Friends of the Library Events
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Fall 2008 LECTURES and EVENTS
August | September | October | November |
August 19th, 2008 - September 19th, 2008
Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library Rotunda and Third Floor Special Collections
Exhibit: Rare Maps from the Collection of Mitchell King
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The Library is pleased to showcase a beautifully illustrated collection of late 17th century maps of the world by noted cartographers Visscher, Schagen, Overton, Ram, Blaeu, Broen, and Borgonio and published by the Danckerts family of Amsterdam. These stunningly designed and beautifully detailed antique maps are embellished with scientific diagrams, elaborate cartouches and mythological art.
The maps are part of the collection of Mitchell King who bequeathed his library to the College of Charleston upon his death in 1862. Mitchell King who was born in Scotland in 1782, traveled extensively in Prussia, Malta and Sicily before arriving in Charleston in 1805. Mitchell King was a scholar of Latin, French, Spanish, astronomy and mathematics, an attorney and a probrate judge. He also taught at the College of Charleston and served as president of the Board of Trustees at the College and at the Medical University of South Carolina.
In addition to the map display on the first floor, a display case in Special Collections (third floor) contains diagrams by John Harrison from his 1767 book on how to build the chronometer that solved the problem, illustrations of early navigational instruments, tables and computations for determine longitude by using the alternative method of astronomical observations, and maps showing the dramatic differences that Harrison's method facilitated.
September 11, 2008 |
6pm
Robert Scott Small Building, Admissions Information Center
Dr. Qanta Ahmed - In the Land of Invisible Women
Book Talk and Reception
In the Land of Invisible Women is the story of a western-trained Muslim female doctor (Ahmed) who spent two years working in the top hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Her considerable intellect, burgeoning achievements and unique multi-cultural perspective were tested and refined when she was invited to practice intensive care medicine in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Ahmed’s memoir is a fascinating and revelatory window into an enigmatic world. Like Azar Nafisi’s Reading Lolita in Tehran, Dr. Ahmed provides a telling picture of what daily life is truly like in the Saudi Kingdom. The reading is sponsored by the College of Charleston Friends of the Library and the Center for Women. Admission is free and open to the public. Reception and book signing to follow the reading and discussion.
September 16th, 2008 | 6pm
Robert Scott Small Building, Admissions Information Center
Protecting the Past and Planning the Future
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. Part 1
The Charleston area is growing at rapid rates and has for decades. How is this tremendous growth affecting the historic and environmental preservation of the Lowcountry? This panel will address the current state of housing/landscape development in the area, the anticipated growth and the effects of this growth will have on our historical community. Robert Russell, Director of the Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program at the College, will moderate.
Panel Members
Winslow Hastie - Historic Charleston Foundation, Vince Graham - I'on Group, Jim Ward - College of Charleston professor - Historic Preservation and Community Planning, Tim Keane - former Director of City Planning for the City of Charleston.
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. is co-sponsored by the Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program and the Urban Studies Program at the College of Charleston.
September 25, 2008
College of Charleston Sottile Theatre | 3:30pm
Digital Dish: 21st Century Presidential Communication
Barack Obama announced his VP choice via text message. John McCain asks supporters to enter comments into opposition blogs and provides links to them from the campaign site. The Daily Show is as important a campaign stop as Meet the Press. This year's presidential campaign is a laboratory for communications strategies, as each contender looks to reach voters - particularly young voters - through every possible channel - traditional, digital and social. This panel will address today's campaign strategies and analyze their future role as tomorrow's communications tools.
Moderator
Karen Kaplan, who brings more than 20 years of strategic communications experience to her position as General Manager of Fleishman-Hillard Atlanta.
Panel Members
Steve Cody, managing partner and co-founder of Peppercom, a communications agency based in New York; Greg Schneiders, founding partner in Prime Group and Deputy Assistant to the President for Communications in the Carter White House; Dan Solomon, CEO of Virilion, a full-service interactive agency that helps major organizations and institutions transform their ideas and issues into results through digital media.
Co-sponsored by the College of Charleston Department of Communication and the Department of Communication Advisory Council.
October 10th, 2008
Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library | 5pm
Five for the Ages: A Rare Book Celebration
The Friends of the Library recently completed the acquisition of five significant rare works for the Library's Special Collections Department. Join us for this special evening as we officially unveil these masterworks of Western Civilization to the public for the first time.
Collector: $100 per person
First Edition Sponsor: $1,000 - includes admission for eight, VIP parking, recognition in the program for the evening and on the Friends of the Library website.
Schedule of Events
5:30-7pm
Cocktails. Viewing of the five recently acquired titles for Special Collections. Guests will have the opportunity to talk about each title with a College of Charleston faculty member who is an expert on the topic.
7-8pm
Welcome by President P. George Benson, dinner
8-8:45pm
Keynote Speaker - Mark Dimunation, Chief - Rare Book and Special Collections, Library of Congress
Mark Dimunation's talk, "I cannot live without books: Rebuilding Thomas Jefferson's Library," will address his experience in the recent efforts to rebuild the Jefferson Library, purchased by the Library of Congress in 1815 and two-thirds of which was lost in a fire in 1851.
The Friends of the Library would like to thank our corporate sponsors, SunTrust Bank and GenSpring Family Offices, for sponsoring Five for the Ages.
October 14th, 2008 | 6pm
Robert Scott Small Building, Admissions Information Center
Protecting the Past and Planning the Future
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. Part 2
Out with the old and in with the new? Not in Charleston. Will Evans and Joe Schmidt of Evans & Schmidt Architects, the firm that recently restored City Hall, along with Sheila Wertimer, the landscape architect who just revamped the landscaping at Lowndes Grove Plantation, will discuss the balance of restoration and preservation of Charleston lands and buildings. The discussion will include slides of their projects.
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. is co-sponsored by the Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program and the Urban Studies Program at the College of Charleston.
October 28th, 2008
Robert Scott Small Building, Admissions Information Center
Protecting the Past and Planning the Future
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. Part 3
The Charleston area beaches attract hordes of tourists each year, many of whom even choose to relocate to the area and construct dream beach homes. But is this development harming our coastal environment? Fred Holland, Director of the Hollings Marine Laboratory, will present an overview of his studies evaluating the impacts of urban and suburban development on coastal ecosystems, including the scientific basis for reducing these impacts.
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. is co-sponsored by the Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program and the Urban Studies Program at the College of Charleston.
November 6th, 2008
Addlestone Library Room 227 | 6pm
Fath Davis Ruffins, "The Paradox of Preservation: Gullah Language, Culture, and Imagery
Fath Davis Ruffins is an archivist at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, and a specialist in ethnic imagery in popular culture, the history of advertising, and cultural history. In this slide lecture, she challenges the view that the African-American coastal culture known today as "Gullah" was formed in isolation.
From their first days in America, Africans in the Lowcountry participated in a global enterprise, producing rice by the millions of pounds for buyers across the sea. The long staple cotton grown on the Sea Islands commanded the highest prices on European markets, and enslaved workers in America felt the economic fallout of the famine in Ireland and the war in the Crimea. Even before the Civil War ended - in fact, just after it began - the region was flooded by soldiers, missionaries, teachers, by correspondents from leading newspapers and magazines in the North, by photographers and engravers, song collectors and land speculators, all of whom mingled with the Gullah people.
Ms. Ruffin's presentation is based on her essay in the exhibition catalogue for Grass Roots: African Origins of and American Art, on view at the Gibbes Museum of art from August 29-November 30, 2008.
A book signing and reception follow the lecture.
Co-sponsored by the Friends of the School of the Arts at the College of Charleston.
November 11th, 2008
Robert Scott Small Building, Admissions Information Center
Protecting the Past and Planning the Future
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. Part 4
What role does the government and policy play in protecting the history of the Lowcountry? This panel, moderated by the Post and Courier's Robert Behre, addresses the local and state government's involvement with population growth, development and preservation from some of the community's most experienced advocates.
Panel Members
Dana Beach - Coastal Conservation League, Jim Elliot - Center for Birds of Prey, Charles Lane - Ace Basin Task Force
Preserve. Conserve. Plan Forward. is co-sponsored by the Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program and the Urban Studies Program at the College of Charleston.
November 21st, 2008
Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library | 6pm
The Winthrop Roundtable, featuring John Huey, Editor-in-Chief - Time, Inc.
Join the Friends of the Library for this semi-annual event featuring John Huey, Editor-in-Chief of Time, Inc. Mr. Huey became Time Inc.'s sixth editor-in-chief on January 1, 2006. In this role, he oversees the editorial content of more than 150 magazines, including Time, Fortune, People, In Style, Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly, and Real Simple. He is also responsible for the editorial content of the company's websites and brand extensions.
Schedule of Events
6-7pm:
Cocktails
7-7:45pm: Dinner
7:45-8:30pm: Talk by John Huey, followed by a question and answer period