09/15/11 - City Council Newsletter

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Banned Books Week Read-Out at Eugene Public Library To celebrate free speech and honor defenders of First Amendment rights, the Lane County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon and local public libraries will host two Banned Books Read-Out events. Admission is free. On Saturday, Sept. 24, from noon to 2 p.m., hear the Banned Books Read-Out at the Downtown Eugene Public Library, with Mayor Kitty Piercy as the first reader. On Saturday, Oct. 1, from 2 - 4 p.m., Mayor Christine Lundberg will kick off the Banned Books Read-Out at the Springfield Public Library, 225 5th Street, inside the Springfield City Hall. Both events will feature a variety of community members reading aloud passages from books that have been challenged or banned. Everyone is invited to stop by to listen, borrow targeted books from the libraries, and pin on free “I Read Banned Books” buttons. Many people are under the impression that attempted censorship is a thing of the past or that “it doesn’t happen here.” In fact, individuals and groups continue to request - or demand - that public and school libraries remove or restrict access to particular books, music, films, and other resources. For information about recent censorship attempts in Oregon, visit the ACLU of Oregon website at www.aclu-or.org/bannedbooks. For more information about the local Banned Books Read-Out events, please contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or the Springfield Public Library at 541-726-3766. “Euphemania: Our Love Affair with Euphemisms” at Eugene Public Library How did “die” become “kick the bucket,” “breasts” become “bosom,” “God” become “golly,” and “having an affair” become “hiking the Appalachian trail?” Does categorizing high-risk loans as “subprime” make it easier to offer them? Do controversial tax cuts sound better when called “tax relief”? Find out. In honor of Banned Books Week, on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 2 p.m., the Downtown Eugene Public Library will host a talk by Ralph Keyes, author of “Euphemania: Our Love Affair with Euphemisms.” His witty and insightful talk will explain where verbal evasions come from, why they are used, and what they say about society. Admission is free. Ralph Keyes is a popular and prolific author and speaker. His 16 books deal with topics ranging from time pressure to human height. Hundreds of articles and essays by Keyes have appeared in publications ranging from GQ to Good Housekeeping, and he has been interviewed frequently from the Oprah Winfrey Show and 20/20 to a wide variety of NPR programs including Fresh Air, On the Media and Talk of the Nation. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. Petersen Barn Hosts Fun for All Olympics The Youth and Family Program at Petersen Barn Community Center hosted the first annual Fun for All Olympics last month. Approximately 120 youth from eight Fun for All park sites competed in sack races, balloon popping, dizzy bat relay, saltine whistle, watermelon eating, marble foot grab relay, and the ever-popular water balloon slingshot-to-parachute catch. Kids and counselors from each park site developed and shared a song and dance for the closing ceremony. Youth attending received free lunches from Food for Lane County and were treated to a lunchtime concert courtesy of Grrrlz Rock. In an astounding turn of events, there was an eight-way tie for the gold medal! Fun for All promoted Recreation’s goal of lifelong physical development and wellness through recreation over the summer. More than 13,000 youth attended Fun for All activities that were offered Monday - Friday, June 27-Aug. 26, at eight sites. For more information, contact Peter Chavannes at 541-682-5521. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 September 15, 2011