Events celebrate WeinbergMemorial Library 20th anniversary

The University of Scranton's celebration of the20th anniversary of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library gets into full swing during the fall 2012 semester with a series of lectures and events.

The Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library, incollaboration with the Schemel Forum, a program of the Weinberg Memorial Library, will dedicate a lecture series to the 20th anniversary celebration.All of the events planned arefree and open to the public, excepta Wine-Tasting Fundraiser anda Schemel Forumluncheon seminar, VáclavHavel: Profile of a Hero.

Thefirst of three free, public lectures celebrating the anniversary will be held Oct. 25, by Carolyn Brown, Ph.D., director of theOffice of Scholarly Programs at the Library of Congress. She will speak aboutLibraries and the Moral Life.

Dr.Brown asserts thatknowledge of thehuman conditionthrough time can be helpful in understanding the present and preparingourselves and others for the future. Libraries have been the mostcritical institutionsfor collecting and transmitting the human heritage of knowledge and wisdom. Thelecture will take place in the Rose Room of BrennanHall, at 5:30 p.m., with a reception to follow.

The next entry in the lecture series, Oct. 30, Native Son: Stephen Karam inConversation with Paul Holdengraber, brings togethertwo colleagues: StephenKaram, Scranton native andaward-winningplaywright; and Paul Holdengraber, the dynamic director of Public Programs attheNew York Public Library. Their conversation will center on the life andwork of Karam, who said, No matter how long I live in New York, Scranton willalways be home. The event will take place in theCenter for Literary and PerformingArts, McDade Theatre at5:30, followedby a reception.

Fast forwarding to March 5, 2013, the lecture series concludes with War and Peace: Current Issues,presented byDaniel Serwer,scholar, Middle EastInstitute, and professor, School of Advanced International Studies, at JohnsHopkins University.American troopshave been active inwar zones every year since the fall of the Berlin Wall.Current war and peace issues for the U.S. include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syriaand Iran. The lecturewill take place in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall at5:30 p.m., with a reception to follow.

Although all three lectures are free of charge and open to the public,reservations are suggested and can be made by calling the library at941-7816.

In addition to these lectures, the annualDistinguished Author Award Ceremony, which was held in September and honoredauthor and educatorJay Parini, and a Wine-Tasting Event, planned Nov. 16, will help thelibrary mark this importantmilestone, as well as raise funds for theFriends of the Weinberg Memorial Library'sEndowment Fund – which supports special gifts for the Weinberg Library'scollections and services. TheWine-Tasting Fundraiser, which takes place from 6to 9 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center, will feature localwines. The fundraiserwill also supporttheEdward R.LeahyCommunity Health and FamilyCenter. Ticket prices are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Also, a Schemel Forum luncheon Nov. 8,with VáclavHavel: Profile of a Hero, presented byMartin Palous,Ph.D., formerCzech ambassador to the United States and the United Nations andnow director of the Václav Havel Presidential Library in Prague, willcommemorate theanniversary.The lecture will focus on Havel's impact as artist and intellectual andultimately as president of the Czech Republic in the democratization ofEasternand Central Europe during the 1980s and 1990s.

The lecture is part of theSchemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seriesand will take placefrom noon to 1:30 p.m. inBrennan Hall, Room 509 on campus.Fees vary and reservations are required to attend the luncheon lecture.

For more information or to register for any of the Weinberg Memorial Library 20th anniversary events, contact Kym Fetsko, events coordinator, at941-7816 [email protected].