Common Ground Corner
Library plans spring discussion series
In a series of spring discussions, Boatwright Memorial Library staff will examine caring for aging family members, children’s literature and campus issues of the last three decades.
All are related to Common Ground themes, said Glyn Hughes, director of Common Ground. Dates and times of the discussions were selected in consultation with University Facilities and Dining Services in order to allow more staff to attend, he added. The programs are open to all faculty, staff and students.
Each program will be held from 12–1 p.m. and then repeated from 2:45–3:45 p.m. All sessions will take place in the Think Tank in Tyler Haynes Commons.
The following discussions are planned:
- Feb. 12: “Discovering Diversity through Children’s Literature.” Participants will discover diversity themes in children’s books, using examples from the library’s children’s literature collection.
- March 27: “Balancing Act: Caring for Your Aging Family Members.” An expert on aging will lead a discussion about what kinds of resources and issues you need to know about as your family members age. The library’s collection of books, film, music and other resources can provide support and answers.
- April 10: “What Happened before You Came to UR: Reading The Collegian Online.” Through this discussion, participants will learn what some of the key campus concerns were in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, such as when the University started discussing diversity, child care, gender roles, etc.
Library staff wanted to sponsor the series because “libraries have long served as a meeting place for the open exchange of all types of information,” said Lucretia McCulley, head of outreach and instruction services. “The library staff also is very committed to collaboration, and when Glyn approached us to brainstorm about programming ideas, we saw this as a wonderful opportunity to creatively promote both library resources and Common Ground issues.”
CGAC meetings open to all
Meetings of the Common Ground Action Committee are open to all faculty, staff and students. “Hearing the ideas and comments of members of the University community is crucial for the work of this committee,” said Glyn Hughes, director of Common Ground.
Meeting agendas will be posted in advance on the Common Ground Web site. Those interested may submit suggested topics for discussion to Hughes by campus mail or e-mail to commonground@richmond.edu.
All meetings will be held from 3:30–5 p.m. in the Tyler Haynes Think Tank. Dates include Feb. 13, Feb. 27, March 13, March 27, April 10, April 24 and May 8.