Camping out for diversity
Those tents on the Lawn aren't part of a reenactment of "The Blair Witch Project."
Tonight students and faculty members plan to come together for the October Camp Poetry Reading, an event organized by Advocates for Diversity in Education to show support for diversity at the University. The event had been postponed due to the weather.
"We're camping out as a symbol of our long-term devotion to diversity," said Stephanie Taylor, a fourth-year College student and ADE organizer.
Beginning at 9 p.m., the poetry reading is part of "A Celebration of U.Va.'s Diversity," a two-day event sponsored by ADE. Anyone can participate in the reading, and both students and faculty members will read poems.
"It gives you the chance to read stuff you felt about ... diversity at our school," said Jenny Johnson, a third-year Education student and ADE organizer. "I've heard a lot of people say they are interested in reading."
Taylor said attendees should bring blankets or tents to camp out on the Lawn for the night.
The larger event, "A Celebration of U.Va.'s Diversity," aims to raise awareness in the University community about diversity and will voice support for continued affirmative action policies in admissions.
The event will feature four speakers spread over its two-day duration. Following the speeches, professors will lead discussion groups.
"We want to educate ourselves about affirmative action and provide a forum for intelligent discussion," Taylor said.
"It'll be like a teach-in," Johnson said.
In addition to the speeches and discussions, various musical groups will perform to promote diversity. Local community groups and churches will provide food for the event.
Book bonanza
Lovers of old books have cause to celebrate this week. Alderman Library will have a book sale today through Friday.
Books on sale are from the Clemons Library collection and from private collections donated to University libraries. Shoppers can look forward to a wide variety of topics, from history and social sciences to classical studies and literature. Although not a regular occurrence, the Library sells books when it has accumulated a sufficient number, Reference Services Librarian Jared Loewenstein said.
"This is an ad hoc kind of thing," Loewenstein said. "It happens when it happens."
The Library sells books from Clemons that have not circulated in 10 years or for which it has duplicates. Titles from donated private collections undergo a similar selection process.
"These [books sold from private donations] were titles we already owned or were outside our collecting scope," Loewenstein said.
The Associates of the University Library will run the sale, which will take place in room 421 in Alderman Library, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Proceeds will fund future purchases of library books.
Compiled by Andrew Merson
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