PPL’s Business and Government Team proudly announces a unique art display at the Main Library. In collaboration with the Public Engagement Students at Maine College of Art, we encourage you to VOTE!
“What is the B+G Team?” you ask. The B+G Team is a group of PPL staff and civic minded colleagues who, among other goals, aim to create a culture of civil literacy and civic engagement here in Portland; resulting in a first-rate quality of life and community. How do we propose to do this? Through research support, public programming, public forums/conversations on important topics, by maintaining a collection of up-to-date political and current event titles (both in print and for your e-reader), by engagement of the City’s efforts and now… also through ART! PPL is not only a place to check out a good book (though we do have plenty);the library is also a dynamic and energetic community center. So, you can see voting is something our Team cares about. We don’t offer opinions on how you vote or who you vote for, we simply encourage you to educate yourself on the issues and then get out and VOTE!
This fantastic collection of posters was created by the talented students in the Graphic Design Jr Studio, taught by Charles Melcher and David Puelle, with support from the Public Engagement Program at MECA. The posters were designed in connection withAIGA’s Get Out the Vote campaign, which invites designers to create nonpartisan posters and videos that inspire the American public to participate in the electoral process and vote in the2012 general election. PPL is honored to hang the posters in our window and are very thankful for the student’s efforts in creating the art and for caring about the electoral process.
The Graphic Designers Cassie Amicone, Kailin Callender, Sam Chabot, Vanessa DeMars, Jon Foster, Chrissy Hill, Nicloe Holmes, Cori Kippin, Sarah McLean, Shelby Newsted, Celia Packard, Hannah Sherwood, Carly Soos, Anna Taylor, Katie Tomasyan and Sabrina Volante
Roll to Codex to Kindle: Books and Libraries in the Age of Digitization
Lecture and conversation with James Reid-Cunningham,
from the Boston Athenaeum
Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 6:00pm ~ Free
at Portland Public Library Rines Auditorium
The future of books and libraries seems increasingly uncertain. During the last fifteen years, the digitization of cultural materials has become a central focus of research libraries such as the Boston Athenaeum, just as the popularity of e-readers and digital texts has led to endless speculation in the media about the death of the book as a format for communication. The transition from paper to pixels is the third major development in the physical form of the book, paralleling two earlier changes in book technology.
This historical survey of the nature of the book over two millennia will explore whether a zero-sum game now exists between digital technologies and paper books in codex form, and how research libraries will address these challenges in the years ahead.
All are welcome to this free lecture, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Mr Reid-Cunningham.
Did you know that Portland Public Library has been a part of the Federal Depository Library Program since 1884?
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established, in 1813 by Congress, to ensure that the American public has access to its Government’s information. Depository libraries safeguard the public’s right to know by collecting, organizing, maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the Federal Government. Portland Public Library provides local, no-fee access to Government information in an impartial environment.
“As institutions committed to equity of access and dedicated to free and unrestricted public use, the nation’s nearly 1,250 depository libraries serve as one of the vital links between “We the people” and our Government. Anyone can visit Federal depository libraries and use the Federal depository collections which are filled with information on careers, business opportunities, consumer information, health and nutrition, legal and regulatory information, demographics, and numerous other subjects.” (Source: FDLP Desktop)
Being a FDLP library means that librarians at PPL are happy to help you locate government publications! A “government publication” is an “informational matter which is published as an individual document at Government expense, or as required by law” (44 U.S.C. 1901). Each month we receive numerous publications, both in print and electronically, from the Government Printing Office. Print items our housed at the Main Library on Congress St. and electronic items are available through PPL’s catalog.
Here is a sample of electronic documents received recently at PPL; or you may view the full list of August Government Documents:
Securing the nation’s ports and maritime border : a review of the Coast Guard’s post-9/11 homeland security missions : hearing before the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, first session, June 14, 2011. (microfilm at the Main Library)
So, as you can see the government prints a wide variety of information. Check in next month to see what’s new!
For more information and government links, please visit PPL’s E-Government Page or contact a reference librarian.
If you find yourself at the Main Library on Congress St. check out the Government Docs book display on the Lower Level featuring some of the interesting documents PPL has received through the years!
