In the Perkins Library

September-October

A Woman’s Place: Evolutions and Revolutions in Domestic Culture from Catharine Beecher to Martha Stewart
Higlighting materials from the collections of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History and Culture

November-December

The Tobacco Project
An installation by New York artist Xu Bing that will feature books and other texts created from tobacco leaf and tobacco products.

January-February

Moving Cultures: Latin America at Duke An exhibit tracing the history of Latin American studies at Duke and the development of the Libraries’ Latin American collections

Members of the Diversity Working Group with Vice Provost for Library Affairs and University Librarian David Ferriero, left to right: Sheila Webb, Linda Martinez, Lynne Cates, Ed Gomes, David Ferriero, Ros Raeford, Sharon Sullivan, and Robbin Ernest. Not pictured: Kelley Dodson and Zhaohui Xue

Libraries’ Diversity Working Group Wins University Recognition

The Duke Libraries’ Diversity Working Group and Fuqua Executive-in-Residence William Sax are the winners of Duke University’s first Diversity Award. The award, presented by President Keohane on 17 August at the Night of Duke Stars celebration, will be given annually to staff or faculty who have improved cross-cultural understanding at the University by actively and positively promoting the concept of diversity.

William Sax received the Diversity Award for a variety of activities, including his nine- year commitment to two initiatives: the Minority Business Consulting Program and a program in which Fuqua students teach entrepreneurship primarily to minority high school students. The Libraries’ Diversity Working Group received the award for spearheading initiatives to promote a diversity-sensitive culture within the library system.

Soon after the Diversity Working Group was organized in 1998, it began planning a diversity workshop for library staff with Ben Reese, assistant vice-president for cross- cultural relations in the University’s Office of Institutional Equity. The Diversity Working Group used feedback from the diversity workshops, which all library staff attended, to formulate a set of desirable workplace behaviors that includes open communication, flexibility, integrity, and the recognition and valuing of differences. Now, the group plans to develop and implement strategies for reinforcing the desirable workplace behaviors among the library staff.

The Diversity Working Group has also surveyed the library staff to gauge employee attitudes about a range of issues related to diversity in the workplace. The results of the assessment, to which 62% of the library’s 227 staff members responded, will be used as a baseline from which to measure the organization’s progress in promoting diversity. The survey results will also define areas for staff development.

The members of the Diversity Working Group, all of whom are volunteers, represent a cross-section of the Library’s staff. They are Lynne Cates, Kelley Dodson, Robbin Ernest, Ed Gomes, Linda Martinez, Rosalyn Raeford (facilitator), Sharon Sullivan, Shelia Webb, and Zhaohui Xue. Ben Reese and Barb Revels from the Office of Institutional Equity work with the group. Myrna Jackson, who retired earlier this year, was also a member of the Diversity Working Group.

To learn more about the Diversity Working Group’s history and activities, go to http://www.lib.duke.edu/staff/diversity/diverse.htm.

African-American Women Selected as a “Best Bet”

The USA Today Education Web site selected the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library’s African-American Women online archival collections as a "Best Bet" from July 23, 2000, through July 29, 2000. The USA Today Education staff recognizes sites of educational value with their best bet designation. Fewer than 150 sites are selected each year. The African-American Women on-line archival collections feature scanned pages and texts of the writings of African-American women. One of the items available is an 1857 letter from Vilet Lester, a slave on a North Carolina plantation.

Friends of the Library Engaging Faculty Series Enters Fifth Season

The 2000/2001 Engaging Faculty series opened on 7 September with Thomas Robisheaux’s lecture entitled “The Last Witch of Hürden.” Robisheaux, an associate professor of history, told the story of an old and spirited woman who was put to death for witchcraft in November 1672 during one of the last European witch panics. The audience of faculty, students, Triangle residents and university staff learned more about the intriguing incident and Robisheaux’s wide-ranging research related to the case during the extended question and answer session.

Robisheaux’s lecture embodied the goals that the Friends set for the Engaging Faculty series when they inaugurated it in 1996. The lectures are informal, interdisciplinary conversations that provide an opportunity for faculty to hear about the work of their colleagues in other departments and give students and the general public a chance to learn about research going on at Duke. The remaining 2000/2001 lectures, described below, will begin at 5:00 p.m. on their respective dates. All lectures are held in the Rare Book Room at Perkins Library.

November 9

In a lecture titled “The Bright Leaf: Xu Bing and Tobacco at Duke,” Stanley Abe, assistant professor of art and art history, will speak about a series of installations that New York-based artist Xu Bing will create this fall at various locations in Durham and on the Duke campus. Mr. Xu’s installation in the Perkins Library gallery will feature books and other objects made from tobacco leaves. The installations open 2 November 2000 and continue through December.

February 8

Tami Davis Biddle, assistant professor in the Department of History, will lecture on the topic of “Britain and the Experience of Aerial Bombing in World War I.” In a lecture that spans the realms of political, social, and military history, Professor Biddle will discuss the ways in which the British public and British leaders interpreted the experience of being attacked by air. She will also explain how experiencing aerial bombing shaped expectations about future wars and debates about British interwar defense policy.

March 29

Joe Ashby Porter read from his new novel, Resident Aliens, on September 27 at Perkins Library. Resident Aliens is the story of four foreigners who find themselves marooned in the mid-1970s in Charlottesville, Virginia. Set in a house in the country, the novel culminates in a festive weekend of comical blunders, shifting allegiances, and maturing love. Credit: Yves Orvoën

Frederik Nijhout, professor of zoology, will lead his audience on a metaphorical walk among the butterflies in a lecture titled “The Biology of Color Patterns in Butterflies.” In the past few decades, zoologists have learned a great deal about how color patterns are assembled during the butterfly’s development and how they are modified during evolution. In his talk Professor Nijhout will address various aspects of butterfly biology, including the use of color patterns for visual communication, camouflage, and mimicry.

Events

October 11

“Dainty, Thrifty, Tasty, Fat-free: Food Ideals of the 20th Century.” A panel discussion featuring Jacquelyn McClelland, food and nutrition specialist from the NCSU Cooperative Extension Service; Debbie Moose, food writer for Raleigh’s News & Observer; and Dorette Snover, food writer, chef, and radio personality. Perkins Library Rare Book Room, 5:30 p.m.

October 19

An evening with Josephine Humphreys, acclaimed author of Dreams of Sleep, Rich in Love, and Fireman’s Fair. Ms. Humphreys will talk about her writing methods and read from her new book, Nowhere Else on Earth. A reception and book signing will follow. Perkins Library Rare Book Room, 7:30 p.m.

October 26

“Cocktails, Casseroles, and Contraceptives,” presented by “The Stepford Players.” An evening of staged readings and other delights. The audience is invited to come costumed as a favorite television or cinema domestic. $100 prize for the best costume. Perkins Library Rare Book Room, 6:00 p.m.

November 9

Friends of the Library Engaging Faculty series: In a lecture titled “The Bright Leaf: Xu Bing and Tobacco at Duke,” Stanley Abe, Duke assistant professor of art and art history, will speak about a series of installations that New York-based artist Xu Bing is creating this fall at various locations in Durham and on the Duke campus, including the Perkins Library gallery. Perkins Library Rare Book Room, 5:00 p.m.

November 15

Tom Rankin, executive director of the Center for Documentary Studies, reading and signing his new book, Local Heroes Changing America: Indivisible. This event is co-sponsored by the Gothic Bookshop. Perkins Library Rare Book Room, 5:00 p.m.

November 17

A reading by novelist and short story writer Richard Ford, who has been described by the New York Times as “one of his generation’s most eloquent voices.” Ford’s novels include The Sportswriter and Independence Day. Perkins Library Rare Book Room, 5:00 p.m.

For more information about these public events, call (919) 660-5816. Individuals with disabilities who anticipate needing reasonable accommodations or who have questions about physical access may also call (919) 660-5816 in advance of the programs.