| WILLIS N. HACKNEY LIBRARY, Barton College, Wilson, NC |
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FRIENDS OF HACKNEY LIBRARY
The Friends of Hackney Library are fortunate to have the sponsorship of the following businesses and individuals; many thanks to all for their support!
The Barton College Friends of Hackney Library organization was established to help support the Library in developing its collection and to provide a means for members of the community to borrow from the library's collection. (For information about computer availability for Friends, see our Computers page.)
Friends of Hackney Library members receive several benefits, including the opportunity to borrow books from the Library and through interlibrary loan, a $5.00 discount on tickets to the Friends of Hackney Library Dinner & Lecture Series programs, and use of the public access computers for two hours per day . Memberships must be renewed annually and members must be at least 18 years of age to join (family memberships are available).
In addition to joining only the Friends of Hackney Library, you may also join all three Barton College Friends organizations (Hackney Library, Visual Arts, and Barton College/Wilson Symphony Orchestra) as Signature Level Members, at the following rates:
Each year, the Friends organization hosts two signature dinners in its Friends of Hackney Library Dinner & Lecture Series at which well-known authors speak about or read from their works. Past speakers include Clyde Edgerton, Emyl Jenkins, Jerry Bledsoe, Ellyn Bache, David Hays, Dr. William Friday, Kaye Gibbons, Gail Godwin, Margaret Maron, historian Mark L. Bradley, Barton's own Dr. Jerry Maclean, Allan Gurganus, Dr. Lucy Daniels, Dr. Charles Kimball, Dr. John Hope Franklin, historian, Bill Thompson, writer and CEO of the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina, Barton's own Dr. Jeff Broadwater, religion scholar Dr. Bart Ehrman, literary couple Scott Huler and June Spence, a panel of regional and national sportswriters, broadcasters, and announcers discussing sports journalism, authors Don Brown and John Hart, author David Payne, and most recently, a panel of children's book illustrators--Bonnie Christensen, Meredith Hamilton, and Loren Long--moderated by our own Susan Fecho, art professor and illustrator. This year's programs are sponsored in part by BB&T.
 Fall 2009 Dinner / Lecture Program
The program will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2009, in Hardy Alumni Hall on the Barton College campus. A book signing and wine reception will begin at 6 pm, followed by dinner and the program at 7 pm. Born in Kentucky but a long-time Florida resident, Hall is best known for his series of ten crime novels (of fifteen total thus far) featuring the hard-bitten, reclusive character Thorn, usually set in south Florida locales. According to Hall's FAQ page, the Thorn character is a combination of several people, both real and fictional: "A neighbor of mine in Key Largo many years ago heavily influenced his creation....There’s also a little Travis McGee [fictional detective of author John D. MacDonald, who influenced Hall's writing] in him of course. And he’s a loner like I am, someone who spends a great deal of time in a room crafting small beautiful objects (fishing flies) that only a few people in the world truly appreciate." The latest of the books to feature Thorn is Hell's Bay. A number of Hall's works have garnered such awards as the John D. MacDonald Award, the San Francisco Review of Books Critic's Choice Award, and the Shamus award for best P.I. novel. In addition, several of his books have been chosen as Literary Guild and Book-of-the-Month Club selections and have been translated into a dozen languages. But fiction is not the only genre in which he works; Hall has written four books of poetry, collections of short stories (one of which, "The Catch," received the 2006 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best short story) and a collection of essays, as well as two screenplay adaptations for his books. He has also contributed to a variety of periodicals, including American Scholar, Antioch Review, Georgia Review, Kenyon Press, North American Review, Poetry, and Southern Poetry Review. Hall holds a B.A. degree in literature from Eckerd College (formerly Florida Presbyterian College) in St. Petersburg, an M.A. in creative writing from Johns Hopkins, and a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing from the University of Utah. He has been teaching literature and creative writing at Florida International University in Miami for over three decades. One of his more celebrated former students is author Dennis Lehane (Mystic River; The Given Day), although Hall claims no credit in his success: "With a guy like Dennis, a good student, very well-read and opinionated, it was clear he didn't need a lot of guidance -- I'm just glad I managed not to screw him up" ("Wingnut with a Keyboard", an interview with Hall by Kevin Burton Smith in January Magazine, March 2005). According to entries in Hall's Guest Book, he is working on a new Thorn novel called Silencer. Hall and his wife, Evelyn, divide their time between south Florida and the mountains of North Carolina.
Tickets are $30 for Friends members and Barton faculty/staff, students, and spouses, and $35 for all others, unless otherwise noted; they are available through the Friends of Hackney Library, Barton College, P.O. Box 5000, Wilson, NC 27893-7000; (252) 399-6503; fohl@barton.edu.
War Bonds, a musical journey through a war that redefined the world, was performed by husband-and-wife acting/singing duo David zum Brunnen and Serena Ebhardt (of EbzB Productions), who also arranged the show. The multimedia family-friendly program explored "the dark side of war and the strange juxtaposition of the light hearted, popular tunes of the time" through 22 familiar World War II-era songs, veterans' actual letters from the front (including zum Brunnen's father's, whose correspondence provided impetus for the show's creation), and headline news of the period. The War Bonds production has toured across the nation, and an edited-for-television version was filmed by UNC-TV and premiered in December 2007. Serena Ebhardt, a Raleigh, North Carolina native, received her BA in Dramatic Art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the North Carolina Governor's School in Drama. She has acted in and/or produced over 175 professional stage plays and is a member of Actors' Equity Association and Canadian Actors' Equity Association. In addition to stage work, she has also appeared in feature films, television, commercials, industrials, and has done voice-overs. She is a recipient of the International Television and Video Association Silver Reel Award. David zum Brunnen hails from Salisbury, North Carolina, and also received his degree (in Broadcast Journalism) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has performed in numerous local, national, and international productions. In addition to his performance skills, he has also served as General Manager for several theater companies and as Executive Director of the North Carolina Theatre Conference. He has received two INDIE awards for enhancing the cultural life in the Triangle. Ebhardt and zum Brunnen live in Chatham County with their young son, Carlton.
Due to popular student demand, our previous "Late Night at the Library" events held during the past several exam periods were expanded greatly for this spring's exams. While the "Late Night" events featured the library's closing at 2 am one night, during this semester's exams, the library was instead open 24/7 for much of the exam period.
The library was open during the following hours during Reading Day/Exams:
These hours represent an additional 27 hours during which the library was open per exam period over regular semester hours, and 24 more than previous single "Late Night" events. During these 24/7 periods, library services were available from 8 am until midnight only. From midnight until 8 am the following morning, no library services were available, but a security officer was on hand during that time. (Access was limited to Barton students only during the midnight to 8 am time slots--Barton ID was required for admission). The event was sponsored by the Friends of Hackney Library, the Barton College Office of Student Affairs, and the Student Government Association.
The Friends of Hackney Library sponsored the event, as they have all previous "Late Night" events. Reference and other services were limited from 11 pm to 2 am, but there was plenty of opportunity and space to prepare for final exams. Also, extra security was on hand during the hours of 11 pm to 2 am to provide escorts to on-campus destinations. Many students joined us for "Late Night" on December 14, complete with study (and/or relaxation) and some good food to help them finish the semester with good cheer.
In celebration of Constitution Day 2008, the Friends of Hackney Library sponsored a special program on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 that featured a reception and a lecture on constitutional issues given by The Honorable William G. Stewart, NC District Court Judge, District 7. The event was held on the first floor of Hackney Library. Following a reception beginning at 5:00 pm, the lecture, entitled "The Constitution: Everyday Applications," began at 6:00 pm. A native of Fremont, Judge Stewart is the son of the late Jessie and Jesse Stewart. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1972 and served six years in the Army Reserve following graduation. He also was employed by the Smithfield Herald newspaper for a year before entering the classroom to teach English and French, while coaching football at Charles B. Aycock, his high school alma mater. Upon completion of his law degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1978, Judge Stewart began his law practice with the firm Parker, Miles, and Hinson. He later served as Clerk of Superior Court for Wilson County before returning to private practice for three years with Narrron, Holdford, Babb, Harrison, and Rhodes. He later ran his own law firm until 1990, when he began service as Assistant District Attorney. Judge Stewart served in this role until his election in 2000 as District Court Judge to the 7th Judicial District for the state of North Carolina, in which he currently serves Wilson, Nash and Edgecombe counties. The Constitution Day reception and lecture were free and open to both the Barton community and the community at large.
Screenings of the library's new orientation video (complete with popcorn!) were shown at 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, and 5:30 pm during the Open House for those who wanted to view it. A drawing for 10 flash drives took place following each screening. In addition, drawings for pre-paid Visa cards of $25 each as well as other door prizes (Barton umbrellas, water bottles, tee shirts, pendants, bags, and free movie passes from Carmike Theater) were also held following the event. Many thanks to the Friends of Hackney Library, Carmike Theater, and the Barton Student Government Association for sponsorship and door prizes! Last updated July 1, 2009 |
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Sponsors--Friends of Hackney Library
The Fall 2009 lecture will feature Edgar-award winning author James W. Hall, whose novels include Under Cover of Daylight (1987), Bones of Coral (1992), Blackwater Sound (2002), Off the Chart (2003), Forests of the Night (2004), and Magic City (2007), to name a few. His latest is Hell's Bay (2008).
The Friends of Hackney Library sponsored a special program on Friday, May 1, 2009 in Hardy Alumni Hall. The program, which drew 125 attendees (including students enrolled in the theater class of Director of Theater Adam Twiss), featured a wine reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and a performance of War Bonds: The Songs and Letters of World War II at 7:00 p.m.
"Study 'Round the Clock" -- Library Open 24/7 During Exams
On Sunday, December 14, 2008 during final exam week, the Library held its third "Late Night at the Library" event, staying open until 2:00 AM. This stress-busting event was designed not only to give students plenty of time to study for exams but also to offer some study breaks complete with refreshments from the incomparable Tony Tilley & Aramark.
Close to 100 Barton students, faculty, and staff attended Hackney Library's third annual Fall Open House on Thursday, August 28, from 4-6 pm. The event, sponsored by the Friends of Hackney Library, featured food and giveaways such as dry erase boards and squeezable bulldog stress relievers. The real-live Barton bulldog mascot, Bully, made an appearance as well!