Destruction of The People's Library

The eviction of Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zuccotti Park in the early morning hours of November 15, 2011 resulted in the destruction and loss of several thousand books as well as irreparable damage to computers, equipment, and personal property that constituted the Occupy Wall Street Library, or People's Library, as it is also known. The video above documents a press conference held on November 23 in response to the destruction and aftermath. Further information about rebuilding efforts and current initiatives by the People's Library can be found at the OWS Library web site.

Occupy Chapel Hill

The Occupy Wall Street movement arrived in Chapel Hill in mid-October, and quickly a small encampment was established at the Peace and Justice Plaza in front of the Chapel Hill Post Office and Court House. Updates on recent activities can be found at the Occupy Chapel Hill and Occupy Together web sites.

Book Drive for Pediatric Cancer Patients

Various University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill schools and libraries are sponsoring a book drive until December 8, 2011 on behalf of the Book Fairy, an organization that donates children’s books to the Pediatric Oncology Clinic at UNC Hospitals.

The need is especially great for English and Spanish-language board books, the sturdy picture books that can withstand repeated use by very young children.

Book drive organizers have created a list of suggested titles, but will gladly accept all new or gently-used books for ages one through mid-teen.

The third annual drive follows successful efforts that brought in 2,377 books in 2009 and 2,173 books in 2010.

Campus drop-off locations are:

• Davis Library lobby
• Undergraduate Library lobby
• Wilson Library lobby
• Health Sciences Library
• Law Library
• School of Information and Library Science, Manning Hall lobby
• School of Education, Peabody Hall, Student Affairs Office lobby, 1st floor
• School of Social Work, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building lobby

For information about the drive, contact Katelyn Ander, UNC Undergraduate Library, 919-962-2559.

Move Your Money Today

November 5, 2011 has been designated "Bank Transfer Day" by activists encouraging citizens to transfer their assets from "too big to fail" banks to local community banks and credit unions. To learn more, or to find a community bank or credit union in your area, visit the Move Your Money website.

The video above, modeled on It's a Wonderful Life, was directed by Eugene Jarecki, who was recently interviewed on Democracy Now! Of related interest is a just-published report by Citizens for Tax Justice entitled, "Corporate Taxpayers and Corporate Tax Dodgers, 2008-2010."

Twenty Years After

On November 1, 1991, an horrific tragedy befell the University of Iowa community when one of its recent graduates, Gang Lu, shot and killed five (T. Ann Cleary, Christoph Goertz, Dwight Nicholson, Linhua Shan, and Robert Smith) and grievously injured one (Miya Rodolfo-Sioson) before committing suicide.

Resquiescant in pace.