Information technologies and the resources of the University Libraries

2009 Nevada Writers Hall of Fame Inductees and Silver Pen Award Recipients Honored

On November 12, starting at 6:00 p.m., the Friends of the University Library will induct Nevada author H. Lee Barnes into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. Barnes’ fiction focuses largely on working-class characters of the west and southwest, many of whom are war veterans. His narratives often deal with external events that subsume his characters as they try to deal with their sense of disaffection and negotiate a path through contemporary life. He has published five books and over 40 short stories and essays.

Also selected for recognition this year is the group of writers collectively known as the “Sagebrush School”. These authors were active in the Virginia City area during the time period 1859-1914. Although they were primarily journalists, they frequently branched out into other creative forms and sometimes gained fame in their later literary careers. The most famous was Mark Twain, who developed his trademark style on the Comstock.

The Silver Pen Award, celebrating Nevada literary talent mid-career, this year goes to two authors: Charles Bock, author of the best-selling novel Beautiful Children, and Robert Leonard Reid, with publications including the anthology A Treasury of the Sierra Nevada and nearly 100 magazine articles and essays.

Ceremonies will be held on November 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center in the Wells Fargo Auditorium. The reception and silent auction begin at 6 p.m., with the formal program commencing at 7 p.m. The $40 ticket to the event includes beverages and hors d’oeuvres and supports the services of the University Libraries.

For more information contact:

  • Noelle White
  • 775-682-6002
  • nwhite@unr.edu

For further details, read the full Nevada News article.

“Bonanza” TV Series Mini-Marathon - December 9

Take a study break on Prep Day, December 9! The University Library is hosting a mini-marathon of episodes from the TV series “Bonanza” in the Wells Fargo Auditorium, 1st Floor.

The three featured episodes are based on fact. In “Death on Sun Mountain” (8:00pm), a greedy opportunist stirs up trouble between the Paiute tribe and the citizens of Virginia City. The “Julia Bulette Story” (9:15pm) is inspired by the true story of a Virginia City madam. In The Philip Deideshiemer Story (10:30pm) the Cartwrights assist a German engineer in developing the concept of “square set timbering” in the mines

Sagebrush Writers Lecture Added to “Comstock Conversations”

We have a late edition to our “Comstock Conversations” series, which kicks off two new Knowledge Center exhibits and celebrates the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the Comstock Lode.

Lode-ing Up on Literary Prospects:
a seminar on uncovering lost and hidden works in libraries and archives

Dr. Lawrence I. Berkove (Professor emeritus, University of Michigan, Dearborn), the world’s leading authority on Nevada’s Sagebrush School of writers, will share his expertise in rescuing valuable literary works from obscurity.
October 29, 2009 | 2:30 p.m. | Knowledge Center, Faculty & Graduate Reading Room

The KC Makes the Local News - Watch the Video

KTVN-TV Channel 2 recently aired a news report extolling the virtues of the Knowledge Center as a hub for campus learning and collaboration, as well as a shining example of the university library in the 21st Century. They were kind enough to send over a tape, and our Teaching and Learning Technologies department turned it into streaming video for the website, which I’ve made available through our Downloads page.

Download Bonanza! Video (”Comstock Conversations”)

For those who missed the first lecture in the “Comstock Converstions” series, “Bonanza! How Virginia City has touched the world for 150 years”, a video of the lecture by Ron James, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, is now available for download.

As usual, and for future reference, you should be able to find this video and others archived at our Knowledge Center Downloads page.