Weekend Reading: November 2016

Weekend Reading: November 2016

A decade’s worth of research has shown that reading – especially reading strong, compelling narratives – can help us empathize with others. Pair a recent Wall Street Journal article, which surveys this research, with Professor Emily VanDette’s blog post on how reading and discussion are a perfect recipe for bridging cultural divides. Both are good arguments for expanding your reading list (and your discussion group). You’ll also find a short documentary about an Afghan village’s first school for girls, works of Chinese science fiction and information about a new Cleveland-area support service for Veterans in this edition of Weekend Reading.

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Love Letter to the Library – of Today

Love Letter to the Library – of Today

The Guardian recently launched a delightful Love Letters to Libraries series. Famous authors and everyday readers have written poignant and nostalgic reflections. Reading these mini-memoirs has taken me on a journey to revisit my own library encounters. But as I set out to write my own love letter, I am not looking back. In fact, I don’t think I have ever been as appreciative of a library as I am right now.

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A Library Holds a Community Together

A Library Holds a Community Together

We often think about libraries as places for quiet studying, a home for books, not people. A service provider that allows us to borrow materials. But Ferguson’s library is proving that libraries are so much more than that; they are community institutions that use books to help residents explore their own realities and those of their neighbors, institutions that build and support community development.

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