She and I reconnected this year, and I’m happy to report the film is ready for viewing. From the web site:

Not in Our Town: Light In The Darkness is a one-hour documentary about a town coming together to take action after anti-immigrant violence devastates the community. In 2008, a series of attacks against Latino residents in Patchogue, New York, ended with the killing of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant who had lived in the village for thirteen years. Seven local high school students arrested for the crime admitted they were “looking for a Mexican” to beat up. Over a two-year period, Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness follows Mayor Paul Pontieri; the victim’s brother, Joselo Lucero; and diverse community stakeholders—including local librarians—as they openly address the underlying causes of the violence, work to heal divisions, and initiate ongoing actions to ensure everyone in the village will be safe and respected. Library Journal’s 2011 Paralibrarian of the Year, Gilda Ramos, is featured in the film, along with other Patchogue-Medford librarians.”

As expected, librarians and the local library play a big part in this story. Librarians and the Patchogue-Medford Library emerge as important community resources before and after the tragedy. Not surprisingly, the project organizers are promoting this film to public libraries and others as an opportunity to spark conversations around issues that matter in our communities.

From Libby, here are four ways libraries can engage in the film project:

• Schedule a screening and discussion of Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness at your library during Not In Our Town Week of Action.
• Encourage community partners to host screening events at your library in September and beyond.
• Promote and participate in a “One Community/Once Book” Club.
• Email your ideas, stories, and event announcements. They will be added to the project website, and your library might be featured in a future Not In Our Town video story.

Over the years, many libraries have organized film screenings and discussions for September Project events, and I encourage you to consider using this film as a thought-provoking activity to spark conversations in your community this Fall. The film is free, and you can learn more about the project at their project web site, http://www.niot.org.

The UT Tyler Robert R. Muntz Library is announcing the following events in observance of the International September Project. This is our third year participating in the September Project. Since 2004, libraries around the world have organized events about freedom and issues that matter to their communities during the month of September. This grassroots project favors free over fee, public over private, and voices over silence. In addition, September is also the month for Constitution Week (September 17-23) and for Banned Books Week (this year it falls on September 25 to October 2). We bring those events under our umbrella of the September Project as well.

The library will host or present the following activities this month:

• Thanks to the generosity of the Mary Tyler Chapter of the Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR), the library is hosting an exhibit in honor of Constitution Week. This exhibit is on view in the second floor and on one of the two display cases on the third floor. This exhibit will run through the month of September. It can be viewed during library regular hours. The theme of this year’s display is “Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism.”
• The Muntz Library is hosting a Texas Humanities exhibit entitled The Bonfire of Liberties: Censorship of the Humanities. This is one of our activities for Banned Books Week as well as the September Project. The exhibit looks at the history of censorship in the field of the humanities, showing how many works we consider classics have been considered controversial at one point or another. This exhibit is made possible by a grant from the UT Tyler Friends of the Arts (FOA).
• And our big event: We are happy to announce that we will do a screening of the film Charlie Wilson’s War on Thursday September 30 at 7pm. This will take place in LIB-401. The film presents the story of East Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson’s covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects (from imbd.com description). The film also gives a look at how the federal government works and how funding for things like wars is done. We are pleased to announce also that Dr. James Newsom, Senior Lecturer from the History Department, will be the guest speaker for the event. Dr. Newsom will deliver some remarks and provide some context for the film.

These events are free and open to the public.

Following the film, Maria Rivera, the readjustment counselor for Yakima Vet Center and Graciela Marroquin, the Wraparound Care Coordinator for Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health will answer questions about the challenges soldiers face upon their return from combat.

As one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Iran has contributed greatly to our understanding of literature, art, science, math and philosophy. Therefore, O’Grady Library will:

• Facilitate a discussion of Twitter and its role in recent Iranian street protests
• Show Persepolis, a film based on a graphic novel by an Iranian writer Marjane Satrapi
• Set up an interactive display on Iranian culture. Faculty and students are invited to participate by sharing their classroom assignments that explore the culture(s) of Iran. These projects will be documented and shared with libraries all over the world!

What we love so much about this September Project is that, in addition to being very informative and educational, it creatively utilizes technology to reach people around the globe. By digitally documenting the faculty and student projects, librarians will be able to share these great ideas with countless people. It is truly a global collaboration because participants get a chance to educate the world through their projects.

Here are a few of the events:

Author Thomas “Doc” Middleton book signing and discussion of Saber’s Edge: A Combat Medic in Ramadi Iraq (Sept. 9)

“Thank a Hero” Card Making – Kids of all ages are invited to create a “thank-you” card to send to servicemen and women, or to local heroes such as firemen, policemen, and public works employees.  (Sept.11)

National POW-MIA Recognition Day Display – Stop in to view The Missing Man Table, a somber display remembering thousands of service men and women whose whereabouts remain unknown.  (Sept. 18)

Education in Exile:  Literacy Instruction in a Tibetan Refugee Community in the Himalayas with Professor Carolyn Gamtso (Sept. 30)

For the complete list of events check out the GPL events calendar.

As well as hosting these events throughout September, GPL will be open for twenty-four hours on Sept. 11.  Also, GPL will be sponsoring a helmet liner knit a thon during their 24-hour opening on 9/11.  The knitting has already begun in places as far away as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Amazing things are happening over there in Goffstown N.H and we look forward to hearing how these events turn out!

Siauliai County Povilas Visinskis Public Library participated last year by hosting a poster exhibit “September 11 by the World Press” and the documentary film 9/11.

The Portland State University Library will present a screening of Welcome to Iran, a film about Persian issues made relevant by recent events in Iran. Filmed during a 2008 group trip made up of mostly Oregonians to Iran, it explores Persian history by visiting both ancient and contemporary sites. It combines digital stills and video in an attempt to explain the attitudes towards today’s Iran.

In addition to showing the movie, the Portland State Library will also present a discussion with the Welcome to Iran filmmaker, Art Wright.

The September Project: Celebrating Democracy and Citizenship in a post 9-11 World

Will Your Vote Be Counted; Is Electronic Voting Safe? Part 1
Wednesday, September 17 at 6:00
Movie and Discussion moderated by Dr. Bill Kovarik, from Radford University School of Communication. Free viewing of the documentary about the Diebold voting machines, and one woman’s quest to uncover the truth.

Will Rogers, One Man Show by Steve Huppert
Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30
Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what’s going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House?

Will Your Vote Be Counted; Is Electronic Voting Safe? Part 2
Political Conversation on National & Local Issues
Sunday, September 28 at 2:30
Featuring a panel discussion with: Radford’s Voting registrar, Tracy Howard; President of the League of Women Voters, Dr. Mary Houska; and from Radford University: Dr. Prem Uppuluri, Information Technology. Moderated by Dr. Clay Waite, School of Communication.

Is Harry Potter Dangerous?
Tuesday, September 30 at 6:30
Featuring a panel discussion with professors from Radford University English Department: Dr. Renee Dickinson, Dr. Kathryn Kelly and Dr. Robert Williams

All events are free and open to the public and will be held at the Radford Public Library.

The screening will take place in the Library’s Room 401 at 7:00pm on Thursday, September 11, 2008.

Dr. Courtney Cullison, Assistant Professor of Political Science, will deliver some opening remarks and help place the film in context for the audience. This event is free and open to the public.

The library will also be curating a display on the freedom of the press. What a terrific idea–fostering discussion around a compelling film, and offering contextual information at the library. Good luck!

From films to traveling exhibits about the cost of war, to an inspired program where the community was invited to express on paper stars their “wishes for the world,” this year, like those past, Sandy and her colleagues have organized another program worthy of anticipation. From Sandy:

Finding inspiration in the words of Bill Erbes, we will join in the Libraries Remember initiative, opening our doors at 12:01 AM on 9/11 and remaining open until 11:59 PM. During that 24 hour period, we will conduct business as usual in testament to and celebration of our many freedoms. In addition, a Banned Books display and exhibit from the Long Island Coalition Against Censorship will be featured. Our Friends of the Library will provide coffee, tea and refreshments throughout the night.

On Tuesday, September 16th, we will host a New Hampshire Humanities Council program entitled A Short Course on Islam for Non-Muslims. We will be joined by Chuck Kennedy, Professor Emeritus of Religion from Virginia Tech, as he discusses the interaction between and among the three major monotheistic faiths and their effect on life and politics on the world stage. Beginning with a reading of the Apostle’s Creed through Muslim eyes, he will discuss the differences and similarities among the religions.

Scheduled for Wednesday, September 24th is a showing of The War Tapes, the first war movie filmed by the soldiers themselves who also happen to be members of a NH National Guard Unit. Straight from the front lines in Iraq and winner of Best Documentary at both the Tribeca Film Festival and the BritDoc Festival, the film provides a rare and raw glimpse of these men at war as well as a portrait of their families as they struggle with their roles on the homefront.

During Banned Books Week running from 9/27 until October 12, along with our display and exhibit, we will hold a Young Adult “Create a Poster” contest based the celebration of our rights as Americans. There will also be a daily Banned Books Quiz. Winners will receive a copy of a banned book.

Our final event will be a discussion of The True Patriot facilitated by a faculty member of St. Anselm’s College Institue on Politics. Begging questions such as “what is a true patriot?”, “does patriotism require more from individuals than wrapping oneself in the flag?”, “have we diverged from the path laid for us by our founding fathers?”, the discussion promises to be an engaging one.

Throughout the entire month, we are making our staff and film equipment available to individuals, families or groups wishing to film 20 second “Shout Outs” or words of encouragement to be sent to our troops via Armed Forces Network.

Goffstown did it again–what an impressive program! We look forward to hearing more about how their events were received, and hope to share photos of their library, too. (hint, hint!)