berlin by Leon Uris / War / PS3541.R46 A8x

After World War II, Sean O’Sullivan—who hates Germans—of course, falls in love with a German girl while the Russians and the Americans clash over Berlin.

12. Julian by Gore Vidal / Historical Fiction / PS3543.I26 J8x 1964

The story of Julian, the short-lived but brilliant Roman emperor and philosopher who dedicated himself to the restoration of Hellenism whilst attempting to halt the spread of Christianity.

13. The Man / by Irving Wallace / American Politics / PS3573.A426 M3x

It’s 1964 in the Cabinet Room of the White House where an unexpected accident has made Douglass Dilman the first Black President of the United States. Amid domestic and international scandals, violence, dissension and hostility, President Dilman must shoulder the burdens of his office, his race, and his private life—all in the harsh glare of publicity. Sound familiar?

New York Times Bestsellers of the 1960s

Posted on October 30th, 2014

The New York Times bestselling fiction lists reflect the diverse tastes of the reading public–whether it is a Sci-Fi medical thriller where a deadly virus from a satellite is brought back to earth in The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton; Gore Vidal’s dark, gender bending comedy Myra Breckinridge; the nosy, creepy neighbors who come bearing bitter chocolate mousse in Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin; a Christian romance in Christy who is torn between two suitors by Catherine Marshall; a burned out womanizer and world famous artist seeks escape in the Congo in A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Green;  or eight female friends from Vassar, 30 years after graduation–their marriages, their work, their lives–in Mary McCarthy’s social satire, The Group. Currently on display in the Atrium, 1st floor, above the Read & Relax paperbacks.

January 17, 1960

1. Hawaii by James Michener—9 weeks
2. Advise and Consent by Allen Drury—23 weeks
3. Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell—42 weeks
4. Poor No More by Robert Ruark—10 weeks
5. The War Lover by John Hersey—13 weeks
6. Exodus by Leon Uris—67 weeks
7. The Darkness and the Dawn by Thomas B. Costain—12 weeks
8. The Devil’s Advocate by Morris L. West—16 weeks
9. The Ugly American by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick—65 weeks
10. The Mansion by William Faulkner—8 weeks

April 23, 1961

1. The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone—4 weeks
2. The Last of the Just by Andre Schwarz-Bart —23 weeks
3. A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Greene—9 weeks
4. Hawaii by James Michener—75 weeks
5. Advise and Consent by Allen Drury—89 weeks
6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee—38 weeks
7. Midcentury by John Dos Passos—6 weeks
8. China Court by Rumer Godden—5 weeks
9. Winnie Ille Pu by A.A. Milne—9 weeks
10. Manila Galleon by F. Van Wyck Mason—5 weeks

October 28, 1962

1. A Shade of Difference by Allen Drury—4 weeks
2. Seven Days in May by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey, II—6 weeks
3. Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter—29 weeks
4. The Prize by Irvin Wallace—19 weeks
5. Dearly Beloved by Anne Morrow Lindbergh—20 weeks
6. The Thin Red Line by James Jones—5 weeks
7. The Reivers by William Faulkner—19 weeks
8. Youngblood Hawke by Herman Wouk—23 weeks
9. Act of Anger by Bart Spicer—9 weeks
10. Another Country by James Baldwin—17 weeks

May 19, 1963

1. The Glass Blowers by Daphne du Maurier—7 weeks
2. Seven Days in May by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey, II—23 weeks
3. Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters by J.D. Salinger—14 weeks
4. Grandmother and the Priests by Taylor Caldwell—7 weeks
5. The Sand Pebbles by Richard McKenna—18 weeks
6. The Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton—13 weeks
7. The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass—4 weeks
8. The Centaur by John Updike—10 weeks
9. The Bedford Incident by Mark Rascovich—1 weeks
10. Fail-Safe by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler —29 weeks

February 23, 1964

1. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carre—6 weeks
2. The Group by Mary McCarthy—25 weeks
3. The Venetian Affair by Helen MacInnes—18 weeks
4. The Hat on the Bed by John O’Hara—12 weeks
5. The Wapshot Scandal by John Cheever—5 weeks
6. The Shoes of the Fisherman by Morris L. West—38 weeks
7. Caravans by James Michener—29 weeks
8. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service by Ian Fleming—24 weeks
9. The Living Reed by Pearl S. Buck—20 weeks
10. Von Ryan’s Express by David Westheimer—1 week

July 11, 1965

1. The Source by James Michener—7 weeks
2. Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman—18 weeks
3. The Ambassador by Morris West—11 weeks
4. Hotel by Arthur Hailey—19 weeks
5. Night of Camp David by Fletcher Knebel—5 weeks
6. Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk—15 weeks
7. The Green Berets by Robin Moore—2 weeks
8. The Looking Glass War by John le Carre—1 weeks
9. A Pillar of Iron by Taylor Caldwell—8 weeks
10. The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne du Maurier—10 weeks

November 20, 1966

1. The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Crichton—10 weeks
2. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann—37 weeks
3. Capable of Honor by Allen Drury—8 weeks
4. Tai-Pan by James Clavell—24 weeks
5. The Birds Fall Down by Rebecca West—4 weeks
6. The Fixer by Bernard Malamud—8 weeks
7. The Mask of Apollo by Mary Renault—1 week
8. All in the Family by Edwin O’Connor—5 weeks
9. The Adventurers by Harold Robbins—34 weeks
10. A Dream of Kings by Harry Mark Petrakis—4 weeks

March 26, 1967

1. The Arrangement by Elia Kazan—5 weeks
2. The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Crichton—28 weeks
3. Capable of Honor by Allen Drury—26 weeks
4. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann—55 weeks
5. The Captain by Jan de Hartog—10 weeks
6. The Birds Fall Down by Rebecca West—22 weeks
7. All in the Family by Edwin O’Connor—23 weeks
8. The Mask of Apollo by Mary Renault—19 weeks
9. Tai-Pan by James Clavell—42 weeks
10. The Fixer by Bernard Malamud—23 weeks

April 7, 1968

1. Airport by Arthur Hailey—2 weeks
2. Vanished by Fletcher Knebel—11 weeks
3. Myra Breckinridge by Gore Vidal—6 weeks
4. The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron—25 weeks
5. Topaz by Leon Uris—28 weeks
6. The Tower of Babel by Morris West—7 weeks
7. Christy by Catherine Marshall—23 weeks
8. The Exhibitionist by Henry Sutton—17 weeks
9. The President’s Plane is Missing by Robert J. Serling—19 weeks
10. Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin—43 weeks

September 21, 1969

1. The Godfather by Mario Puzo—26 weeks
2. The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann—18 weeks
3. Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth—31 weeks
4. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton—13 weeks
5. The Pretenders by Gwen Davis—10 weeks
6. Naked Came the Stranger by Penelope Ashe—4 weeks
7. ADA, or Ardor by Vladimir Nabokov—18 weeks
8. A Place in the Country by Sarah Gainham—4 weeks
9. The Goodbye Look by Ross MacDonald—12 weeks
10. The Three Daughters of Madame Liang by Pearl S. Buck—2 weeks

For more fiction from 1964, see below… 2014 World Almanac fiction 1964 bestsellers 

Renters rights in the case of a foreclosure.

Posted on October 30th, 2014

The federal “Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009” expires December 31, 2014. Be prepared and get the scoop on where you stand as a renter in the event of your landlord or building management going into foreclosure. Find out  what a “Lis Pendens” is; be aware of what the term “cash for keys” means; do you have a “bona fide” lease? A pamphlet entitled “Tenants in Foreclosure Intervention Project” distributed by the Lawyer’s Committee for Better Housing may be of assistance.

During foreclosure, you have the right to…

1. Be notified in writing if your landlord or the building management changes;
2. Live in a safe apartment with utilities
3. Receive written notice if asked to move
4. Get eviction court records sealed (or made confidential)
5. Recover your security deposit.

You may also have the right…To stay until the end of your lease

You also have responsibilities…You must continue to pay your rent

For more information, the Illinois Legal Aid Online page details more Rights After Foreclosure.

The OCC/Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, goes into a bit more detail on their page entitled Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009; for more information on  rental rights results, click here.

Armchair Travel – Fiction

Posted on October 27th, 2014

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page” – Augustine of Hippo

During the summer of 2014 the Booth atrium displayed a list of 40 travel novels curated by Library Operations Associate Deborah Fennema. Most of the novels were displayed atop the “Read and Relax” bookshelf and next to each was a small stand filled with several beautifully designed bookmarks for each title. Each bookmark features the title, author, Booth Library call number and a brief synopsis of the story. Too lovely to be here and then gone for good, we’ve decided to make the bookmarks available to print and cut yourself. Attached here is a pdf file listing every book that was part of the Armchair Travel fiction display. Some examples of the selected books and synopses are listed below.

The bookmarks above are just one of 8 pages. Some of the other titles include:

Travels with My Aunt
by Graham Greene (1970)
call number: PR6013 .R44 t7x

That Old Ace in the Hole
by Annie Proulx (2002)
call number:  PS3566 .R697 T48 2002bx

Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) ; a new translation by Edith Grossman ; introduction by Harold Bloom.
call number: PQ6329 .A2 2003b

11/22/63: a Novel
by Stephen King (2011)
call number: PS3561 .I483 A615 2011

Revolutionary Decade: Reflections on the 1960s

Posted on October 25th, 2014

Area residents are encouraged to take a step back in time and experience “Revolutionary Decade: Reflections on the 1960s.” Booth Library will sponsor this exhibit that looks at what is arguably one of the most turbulent and eventful decades of the 20^th century.

Although the programs in this series have ended, Booth Library is filled with exhibits exploring numerous aspects of this fascinating decade as Americans experienced it — including developments in the worlds of music, literature, visual arts, science and technology, politics, and social movements.

The public is encouraged to stop by and take a look!

The 1960s from Washington D.C. & the Government Printing Office/GPO

Posted on October 17th, 2014

Look, Listen & Learn! In the document linked below you’ll find dozens of primary sources on social issues organized by topic.

Look at paintings created in the 1960s by influential artist Leon Golub*.

Listen to protest music: The turbulent 60s inspired great music.
Songs like “Get Up, Stand Up! Stand up for your rights!”
“Redemption Song”
“War, What Is It Good For?”
“Mercy, Mercy Me”
“What the World Needs Now, is Love”
“Inner City Blues”
performed by Bob Marley, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Jackie DeShannon, and many others inspired countless socially minded people to take political action for their beliefs. The many social “causes” prevalent in the 1960s brought about “effects” in the form of these songs, some of the most inspiring music ever written in our culture.

Learn about some of the divisive issues of the decade–straight from the nation’s printing office! Over 120 titles are  on display in the Booth Reference Department, coinciding with the Library’s: “Revolutionary Decade: Reflections on the 1960s.”

A sampling of some of the documents available…

Report on Racial Imbalance in the Boston Public Schools Document CR 1.2:SCH 6/10

The Official Warren Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy Document E 842.9 .A55 1964x

President L. B. Johnson’s We Will Stand in Viet-Nam Document S 1.38:137

Cambodia in Perspective, Vietnamization Assured by President R. M. Nixon Document S 1.38:191

A 1968-1972 Epidemiological Study of High School Football Injuries in North Carolina Document Y 3 .C 76/3:2 H 53

60s official GovsDocs, pages 1-5

Welfare Policy and Its Consequences for the Recipient Population Document HE 17.2:W 45

The Committee on Commerce’s Reviewing Progress made toward the Development and Marketing of a Less Hazardous Cigarette Document Y 4 .C 73/2:90-52

Special investigations and government operations on Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Document Y 4 .G 74/6:C 86/

Un-American activities are detailed in: Communist Activities in the Chicago, Illinois Area Document Y 4 .UN 1/2:C 73/46/965/ parts 1-2 and Subversive Influences in Riots, Looting, and Burning Document Y 4 .UN 1/2:R 47/ pt.3-6

*Artist Leon Golub’s work was identified and copied from google.com searches for copyright free images.

Library adds 821 new titles in September

Posted on October 17th, 2014

During the month of September, Booth Library acquired and cataloged 821 new items. The list can be viewed here. The list is arranged by location: Ballenger Teachers’ Center, Books, Electronic Resources, Illinois and Federal Documents, Maps, Media, Reference Collection, Special Collections and University Archives. The titles are listed by call number within each location. Please contact Karen Whisler, head of Collection Development, at 581-7551 or klwhisler@eiu.edu if you have questions.

These books are short. Very short.

Posted on October 15th, 2014

Life is full of big questions. 

Fortunately, they don’t always demand long
answers. 

The Very Short Introductions series can be the quickest way to get up to speed on a multitude of complicated subjects from Hegel, Barthes, and Literary Theory to Capitalism, World Music and The Reagan Revolution. And because they’re published by a scholarly house like Oxford University Press, they can be trusted to hit the high spots without leaving out vital information.  Found in the stacks at Booth Library, these are some of the best primers around — and that’s the long and the short of it.