Orcs, Potions and
Rock 'n' Roll
This
 would
be a much shorter article if you thought the pinnacle of literature
influencing music is Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,” but the confluence of these
two arts in recent history can best be traced back to the Middle-earth
mythology created by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Within Tolkien’s epic work, music and oral history have such a
pronounced presence that it should come as no surprise that musicians
would take the cue and create songs about elves, orcs and hobbits. Such
is the reasoning behind noting that Robert Plant sang for a band called
Hobbstweedle when he was introduced to Jimmy Page, with whom he later
founded Led Zeppelin. Their song “Ramble On” references Mordor and
Gollum. Wikipedia tracks this and other
Middle-earth cultural influences, citing Genesis and The Beatles,
among others.
Though not as richly
conceived as Tolkien’s works, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series (and
its massive media machine) have sparked a resurgence in music inspired
by literature. Instead of lighters swaying aloft during a ballad, you
might see a glowing wand or two when
Harry and the Potters
perform. This duo from Boston has toured the US and the UK since 2002,
performing such songs as “My Teacher is a Werewolf,” “Save Ginny Weasley”
and “Smoochy Smoochy Pukey Pukey.” The influence hasn’t been limited to
indie rock music, though. Other spin-offs include Dobby and the House
Elves (techno/house) and Voldemort (black metal).
What’s next on the horizon?
Perhaps Lemony and the Snickets singing “The World Is Quiet Here.”
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Authorgeddon: The End is Near
Imagine a world in the not-too-distant future, where so many
books are published and so few people read them, that some
books are left unread.
Lulu.com, an online publisher, issued
a press release last year describing this phenomenon, dubbed
“Authorgeddon.” Though they didn’t go so far as to describe
the Four Librarians of the Apocalypse, this publicity stunt
does raise some interesting issues.
Lulu.com
took the results of two reports—the National Endowment for
the Arts’ “Reading at Risk” and R.R. Bowker’s annual notice
of the number of books published in the United States—and
extrapolated the trends in each. Namely, that the US
publishes an increasing number of books every year and that
readership is in decline. The trends intersect in 2052.
The issues here are related to the technology of heightened
production, communication and entertainment (i.e., computers
and the Internet). The same technology that’s taking time
away from reading is putting publishing power in the hands
of the individual. Some argue that what is being read is at
stake, as well. The
NEA report did not track nonfiction, periodical
publications or readership of online texts.
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Librarian of the year
nominations
Library
 Journal is seeking nominations for its Librarian of the Year Award.
Do you know a library professional whose achievements can place her or
him in the same league as these recipients?
- Deborah L. Jacobs
(1994), City Librarian for the Seattle Public Library, spearheaded what
was at the time the country’s largest bond package ever passed for
public libraries.
- Susan Nutter (2005)
provided leadership that moved the North Carolina State University
library from 101st to 32nd in the rankings of the Association of
Research Libraries.
The deadline for nominations is November 3.
For more information:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA606276.html.
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Hispanic Heritage
Month
Each  year
the San Antonio Public Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
throughout the library system from September 15 to October 15. This fall
the Library and the San Antonio Public Library Foundation are working
together to introduce a Hispanic Outreach/Public Awareness Campaign to
San Antonio. The goal of this campaign is to promote library programs,
resources and services to San Antonio's Hispanic community. As part of
Hispanic Heritage Month and the Public Awareness Campaign, the Library
will offer a series of programs for
children, teens and adults, including dance demonstrations, lectures
and art exhibits. These events will take place at all 22 branches and
the Central Library. A sampling of the festivities includes a "Maripositas"
activity where children learn all about butterflies; making Mayan Hot
Chocolate—a "hot" program for teens; and a workshop for making
colorful "Papel Picado."
Programming will also include events highlighting Latino authors Xavier
Garza and Carmen Tafolla. These authors will be coming to the San
Antonio Public Library thanks to Texas Latino Voices, a project done in
partnership with the Dallas Public Library and the Texas Center for the
Book.
Check the Events page for more information.
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FEATURED
Event |
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We urge you to call your library before heading out for a special
program. Although we verify all information, cancellations do
occasionally occur. |
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