New Library Displays for March 2016

The Ort Library is pleased to present several new displays for the month of March.

First on the 3rd floor, the library has a display of some of the books that were selected for March Book Madness. There are also books selected for March Book Madness that are available to be checked out for your reading pleasure.

On the 4th floor, there are two displays. The first honors Tom Clancy as part of Irish American Heritage Month. Tom Clancy was a prolific writer whose first book was The Hunt for Red October, which was made into a movie starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. His many books have been turned into movies and video games.

The second display on the 4th floor, honors the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Several books about Einstein and his theory are showcased in the display.

The last display, located on the 5th floor of the library, honors Women's History Month. The display highlights the four women who served or currently serve on the United States Supreme Court. The display highlights the careers of Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elana Kagan.

These displays will be up through the end of March. If you have any questions, please contact Theresa Mastrodonato (tmmastrodonato@frostburg.edu) or MaryJo Price (mprice@frosturg.edu).

What-I'm-Reading-Wednesday: A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power by Jimmy Carter

After hearing Doris Kearns Goodwin describe Jimmy Carter as a "good and decent man" on the evening news of August 20^th when he announced his cancer diagnosis, I wanted to learn more about his life and The Carter Center he founded in 1982. I chose his 2014 book A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power, but there were 20 other monograph titles written by Carter available at the Ort Library for later reading.

Carter explains, “Waging peace, fighting disease, and building hope are the major themes of The Carter Center, and one of our basic principles is not to duplicate what others are doing or to compete with them.”  (72) Elephantiasis, river blindness and guinea worm are common names for some of the neglected tropical diseases that the Center has fought, and Carter consistently acknowledges that third world women, often the victims of these diseases, are also the necessary agents for their eradication. Throughout his book, Carter demonstrates how his experience as a Georgia peanut farmer helped him to understand and foster projects in Africa to improve public health and agricultural production through the Carter Center.

Carter also deals with international issues of women’s rights and begins by exploring the foundations of most world religions that deny women a status equal to their male counterparts. He highlights those religions that have increased leadership opportunities for women. In its final chapters, Carter uses specific examples and statistics to demonstrate the impact of global violence on women. He includes the genocide of girls in China and India and the violence against women in third world countries in the form of rape, spousal abuse, genital cutting, child brides and honor killings. 

A Call to Action is a book that shares the author’s global view of justice with the reader. He incorporates examples from the lives of his wife and mother to illustrate how to wage peace. He includes quotes from peers who support his defense of the rights of women globally. The prime voice of the book is one of a “good and decent man” issuing a call to the United Nations, the World Bank and other international organizations to address international issues of women’s rights.

What-I'm-Reading-Wednesday: Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott

Originally printed in 1863 Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott recounts Alcott's service as a Union nurse in Georgetown in 1862. Published in installments for The Commonwealth newspaper, the author explains her decision to volunteer and details the hazards encountered during her journey from Concord, Massachusetts to the Union Hospital in Washington, D.C. Her portraits of fellow travelers demonstrate her keen skill observing and describing the social culture of her day.

After arriving at her duty station dubbed "Hurly-burly House" Alcott encounters the wounded from the Battle of Fredericksburg. She washes, dresses, feeds and pays vigil to a succession of soldiers during the next two months that include patients from both armies. Wards of 40 beds include both wounded and diseased. Alcott describes hospital staff, the crude medical instruments and the prevailing medicines.

She recounts her impressions of individual patients and their stories of gallant heroism and devotion to duty. She remarks about the camaraderie of men on the ward and their courtesy toward her. Before the end of her three month tour, Alcott contracts typhoid but stubbornly refuses to leave until her father arrives to escort her home.

The library's copy is available on Floor 4 in E621.A34. This edition, published by the University of California, Irvine in 2004 includes an extensive introduction by Alice Fahs, draws on documented primary sources to introduce the Alcott family, describes the historical period and elaborates on the roles adopted by women during the Civil War.

If you are inspired to learn more after reading the sketch, plan to visit the National Museum of Civil Medicine in Frederick on your next day trip.