Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
Labor Day 2011
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
The Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday.” The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
For more information on the history of Labor Day, check out this site from the Library of Congress.
Taken from http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm
~CS
Parents’ Day ~ July 24
In the United States, Parent’s Day was born out of a united effort of several religious, civic and elected leaders who felt the need for an occasion to promote responsible parenting in the society and to uphold the ideal parental role models for the benefit of the new generation.
Parent’s Day was officially established in 1994 with the efforts President Bill Clinton. During his term in the White House, Clinton felt despite having a Father’s Day and a Mother’s Day, there existed a void. Raising children in a proper way requires the presence and combined endeavor of both parents and hence there needed to be an occasion that appreciated parents collectively. The President strived to establish Parents’ Day and this was realized when he signed into law a resolution for “recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children.” It would establish the American celebration of Parent’s Day on the fourth Sunday in July. It is also celebrated in many other countries such as the Republic of Korea, Vietnam and India.
Parents’ Day provides an opportunity to recognize and promote parenting as a central vocation for our families and communities. More than just a time to celebrate, it is an occasion to make a statement about what is important in our society. It is a chance to create a positive tradition based on a core axiom – that the role of parents is crucial in the nurturing and development of children, and thus requires investment, focus, and commitment.
Taken from www.theholidayspot.com/parents_day
~CS
May 21 is Armed Forces Day
“Only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.”
~ President John F. Kennedy, 1962
President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.
On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense.
The theme of the first Armed Forces Day was “Teamed for Defense.” It was chosen to express the unification of all the military forces. Although this was the theme, there were several other purposes for holding Armed Forces Day. It was considered an “educational program for civilians,” one in which there would be an increased awareness of the Armed Forces. It was designed to expand public understanding of the role of the military and to show “state-of-the-art” equipment to the civilian population they were protecting. Also, it was a day to honor and acknowledge the people of the Armed Forces of the United States.
According to a New York Times article published on May 17, 1952: “This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces … to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won’t be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty.”
Armed Forces Day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday of May. Armed Forces Week begins on the second Saturday of May and ends on the third Sunday of May, the day after Armed Forces Day.
Taken from www.defense.gov/afd/military/history.html
~CS
March ~ National Women’s History Month
The purpose of Women’s History Month is to increase consciousness and knowledge of women’s history. We take one month of the year to remember the contributions of notable and ordinary women, in hopes that the day will come when it’s impossible to teach or learn history without remembering these contributions.
History
On March 8, 1911, Europeans celebrated the first International Women’s Day. During that time, women’s rights was a political hot topic. Granting women the right to vote was a priority for many women’s organizations. With the economic depression of the 1930s, and then World War II, women’s rights went out of fashion. With “women’s liberation” in the 1960s, interest in women’s issues and women’s history grew.
By the 1970s, there was a growing sense by many women that “history” was incomplete in regards to “her story.” In the United States, calls for inclusion of black Americans and Native Americans helped women realize that women were invisible in most history courses.
In 1978, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma (CA) County Commission on the Status of Women began a “Women’s History Week” celebration. The week was chosen to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8.
The response was positive and three years later, the United States Congress passed a resolution establishing National Women’s History Week. In 1987, at the request of the National Women’s History Project, Congress expanded the week to a month and they have issued a resolution every year since then for Women’s History Month.
2011 Theme ~ Our History is Our Strength
Our shared history unites families, communities, and nations. Although women’s history is intertwined with the history shared with men, several factors – social, religious, economic, and biological – have worked to create a unique sphere of women’s history.
The stories of women’s achievements are integral to the fabric our history. Learning about women’s tenacity, courage and creativity throughout the centuries is a tremendous source of strength. Until fairly recently, this aspect of women’s history was overlooked and undervalued. Women’s achievements were often distorted, disdained or denied. While women’s history is a relatively new field of study, one important scholar is Gerda Lerner.
Gerda Lerner was born on April 30, 1920. She is one of the founders of the field of women’s history and African-American history. Lerner played a key role in the development of women’s history curricula. She taught what is considered to be the first women’s history course at the New School for Social Research in 1963. She was also involved in the development of similar programs at Long Island University from 1965–1967. While at Sarah Lawrence College from 1968 to 1979, she established the nation’s first Women’s History graduate program. Additionally, Lerner was a co-founder of the Seminar on Women at Columbia University. Lerner is currently a professor of history emerita at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Click here to read a concise biography of Gerda Lerner.
Interested in more information?
The Library of Congress had a dedicated site that includes materials recognizing the creativity, imagination and vitality of women throughout United States history.
This Pathfinder for Women’s History from the National Archives is another great source for information on women’s history.
February is Black History Month
Black History Month has been set aside to honor and celebrate the achievements of black women and men throughout history. The tradition originated in 1926 and was founded by Carter G Woodson.
Woodson (1875-1950) was the son of former slaves and understood the importance of gaining an education. In 1912, Woodson became the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University (the first was W.E.B. DuBois). Applying what he learned during his academic career, Woodson began teaching black students in the District of Columbia’s public schools and at Howard University.
Carter G. Woodson
Recognizing the need to disseminate information about black life, history and culture to the global community, Woodson initiated the celebration of Negro History Week in 1926. He chose the second week of February because that week included the birthdays of two important men: President Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14).
Over time, Negro History Week evolved into Black History Month. In 1976, the celebration encompassed the entire month of February.
Since its beginning, the events have been given themes. The first annual theme was simply, “The Negro in History.” The theme for 2011 is African Americans and the Civil War.
Read about past themes of Black History month at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) website.
Little known fact: In honor of the work Woodson has done to promote the study of African American History, an ornament bearing Woodson’s likeness hangs on the White House Christmas tree each year.
Milestones in Black History
For an excellent interactive timeline that chronicles important developments in Black history, visit the Black History Timeline from History.com.
In celebration of Black History Month, the SCC Library is proud to showcase just a few of the many items in our collection that explore Black history. Take some time to look at the books displayed near the circulation desk that pay tribute to the achievements of black women and men throughout history.
~CS
The Year of the Rabbit
Fortune Cookie (Microsoft Office Clipart)
The traditional Chinese calendar is based on the lunar calendar and begins with the second new moon after the winter solstice, which means the new moon that occurs between January 21 and February 20 of the Western (Gregorian) calendar. The celebration that we call Chinese New Year in the West is usually referred to in China as a Spring Festival (Chun Jie or Ch’un Chieh). It begins with the start of the lunar new year and is celebrated for 15 days, ending with the full moon 15 days later. This year the Chinese New Year begins on February 3; it will be year 4709, based on the lunar calendar.
At the end of the lunar year families prepare for their Kitchen God to make his report on the family to the Jade Emperor in heaven; so people get their houses clean, buy new clothes, prepare food, and put their financial affairs in order. On New Year’s Eve families assemble to share a feast of foods that symbolize things such as good health, good luck and prosperity; fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. Festivities during the festival include lion and dragon dances and conclude with a Lantern Festival.
The Chinese zodiac is derived from 12 positions in the sky to which the Big Dipper points. The zodiac is used to name years in a 12-year cycle. The coming year will be the year of the rabbit or hare; the 11 subsequent zodiac symbols will be the dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox, and tiger. For those who are interested in astrology, remember that, while we think of 2011 as the year of the rabbit, children who were born before February 3 of this year were actually born in the year of the tiger.
Westerners who have the opportunity to share a traditional Chinese New Year feast may be surprised to notice that the symbolic foods eaten do not include what many of us think of as the iconic Chinese symbol of good luck, the fortune cookie. The history of the fortune cookie is unclear, but the fortune cookie that we know today was almost certainly a California creation, first produced around the early 20th century!
Sun Neen Fai Lok. Gung Hay Fat Choy.
(or “Happy New Year. Best Wishes and Prosperity.”)
~LK
Book Sale
SCC Library Book Sale
Proceeds from the Book Sale help to fund the SCC Library Research Award. This award is to encourage student research and use of Library resources. The prize focuses on the research process and the application of information literacy skills. Information literacy skills include the ability to define an information need, identify sources, evaluate information gathered, and use information in an ethical manner.
Additional information about the SCC Library Research award is available here.
~MB
Breast cancer awareness month
National breast cancer awareness month
About 207,090 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States in 2010, according to the American Cancer Society.
Though progress has been made in early detection and treatment, the disease still strikes over 120 of every 100,000 women per year. With over two million new cases per decade, few individuals or families will remain untouched by breast cancer. Approximately 45,000 women will die from breast cancer this year alone, according to the City of Hope Foundation.
An excellent source for information about breast cancer detection, prevention, and research is Susan G. Komen for the Cure, where you’ll find extensive material on understanding the disease and on current research, plus information on how to get involved in the effort to find a cure.
In the SCC Library you’ll find books on breast cancer under shelf label RC280, and numerous articles in the library’s HealthSource-Consumer Edition database, available under the “Databases” tab on the library’s home page.
A list of Phoenix-area events related to breast cancer awareness and fund-raising for research may be found on the Phoenix About.com site.
Only lung cancer kills more Americans each year. Help spread awareness of breast cancer detection and treatment, and of the search for a cure, during October.
~JS
Banned Books Week
September 25-October 2, 2010
 Licensed, Creative Commons, Some rights reserved |
Banned books week is back! Wondering about the significance of this annual event? According to the American Library Association, “Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.” Join the SCC library in celebrating the freedom to read! Below are banned and/or challenged books from Radcliffe’s Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century that are available for checkout at the SCC Library:
For more titles and details about when and where these books were challenged or banned, see the following ALA webpage.
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 Think for yourself... Wondering what new books have been challenged? See this list of Books Challenged or Banned in 2009-2010. |
~KT
National Library Week
National Library Week
National Library Week! April 11-17
The SCC Library is proud to participate in National Library Week, an annual celebration which honors the contributions of our nation’s libraries, librarians, and library workers. The object of this week-long event is to raise awareness about libraries and library services. To learn more about the National Library Week tradition, please see the National Library Week Fact Sheet.
Communities Thriving @ SCC Library
Dance @ Your Library
Monday April 12 , 11:30-12:30 pm, inside the library
Come see SCC’s talented dance and drama students perform a dance piece and reading inside the library!
Poetry @ Your Library
Tuesday April 13, 12:30-1:30 pm, in front of the library
Come listen and participate in open mic for poetry and music. All participants will be entered into a drawing for prizes.
Pizza & Music @ Your Library
Wednesday April 14, 11:30-12:30 pm, in front of the library
Come have some pizza and listen to some great music presented by the Student Music Industry Club.
Information @ Your Library
Thursday April 15, 12:00-1:00 pm, SCC Campus
Spot the SCC library golf cart throughout campus, get research help, take a picture with your phone, and submit it for prizes. Text images to 602-292-3276. By texting the image you are giving permission to the library to post the image on the library website.
Art & Recycling @ Your Library
Friday April 16, 10:00 am, inside the library
Winners for the week-long recycled book art contest will be announced.
Visit the National Library Week page of the SCC Library website for more information.
