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Events

Right to Read Readathon Schedule

Right to Read: Readathon – Friday, April 26, 2024

A readathon—from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Mann Library—kicks off the “Right to Read” daylong celebration, with excerpts from banned and challenged books read aloud by students, staff, and faculty members. 

Come join us! You’re welcome to sit and listen to the whole readathon or to come and go as you please. We’ll also have free copies of a few banned and challenged books for you to take home!

Here are the list of readers and their chosen books:

9:00-9:15 AM Marla Love, Dean of Students

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

9:15-9:30 AM Ryan Lombardi, Vice President for Student & Campus Life

9:30-9:45 AM Alexander Colvin, Dean, ILR School; Professor of Conflict Resolution

Nickel and Dimed: on (not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

9:45-10:00 AM Kendra Bischoff, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

10:00-10:10 AM Elizabeth Hays, Executive Assistant to the Provost

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

10:10-10:15 AM Amy Escalante, Undergraduate, Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas

10:15-10:30 AM Mary Pat Brady, Professor, Department of Literatures of English

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

10:30-10:45 AM Steven Jackson, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation; Professor, Information Science & Science & Technology Studies

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

10:45-11:00 AM Monica Yant Kinney, Associate Vice President for Communications

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

11:00-11:15 AM Sofia Gil, Undergraduate, Computer Science

Looking for Alaska by John Green

11:15-11:25 AM Caroline Apodaca, Undergraduate, ILR School

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

11:25-11:30 AM Lucia Caravella, Undergraduate, ILR School

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

11:30-11:45 AM Mike Kotlikoff, Provost; Professor of Molecular Physiology

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

11:45 AM-Noon Rachel Dunifon, Dean, College of Human Ecology; Professor, Department of Psychology & School of Public Policy

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Noon-12:15 PM Kathryn Boor, Dean, Graduate School; Professor, Food Science & Department of Global Development

Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

12:15-12:30 PM Matthew Kibbee, Evidence Synthesis Coordinator, Cornell University Library

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

12:30-12:45 PM Poppy McLeod, Professor, Department of Communication

The Holy Bible

12:45-1:00 PM Colleen Barry, Dean, Brooks School of Public Policy

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

1:00-1:15 PM Patricia Abraham, Africana Librarian

Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane

1:15-1:30 PM Ravi Ramakrishna, Professor, Department of Mathematics

Savage Inqualities by Jonathan Kozol

1:30-1:45 PM Brian Arnold, Indonesian Cataloger, Cornell University Library

Beloved by Toni Morrison

1:45-2:00 PM Kofi Acree, Director, Clarke Africana Library; Curator, Africana Collections

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

2:00-2:15 PM Willow Lewis, Undergraduate, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences

The Giver by Lois Lowry

2:15-2:30 PM Elaine Westbrooks, Carl A. Kroch University Librarian, Cornell University Library

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Events

Right to Read Day of Celebration

Readathon
Over the past year, the number of challenged library books has surged across the United States. Cornell University Library invites the campus community to special events on April 26, titled “Right to Read,” to honor and promote diversity of thought and expression found in books of all kinds.

A readathon—from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Mann Library—kicks off the “Right to Read” daylong celebration, featuring excerpts from banned and challenged books, selected and read aloud by students, staff, and faculty members. Audience members are welcome to sit and listen to the whole readathon or to come and go as they please. A selection of banned books will be on hand for attendees to take home for free.

A Conversation and Reception
Books of all kinds stimulate the imagination, enrich the mind, and provide insights into our complex world. And yet, there is a growing list of books continually being challenged and banned in schools and libraries across the U.S. In addition, nowhere is censorship more restrictive than in prisons, where books and other educational resources are direly needed for building meaningful lives and preparing for re-entry into civic life. As PEN America stated in a recent report, “carceral censorship is the most pervasive form of censorship in the United States.”

Join us from 3-4 p.m. in Mann Library 160, for this conversation about how schools, libraries, and prisons are affected by censorship and how these institutions are providing access to books as wellsprings of knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Our guest speakers include:

  • Rob Scott, executive director of the Cornell Prison Education Program and an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Global Development, Cornell University
  • Leslie Tabor, director of Tompkins County Public Library
  • Elaine L. Westbrooks, Carl A. Kroch University Librarian, Cornell University

A reception from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Mann Library Gallery immediately follows this conversation.

Please contact Wendy Wilcox at ww83@cornell.edu if you would like to participate in the Readathon.

Uncategorized

Unwind with the Cornell Companions at Uris Library!

Feeling stressed about prelims? Take a study break and join us in the Uris Library Dean Room on Tuesday, March 12th, from 12-1 pm, as the Cornell Companions make a special visit. Swing by, say hello to our four-legged friends, and let the wagging tails and happy faces melt your stress away.

If dogs aren’t your thing, consider joining a guided meditation in Room 703 at 12:15 pm, instead. Let’s Meditate offers free guided meditations in Olin Library every other Tuesday! You can find the full schedule here.

Uncategorized

Special Building Hours at Olin & Uris Libraries During February Break

 Hello, students!

As February Break approaches, we want to ensure you have all the information you need for your library visits. Here are our special building hours during the break:

Olin Library

Friday, 2/23: 8 am – 6 pm

Saturday, 2/24, and Sunday, 2/25: 10 am – 6 pm

Monday, 2/26: 8 am – 9 pm

Uris Library closes one hour earlier, but the Cocktail Lounge and Tower Book Pickup location will still be open 24/7.

We’ll be back to our regular hours on Tuesday, 2/27 (8 am – midnight).

Whether you’re staying in Ithaca, or traveling somewhere exciting, why not browse our selection of New and Noteworthy books? Find something fun to read and make the most of your break! 

Or use Cornell University Library’s Overdrive collection through the Libby app to listen to audiobooks while you travel.

We look forward to seeing you at Olin & Uris and hope you have a restful break.

buildings-and-facilities

1/18 Olin Reopening

Courtesy of the Cornell University Library Space Projects Blog

The temporary Olin Library closure has been extended through January 17. The library’s services will continue uninterrupted: https://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/services In Kroch Library, the Asia Collections will be accessible to users by appointment only, and the Rare and Manuscript Collections will be accessible only to researchers with appointments. Items from Olin and Kroch Asia’s circulating collections can be requested at the Uris Library service desk near the McGraw Tower entrance. These materials can also be requested for pickup at other library locations on campus via the online catalog. We look forward to welcoming patrons back on January 18.

Subscribe to the Cornell University Library Space Projects Blog for the latest news about the Olin Library Renovation Project (and other Cornell University Library space projects.)   The subscription form is on the right-hand side of the blog’s home page.

Borrowing, Buildings and Facilities, News and Announcements, Reference and Research Help

Olin Library Services During Winter Construction

The Arts Quad is covered in fresh snow for the first week of classes.

Olin Library will be closed to the public from December 18 to January 12 as construction on the basement and first floor begins. Although the building will be closed, many library services are still available during this time. You’ll find our updated hours here.

Borrowing and delivery services will be available in Uris Library near the McGraw Tower entrance, and research help will be offered remotely by chat, email, phone, and Zoom.

All campus libraries will be closed for the campus winter break from December 23 through January 1.  We are closed, but our chat partners are not.

Library services will resume on January 2, and we anticipate returning to regular building hours on January 13.

For regular updates on the Olin renovation project, please follow the Cornell University Library’s Space Projects blog.

Instruction and Workshops

Register for Cornell University Library’s Fall 2023 Workshops!

Registration for the Fall 2023 slate of Library workshops is now open! Build skills in a variety of topics. Upcoming workshop topics include software like Zotero and Scrivener, database navigation, resource evaluation, market research, QGIS, and more! Offerings may be in person or over Zoom.

Can’t find time in your schedule to attend? Mann Library also offers pre-recorded workshops on Mendeley, EndNote, and Zotero.

In many cases, if there is sufficient interest in the department, a librarian could come to the department and do a workshop on a topic. Such requests can be made to a librarian directly or through the Library’s Request Course Instruction.

If you have any questions about the workshops or would like to suggest future workshop topics, please let us know by filling out the Ask a Librarian form.

Events

Meditation Opportunities at Olin Library

This semester, Olin Library is partnering with Cornell Health’s “Let’s Meditate” program to provide free, guided, mindfulness meditations in Olin Library Room 703. These meditation sessions are open to all members of the Cornell community, including students, faculty, and staff, and will take place every other Tuesday from 12-12:30 pm.

The meditations will be led by Cornell Health’s Travis Winter, LCSW.  You can find information about upcoming meditations and other events on the Olin Library Events Calendar.

If you can’t make it to our Tuesday meditations, or if you prefer to take a solo mindfulness break, Olin Library also has an Interfaith Serenity and Meditation Room located on the basement level.  This quiet meditation room is available for use during Olin Library’s open hours.

 

Events

Cornell Reunion has something for everyone!

Reunion weekend is happening on June 8-11 and there’s something for everyone! Take a look at the events and activities hosted by Olin and Uris Libraries, and don’t forget to add them to your reunion schedule.

Open House: Map and Geospatial Information Collection

The Olin Library Map and Geospatial Information Collection includes over 600,000 maps, as well as books, atlases, and electronic media. Stop by to see highlights from the collection and learn about Cornell’s cartographic research materials.

This event will take place on Friday, June 9, from 10:00-11:30 a.m., on the basement level of Olin Library.

Workshop: Introduction to Genealogy Research/ Beyond DNA testing

DNA testing can provide clues, but it inevitably raises more questions. This workshop will focus not on DNA, but on DIY genealogy research for answers about ancestors, learning genealogy concepts, methodology, and search techniques for online genealogical resources.

This workshop will take place at B05 Classroom on the gallery level of Uris Library, on the following dates/times: Friday, June 9, 9:00-10:00 a.m. OR 1:00-2:00 p.m. OR Saturday, June 10, 1:00-2:00 p.m.

Big Red Read for Little Cubs: Library Story Time and Scavenger Hunt

Who knew so many animals, big and small, visit the library? Bring your little cubs to Uris Library for story time featuring our favorite books about libraries. We will cap off our reading adventure with a scavenger hunt highlighting all the best spots in the most historic library on campus. Intended for children 3-6 years old who will be accompanied by their parents. Kindly note that elevator access is available via Uris Clocktower entrance and that Uris Library’s main entrance is stairs only.

This family-friendly activity will take place on Friday, June 9 from 10:30-11:15 a.m., in the Dean Room at Uris Library.

 Panel: “Title Not Found”- How Government Influence Impacts Library Collections

Amidst a national heated public debate on what materials were deemed “appropriate” for public school classrooms and libraries, this panel will examine the history of government and parent involvement in education, an overview of LGBTQ representation in literature, and standards for collection development in libraries. Cornell’s children’s literature librarian, Wendy Wilcox, will moderate and provide an introduction, followed by presentations from John Sipple, professor in the Department of Global Development, Masha Raskolnikov, associate professor in the Department of Literature in English, and Carson Williams, collection development librarian at Mann Library.

The panel will take place on Friday, June 9, 1:00-2:00 p.m., at 107 Olin Library.

Walking Tour: Olin and Uris Libraries

An opportunity to visit the grounds of Olin and Uris Libraries and bring back your Cornell days and so many fond memories or show family and friends around for the very first time! The tour will trace the history of Uris (1891) and Olin (1961) Libraries from the days of Cornell University’s first president, A. D. White, to its current life as a vibrant center for scholarship. Please note that not all portions of this tour are wheelchair accessible, and capacity is limited to 35 persons per group.

The tour will take place on Friday, June 9 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. and we’ll meet at the entrance of Olin Library.

 Zines Zines Zines

 Interested in trying your hand at making a zine (pronounced like “magazine,” without the “maga”)? Stop by and make a small booklet that tells a personal story about you, your time at Cornell, or anything that comes to mind. No experience or tools are needed. Come away with a unique Reunion souvenir!

The activity is scheduled for Friday, June 9 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at 106G Olin Library.

Exhibit: Art + Feminism/ Uplifting Community Voices

In April 2023, students, faculty, and community members collaborated to edit Wikipedia and improve coverage of women in the arts to make it a more inclusive information source. Focusing on community and collective, they partnered with Tompkins County Public Library and made zines and other works of art in the process.

This exhibit is located on the first floor of Olin Library.

 Exhibit: “Looking In” / Milstein Hall Curtains

Milstein Hall, which opened in 2011, is a 47,000 square-foot building that includes 25,000 square feet of flexible studio space and a 250-seat auditorium. Designed by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, the facility also includes two large curtains that are integral to the design of the building. “Looking In” provides a close-up view of the forum curtain, which surrounds the studio space within Milstein Hall, and the auditorium curtain, which can be seen from the outside as surrounding the three vertical glass surfaces along the south, west, and north sides of the facility.

Feel free to visit this ongoing exhibit located on the basement level of Olin Library and if you happen to join our walking tour or are planning to visit Uris Library on your own, stop by the gallery level to see the “Other Worlds and Underworlds” exhibition or visit the Dean Room and appreciate the Cornelliana Collection.

We look forward to seeing you at Cornell Reunion weekend!

Continue reading Cornell Reunion has something for everyone! →

Contact us by phone at (607) 255-4245 or email at okuref@cornell.edu