Fairfield University librarian Matt Schirano will be visiting the Austin Campus to provide in-person workshops & drop-in support June 11th-June 13th.
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05/19/2024
All of us at the DiMenna-Nyselius Library would like to congratulate the members of the class of 2024, especially our amazing student workers!
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10/20/2023
All around the country the first week in October, librarians, educators, publishers, booksellers, journalists, and READERS, gathered for Banned Books Week events to highlight the value of our freedom to read and to seek and to express ideas, drawing national attention to the harms of censorship. The American Library Association (ALA) defines censorship as "the suppression of ideas and information that some individuals, groups, or government officials find objectionable."
On October 4th, the Library was part of the Department of Politics Let’s Talk Politics series, the first event of the academic year. This panel discussion, entitled Let's Talk Politics: Book Banning & Censorship in America, jumped off from recent attempts to ban books to cover the partisan, cultural, and racial politics of censorship in America. Download the slides below that ran at the beginning of the event, highlighting a section of recent news headlines and statistics relating to censorship attempts in libraries and beyond.
Panelists encouraged students, faculty, staff, and community to raise questions or comments after each of the three categories:
- Censorship and Access
- Censorship and Representation
- Censorship and Historical Memory
Panelists:
Gwendoline Alphonso, Professor of Politics, PhD, JSD
Gayle Alberda, Associate Professor of Politics, PhD
Matt Schirano, Teaching & Learning Coordinator, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, MLIS, MS
David Schmidt, Associate Professor Business Ethics, PhD
Many thanks to the Office of Student Engagement for providing funds to offer a student raffle to give away copies of the top challenged books of 2022. Copies were also distributed through a raffle at the Bellarmine campus. Both the North Benson and Bellarmine campus had a display of ALA censorship data graphics and the top 13 challenged books of 2022 for students to browse or borrow for the month of October.
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08/28/2023
We've made some changes to our library borrowing policies to make our physical materials more accessible and convenient.
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07/06/2023
Doing research on the Gutenberg Bible? Get help from a research librarian.
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06/12/2023
On June 28, 1970, the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, the first Pride marches were held in New York, Los Angeles & Chicago. Since then LGBTQ+ community & allies have continued to gather in June to march for Pride.
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05/10/2023
The Summer Reading Challenge is open to Fairfield University students, faculty, and staff.
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04/26/2023
This blog post was written by our Library student worker, Eden Marchese '23. The books are on display on the main level of the Library and are available for check out.
The end of the school year can be a stressful time though something that I have heard more from my friends and co-workers are questions of What am I going to do with my time now? When all of your classes, finals, major projects are done and the weather finally begins to stay nice, how are you going to fill your time while being able to relax?
Well, fret no longer! Below is a collection of books that can help bring you to another world and lower your stress as the summer fully begins!
Teen Killers Club by Lily Sparks
Framed for the murder of her best friend, a young girl joins a super-secret society of teenage assassins to avoid a lifetime behind bars...
A lot of people have talked about how this book took them out of their “reading slumps” and made them fall in love with reading again. It has similar vibes to I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS on Netflix and other shows with a dark, comedic kind of take.
“Don't start reading this book if you have to be somewhere in 5 minutes, because you will not be able to put it down. The characters, the world, the mystery and the unexpected crazy twists and turns it takes are all superb and I definitely screamed 'OMG!' out loud more than once while reading it.”
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi―or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”―and her mom against the world. But then Izumi discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity…and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan...
This book has very strong Princess Diary vibes in the best way and is perfect for a light-hearted read, especially if you are a fan of romance. The beautiful cover speaks to the amazing writing and it is the first book in a small series!
“I cannot tell a lie, I loved the hell out of this book. I found the book fun and engaging and love all of the characters in it. Honestly, the world feels extremely lived in and just slightly different than our own so that we can have this fairy tale story.”
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys...
I cannot speak about my love for this book enough, especially as a queer person. This book is one of the most challenged books of its year and continues to be banned across the country, but it is truly an amazing story and I cannot recommend it enough.
“This book is very well written. The author puts his life before us and tell all with compassion and openness. I think people who read it will wake up to a world that is about shared experiences and not about dividing.”
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney
Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud” and all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing...
This is another one of those books that will be a light-hearted and fun read. I highly recommend this book especially if you are looking for something that just brings you moments of laughter, joy, and even some moments where you may cry. As someone who loves romance, it is always a lot of fun to find new stories to fall in love with and I recommend choosing this book for your next read!
"At its heart, this is a story about finding the courage to be honest and take risks and the freedom that follows from embracing authenticity. A perfect mix of humor and romance—and a source of inspiration for being brave.”
Grenade by Alan Gratz
I have heard a lot of talk about this book being amazing for younger people, especially people in their early-teens, from parents who are trying to get their kids to read. This is one of those books where you get it for your kid and then need to sneak it away from them so you can finish reading. I have not had to opportunity to read this book but Alan Gratz is known for incredible stories and I am really excited to dive into this story!
“A gripping, visceral, and hold-your-breath intense story.”
Aetherbound by E.K. Johnston
Pendt Harland's family sees her as a waste of food on their long-haul space cruiser when her genes reveal an undesirable mutation. But if she plays her cards right, she might have a chance to do much more than survive...
Before you read this novel, make sure to read the Content Warning that is on one of the beginning pages. People have talked about how they didn’t think twice about the warning and were taken off guard by some of the darker elements of the novel. Outside of the dark elements, this is a novel that is incredible for fans of sci-fi, especially Star Wars fans and I cannot recommend it enough.
“I am a fan of E.K. Johnston’s work with with the Star Wars franchise; however, this is by-far my favorite book she has written! The character development is nothing short of beautiful and the challenges that Pendt (the protagonist) faces are scary enough to make her a truly inspiring character without descending into explicits.”
Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
A rising soccer star must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams...
This is truly a breathtaking story and I cannot recommend it enough. It is another place where my love for romance comes through and I found myself just overwhelmed with the beauty of this novel.
“Furia is an empowering story of family, friendship, and first love. Camila is a character who doesn’t ask for sympathy, but she deserves it all the same. ”
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility...
more titles will be added to this post soon!
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03/31/2023
I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye: A Memoir of Loss, Grief, and Love by Ivan Maisel was chosen as the 2023 One Book One Town (OBOT) title. It is an honest, deeply emotional memoir in which the author reflects on the loss of his son Max to suicide, the impact of grief on family and community, and the painful journey that brought Ivan to a place where he could see grief as an expression of love.
This is the first year that a OBOT author was a resident of Fairfield. Maisel is also vice president/editorial and senior writer at on3.com and has covered college football for nearly four decades, from 2002-2021 at ESPN. There he wrote for ESPN.com and appeared on television, ESPN Radio, and various podcasts.
“One Book, One Town selections are meant to promote discussion within our community,” remarked Scott Jarzombek, Fairfield Town Librarian. “The themes of grief and loss that this book explore touch everyone, making this an ideal choice for a town-wide read that will, we hope, start an important conversation.” And since what Ivan and his family experienced was felt throughout the entire community, the memoir holds special meaning to the people of Fairfield.
OBOT programming took place throughout February and March at the Fairfield Public Library, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, and Pequot Library. The OBOT author talk with Ivan Maisel took place at Fairfield University's Quick Center for the Arts on March 28th. View the recording here.
For more information about One Book One Town visit: https://fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/history/
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03/20/2023
The 3rd annual Winter Reading Challenge ended on Feb. 28th. We had 61 Challengers (from 27 campus departments) read 285 titles within the 10 categories, plus 188 “other” books logged. You can view the categories below. Don't be bummed you missed this reading challenge! The Summer Reading Challenge starts on May 8th.
Here are the books read by three or more Winter Reading Challengers:
Kindred by Octavia Butler (Sci-fi category)
The Death of Jabez Chew by Sally Bossom (Creative Writing category)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Student Book Club's category)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (Nostalgia category)
Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci (Reader's Digest category) book on order
Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig (FUSA's Diversity & Inclusion Board's category) book on order
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (DEI Book Club category)
Book Lovers by Emily Henry (Stag Read: Book Recommendations guide category) book on order
The Rhino Suit by Colter Jackson (One Book One Town category)
I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye by Ivan Maisel (One Book One Town category)
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