JACKSON, Tenn. — Feb. 4, 2015 — Libraries, literacy and books will be the topic for the next Town and Gown series at Union University on Tuesday evenings from Feb. 10-March 10.
The Town and Gown series is an opportunity for community members interested in various topics to attend lectures and participate in discussions in a classroom setting. The classes are free and open to the public.
Justin Barnard, associate professor of philosophy at Union, said today’s digital technologies are radically transforming people’s interaction with texts.
“Some are predicting that printed books and physical libraries may soon become artifacts of the past,” Barnard said. “Researchers are just beginning to study the effects that e-readers and other digital media are having on our reading habits and even the hardwiring in our brains.”
Barnard said this series will consider the impact that these changes might have on literacy and the future of libraries. In addition to the five keynote presentations, the series will feature more than 20 short presentations on favorite books by members of the Union community.
The schedule for the series is:
- Feb. 10, “Respected but Neglected: Biblical Illiteracy in the Church,” by Ray Van Neste, professor of biblical studies and director of the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union.
- Feb. 17, “Literature for Young Adults – Where It Came From, Where It’s Headed,” by Melissa Moore, research coach, public services librarian and professor of library services at Union.
- Feb. 24, “From Tablets to Tablet: How the Technologies of Writing Affect the Ways We Read,” by John Netland, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Union.
- March 3, “The Once and Future Library,” by Jenny Manasco Lowery, archivist and associate professor of library services at Union.
- March 10, “Girl with a Gadget,” by Arthur W. Hunt, associate professor of communications at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
All classes meet in Providence Hall room 160 from 6-9 p.m., with the featured lecturers speaking at 7 p.m. For more information, call Barnard at (731) 661-5963 or email him at jbarnard@uu.edu.