College Library News: October 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

LSU's Middleton Library Celebrates 50 Years

A celebration marking 50 years of Library service was held October 23, at the Troy H. Middleton Library at Louisiana State University. When dedicated October 29, 1959 the Library opened with air-conditioning and open stacks where patrons could help themselves to the book collection. The library was officially named the General Troy H. Middleton Library being named after a World War I veteran, World War II war hero, three-star general, and President of LSU.

Library Director, Jennifer Cargill

Library Director Jennifer Cargill hosted a reception marking the occasion and special exhibits were featured including a list of the 50 best books of the last 50 years, a Banned Books exhibit, and an exhibit featuring photos of when the Library was initially built.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Seventh Annual Louisiana Book Festival

Legions of book lovers came together Saturday to discuss and promote literature at the seventh annual Louisiana Book Festival.Engaged festival-goers and 190 authors participated in panel discussions and conversations in the chambers and committee rooms of the Louisiana Capitol Building, a part of the festival that makes it unique, said Rebecca Hamilton, assistant secretary for the office of the state library.

Tim Gautreaux, the Morgan City native received the 2009 Louisiana Writer Award.

About 500 volunteers, many of whom are associated with the University’s School of Library and Information Science, put on the festival and keep events working.Students in the LIS program organize a group to volunteer at the festival every year, said Beth Paskoff, dean of the School of Library and Information Science.“Students work in many different areas of the festival,” Paskoff said. “It gives them an opportunity to see what kinds of things they may be doing in the future and meet people who may be their colleagues someday.”Suzanne Stauffer, assistant LIS professor, said the festival’s central location at the Capitol, state museum and state library adds another meaningful layer to the event.“I don’t know of any other capital where you can have this type of cultural festival literally in the middle of state government,” Stauffer said.