It's Research Season in the Library.

It's research season in the Edith Hamilton Library, and there are times when it is simply bursting at the seams with students! Dr. Spector-Marks' and Dr. McCain's students have just begun to work on their Ninth Grade World History research papers, and Dr. Riley and Ms. Cullen's Modern World History students are well underway with their papers on the Inter-War Period. Dr. Yeager, Dr. Riley, and Dr. George's students have begun their final U.S. History portfolio project of the year called "Understanding the Culture Wars of the 1960's and 1970's".

Ms. Khadduri's Sixth Grade students have been working hard on their papers in U.S. History during the time period of 1700-1900. Dr. Hettrick's Eighth Grade classes will begin working on their Ancient History research papers in early May.  In between research questions, the librarians are supporting the leisure reading needs of our students, faculty and staff. April is National Library Month, and we can't think of a better way to celebrate than by having a full house in the library! 

Honoring the Women of the Civil Rights Movement- Selected Reading

Today's Dr. Martin Luther King Day Assembly was devoted to the women of the Civil Rights Movement. Four visiting alumnae panelists talked about the contributions of activists Shirley Chisholm, Ella Baker, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Brazilian activist, Marielle Franco. Students asked thought provoking questions during the assembly and at the lunchtime discussion that followed in the Library. If you'd like to learn more about the four women highlighted in this morning's assembly, or about other lesser known women of the Civil Rights Movement, the list below will help you get started. All of the books on the list are available in either the Edith Hamilton Library or the Peggy Bessent Library. Stop by the Edith Hamilton Library to see our book display!

Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton and Raul Colon. (Age 4-8) Paula Young Shelton shares her memories of marching alongside of Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King with her father, Andrew Young.

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist, by Cynthia Levinson. (Age 5-9) A beautifully written and illustrated book on the youngest child to be arrested during the Children’s March.

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison. (Age 7-12) Includes profiles and illustrations of 40 African-American women who have helped change the world.

Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes from Past and Present by Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins. (Age 8-13) An illustrated collective biography of 52 diverse black leaders.

We Who Believe in Freedom: The Life and Times of Ella Baker (True Tales for Young Readers)  by Lea E. Williams. (Age 8 and up)  Baker was an important activist and organizer who is best known for challenging unfair policies as a student at Shaw University. She was a founder of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and involved in several other civil rights organizations.

Claudette Colvin:Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose. (Age 10-14) Nine months before Rosa Parks did so, Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white woman. This is her story.

We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson. (Age 10-15) Tells the story of four young people; two boys and two girls,  who participated in the Birmingham Children’s March.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett: Crusader Against Lynching by Elaine Slivinski Lisandrelli. (Age 11 and up) Born a slave, Wells devoted her life to fighting injustice. She was a journalist, educator and one of the founders of the NAACP.

Fight On: Mary Terrell’s Battle for Integration by Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin. (Age 11-14) A compelling account of the life of activist , Mary Terrell, whose career spanned 60 years. The book is filled with reproductions of archival material.

Shirley Chisholm: Catalyst for Change (Lives of American Women) (Age 13 and up)  A succinct biography of the first African -American woman to be elected to Congress and to seriously run for President.

The Life and Legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune by Nancy Ann Zrinyi Long. (Age 13 and up) The fascinating story of Dr. Mary Bethune as told by the author with interviews from her children and former students.

Unbought and Unbossed: Expanded 40th Anniversary Edition by Shirley Chisholm. (Age 13 and up)

Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress speaks out on her life. This expanded 40th anniversary edition delves more deeply into her  impact on today’s world.

Freedom's Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830 to 1970 by Lynne Olson. (Age 13 and up) Includes profiles of over sixty women who were crucial to the success of the civil rights movement.

Women, Race and Class by Angela Y. Davis. (Age 13 and up) Prominent activist, Angela Davis, examines how the Women’s Movement has historically been hampered by the biases of its leaders.

Lighting the Fires of Freedom: African American Women in the Civil Rights Movement by Janet Dewart Bell. (Age 13 and up) A collection of oral histories by nine African-American women prominent in the civil rights movement. Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

Mary McLeod Bethune: Building a Better World, Essays and Selected Documents  Edited by Audrey McCluskey. (Age 13 and up) “Explores Mary McLeod Bethune in her roles as stateswoman, politician, educational leader, and social visionary. It offers a unique combination of original documentary sources and analysis of Bethune’s life and work.” (from the publisher)

Ain’t I a Woman: Black:Women and Feminism by bell hooks. (Age 14 and up) In hooks’ classic book she examines the impact of sexism and racism on black women.

Hands on the Freedom Plough:Personal Accounts by Women in the SNCC Edited by Faith S. Holsaert, Martha Prescod, Norman Noonan, Judy Richardson et al. (Age 13 and up) Fifty-two women share their stories of working for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the Civil Rights Movement.

Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision (Gender and American Culture) by Barbara Ransby. (Age 14 and up) A  readable and scholarly biography of one of the most important women in the civil rights movement. Baker was a founder of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and was involved in several other civil rights organizations.

Articles on Marielle Franco

“Brazilian Activist Killed In Drive-By Shooting.” NPR. Mar 16, 2018. (Age 11 and up)

Marielle Franco was an unusual face in Brazilian politics. She was black, outspokenly feminist and grew up in a poor neighborhood in Rio. NPR Morning Edition, audio and transcript.

https://www.npr.org/2018/03/16/.../brazilian-activist-killed-in-drive-by-shooting

“The Assassination of Brazilian Politician Marielle Franco Turned Her into a Global Icon.” Time. March 22, 2018. (Age 13 and up) http://time.com/5210509/assassination-brazilian-politician-marielle-franco-global-icon/

“Marielle Franco: Vivacious Fighter Shaped by the Favela.” BBC News. Mar 22, 2018. (Age 13 and up) Marielle Franco's life had been on an up until she was shot dead in Rio de Janeiro on 14 March.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-43484449

Let's Talk About Reading

We'd like to thank everyone who participated in our survey about reading. We received many thoughtful responses to the question "How do you feel about reading?" as well as some wonderful book suggestions.  Many thanks to Ms. Hruban who compiled the data and created a display to share it in the library.  Here are some of the highlights:

How did Bryn Mawr School students and faculty feel about reading? Most said they love reading:

I love to read! I find pleasure in reading and enjoy having time to calm down and curl up with a good book.
I just enjoy reading. Always did; always will. When I’m bored, I read. Before bed, every day, I read. It helps me sleep.
I love reading! When I’m sad or scared I read and forget about what’s bothering me.
I LOVE reading, so I definitely read a lot. I’ve actually been told I read too much sometimes.
Many feel frustrated that they don’t have much time for reading.

I absolutely love it, I just wish I had more time for it!
I like it a lot but a I don’t have a lot of time to do it anymore.
Wish there were 5 more hours in the day to do it.
Some mentioned loving to read but having a hard time finding a book that will grab them.

I love reading but I have a very certain kind of book that I like, and its hard to find the perfect book.
If I find a good book, which is rare because I don’t know what to look for, I love to read.

What gets in the way of reading? Nearly everyone mentioned homework!

Stress, school work, sleep, the internet, socializing, more school work!
Other time commitments, such as sports, chores, and homework. The temptation of picking up my phone also sometimes prevents me from reading.
I forget about how much I love reading and end up not reading that frequently.

Source: Claire Hruban, Library Lantern

A Book By Its Cover

Have you noticed the beautiful books in the display window outside of the Edith Hamilton Library?  Each has a unique cover designed by a student in Ms. Letras' Graphic Design class.  Several students were inspired to design covers for books they read in class, such as The Catcher in the Rye, Everything I Never Told You, and The Color Purple. If you haven't had a chance, stop by. Maybe one of your favorite books is represented!

Streaming film service now available at Bryn Mawr!

The popular on-demand film streaming service, Kanopy, is now available for free to Bryn Mawr students and faculty.

Films can be streamed from any computer, television, mobile device or platform. Kanopy showcases more than 30,000 of the world’s best films, including award-winning documentaries, rare and hard-to-find titles, film festival favorites, indie and classic films, and world cinema with collections from Kino Lorber, Music Box Films, Samuel Goldwyn, The Orchard, The Great Courses, PBS and thousands of independent filmmakers. Ask the librarians for details.

Enoch Pratt Librarian, Deborah Taylor, visits Bryn Mawr

Enoch Pratt Librarian, Deborah Taylor, spoke at upper school Convocation last week about the importance of libraries and reading in the age of technology. "There are two questions that inflame life-long readers and librarians, two groups to whom I happily belong:Does anybody read anymore?

And why do we need libraries when we can just 'Google it'?" I’ll start with the second. No, you can’t just 'Google it'.”  Ms. Taylor explained that although she uses Google as much as anyone, we must be aware of its limitations.  She cited author, Neil Gaiman, who once said "Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one."

In responding to the question of whether people still read Ms. Taylor said that not a week goes by that she doesn't see a Netflix movie that is based on a book. "Somebody's reading!" She reminded us that graphic novels and comics count as books too. "Books come into being in all kinds of ways because we can become readers in all kinds of ways." Ms. Taylor's grandmother told her stories aurally, and that sparked her love of books and reading.  She shared some of her favorite books throughout the speech, and they are listed below.  Ms. Taylor will be retiring from her position as the Coordinator of School and Student Services at Pratt next week.  We are very thankful that she took time out of her busy morning to visit Bryn Mawr.

Books that Ms. Taylor mentioned during her speech:

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Harry Potter series by J. K . Rowling

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness (A Discovery of Witches is first volume)

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed

Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice by Paula Byrne
The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Welcome to the Edith Hamilton Library Blog!

We'd like to extend a warm welcome to our new upper school students! We're glad you're here. 

Stop by and say hello. 

 ~ Ms. Rickert-Wilbur and Ms. Hruban