Friday, October 11, 2013

Thoughts for Your Weekend

As you're taking a breather from the busy weekdays, here are a few things to mull over:

1. Congratulations to our own NCSCL Director, Dr. Joseph Thomas, for the publication of his article in Slate:  "Executors or Executioners?: Why can't my biography of Shel Silverstein quote the works of Shel Silverstein? His censorious estate." Thomas discusses the many complications involved in obtaining permission to reproduce work and the negative impact of this complex process on scholarship. It's an article highly significant for those who consider themselves scholars, and perhaps more significant for those who don't, since Thomas's solution includes attention to the problem from those inside and outside the world of academia.

2. Alya wrote in an earlier post that the Department of Childhood Studies at Rutgers University is accepting applications for two positions:  Assistant Professor (tenure-track) and Associate Professor (tenured) of Childhood Studies to commence on September 1st, 2014. For those of you considering applying, priority is given to applications filed by Nov. 7th, 2013.
Website: http://childhood.camden.rutgers.edu/faculty/faculty-openings/

3. PAMLA is fast approaching! From Friday, November 1st through Sunday, November 3rd, the 11th annual conference of the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association will be held here in San Diego- at the Bahia in Mission Bay to be exact. Travelling to conferences is usually pricey, so San Diego residents should take advantage. There will be several children's lit panels, and a handful of SDSU students presenting papers (more on this later!). Mark your calendars!

4. The City of San Diego opened the doors to the new Central Library last week! A project 30 years in the making, it's an enormous, dome-topped building downtown with a breathtaking view. It features a large children's section, a teen-only room, and on the top floor- a beautiful space for rare books! A high school is housed on the 6th and 7th floors, and there will be two centers for individuals with disabilities- one for adults and another for children. My favorite place was the Helen Price Reading Room on the 8th floor, which had overstuffed chairs facing the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bay. You can read this article by SD News and find more press here, or check out a time-lapse video of the library's construction. Another super-cool thing: a Lego model of the building.


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