Durham History Hub and County Library Celebrate Soul, Funk and R&B Music

Durham's rich musical heritage will be on display Friday, August 15 from 6-8 PM at the Museum of Durham History's History Hub.

Soul Souvenirs: Durham’s Musical Memories of the 1960s and 1970s is a no-charge celebration of Durham’s rich heritage of soul, funk and R&B music and it is open to the public.

The celebration hosted by the Museum of Durham History and the Durham County Library will feature a little wine, a few munchies and some memorable music by Johnny White and the Elite Band. The legendary group performs from 6pm-6:30pm and from 7:30pm-8pm. Between sets is a panel discussion by three soul and funk musicians from the 70s: Charles Bailey (the Black Experience Band), Vernelle Mack (Positive Approach, The Essence of Truth) and Stanley Saunders (Duralcha, Family Sircle).

The visual and audio display at the Hub touches upon the origins, influences, politics, history, venues, businesses, media, music and musicians of the 1960s and 1970s in Durham. Those featured include Nick Allen, Johnny White, John Snells, the Black Experience Band, Blue Steam, the Communicators, Duralcha, the Modulations, NCCU, Risse, and more.

Durham County Library Hosts Art with the Experts: Doris Duke’s Shangri-La

Shangri La evokes peaceful images of an earthly paradise, a pristine place that merges fantasy with reality. Part of that fiction will be discussed as it pertained to reality of one of the Duke family's most illustrious members.

Durham County Library will host the Nasher Museum of Art’s Juline Chevalier and Katie Adkins for a presentation and slide lecture on the museum’s exhibit Shangri La: Architecture, Landscape, and Islamic Art, which highlights the collection of American heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke. The program will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 23, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

Internationally known for her wealth and style, Duke amassed one of the nation’s most important private collections of Islamic art over a period of more than 50 years, beginning in 1935 at Shangri La, her private residence outside Honolulu. Melding modern architecture, tropical landscapes and art collected throughout the Islamic world, “Shangri La” provides an opportunity for deeper exchange and understanding at a time of mistrust between the United States and many Muslim cultures. The exhibit will run at the Nasher until December 29, 2013.

Juline Chevalier is the Curator of Education and Katie Adkins is the Assistant Curator of Exhibitions at Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art. This is the first time works from Duke’s Islamic art collection have traveled to North Carolina.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268 or visit their website.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities.

Learn more about Durham and all that it has to offer.

Durham County Library Hosts Bullish on Durham: The Metamorphosis of RTP

Situated in southeast Durham lies one of the most important economic drivers in North Carolina.

Durham County Library will host UNC-Chapel Hill professor Dr. William Rohe for a lecture on the history and future of the Research Triangle Park at 7 p.m. on Monday, August 26, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street.

Located in the heart of the Triangle and spanning nearly 7,000 acres, RTP is home to more than 170 companies and employs more than 39,000 workers in all areas of science and technology. Rohe will discuss the many new developments being planned for the Park, including housing.

Rohe is the author of The Research Triangle: From Tobacco Road to Global Prominence. He is a Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. He has written numerous journal articles on housing and community development and practice, and has conducted sponsored research for various organizations, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A book signing will follow the discussion.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Discover more great events like this on the Durham Event Calendar.

Durham County Library Hosts Film Screening: A Ripple of Hope

The Durham County Library will host a viewing of A Ripple of Hope, a documentary that dramatically retells the events of April 4, 1968, the day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated outside a Memphis hotel room. The screening and discussion will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 22, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street. The event is free and open to the public

The movie retraces the steps of presidential candidate Robert Kennedy as he absorbs the news of the killing and responds with courage and compassion. With digitally-restored news footage and original music by Grammy-Award winning music director John Colby, A Ripple of Hope features interviews with congress members, Kennedy’s campaign staff and reporters. Dr. Katherine Charron of NC State University will introduce the film and lead a discussion afterwards.

Charron is an associate professor of history at NC State. Her areas of interest include women’s history and African American history, especially in the American South. She is the author of Freedom’s Teacher: the Life of Septima Clark.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit  the library's website.

Learn more about Durham online at www.durham-nc.com.

Durham County Library Hosts Film Screening: One Night in Kernersville

Durham County Library will host filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman for a screening of his documentary film One Night in Kernersville. Set in the legendary recording studio of Mitch Easter, the film tells the story of musician and band leader John Brown, an associate professor of music at Duke University, who is about to live out his lifelong dream: making a big band jazz recording. The screening will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street.

Kernersville was the winner of the Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short and the Best Cinematography Award from the Charlotte Film Festival and has been shown around the world. Following the film, Dorfman will lead a discussion on the relationship between reality and fiction in documentary storytelling. All ages are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

Dorfman is an award winning Chilean-American multimedia filmmaker and a Durham resident for the past 25 years. His films have been shown in such prestigious film festivals as Toronto, Telluride, Edinburgh and Full Frame. He has written a number of films with his father, Ariel Dorfman, notably the BBC special “Prisoners of Time,” for which the father-son pair won the 1996 Writer’s Guild of Great Britain award for best television screenplay. Dorfman is currently working on Tommy! The Dreams I Keep Inside Me, a documentary on a sixty year-old man with autism who dreams to sing with a big band.
This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit  the library's website.

Discover more unique events in Durham at Durham Event Calendar.

Durham County Library Hosts the Piedmont Laureate

Durham County Library will host award-winning author and 2013 Piedmont Laureate for Children's Literature, John Claude Bemis, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 25, at the East Regional Library, 211 Lick Creek Lane. Bemis will share how Southern folklore, music and magic have inspired his writing, and will offer advice to writers of all ages on how to create engaging and unique stories. Following the talk, students will be invited onstage to act out a musical version of the legend of John Henry.

Bemis is an educator, musician and author of four novels, the most recent of which, The Prince Who Fell from the Sky, was an Amazon Best Book of the Month. A native of Pamlico County, Bemis taught elementary school for 13 years before receiving his Master of Education in Literacy from UNC-Chapel Hill. Bemis’ novels draw inspiration from country and blues music, Southern folklore and his grandfather’s stories of train-hopping around the country. Bemis resides in Hillsborough, N.C., with his wife and daughter.

Piedmont Laureate appearances in Durham County are sponsored by the Durham Arts Council and co-sponsored by Durham County Library. For more information about this event, contact Archie Burke at 919-560-0213.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit  the library's website.

Durham County Library Presents a History of Prohibition Cocktails

Everyone knows that prohibition didn't work out too well. From smugglers to bootleggers to speakeasies, people found a way to enjoy their drink of choice. But what exactly did they drink?

Durham County Library will present "A History of Prohibition Cocktails" on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St. The event is free and open to the public.

Durham County Library will host Scott Richie, former co-owner of Whiskey and multiple winner of the Independent Weekly’s Best Bartender award, for a program on the cocktails of the Prohibition era. Richie will take participants back to the roaring 20s, the era of Al Capone and speakeasies and discuss drinks like the Mary Pickford, the sidecar and the French 75. During Prohibition, bartenders had to get creative because the alcohol was of varied quality and often in limited quantity. Richie will discuss some of the era’s notable concoctions, as well as modern cocktails that were influenced by them. The program will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact John W. Davis at 919-560-0125.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org

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Durham County Library Hosts Civil Rights in Durham, 1963 Stories and Pop-Up Museum

1963 was a pivotal year for the civil rights movement, both in Durham and across the United States.

Durham County Library will host Eddie Davis as he explores the history of Durham in 1963, a year during which many critically important events changed the local civil rights landscape. Davis will moderate a multi-racial panel of citizens who played vital roles in the quest for the integration of some of Durham’s most cherished educational institutions, restaurants and theaters. A community conversation about the broadening and the evolution of human and civil rights will follow the panel discussion. Participants are encouraged to join the conversation by bringing an old photo or family treasure for the Durham Civil Rights "Pop-Up Museum" happening alongside the program. The event will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St..

Davis worked as a high school English teacher in North Carolina for more than 30 years and is a former president of the N.C. Association of Educators. He has worked with students and with the community to bring attention to Durham’s often-overlooked civil rights history and educational issues.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation and co-sponsored by the Museum of Durham History. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268 or visit durhamcountylibrary.org.
Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Discover more about Durham's history online.

Durham County Library Hosts Panel Discussion on Jews and Durham in Transition & Jewish Life “Pop-Up Museum”

When people think about Jewish history in America, images of New York at the turn of the century spring to mind. However, what many don't know is that Durham has generations of Jewish History.

Durham County Library will host a panel discussion on the history of Jews in Durham with historians Leonard Rogoff and Karin Shapiro and with Lynne Grossman and Robert Rosenstein. Both Grossman and Rosenstein’s families have lived in Durham for many generations.  The program will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street.

From 2:30 to 3 p.m. the library and Museum of Durham History invite members of the community to bring in artifacts about Jewish life in Durham for a temporary display, and to share the personal stories that make those objects come alive. Display space will be provided. Durham klezmer band, Freylach Time, will play traditional Yiddish music during this portion of the program.

A discussion exploring Durham’s rich Jewish history will begin at 3 p.m. Jewish merchants and cigar rollers first arrived in Durham in the 1870s and soon thereafter began to establish religious institutions, such as the Jewish cemetery and a house of prayer. The first major synagogue built by this community stood in the parking lot area of the current Durham Public Library. Jews also played a role in Durham’s civil rights struggle. The mayor during the Civil Rights era was a Jewish merchant, “Mutt” Evans.

Leonard Rogoff is a research historian for the Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina, and Karin Shapiro is a visiting associate professor of history at Duke University.  Both have researched the Jewish South extensively.  Shapiro’s exhibit, “Beth El Synagogue – the first 125 years” will be on exhibit at the library from June 14 to July 15.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation and co-sponsored by the Museum of Durham History. For more information visit durhamcountylibrary.org or contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.
Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Learn more about Durham history at www.durham-nc.com.

Durham County Library and Durham County Department of Public Health

Bookish types aren't usually fanatical fitness types... or are they?

Durham County Library and the Department of Public Health are daring residents to take the ChallengeWave – a four-week, community-wide fitness program that will pit library patrons against each other as they compete to cross the United States in a virtual race from June 15 through July 15.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to get our community moving toward a healthier lifestyle,” said Willa Robinson Allen, Health Promotion & Wellness, Program Manager for the Department of Public Health. “Earlier this year we had our county departments compete against each other using ChallengeWave. The program was such a success that we decided to open it up to the public. This is the first time this interactive online tool will be used in a community, and we expect that residents will have as much fun and increase their fitness as much as staff did.”

A maximum of 25 competitors per library can sign up for each team. Participating libraries are: Main, East Regional, North Regional, South Regional and Southwest Regional. Competitors will track and record any type of fitness activity online – either by distance or time – as they represent their favorite library. The team that travels the most virtual miles will win a trophy.

“ChallengeWave is part of our Summer Reading Program for adults,” Tammy Baggett, library director, said. “We’re challenging patrons to dig into reading and fitness – to train their brains by reading, and then train their bodies by participating in ChallengeWave. Competitors who sign up for Summer Reading as well can win additional prizes for attending library fitness programs like Zumba, yoga and line dancing.”

Those interested in participating can get more information about ChallengeWave by calling Willa Robinson Allen at 919-560-7771, by visiting online or by signing up directly at the ChallengeWave website using the invite code: DCLibrary13.

Discover more about the great community of Durham, NC.

Durham County Library Hosts Meet the Author: Dr. Larry Burk

It's shaping up to be a busy summer at the Durham County Library!

Durham County Library will host Dr. Larry Burk as he reads from his book: Let Magic Happen: Adventures in Healing with a Holistic Radiologist. The book chronicles his journey from his professional training in conventional radiology to his alternative path into the world of holistic medicine. The program will be held at 7 p.m. on June 18, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

“Many of these stories stem from mind-body-spirit techniques that I learned from numerous generous teachers,” said Burk. “I look forward to sharing the magic with sincere seekers everywhere.”

 A book signing will follow the reading.

Burk received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also completed a residency in radiology.  In the 1980s, his father’s battle with renal cancer and Burk’s own experience with the National MRI Safety Committee led to his interest in alternative medicine. Since then, Burk has studied and become licensed in numerous alternative treatments, including acupuncture, parapsychology, hypnosis and energy healing.  Burk co-founded the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine in 1998, and served as the Center’s Education Director. He currently works for Oriental Health Solutions, LLC in Durham, where he uses techniques such as hypnosis, medical acupuncture and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to treat a wide variety of conditions.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Find out about more great events in Durham at the Durham Event Calendar.

Durham County Library Hosts Meet the Author: Georgann Eubanks

Sometimes its best to go right to the source for information.  With that in mind, the Durham County Library is helping people discover just what a local author has to say about her writings on Eastern North Carolina.

Georgann Eubanks will read from Literary Trails of Eastern North Carolina: A Guide Book, the concluding volume of the Literary Trails of North Carolina trilogy, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, at Southwest Regional Library, 3605 Shannon Road.

Eubanks’ book takes readers into an ancient land of pale sand, dense forests, and expansive bays, through towns older than the U.S. and rich in cultural traditions. Profiled writers reveal lives long tied to the land and tell tales of hardship, hard work and freedom. Eighteen tours lead readers from Raleigh to the Dismal Swamp, the Outer Banks, and across the Sandhills as they explore the region's connections to over 250 writers of fiction, poetry, plays and creative nonfiction. Featured authors include A. R. Ammons, Gerald Barrax, Charles Chesnutt, Clyde Edgerton, Philip Gerard, Kaye Gibbons, Harriet Jacobs, Jill McCorkle, Michael Parker, and Bland Simpson.

Eubanks is a writer, teacher and consultant to nonprofit groups across the country. She is the director of the Table Rock Writers Workshop, was a founder of the North Carolina Writers' Network and is the past chair of the North Carolina Humanities Council. She lives in Carrboro. Literary Trails of North Carolina is a project of the North Carolina Arts Council.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Learn more about engaging events in Durham at www.durham-nc.com.

Durham County Library Kicks Off Summer Reading 2013 at Northgate Mall

Summer reading is better than school year reading because anyone can do it at the beach, or by the pool, or pretty much anywhere!

Durham County Library will celebrate the start of a summer of “Digging Into Reading” with a kickoff at Northgate Mall, on Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dozens of booths will be on tap including Scrap Exchange, Paint Savvy, North Carolina Zoo, Museum of Life and Science, Museum of Natural Sciences, a Zumba area, aerialists, storytelling, crafts, a magician, bounce houses for children and adults, Sol Food mobile farm, live music with DJ Pitty Pat, a video game truck, prizes and free RIF books for children.

“This will be the first time the kickoff is held at Northgate Mall,” said Lynne Barnette, Southwest Regional Library manager and Summer Reading committee chair. “We feel like this is a great central location for our patrons and is a popular destination for Durham County residents. We think this will be one of our biggest kickoffs ever, and we’re excited about bringing it out into the community.”

Northgate Mall is located at 1058 W. Club Blvd. in Durham. The kickoff will take place both indoors and on the outdoor plaza between entrances 2 and 4. The event continues a partnership with Northgate Mall that has included a Dr. Seuss celebration that featured the Cat in the Hat, and an ongoing library display.
“We are so happy to have Durham County Library here at Northgate to promote its important goal of increasing student achievement through summer reading. We look forward to a fun-filled community day on the Plaza,” said Ginny Bowman, Managing Partner, Northgate Associates.

The Summer Reading 2013 theme for children is “Dig Into Reading,” and the library has expanded that theme to include digging into science, fitness, technology, adventure and more. The summer will be filled with programs for children, teens and adults that will inspire participants to explore, to experience and of course, to read.

According to the State Library of North Carolina, the number of books read during the summer is consistently related to academic gains. Children in every income group who read six or more books over the summer gained more in reading achievement than children who did not.  The use of the public library during the summer is more predictive of vocabulary gains than attending summer school. 

To help students make those gains, and to ensure no one misses out of the joys of a good book, Summer Reading encourages everyone to read throughout the season, This year, participants will track their reading online using a new point system.  Each minute read is worth one Summer Reading point, and points are also earned for participating in activities such as attending programs and writing book reviews. Up to 1000 points can be redeemed at any time between June 15 and August 10 for a variety of prizes. A minimum of 600 points enters the reader into a drawing for this year’s grand prizes, which include: a LeapPad and Kindle Fire for children; an iPod Touch, Kindle Fire and Xbox for teens; and an iPad Mini and theatre tickets for adults.

In addition to launching the program in a new venue and introducing a new point system, Summer Reading 2013 includes a number of first-time special events that capture the expanded theme:

• Dig Into Fitness: ChallengeWave, June 15-July 15 – This year, the library is challenging adult summer readers to train their brains by reading and train their bodies by participating in ChallengeWave – a four-week fitness competition co-presented by Durham County Department of Public Health. Participants can sign up to represent their favorite library, and compete against other locations, by recording their fitness activities online. The library team that travels the most virtual miles wins a trophy.  Competitors who sign up for Summer Reading as well can win additional prizes for attending library fitness programs.
• Dig Into Environmental Science: EPA Village Green Project Launch, June 22 – In a joint project between the Environmental Protection Agency and Durham County, the EPA will install a prototype bench at the South Regional Library (4505 S. Alston Ave.) that reads and records air quality and weather conditions. The Village Green Project will allow members of the public to use their smart phones to get real-time data on air quality. The bench will become operational on June 22 with a ribbon cutting and celebration from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, featuring games, storytimes and a “meet a scientist” booth.
• Dig Into Sports: Midpoint Rally, July 10 – The library has teamed up with the Durham Bulls to celebrate reading all summer long, including a mid-point rally and celebration held at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at the July 10 home game. Hundreds of Summer Reading participants will receive tickets to the game courtesy of Durham Library Foundation, and the library will shine a spotlight on five fantastic Summer Readers.
• Dig Into Space: First Library in Space, July 10 – Prior to the game, Durham County Library will become the “First Library in Space” by launching a capsule filled with library memorabilia into near space. A helium-filled balloon will lift the capsule from the DBAP centerfield, and multiple cameras will send live-feed video as it races upward. When the capsule reaches a height of about 700 feet, the balloon will expand to more than 50 times its original size, then burst, sending the capsule floating back to earth by parachute. Summer Readers who can’t attend the game can follow the launch online at durhamcountylibrary.org. “First Library in Space” is sponsored by the Friends of the Durham Library.

Finally, on August 9 and 10, the library will reward everyone for a summer of reading fun with the system-wide grand finale “Celebration of Reading.” There will be more games, music, crafts and refreshments to “dig into,” and the Summer Reading grand prize winners will be announced at each location. Bragtown Library and Family Literacy Center will host its finale on Friday, August 9. The Main Library, East Regional, North Regional, South Regional, Southwest Regional and Stanford L. Warren libraries will host their finales on Saturday, August 10. 

More information about Summer Reading is available online. Registration begins June 15 at the kickoff, and will be open after that date online, or in person at any library location. Summer Reading, the library’s most popular program, is sponsored by Durham County, the Friends of the Durham Library and Durham Library Foundation.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit online. 

Learn more about Durham and its libraries.

Durham County Library Hosts Reception Honoring Howard Clement

In Durham, history isn't always a thing of the past. Sometimes, history is living, breathing and walking among its citizens. Next week, the Durham County Library will honor that history.

Durham County Library’s North Carolina Collection will host a reception honoring city councilman and former North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance executive Howard Clement for donating his personal papers to the North Carolina Collection. The event will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street.

In November 1960, North Carolina Mutual invited Mr. Clement to join the company. He has been a force in Durham ever since, including continuous service on the city council since 1983, a long career with NC Mutual, civil rights activism, volunteer work for the good of the public schools and their students, an active member of St. Titus Episcopal Church, and a family man.

Durham County Library will celebrate Clement’s life and work and thank him for making his papers available to posterity. For more information about this event, contact Lynn Richardson, 919- 560-0171.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit  their website.

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Durham County Library Hosts Scratch Day Event

Scratch Day isn't about back scratching. Nor is it about making food from scratch. But it is about creating digital blocks and sharing projects with an online community in Durham.

The Durham County Library will host a Scratch Day event to introduce young patrons to a programming language designed just for them. Created by Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, Scratch allows people to create interactive stories, games, animations, music and art.  This hands-on event will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at East Regional Library, 211 Lick Creek Lane.

Scratch projects are created by snapping together digital blocks, as one would snap together LEGO bricks or puzzle pieces. Projects can then be shared with an active online community consisting of hundreds of thousands of registered members. Community members regularly comment on projects to ask questions and give feedback, create galleries of related projects, download projects to study their construction and remix downloaded projects to be re-shared online.

Scratch Day is a worldwide network of gatherings, where people come together to meet each other, share projects and experiences, and learn more about Scratch. The library will provide flash drives pre-loaded with Scratch software, and some workstations will be available, but patrons are encouraged to bring their own laptops if possible.

For more information about the event, call 919-560-0214 or visit online. Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit this website.

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Durham County Library Presents Civil Rights Talk at Hayti

As the saying goes, "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." Thanks to the efforts of the Durham County Library, Durham won't soon forget its past.

The Durham County Library will present, "A Personal and Historic Glance at Durham's Integration of Public Facilities" given by given by Durham native, historian and former NC Supreme Court Justice Willis Whichard. The talk will take place Saturday, May 18, at 3:00 pm at the Hayti Heritage Center. Whichard will speak about the Civil Rights protests and their aftermath in Durham.

This event will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights protests that began May 18, 1963, in Durham. These protests resulted in great strides in rights for Durham’s African Americans. Participants in the 1963 events who attend this program will be recognized. This event is sponsored by the Durham Library Foundation.

For more information about African American history in Durham, click here.

Durham County Library Hosts Discussion on Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is more than just an excuse to visit your favorite Mexican restaurant in Durham.

Durham County Library will host Dr. Altha Cravey as she leads a discussion on the significance of Cinco de Mayo and why it is celebrated in the United States. The program will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 5 at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street. Light refreshments will be served.

The American Cinco de Mayo celebration originated in the Mexican-American communities of the American West in the 1860s. It grew in popularity and evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, first in areas with large Mexican-American populations, like Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. Eventually it expanded across the United States. In 2005, the President of the United States issued a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities. It is celebrated regionally in México primarily in the state of Puebla where the holiday is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla). In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces in 1862.

Cravey is an associate professor of geography at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where much of her research and teaching is focused on Latin America and Latinos in the southern United States.

For more information, contact Judith Quijano, at 919-560-0157. Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

For more events in Durham, visit the Durham Event Calendar.

Durham County Library Presents Comics Fest 2013

The Durham County Library has more to offer than just books and great place to hang out!

Durham County Library presents its third annual Comics Fest with guests, prizes and activities for children, teens and adults on Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. at the Southwest Regional Library, 3605 Shannon Road.

This year’s guest cartoonists include Eisner winner Raina Telgemeier (Drama, Smile), Hugo winner Ursula Vernon (Digger, Dragonbreath), Harvey winner Scott Hampton (The Books of Magic, Batman), Eisner nominee Ben Towle (Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean) and Jan Burger (Uitke and the Magic Penny). Workshops and presentations will cover cartooning basics, visual storytelling and the comic art process from sketch to sales floor.

In addition, the Fest will feature the kickoff of the Durham Comics Project, a new project that seeks to capture the essence of Durham as a community by teaching people how to tell their stories through pictures. Through a year-long series of events and workshops around Durham, Amy Godfrey, children’s librarian and co-creator of Comics Fest, will teach people how to tell their stories through comics using the media or styles they are most comfortable with.

“People don’t need to be technically trained artists to tell stories through comics,” said Godfrey. “Moreover, being a technically trained artist doesn’t mean someone will be good at it. The essence of a good comic is a good story and we believe everyone has a good story in them.”

Comics Fest is made possible by Durham Library Foundation with additional support from Friends of the Durham Library. For details and a complete schedule, visit online or call 919-560-8590.

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Book Sale April 12

The Durham County Library usually encourages visitors to return books, CDs and DVDs. But soon, they will be encouraging visitors to take them away for good.

Gently used books will abound at the Friends of the Durham Library Spring Book Sale, April 12 to 14 at Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St., Durham 27701. Twice a year, the Friends present these “big” book sales, offering a wide variety of authors and literary genres via over 70,000 books, as well as audiobooks, CDs and DVDs. Items are categorized for easy shopping in the library’s auditorium and garage, and under tents set up for the event. Book prices start at 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hard covers. Early shoppers will find the best selection of specially priced books in gift-giving condition. Parking is free. Proceeds support Durham County Library programs and services.

The Spring Book Sale begins Friday, April 12, with a Friends members-only evening from 4 to 7. Friends members have first choice at the sale on Friday, and memberships can be purchased at the door beginning at 2 p.m. All are welcome Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, April 14, from 2 to 5 p.m. for the $7 bag sale (bags supplied by the Friends).  Debit and credit cards are accepted at the Spring and Fall book sales.

Can’t make it to the Spring Book Sale? You can shop the Friends mini-booksales every day at seven Durham locations: American Tobacco Campus Strickland Building, 334 Blackwell St.; East Regional Library, 211 Lick Creek Ln.; Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.; North Regional Library, 221 Milton Rd.; South Regional Library, 4505 Alston Ave.; Southwest Regional Library, 3605 Shannon Rd.; and Stanford L. Warren Branch, 1201 Fayetteville St. Checks and cash only, please.

Durham County Library provides the entire community with books, services and other resources that inform, inspire learning, cultivate understanding and excite the imagination. Visit them online.

For more information about Durham, visit this website.

Durham County Library Hosts Program on Local Artisan Bakers

Durham is home to learning opportunities available to people from all walks and stages of life.  Coming up in a few weeks is a great opportunity to combine a love of learning for a lifetime with another of Durham's great ingredients, food and those artisans who prepare it.

Long-time baker, Frank Ferrell of Ninth Street Bakery, will moderate a panel of Durham’s artisan bakers on Sunday, June 3 at 3 p.m. at the Main Library. Many different paths have led these food experts to Durham to bake professionally, and the region has become famous for their talents. According to Bon Appétit Magazine, the Durham-Chapel Hill area is ranked as “America's Foodiest Small Town,” citing partnerships between award-winning local restaurants, growers and organic farmers that have resulted in a thriving culture of eclectic cuisine.

Artisan bakers are credited with using local organic ingredients and traditional baking methods. As farmers’ markets have experienced great growth in Durham and the surrounding areas, the number of specialty bakeries has increased as well. The program features panelists from some of these well-known local patisseries including: Anna Branley of The Cupcake Bar, a custom order bakery featuring classic cupcakes and those inspired by favorite cocktails and other flavors; Claudia Kemmet-Cooper of Guglhupf, a European inspired café with a southern German twist; Kevin Farmer of Rue Cler, a Parisian style neighborhood restaurant serving downtown Durham since 2006; Phoebe Lawless of Scratch, one of Travel & Leisure magazine’s picks for “where to go for America’s top pies”; Durham resident Rob Nichols of Weaver Street Market, a community-owned cooperative grocery store, committed to supporting local farmers and small producers; and Ronald Graff of Loaf, a long-time presence at the Durham Farmers’ Market, now operating a bakery in downtown Durham.

Participants will learn how these bakers got started and what they love about the business. The panel will be followed by a Q&A session. This program is sponsored in large part by Durham Library Foundation. For more information contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.

Durham County Library provides the entire community with books, services and other resources that inform, inspire learning, cultivate understanding and excite the imagination. For more information, visit your local library or visit online.

Program:       Artisan Bakers of Durham
Date:             Sunday, June 3
Time:             3 p.m.
Location:       Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.
Cost:              Free and open to the public