Columbia College Chicago
Library

March 11, 2010

Story Week - March 14-19, 2010


Story Week 2010

Genre Bending: The Faces of Fiction

March 14-19, 2010

The Columbia College Chicago Fiction Writing Department presents its 14th Annual Story Week Festival of Writers from Sunday, March 14, through Friday, March 20. Affectionately known as the “Lollapalooza of literary events,” Story Week 2010 offers a feast of free readings, conversations with authors, panels, performances, and book signings at venues across the city. Co-sponsored in part by the Chicago Public Library and Metro, this program is made possible in part by a grant from the ILLINOIS ARTS COUNCIL, a state agency.

Our theme for 2010, Genre Bending: The Faces of Fiction, reflects the increasingly porous boundaries between literary and genre fiction. Whether based in truth or pure fiction, this year’s featured authors use myriad fictional forms to shed light on the struggles, trials, and triumphs of the human race.

We are pleased to present literary icon Joyce Carol Oates, who has penned more than a hundred books in every genre imaginable, including Oprah Book Club selection We Were the Mulvaneys, National Book Award finalists Blonde and The Gravedigger’s Daughter, New York Times best seller The Falls, and her latest suspense thriller, A Fair Maiden. Other headliners include award-winning authors Aleksandar Hemon, Love and Obstacles; Bonnie Jo Campbell, American Salvage; Achy Obejas, Ruins; David Morrell, The Shimmer; Maggie Estep, Alice Fantastic; Australian writer John Dale, Leaving Suzie Pye; and local crime novelist Marcus Sakey, The Amateurs. We will also present many other distinguished writers, panelists, artists, and performers throughout this jam-packed week.

Highlights. The Sunday-night kick-off is 2nd Story at Martyrs’—a high-energy show of stories and music. On Monday, we will offer two events featuring Joyce Carol Oates at the Harold Washington Library. Tuesday evening, we’ll present Genres from Afar with readings/conversations with Aleksandar Hemon, Achy Obejas, and John Dale. On Wednesday, we’ll focus on our Genre-Bending theme with an afternoon panel hosted by Joe Meno, The Great Perhaps, and evening readings by Mort Castle, On Writing Horror, Maggie Estep, and David Morrell. Two of Story Week’s most popular events take place on Thursday—a morning publishing panel hosted by Booklist Associate Editor and Chicago Public Radio Book Critic Donna Seaman at the Harold Washington Library, and in the evening, Story Week’s celebratory Literary Rock & Roll at the Metro, featuring readings by Aleksandar Hemon, Bonnie Jo Campbell, and Marcus Sakey, followed by a rousing performance from Vermont’s Bread & Puppet Theater and DJ music from Joe Shanahan and Don De Grazia, American Skin. On Friday night at Smart Bar, the Chicago Tribune’s Rick Kogan hosts a Story Showcase of Columbia College Chicago Fiction Writing Department authors with new books.

For more information on all Story Week events, our featured guests, and sponsors, visit our sidebar links.

The Library has Books by Story Week Authors...
just click on the links below to see titles available in the Columbia College Chicago Library.

Joyce Carol Oates

Michael A. Black

Bonnie Jo Campbell

Mort Castle

Sean Chercover

Phyllis Eisenstein

Maggie Estep

Aleksandar Hemon

Jeff Jacobsen

Stephanie Kuehnert

Laurie Lawlor

Joe Meno

David Morrell

J. Adams Oaks

Achy Obejas

Marcus Sakey



March 10, 2010

Call for Submissions - Alumni in the Library Exhibitions


ALUMNI on 5

Alumni in the Library Exhibitions

Columbia College Chicago Office of Alumni Relations & the Columbia Library call for submissions for the new, twice yearly, alumni exhibition in the Library.

You study, you exhibit, you celebrate, you graduate, you Manifest. Now, you are looking for ways to stay involved with the virbrant arts community that is Columbia College Chicago.

The Office of Alumni Relations is partnering with the Library to offer Columbia Alumni an opportunity to exhibit their original work in a twice yearly, juried exhibition in the Library.

The first exhibition, scheduled for spring 2010, “Greater Than 16x20; Less Than 4x5”, will explore the idea of really big and really small works.

The submission deadline for this juried exhibition is March 21, 2010. Download the submission guidelines here.

Questions? Email Jodi Adams or Stephen DeSantis at submitalumni@colum.edu.

March 5, 2010

Edible Books - April 1, 2010 6-8pm


Center for Book & Paper Arts & the Library at Columbia College Chicago present:

The 11th Annual Edible Book Show & Tea
Thursday, April 1, 6–8 p.m.

6–7 PM Viewing & Voting / 7–8 PM Devouring Books
Winners will be announced by 7:30 PM

Columbia College Chicago Library
624 S. Michigan Ave, 3rd Floor – North

Want to participate?
Edible Books registration

RSVP FOR BOOKMAKERS:
Friday, March 26th 2010 at 5 pm to book&paper@colum.edu or 312-369-6630

Entries must be dropped off and set up on April 1st between 5:30–6 pm at the Columbia Library.


It can look like a book, it can act like a book, it can be a pun on a book...

The only rule: it must be edible!

Artists with a culinary streak, chefs with artistic flair, and book lovers are invited to participate by whipping up an edible book for this event which takes place on Thursday, April 1st at venues around the world.


Prize categories:

  • Best in Show
  • Most Book-like
  • Best Visual Pun
  • Best Presentation
  • Most Likely to be Devoured

This Year’s Theme – Children’s Books

Children’s books are deceptively simple, yet loaded with powerful imagery and narrative: their charm and whimsy have captivated the imagination and hearts of many generations. They are uniquely poised to lend themselves to new interpretations in your kitchen – we can’t wait to see what you bring to the table.


March 1, 2010

Library Website Survey - Get $5 for participating!


THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED!! Thanks to everybody who participated!




The library is testing the usability of the it's homepage on Tuesday and Wednesday. The first 20 people to participate in the survey will receive $5 and a free coffee from the library coffee cart.

When: Tuesday, March 2nd & Wednesday, March 3rd: 9am - noon & 1:30 - 4:30 pm each day

Where: Library 3rd Floor

How: No reservations - just walk-in and sign up.

How long: The survey will take about 20-30 minutes.