New Library Displays for December

The Ort Library is pleased to present two new displays for December.

The first display, located on the 3^rd floor (by the main entrance) provides information on the end of Prohibition 80 years ago (1933) with the passage of the 21^st Amendment to the US Constitution. The temperance movement swept the United States during the 1820s and 30s. By World War I, this cry for the prohibition of alcohol gained increased popularity which culminated in the passage of the 18^th Amendment in 1919 which prohibited the creation, sale, and transportation of alcohol. By the late 1920s, the mood in the US had moved back to allowing the creation of liquor by legitimate businesses. By 1933, the 18^th Amendment, outlawing alcohol had been repealed.

The second display, located on the 5^th floor of the library, recognizes December as AIDS Awareness Month. AIDS Awareness Month is a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services. Come to the Ort Library and view the AIDS Awareness Display on floor 5.  Learn more about HIV/AIDS through statistics and background information as well as see what titles the library has on AIDS.  Included in the display is the book And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts. Published twenty years ago, And the Band Played On was quickly recognized as a masterpiece of investigative reporting.  Shilts' expose revealed why AIDS was allowed to spread unchecked during the early 80's while the most trusted institutions ignored or denied the threat. One of the few true modern classics, it changed and framed how AIDS was discussed in the following years. 

Finally, the display on food insecurity, located on the 3^rd floor (located between the 4 stand-up PCs) continues through the end of this month. This display looks at food insecurity and hunger for those living in Allegany and Garrett counties. More than 49 million Americans are living in households that are food insecure. According to the latest US Census data, more than 30% of households in Allegany County and almost 28% of households in Garrett County have incomes of less than $25,000, which can make purchasing food difficult. 

The Ort Library will be collecting for the Frostburg Food Pantry through the end of the semester. A collection box is located by the display.

The displays will be up through the end of December.

If you have any questions about the displays, please contact Theresa Mastrodonato at ext. 4425 or tmmastrodonato@frostburg.edu or MaryJo Price at ext. 4889 or mprice@frostburg.edu.