Programs and Events

Special programs will be held at various public libraries and other locations throughout September, October and November 2009, tied in to the themes and subjects of People of the Book. Some of these programs are still being finalized -- keep watching this web site for further details.

• A Step Back in Time: A Tour of the Love Library Archives and Special Collections  [Tuesday, September 29, 7:00 p.m.]
• The Journey of the Writer: Reality and the Imagination  [Sunday, October 4, 2:00 p.m.] [Now available for viewing online as a series of YouTube videos - see below!]
• Book Arts: The Journey of an Artist's Heart  [Sunday, October 11, 2:00 p.m.]
• People of the Book: An Interfaith Journey Toward Peace: A Discussion  [Tuesday, October 13, 7:15 p.m.]
• Judge a Book By Its Cover: A Rare Books Roadshow  [Sunday, October 25, 2:00 p.m.]
• The Crossroads of a Journey: All Roads Lead to Sarajevo  [Sunday, November 1, 2:00 p.m.]
• A Treacherous and Deceptive Path: The Journey of Stolen Art  [Sunday, November 8, 2:00 p.m.]
• People of the Book -- Online -- All the Time  [ongoing]

This list of special programs and events is available on this web page and as a handout at all Lincoln City Libraries. All events are free and open to the public, and we encourage you to attend!

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MEET US AT THE MARKETS!

Lincoln City Libraries staff will be at some of Lincoln's Farmers' Markets in September and October. They will be able to give information about One Book - One Lincoln programs and answer general questions about the library. Here is the schedule of locations:

• Haymarket Farmers Market -- between 7th and 8th and P and Q Sts. -- Saturday, September 12 -- 8:00 a.m. to Noon
• Haymarket Farmers Market -- between 7th and 8th and P and Q Sts. -- Saturday, October 10 -- 8:00 a.m. to Noon

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* Note: A facsimile copy of the Sarajevo Haggadah, owned by the University of Nebraska, will be available for attendees at each program to view.
* Note: A showing of the 1996 program, "ABC News Nightline Searching for Hope: Sarajevo Haggadah," (running time 22 minutes) will follow the programs scheduled at Eiseley, Anderson, Gere Walt Branch Libraries.

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Schedule of Programs and Events:

Each of us has taken milestone journeys in our lives that have been real or imagined, journeys that have taken us thousands of miles or not a step. The Sarajevo Haggadah, in its journey from creation to celebration, in its passage from protector to protector, in its survival from century to century, leads us through a reading experience that intertwines stories across faiths, nationalities and time itself. This is a story that speaks to the power of possibility, perseverance and belief in oneself and others, in achieving a triumph of good over evil.

This year's guest program presenters:

• Tom Bassett, Owner of Bassett's Appraisal, Lincoln, Nebraska.
• Don Bryant, Associate Director of Athletics (retired) University of Nebraska -Lincoln, U.S. Olympic Committee on Public Relations (past member).
• Jean Cahan, Assistant Professor,University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Philosophy, Director, Harris Center for Judaic Studies.
• Mary Ellen Ducey, Associate Professor, Archives and Special Collections Librarian and the staff of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Love Library Special Collections Department.
• Steve Ihrie, local book dealer and rare book enthusiast.
• Buck Kiechel, Director, Kiechel Fine Art, Lincoln, Nebraska.
• Karen Kunc, Cather Professor of Art, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Art and Art History.
• Dr.Sarah Kelen, Assistant Professor of English, Nebraska Wesleyan University
• Zainab Al-Baaj, MENA Hope Coordinator, Lincoln Good Neighbor Center
• Claudia Koziol, Development and Communications Director, Project Interfaith, Omaha, Nebraska
• Reverend Dr. Otis Young, senior minister emeritus, First-Plymouth Congregational Church
• The Reverend Pauletta Lehn, University Minister, Nebraska Wesleyan University.
• Patrice McMahon, Associate Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Political ScienceDepartment .
• Timothy Schaffert, noted popular author, University of Nebraska-Lincoln English Department faculty member and Director of the Nebraska Summer Writer's Conference.

A Step Back in Time: A Tour of the Love Library Archives and Special Collections

Tuesday, Sept. 29, 7:00 p.m.
Love Memorial Library
UNL Downtown Campus, 13th and R Street

[Special Collections is located on the lower level of Love Library South. Parking is available on the street and parking garages are located within walking distance. Handicapped parking is available on R Street as well as directly on either the East or West side of Love Library.]

The University of Nebraska has a noteworthy Archival staff and Special Collections facility. We will be hosted by Professor Mary Ellen Ducey as we view rare manuscripts, learn about their background and be introduced to special techniques used in the conservation and authentication of rare volumes. We will also be shown how to access some of the many renowned illuminated manuscript collections that have been digitized and are accessible on the Web. A display of rare manuscripts owned by UNL will be available for independent viewing in a showcase outside Special Collections through the month of October.

The Journey of the Writer: Reality and the Imagination

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2:00 p.m.
Eiseley Branch Library
1530 Superior St.

Geraldine Brooks, author of People of The Book has been quoted as saying that she loves "to find stories from the past where we can know something, but not everything; where there is enough of a historical record to have left us with an intriguing factual scaffolding, but where there is also ….room for imagination to work." Timothy Schaffert, Director of the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference, is author of The Phantom Limbs of the Rollow Sisters, The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God and most recently Devils in the Sugar Shop. Schaffert, who is currently at work on his fourth novel, is intrigued by the idea of books within books and stories about stories, such as those found in People of the Book. He will relate stories from his own writing experiences and from his reading and teaching experiences, including his own historical research venture, investigating the Omaha's World Fair of 1898 in preparation for writing his fifth novel. [Watch this entire program as a series of YouTube videos -- starting below!]

Book Arts: The Journey of an Artist's Heart

Sunday, Oct. 11, 2:00 p.m.
Dan A. Williams Branch Library
5000 Mike Scholl St.

"Artists' books are not books about art; they are art expressed through book form." This essay from the University of Delaware Library goes on to say that many artists are inspired to get the reader to think about books as other than text, to create a book that steps out of the ordinary and captures the viewer's imagination. Rare, collectible books are not just found, they are made. Karen Kunc, Cather Professor of Art and Art History at UNL, is a highly valued and sought after print-maker and creator of unique, hand-crafted books. Each of her creations is a work of art that is destined to be an heirloom. She will talk about her perception of the book, from initial conception of a project to final art piece. She will show examples of her own work, have a hands-on viewing of her work and be open to discussing any topic related to contemporary book arts. [Watch this entire program as a series of YouTube videos -- starting below!]

People of the Book: An Interfaith Journey Toward Peace: A Discussion

Tuesday, Oct 13, 7:15 p.m.
Olin Lecture Hall, Nebraska Wesleyan University Campus
50th Street and Madison Ave.

(Parking is allowed anywhere on campus in the evening. Handicapped parking is available in the Campus Visitor parking lot on the east side of 50th St. at St. Paul Avenue.)

The Sarajevo Haggadah was treasured and protected by many people as it passed through generations. The people of this book were of many faiths, but each risked their own life and called upon their own faith, as they sought to ensure the safety of this holy book. Please join us for an opportunity to meet people of other faiths and traditions as we explore the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Islam and Christianity) represented in People of the Book. Panel members, Dr.Sarah Kelen, Assistant Professor of English, Nebraska Wesleyan University; Zainab Al-Baaj, MENA Hope Coordinator, Lincoln Good Neighbor Center; Claudia Koziol, Development and Communications Director, Project Interfaith, Omaha, Nebraska and Reverend Dr. Otis Young, senior minister emeritus, First-Plymouth Congregational Church, Lincoln will join moderator Reverend Jamie Norwich McLennan, Associate Pastor, First United Methodist Church, to talk about matters of spirituality, history and tradition as observed by each faith and share their personal experiences. They will also discuss the relationships these religions have had over the centuries and ask the audience to join in discussing the present day search for peace and cooperation among all faiths. [Watch this entire program as a series of YouTube videos -- starting below!]

Judge a Book By Its Cover: A Rare Books Roadshow

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2:00 p.m.
Anderson Branch Library
3635 Touzalin

Raid your attics and your bookshelves. What kind of treasures are hiding under the dust? Did you find a lavishly decorated book at a garage sale that was published in 1898? Did you inherit a set of 1st editions from your great-great grandmother? How do we know if we have rare books in the family or if they are only worth the paper they are printed on? Tom Bassett, owner of Bassett's Appraisal and a frequent guest on KFOR's Problems and Solutions, and Steve Ihrie, local book dealer, will share information about how they judge a book by its cover…and a lot more. Be sure to bring books you would like them to look at. Keep in mind they can only give you an idea of what any particular item might be worth.

The Crossroads of a Journey: All Roads Lead to Sarajevo

Sunday, Nov. 1, 2:00 p.m.
Gere Branch Library
2400 S. 56th St.

[Note: Daylight Savings Time Begins Sunday, November 1. Please Remember to Adjust Your Clocks.]

Sarajevo. Bosnia. For most people this is not a city they think about every day. It is famous for the Winter Olympics of 1984. It is infamous for the Bosnian War that enveloped it starting in 1993. And it is home to the Sarajevo Haggadah. Geraldine Brooks gave readers a stark glimpse at a city in recovery from a devastating war of ethnic cleansing that pitted neighbor against neighbor in the 20th century; a city that is familiar with the cycles of violence and rebuilding that wars bring. She detailed the good with the bad and peopled her city with characters both courageous and despicable. Patrice McMahon of the UNL Political Science Department will have just returned from Sarajevo and be able to share her most recent experiences in that city, with insights as to the history and current social and political climate. She has travelled extensively in the Balkans and the post-communist countries of Eastern Europe and is a recognized authority on that region of the world. She has a great interest in the ethnic conflict in that region and the roles and reactions of U.S. and the international community, at present and going forward. Mr. Don Bryant, retired Associate Director of Athletics for the University of Nebraska, was a member of the U.S. Winter Olympic Teams in 1980, 1984 and 1988, serving as media liaison at Lake Placid, Sarajevo and Calgary respectively. He will be sharing his remembrances of Sarajevo during the 1984 Olympics and will share memorabilia and pictures that reflect the city during a time of peace and international honor.

A Treacherous and Deceptive Path: The Journey of Stolen Art

Sunday, Nov. 8, 2:00 p.m.
Walt Branch Library
6701 S. 14th St.

The Sarajevo Haggadah is a priceless religious book and national art treasure that, with heroic effort on the part of many people, was prevented from being destroyed during historic periods of cultural conflict and saved from confiscation during the infamous Nazi looting of World War II. Many famous art theft stories center on this period in world history. Film documentaries such as The Rape of Europa and Adele's Wish and a myriad of books have been based in this era. Professor Jean Cahan, Harris Center for Judaic Studies, will relate the history of five Gustav Klimpt paintings that were stolen in 1938 from a Jewish family in Vienna during the Nazi Regime as well as relating other instances of art theft and recovery. Mr. Buck Kiechel, Director of Kiechel Fine Art in Lincoln, Nebraska, will talk about the guidelines a gallery must follow in keeping with legal and ethical guidelines for authentication and provenance in the sale of art pieces and notification of suspicion of stolen or forged art. Kiechel Art has placed works in museums nationwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Smithsonian, The Sheldon, and The Joslyn.

PEOPLE OF THE BOOK -- ONLINE -- ALL THE TIME

One Book One Lincoln on Facebook

Lincoln City Libraries on Twitter

Follow the Lincoln City Libraries' general Twitter feed to see regular news announcements about One Book - One Lincoln events and discussions.

Lincoln City Libraries on YouTube

See video versions of some of the One Book - One Lincoln events and discussions.

The One Book - One Lincoln Blog

Don't have a chance to join one of the official discussion groups, but still want to share your views on Peole of the Book or this year's special programs? Visit our One Book -- One Lincoln Blog, where you can leave comments in response to regularly posted topics and/or questions.

Discussion Forum on LibraryThing

A discussion forum for One Book -- One Lincoln-related topics has also been set up on LibraryThing -- feel free to join up there and post your comments about the book, the programs, etc.