UCSD Arts Libraries

Short Attention Span Chamber Music Series

The next installment of the SAS series will be August 20th in the alcove outside the Seuss Room in Geisel Library at 12:30 for a short live concert of unusual movie music. Just music, no movies. It’s the best possible way for us to answer some intriguing movie-music questions:

What is the secret musical ingredient needed for a good spaghetti Western?

Why does the best music in American Westerns rely so heavily on the pentatonic scale of Japanese folk music?

Why is it that the most beautiful Henry Mancini movie tune I’ve ever heard from a film that I never heard of?

Where do the best cliché tunes for silent film come from?

The Arts Library staff will answer all these questions at the show. Please join us!

Short Attention Span Chamber Music Series

The Short Attention Span Chamber Music Series returns to Geisel Library on Wednesday, July 23 at 12:30 p.m. on the main floor near the Seuss Room. Series director Scott Paulson on oboe plays his favorite baroque sonatas with help from David Savage on bassoon and Christian Hertzog on harpsichord.

At this popular series, library musicians and some of their favorite patrons pull sheet music from the library stacks & then the musicians perform live in a cosy, friendly setting. Stick around afterwards and the Arts Library staff will show you how to look up further information about the music.

And there’s more! Here are the dates for upcoming shows:

Wednesday, August 6, 12:30 p.m.
Wind Synthesizer virtuoso Robert Williams plays live in the lobby near the Seuss Room.

Wednesday, August 20, 12:30 p.m.
Short Attention Span All-Stars play selections from their favorite composers in the lobby near the Seuss Room.

Etch-A-Sketch!

The exhibit is currently under construction and we want your help:Come borrow an Etch-A-Sketch!

See the staff at the Arts Library Ref Desk to borrow an Etch-A-Sketch, then create a sketch on the toy & we’ll place it in the exhibit case.

Visit us throughout the month of July and August (lower level, West wing, Geisel Library) to borrow an Etch-A-Sketch. Come back often to see the ever-changing gallery of sketches. Learn some secrets about this artful toy!

The Etch-A-Sketch, a popular educational toy, was introduced in the U.S. in 1960. The maker of the toy, the Ohio Art company, is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Public Works: Music For Libraries

08.08.08 listen for the carillon and an original piece by 6th College student Braden Diotte.

Visit his MySpace page for more info

Clean Mic: Laughing Til It Hurts

The African & African-American Studies Research Project, The UJIMA Network, The UCSD Cross-Cultural Center, and the UCSD Arts Library present:
A free film screening with filmmaker Will Gorham
Friday, May 9 at noon in the Seuss Room, Geisel Library, UCSD

Will Gorham, a filmmaker from Washington, D.C., will screen his new independent documentary on black stand-up comedians and the question of racialized humor.
The film, titled Clean Mic, stars Dick Gregory, Paul Mooney, SNL alum Dean Edwards and Don Imus co-host Karith Foster.
In addition to actual stand-up performance footage, Mooney & Gregory spend time in the film talking about stereotypes in comedy, Hollywood, and much more. Click here for a preview!

Call (858) 534-8074 for more information about the free screening, or better yet bring your lunch and we’ll see you at noon on Friday!

The Arts Libraries Celebrates Seuss!

Monday, March 3rd, at 11:30 a.m. and again at 1:00 p.m., the chimes atop Geisel Library will play a special piece in honor of Dr. Seuss’s (aka Theodore Geisel) birthday composed by 6th College’s Matthew Swagler. This new work was commissioned by Geisel Library, the UCSD Arts Libraries and the University Carillonneur, Scott Paulson. Also look (& listen) for Geisel Library’s own Teeny Tiny Pit Orchestra who will be playing songs from the Cat in the Hat Songbook. Come have some cake (there’ll be 2000 pieces!!) and listen to some fine music!

The Arts Libraries Celebrates Black History Month!

AAASRP (the African and African-American Research Studies Project) and the UCSD Arts Libraries present a special free screening of “The Last King Of Scotland” starring Forest Whitaker with comments from Dr. Ricardo Guthrie (UC Santa Barbara) at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, 2008 in the Seuss Room of Geisel Library at UCSD.

This screening is held in conjunction with a month-long exhibit for Black History Month titled “Hollywood’s Africa.” This exhibit covers Hollywood’s approach to Africa via movie posters, publicity photos, and video images, and features recent research on the topic from AAASRP.

The exhibit is on the lower level, West wing of Geisel Library. Call (858) 534-8074 for more information about the February exhibit and the Feb 10 screening.

Arts Libraries Celebrates Black History Month!

AAASRP (the African and African-American Research Studies Project) and the UCSD Arts Libraries present a special free screening of “The Last King Of Scotland” starring Forest Whitaker with comments from Dr. Ricardo Guthrie (UC Santa Barbara) at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, 2008 in the Seuss Room of Geisel Library at UCSD.

This screening is held in conjunction with a month-long exhibit for Black History Month titled “Hollywood’s Africa.” This exhibit covers Hollywood’s approach to Africa via movie posters, publicity photos, and video images, and features recent research on the topic from AAASRP.

The exhibit is on the lower level, West wing of Geisel Library. Call (858) 534-8074 for more information about the February exhibit and the Feb 10 screening.

Exhibit at the UCSD Arts Libraries:Jeannie Cheatham: My Life in Music

Lower level, West wing, Geisel Library,UCSD January 6 through January 31, 2008

Blues icon Jeannie Cheatham is the subject of a special exhibit featuring sound recordings, video footage, and personal memorabilia of the jazz luminary. Cheatham performed at a special opening reception for the exhibit and she encourages visitors to stop by this month to sign the guestbook!

The exhibit also focuses on Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On, the delightful and uplifting memoir of Jeannie Cheatham, a woman of color who grew up during the Great Depression. The Black experience in America, from the ’30s through the ’90s, is colorfully and thoroughly revealed throughout this memoir. Jeannie writes of a life spent fighting racism and sexism, of rage and resolve, misery and miracles, betrayals and triumphs, of faith almost lost in dark places but mysteriously regained in a flash of light. Her riveting stories range from hilarious to haunting as she teaches us about life through her own adventures and misadventures.
(858) 534-8074 for information or http://artslib.ucsd.edu

Desperate Communications and Dia De Los Muertos

Oh boy, it’s time for some terrific new exhibits here in the Arts Libraries! Come to the first floor of Geisel library in the West Wing to check out Desperate Communications: from Safety Coffins to Crystal Balls to Tea Leaves. Learn about various desperate forms of communication: the use of crystal balls, reading tea leaves, diagrams of “safety coffins” wherein the interred (and surprisingly awakened) dead can pull a cord to ring a bell to alert those above ground, and more! As always our exhibits are an entertaining mix of books, objects, graphics and multi-media items so come take a look! (Through November 5th)

Also going up as I write is a small and lovely display highlighting my favorite holiday,
Dia De Los Muertos.