Howard County Library System’s author events are a key component of the HCLS curriculum. Notable, best-selling, and local authors provide customers with enlightening experiences throughout the year. Bringing the community together to celebrate the literary arts is a hallmark of HCLS customer service. Join us for these opportunities to meet one of your favorite authors or discover someone new!
There are 20 upcoming classes.
Women & the American Revolution (Part 3 of 4) (Online)
Date: 04/21/21Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 14 - 17 (High School), Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: History & Genealogy
Description:
The revolutionary war was fought on battlefields, in forests, and on the homefront—and the contributions of American women shaped the fight at every turn. They did this in every way imaginable, and while some prospered and thrived when the war came, others faltered and fell. Many American women fought for the patriot cause while almost as many others fought to stop them. The incredible spectrum of female participation in America’s founding conflict defies easy categorization and reminds us that the legacy of the revolution for American women was not simple, single, or remotely cut and dried. This four-part course examines the varied roles of women in the American Revolution. Lecture one explores the life of Jane Mecom, the beloved but beggared sister of Benjamin Franklin whose rollercoaster ride through the American Revolution illuminates the experiences of other women on society’s bottom ranks. Lecture two pushes deep into the war itself to reconstruct the wartime experiences of Deborah Sampson, the 21-year-old weaver who disguised herself as a man to serve 17 distinguished months in George Washington’s Continental Army. Lecture three tells the story of Molly Brant, the Native Mohawk woman who spent the war trying to hold together the fragile military alliance between the Iroquois League and the British Army. Lecture four then follows the story of the American Revolution into the Early Republic, using the life of Maine midwife Martha Ballard to understand how women’s lives changed—and stayed the same—after the patriots won the war.
Part 1. Jane Mecom: This first lecture reconstructs the American Revolution from the perspective of Jane Mecom, the widow of a Boston shopkeeper—and the favorite little sister of Benjamin Franklin. During the war, Jane would be menaced by soldiers and made a refugee. She would lose her home and her possessions. All this was sadly typical for many other poor women brought low by the revolutionary crisis.
Part 2. Deborah Sampson: This second lecture tells the extraordinary story of Deborah Sampson, the young Massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man named Robert Shurtlieff in order to fight in the Continental Army. It poses some simple questions: Who was she? Why she did she do it? How did she get away with it? And how did her wartime adventures in George Washington’s Army change her life?
Part 3. Molly Brant: This third lecture explores the American Revolution in Indian Country by focusing upon a Native Mohawk known to us as Molly Brant, the widow of a powerful British diplomat. Straddling two worlds – British and Iroquois – Molly spent the war trying to the fill the political vacuum created by her husband’s death and quickly emerged as the most important military and cultural broker in Native America.
Part 4. Martha Ballard: This last lecture tells the story of a Maine midwife named Martha Ballard, a quiet, dutiful wife, a busy mother, and a kind neighbor whose life was lived entirely in some very small towns. For that reason, perhaps, although she lived through many exciting changes in urban women’s sexual and political circumstances, her life seems – on the surface at least – to have been almost untouched by the 18thcentury gender revolution.
Dr. Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and is author of the new book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home which is shortlisted for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize. He has won more than a dozen teaching awards, including the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest honor for teaching faculty in the Maryland state system. He has held major research fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and the Library of Congress and is the recipient of the National Endowment of the Humanities Public Scholar award. He serves as a Trustee of the Maryland Center for History and Culture, as an elected member of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, and as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Learn more here.
Please register with an email address to receive an automatic confirmation email containing a link to join the webinar. This email will also include the dial-in information if you wish to participate by phone.
At Noon: Poetry Moments - Episode 4 of 4 (Online)
Date: 04/27/21Time: 12:00pm - 12:45pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults), All Ages / Families
Program type: Community & Culture
Description:
NATIONAL POETRY MONTH CELEBRATION
“When I began to listen to poetry, it’s when I began to listen to the stones, and I began to listen to what the clouds had to say, and I began to listen to others. And I think, most importantly for all of us, then you begin to learn to listen to the soul, the soul of yourself in here, which is also the soul of everyone else.” - National Poet Laureate Joy Harjo
Poetry sometimes seems impenetrable. But interest in the ancient art has picked up after dynamic young inaugural poet Amanda Gorman read her work. Join Susan Thornton Hobby of HoCoPoLitSo (the Howard County Poetry and Literature Society) for a discussion and introduction to verse with HoCoPoLitSo's Poetry Moment series, featuring local actors offering introductions to videos of famous poets. Each week, we'll learn about three poems based around a theme, including history, grief, family, and pep talks."
Young actors Chania Hudson, Sarah Luckadoo, and Shawn Sebastian Naar from Howard Community College’s Arts Collective will read introductions to the archival video of poets and their work. Poets we'll be hearing from include Lucille Clifton, National Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, Taylor Mali, Jason Reynolds, Sterling A. Brown, Eavan Boland, and Li-Young Lee.
Susan Thornton Hobby is a writer, editor, and literary consultant. For fifteen years, she has worked as a special projects coordinator for HoCoPoLitSo, the Howard County Poetry and Literature Society, and has served on the society’s board for more than twenty years. She is a founding member of the Little Patuxent Review and interviews nationally known authors for that literary magazine. Susan is also a freelance writer and editor, and writes her own fiction and poetry.
Tuesday, April 27: Our last week is centered on pep talks in poetry, verse to lift us up and give us strength. We’ll discuss "The Solstice" by W. S. Merwin, "For Every One" by Jason Reynolds, and "I Give You Back" by Joy Harjo.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Women & the American Revolution (Part 4 of 4) (Online)
Date: 04/28/21Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 14 - 17 (High School), Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: History & Genealogy
Description:
The revolutionary war was fought on battlefields, in forests, and on the homefront—and the contributions of American women shaped the fight at every turn. They did this in every way imaginable, and while some prospered and thrived when the war came, others faltered and fell. Many American women fought for the patriot cause while almost as many others fought to stop them. The incredible spectrum of female participation in America’s founding conflict defies easy categorization and reminds us that the legacy of the revolution for American women was not simple, single, or remotely cut and dried. This four-part course examines the varied roles of women in the American Revolution. Lecture one explores the life of Jane Mecom, the beloved but beggared sister of Benjamin Franklin whose rollercoaster ride through the American Revolution illuminates the experiences of other women on society’s bottom ranks. Lecture two pushes deep into the war itself to reconstruct the wartime experiences of Deborah Sampson, the 21-year-old weaver who disguised herself as a man to serve 17 distinguished months in George Washington’s Continental Army. Lecture three tells the story of Molly Brant, the Native Mohawk woman who spent the war trying to hold together the fragile military alliance between the Iroquois League and the British Army. Lecture four then follows the story of the American Revolution into the Early Republic, using the life of Maine midwife Martha Ballard to understand how women’s lives changed—and stayed the same—after the patriots won the war.
Part 1. Jane Mecom: This first lecture reconstructs the American Revolution from the perspective of Jane Mecom, the widow of a Boston shopkeeper—and the favorite little sister of Benjamin Franklin. During the war, Jane would be menaced by soldiers and made a refugee. She would lose her home and her possessions. All this was sadly typical for many other poor women brought low by the revolutionary crisis.
Part 2. Deborah Sampson: This second lecture tells the extraordinary story of Deborah Sampson, the young Massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man named Robert Shurtlieff in order to fight in the Continental Army. It poses some simple questions: Who was she? Why she did she do it? How did she get away with it? And how did her wartime adventures in George Washington’s Army change her life?
Part 3. Molly Brant: This third lecture explores the American Revolution in Indian Country by focusing upon a Native Mohawk known to us as Molly Brant, the widow of a powerful British diplomat. Straddling two worlds – British and Iroquois – Molly spent the war trying to the fill the political vacuum created by her husband’s death and quickly emerged as the most important military and cultural broker in Native America.
Part 4. Martha Ballard: This last lecture tells the story of a Maine midwife named Martha Ballard, a quiet, dutiful wife, a busy mother, and a kind neighbor whose life was lived entirely in some very small towns. For that reason, perhaps, although she lived through many exciting changes in urban women’s sexual and political circumstances, her life seems – on the surface at least – to have been almost untouched by the 18thcentury gender revolution.
Dr. Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and is author of the new book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home which is shortlisted for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize. He has won more than a dozen teaching awards, including the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest honor for teaching faculty in the Maryland state system. He has held major research fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and the Library of Congress and is the recipient of the National Endowment of the Humanities Public Scholar award. He serves as a Trustee of the Maryland Center for History and Culture, as an elected member of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, and as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Learn more here.
Please register with an email address to receive an automatic confirmation email containing a link to join the webinar. This email will also include the dial-in information if you wish to participate by phone.
Writers LIVE! Elizabeth Gilbert (Online)
Date: 04/28/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Elizabeth Gilbert will be in conversation with Cija Jefferson about her work. In her lectures Gilbert talks about her writing and seizing the opportunity to live a life guided by creativity rather than fear.
Gilbert’s memoir, Eat Pray Love, exploded onto the scene in 2006. The #1 New York Times bestseller famously chronicled the year Gilbert spent traveling the world after a shattering divorce. Translated into more than 30 languages, it has sold over thirteen million copies, and was adapted into a 2010 film starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem. Following Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert wrote Committed: A Love Story, a meditation on marriage as a sociohistorical institution.
In the years since, people around the world have looked to Gilbert for guidance in leading brave, authentic, and creative lives. Gilbert’s bestselling nonfiction treatise, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, unpacks her own generative process and shares her wise, witty insights into the mysteries of curiosity and inspiration.
From the beginning of her writing career, Gilbert’s observant eye and abiding appreciation for her subjects has distinguished her work. Starting as a magazine journalist, she wrote articles published in Harper’s Bazaar, Spin, and The New York Times Magazine. Her work caught the attention of editors at GQ, where she soon became a stalwart, writing vivid, provocative pieces that grew into books and even a film: 2000’s Coyote Ugly. Gilbert was a finalist for the National Magazine Award, and her work was anthologized in Best American Writing 2001.
Cija (pronounced Kia) Jefferson is the author of Sonic Memories/and other essays. She is a writer, and an academic advisor at Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts from University of Baltimore, and BA from Sarah Lawrence College. Her writing has been featured in multiple publications including Sisters From AARP, Linden Avenue Literary Journal, Baltimore Style, and The Conversation w/ Amanda de Cadenet.
This event is presented by Enoch Pratt Library in partnership with Howard County Library System.
ASL interpretation will be available to attendees.
Order copies of Elizebeth Gilbert's books at https://www.theivybookshop.com/.
Writers LIVE programs are supported in part by a bequest from The Miss Howard Hubbard Adult Programming Fund.
Dial-In Information
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/j/96551855870?pwd=aS9rY1BoMDdySVVlMzI4MmFseFBudz09
Passcode: 066679
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 301 715 8592 or +1 470 250 9358 or +1 470 381 2552 or +1 646 518 9805 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 651 372 8299 or +1 786 635 1003 or +1 267 831 0333 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 602 753 0140 or +1 669 219 2599 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 720 928 9299 or +1 971 247 1195 or +1 213 338 8477 or +1 253 215 8782
Webinar ID: 965 5185 5870
Passcode: 066679
International numbers available: https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/u/anmSoSfT6
The conversation will also be broadcast on the Enoch Pratt Free Library Facebook page. It can be watched after the broadcast on Facebook Live.
Hooking Your Reader: Writing A Killer First Line (Online)
Date: 05/05/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Writing
Description:
Most editors of both magazines and presses will say that they read the first, last and middle page of a story before deciding if they want to read more. Potential readers are even less forgiving. When I pick up a new book, if the first line doesn’t hook me, I probably won’t continue reading. So how do we snag our readers and make them want to read more? In this workshop, we’ll look at examples of powerful first lines and discuss strategies for selecting a powerful first line. Feel free to bring the first line of your story or novel for a mini first-line “workshop.”
Meg Eden is a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, and her work is published or forthcoming in magazines including Prairie Schooner, Poetry Northwest, Crab Orchard Review, RHINO and CV2. She teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of five poetry chapbooks, the novel "Post-High School Reality Quest” (2017), and the poetry collection “Drowning in the Floating World” (2020). She runs the Magfest MAGES Library blog, which posts accessible academic articles about video games (https://super.magfest.org/mages-blog). Find her online at www.megedenbooks.com or on Twitter at @ConfusedNarwhal.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
What We Can Learn from Anne Frank, Her Life and Surprising Legacy
Date: 05/06/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 14 - 17 (High School), Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: History & Genealogy
Description:
This talk with historian Gillian Walnes Perry provides a unique insight into the life and times of Anne Frank. While building the Anne Frank Trust, Perry has been privileged to meet some of those who knew Anne Frank and who have quietly shared their personal memories with her, as well as many Holocaust survivors who had parallel experiences to those of Anne Frank, some of whom were with her in the concentration camps.
Perry takes the story of Anne’s life through her family background in Frankfurt, their flight to Amsterdam, Anne’s emerging personality as a popular and irreverent school girl, her desperation in hiding (as described by the family’s courageous helper Miep Gies), her physical and emotional transition into an adolescent and her developing moral framework, which has proved to be an inspirational to millions. Perry discusses Anne’s tragic and poignant last days, including accounts from firsthand witnesses.
This talk also discusses the effect of learning about Anne Frank on millions of people around the world, some in desperate and difficult situations. It contextualizes the Anne Frank educational projects against the background of world history over the past 30 years and explains the impact she has had in some of the world’s most turbulent and violent regions.
Perry also discusses some of the remarkable people who have been involved in her work, including Nelson Mandela and Audrey Hepburn, and describes the unforgettable night she spent attending the 1996 Academy Awards in Hollywood together with Miep Gies, the courageous helper of the Frank family in hiding.
Gillian Walnes Perry's popular book 'The Legacy of Anne Frank' is available to borrow at HCLS, or for purchase through Books With A Past.
This event is part of HCLS Racial Equity and Inclusion series
Build an Author Website (Online)
Date: 05/15/21Time: 10:00am - 11:30am
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Writing
Description:
In this workshop, Meg Eden will discuss the importance and function of having an author website, and will walk through the basics of creating a website on Squarespace. We will also briefly discuss blogs and creating a free website through Wordpress. There will be hands-on opportunities to follow along and do exercises in Squarespace.
Meg Eden is a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, and her work is published or forthcoming in magazines including Prairie Schooner, Poetry Northwest, Crab Orchard Review, RHINO and CV2. She teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of five poetry chapbooks, the novel "Post-High School Reality Quest” (2017), and the poetry collection “Drowning in the Floating World” (2020). She runs the Magfest MAGES Library blog, which posts accessible academic articles about video games (https://super.magfest.org/mages-blog). Find her online at www.megedenbooks.com or on Twitter at @ConfusedNarwhal.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Rainbow Reads for Kids (Online)
Date: 05/15/21Time: 10:15am - 11:00am
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 0 - 4 (Infant/Toddler/ Preschool), Ages 5 - 10 (Grades K-5), All Ages / Families
Program type: Community & Culture
Description:
Join Laci Radford, Children's Instructor & Research Specialist, in a safe space where we'll explore a beautiful rainbow of LQBTQIA+ picture books and the importance of representation in children's media.
This presentation is part of the HoCo Rainbow Conference. To register, click here and complete the conference registration form.
We encourage you to consider attending other conference sessions as well. For the full list of session descriptions, click here.
Queerly Reading: LGBTQ+ Books for Adults (Online)
Date: 05/15/21Time: 4:00pm - 4:45pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Community & Culture
Description:
Join Ash and Angie, Instructors & Research Specialists from Central Branch, as they promote LGBTQ+ book recommendations for adults. Titles will include fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels.
This presentation is part of the HoCo Rainbow Conference. To register, click here and complete the conference registration form.
We encourage you to consider attending other conference sessions as well. For the full list of session descriptions, click here.
Teen Rainbow Reads (Online)
Date: 05/15/21Time: 4:00pm - 4:45pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 11-13 (Middle School), Ages 14 - 17 (High School)
Program type: Community & Culture
Description:
Looking for some great books and comics featuring LGBTQIA+ main characters and/or written/illustrated by LGBTQIA+ creators? Join an awkward, nerdy "Bibrarian" for a quick rundown of some of this year's favorites plus some oldie-goldie classics, and feel free to share your own at the end!
This presentation is part of the HoCo Rainbow Conference. To register, click here and complete the conference registration form.
We encourage you to consider attending other conference sessions as well. For the full list of session descriptions, click here.
Asian American Literature book club (Online)
Date: 05/17/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss books by Asian authors or based on the Asian experience.
3rd Mondays; 7 - 8 pm.
Join for an online discussion of the following titles:
April 19: Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Jong
May 17: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
June 21: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
July 19: Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture by Euny Hong
August 16: White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
September 20: Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
October 18: The Only Child by Mi-Ae Seo
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. For physical copies, please follow procedures to set up a contactless pick-up appointment once you receive a notice that your hold has come in for you.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Book Corner: New reads in Crime Fiction (Online)
Date: 05/21/21Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Hear about the best in Crime Fiction from the Best !
Influencer and award winning crime fiction blogger, Kristopher Zgorski will reveal the best upcoming mysteries and thrillers. Crime fiction is Kristopher's passion and his elegant reviews, interviews and critiques are a pleasure to read.
KRISTOPHER ZGORSKI and BOLO Books was awarded the RAVEN AWARD from the Mystery Writers of America in 2018.
About Book Corner:
Welcome to Book Corner! In this class we will talk about our current favorite reads and hear from you about your favorites. We will discuss fun questions about books: who is your favorite protagonist of all times, what you love most about the genre of your choice or which book changed your perspective...........the possibilities are endless and enticing.
Join us in our Book Corner every 3rd Friday of each month to talk about our favorite subject – books!
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Adult Summer Reading Showcase
Date: 06/01/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Travel without restriction via a wide variety of transporting reads, mapped by an adventuresome crew of HCLS Instructors! Explore the Adult Summer Reading 2021 list, discover how to participate in summer reading, and learn about upcoming events.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Black Wall Street 100: An American City Grapples with its Historical Racial Trauma with Hannibal B. Johnson (Online)
Date: 06/10/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 14 - 17 (High School), Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: History & Genealogy
Description:
Hannibal B. Johnson, author of Black Wall Street 100: An American City Grapples With Its Historical Racial Trauma, reflects on the events of the Tulsa Massacre which took place 100 years ago, May 31 - June 1, 1921, and how the historic and tragic events still reverberates today. Q&A to follow.
Copies of Black Wall Street 100: An American City Grapples With Its Historical Racial Trauma are available to purchase from Books with A Past, or to borrow from your local library.
Sponsored by Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System, Anne Arundel County Public Library and Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation, Baltimore County Public Library, Calvert Library, Charles County Public Library, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Kent County Public Library, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, with support from Talbot County Free Library.
Praise for Black Wall Street 100:
The remarkable story of Tulsa's African American community and the racial cataclysm of 1921 bear important lessons for us all. Few know these better than Hannibal B. Johnson. Black Wall Street 100 is essential reading.
Scott Ellsworth, Ph.D., Professor, University of Michigan, Department of Afroamerican and African Studies; Author of Death In A Promised Land--The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921As we approach the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the healing continues. Through the historical context created by Hannibal B. Johnson, we are reminded, individually and collectively, of the relentless effort to live together as people. The lessons learned from the tragedy of 1921 continue to teach us that our only choice is to treat one another with dignity, respect, and a sense of shared responsibility.
M. Susan Savage, former Tulsa Mayor and Oklahoma Secretary of State; CEO, Morton Comprehensive Health ServicesHannibal B. Johnson's writing continues to help each of us learn about the horrific history of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and the lingering economic and social divides that continue to hold our community back. His latest book should allow each of us to not only learn the history and the current impact of those events, but also understand our own biases and how each of us can work daily to change the systemic racism that exists.
Kathy L. Taylor, former Tulsa Mayor and Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism
About Hannibal B. Johnson
Hannibal B. Johnson, a Harvard Law School graduate, is an author, attorney, and consultant specializing in diversity and inclusion issues, human relations, leadership, and non-profit leadership and management. He has taught at The University of Tulsa College of Law, Oklahoma State University, and The University of Oklahoma. Johnson serves on the federal 400 Years of African-American History Commission, a body charged with planning, developing, and implementing activities appropriate to the 400th anniversary of the arrival, in 1619, of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia. He is the education chair for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Commission. His books, including Black Wall Street, Up from the Ashes, Acres of Aspiration, Apartheid in Indian Country, and The Sawners of Chandler, chronicle the African American experience in Oklahoma and its indelible impact on American history. The 2011 National Black Theatre Festival showcased Johnson's play, Big Mama Speaks-A Tulsa Race Riot Survivor's Story. Big Mama Speaks has also been staged in Caux, Switzerland. Johnson has received numerous awards and honors for his work and community service. Learn more at hannibalbjohnson.com.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
This event is part of HCLS Racial Equity and Inclusion series
Show Don’t Tell: Learning to Write from Video Games (Online)
Date: 06/21/21Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 14 - 17 (High School), Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Writing
Description:
In this workshop, we discuss examples of games that tell stories through objects, and go into our own writing exercises inspired by video games.
With the rapid developments in technology, our storytelling is changing to not just be on the page, but through movies, television, and video games--highly visual mediums. Through the power of images, we can convey a whole story in a short space. Games like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Gone Home use environmental storytelling to give us pieces of characters’ lives.
Meg Eden is a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, and her work is published or forthcoming in magazines including Prairie Schooner, Poetry Northwest, Crab Orchard Review, RHINO and CV2. She teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of five poetry chapbooks, the novel "Post-High School Reality Quest” (2017), and the poetry collection “Drowning in the Floating World” (2020). She runs the Magfest MAGES Library blog, which posts accessible academic articles about video games. Find her online at megedenbooks.com or on Twitter at @ConfusedNarwhal.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Asian American Literature book club (Online)
Date: 06/21/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss books by Asian authors or based on the Asian experience.
3rd Mondays; 7 - 8 pm.
Join for an online discussion of the following titles:
April 19: Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Jong
May 17: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
June 21: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
July 19: Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture by Euny Hong
August 16: White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
September 20: Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
October 18: The Only Child by Mi-Ae Seo
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. For physical copies, please follow procedures to set up a contactless pick-up appointment once you receive a notice that your hold has come in for you.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
The Poetics of Anime and Transformation (Online)
Date: 06/23/21Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 11-13 (Middle School), Ages 14 - 17 (High School), Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Writing
Description:
HoCoPoLItSo's Bauder Poet-in-Residence Steven Leyva will add a little poetry to the library's summer reading program on Wednesday, June 23, 1 to 2 p.m. Leyva, an award-winning poet and professor, will offer a writing workshop and pep talk, The Poetics of Anime and Transformation.
Like the way Goku reinvents himself to save the day in Dragon Ball Z? Learn to add invention, creativity, and transformation to your writer's imagination by studying the techniques of anime as a lyric form.
About Steven Leyva
Assistant professor, Klein Family School of Communications Design
Steven Leyva was born in New Orleans and raised in Houston, Texas. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in 2 Bridges Review, Fledgling Rag, Vinyl, The Nashville Review, and Prairie Schooner. He is a Cave Canem fellow, the winner of the 2012 Cobalt Review Poetry Prize, and author of the chapbook Low Parish. For the past four years, he has served as Little Patuxent Review’s head editor, publishing creative writing and visual art from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.
Leyva previously taught high school English in Baltimore City public schools. As a fan of both comic book and otaku culture, he can often be found at various "cons" around the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metro areas.
Please register with an email address to receive an automatic confirmation email with a link to join the event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you would like to participate by phone.
This event is part of HCLS Racial Equity and Inclusion series
Asian American Literature book club (Online)
Date: 07/19/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss books by Asian authors or based on the Asian experience.
3rd Mondays; 7 - 8 pm.
Join for an online discussion of the following titles:
April 19: Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Jong
May 17: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
June 21: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
July 19: Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture by Euny Hong
August 16: White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
September 20: Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
October 18: The Only Child by Mi-Ae Seo
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. For physical copies, please follow procedures to set up a contactless pick-up appointment once you receive a notice that your hold has come in for you.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Asian American Literature book club (Online)
Date: 08/16/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss books by Asian authors or based on the Asian experience.
3rd Mondays; 7 - 8 pm.
Join for an online discussion of the following titles:
April 19: Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Jong
May 17: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
June 21: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
July 19: Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture by Euny Hong
August 16: White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
September 20: Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
October 18: The Only Child by Mi-Ae Seo
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. For physical copies, please follow procedures to set up a contactless pick-up appointment once you receive a notice that your hold has come in for you.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Asian American Literature book club (Online)
Date: 09/20/21Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Ages 18+ (Adults)
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss books by Asian authors or based on the Asian experience.
3rd Mondays; 7 - 8 pm.
Join for an online discussion of the following titles:
April 19: Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Jong
May 17: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
June 21: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
July 19: Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture by Euny Hong
August 16: White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
September 20: Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
October 18: The Only Child by Mi-Ae Seo
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. For physical copies, please follow procedures to set up a contactless pick-up appointment once you receive a notice that your hold has come in for you.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
