#LibraryNews

Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness, fostering discussions, and equipping people with the knowledge needed to take action against climate change. This event brings together educators, students, activists, and policymakers to emphasize the importance of climate literacy. This year it takes place April 7-13. 

The initiative began in 2019 and was first organized by Bard College's Graduate Programs in Sustainability as the Worldwide Teach-In. The last couple of years saw over 600 events in more than 70 countries. However, this program was not the first but built on the work of the early 2000s when environmental organizations and educators recognized the need for structured climate literacy programs.

Climate education goes beyond understanding the science of global warming. It empowers individuals and communities to make informed decisions, adopt sustainable practices, and advocate for policy changes. Additionally, climate change is a justice issue. It disproportionately impacts those least responsible, and addressing it requires reversing these injustices. 

This year at Loras we will begin the week a bit early with the Climate Action Festival on Thursday, April 3 from 4-6pm in the Alumni Campus Center. The Climate Action Festival will host short informational sessions on the relationship between human health and climate, communicating and understanding science information, and the intersection of climate change and spirituality, as well as celebrating nature through dance and arts and crafts. Each session will be led by faculty, staff, and student volunteers. Additionally, there will be exhibits from student artists from the area colleges whose works explore these topics in various forms.

To learn more about climate change and sustainability, please visit our book display on the fourth floor. 

March is Women's History Month, a time to honor the achievements, resilience, and contributions of women. This year’s theme, Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations, highlights the power of women as educators and leaders who shape the future. 

Education has long been a catalyst for change, equipping women with the knowledge and skills needed to challenge societal norms, break barriers, and advocate for equality. Pioneers like Mary McLeod Bethune, Patsy Mink, Sally Ride, and Malala Yousafzai remind us that access to education is a fundamental right and a steppingstone to empowerment.

Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator and civil rights leader, founded the Bethune-Cookman Institute to provide Black students with quality education at a time when opportunities were scarce. Patsy Mink, the first woman of color elected to the U.S. Congress, was instrumental in the creation of Title IX, ensuring gender equity in education and athletics. Sally Ride, as the first American woman in space, broke barriers in STEM and later dedicated her life to inspiring young girls to pursue science. Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner at age 17, defied oppression to advocate for girls' education worldwide. Their legacies continue to inspire and uplift new generations of women.

This Women’s History Month, let us recognize the impact of the women who educate, inspire, and empower those around them. To learn more about the women who have shaped our collective history, check out the book display on the fourth floor. Who are the women who have inspired you? Add their names to the white board at the entrance of the Library. 

The Ides of March, or Idus Martias, was a significant day in the Roman calendar even before the murder of Julius Caesar. The month was the first in the Roman calendar and named in honor of the god Mars, the Roman god of war and a guardian of agriculture. As the father of Romulus and Remus, the builders of Rome, he held a significant place in the Roman pantheon.

Ides comes from the Romans' unique numbering system and its basis in a lunar calendar. Instead of numbering each day of the month, they counted the days from three fixed days of the month with Ides occurring on the full moon.

• Nones – 8 days before Ides
• Ides – 15th day of the month in March
• Kalends – 1st day of following month

As the only fixed day in a month, rents and debt payments were usually due on the Ides of each month so people were likely wary of them before March’s Ides were associated with Julius Caesar.

As the first full moon of the year, there were special ceremonies held on the day. While the month was dedicated to Mars, the Ides were dedicated to Jupiter, the king of the gods, and it was custom to hold a procession led by a sacrificial sheep along the Via Sacra to the citadel. Romans would also celebrate the new year with the Feast of Anna Perenna, a goddess of the year. Some sources also place the Mamuralia on the Ides of March. In this ceremony, an elderly man dressed in skins, representing the old year, would have been beaten and driven from the city. By the late Imperial period, the Ides of March were the opening day to a week of festivals celebrating Cybele, the Great Mother, and Attis, her consort.

These days the Ides of March are mostly associated with the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE during a senate meeting. The most famous portrayal of the historic event is Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. From the play we get a few common sayings including “Beware the Ides of March”, “Et tu, Brute?”, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!", and "Aye, they are come, but they are not gone."

Check out the display on the third floor to learn more about Julius Caesar and Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
 

March 2 marks the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, one of the most popular children’s authors of all time. His imaginative rhymes, vocabulary, and characters have made his books like The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and Oh, the Places You’ll Go! beloved across generations. 

One of Dr. Seuss’s most significant contributions was his ability to make reading fun and engaging for early learners. In the mid-20th century, children’s books often relied on rote memorization and uninspiring vocabulary. Frustrated by these methods, Geisel set out to create books that were simple yet fun. The Cat in the Hat, for example, was written using only 236 distinct words, chosen to be easy for young readers while maintaining an engaging narrative. His use of repetition, rhyming schemes, and rhythmic patterns not only entertained but also reinforced fundamental reading skills.

Geisel’s not only taught children how to read but also inspired them to think critically about the world around them. However, Geisel was a complex figure. As a liberal Democrat, he strongly opposed fascism and was a supporter of President Roosevelt’s New Deal. His political cartoons during World War II urged action against totalitarian threats. Nevertheless, his work also contained racist imagery and stereotypes, particularly with respect to depictions of non-white characters. For instance, he drew troubling images of Japanese Americans in his political cartoons supporting the internment camps. Some of earlier children’s books also contain racist imagery. At the same time, Geisel was not beyond growth and change. After WII, he reexamined his views on the Japanese. In fact, his book Horton Hears a Who!, dedicated to a Japanese friend, was intended as an allegory for America's post-war presence in Japan.

Despite his complexity, Dr. Seuss’s influence on children’s literature remains undeniable. Recognizing Geisel’s great impact on literacy and the enduring influence of his work, the National Education Association partnered with Dr. Seuss Enterprises in 1998 to establish National Read Across America Day in his honor. This annual celebration on Dr. Seuss’s Birthday brings together students, teachers, parents, and communities nationwide to promote literacy and the joy of reading. While initially centered on Dr. Seuss’s work, the event has since expanded to highlight diverse literature that reflects a wide range of cultures and experiences. Celebrate the day by checking out the book display on the first floor of the library.