University News

WIU Libraries and History Dept. Host Civil War Reading and Discussion Series

November 11, 2011

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MACOMB, IL -- Western Illinois University Libraries and the WIU Department of History will host the five-part reading and discussion series, "Let's Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War," once a month, starting next month, through April 2012. University Libraries is one system of 65 libraries or library systems nationwide that has received a grant to host the series developed by the American Library Association (ALA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The Civil War book-discussion events will be held at the Leslie F. Malpass Library on the WIU-Macomb campus. Timothy Roberts, assistant professor of history at WIU, will lead a discussion about each selected book or work at the book-discussion sessions. The following books will be discussed:

  • "March" by Geraldine Brooks (Penguin, 2006)
  • "Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam" by James McPherson (Oxford University Press, 2002)
  • "America's War: Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation on Their 150th Anniversaries," an anthology of historical fiction, speeches, diaries, memoirs, biography and short stories, edited by national project scholar Edward L. Ayers and co-published by NEH and ALA.

According to Tammy Sayles, marketing and outreach librarian, Roberts will begin the conversations with, "Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address," at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Western Illinois Museum in Macomb (201 S. Lafayette St.). The first book-discussion session, covering "March," is slated for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 in the Malpass Library Garden Lounge.

"McDonough County residents have passion for their Civil War history, and I look forward to having lively and open discussions about the reading materials," Roberts said.

A complete list of the events can be found at wiu.edu/libraries/news/2010s/2011/letsTalkAboutIt.php. Individuals with a valid driver's license or state identification card can check out reading materials from the Access Services Desk at Malpass Library.

"We are delighted to have been chosen to host this unique series that will allow patrons a chance to discuss the legacy of the Civil War with fellow community members," said University Libraries Dean Phyllis Self.

For more information, contact Sayles at (309) 298-3298 or via e-mail at TJ-Sayles@wiu.edu. Visit WIU Libraries online at wiu.edu/libraries. More information about the Western Illinois Museum is available at www.westernillinoismuseum.org.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing