EAC’s Alumni Library begins ‘One Book, One Campus’ program

By Sarah Griffin

Thatcher — Eastern Arizona College’s Alumni Library invites the community to take part in the “One Book, One Campus” reading and discussion program. The first meeting will be held at the EAC Alumni Library on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. Weekly discussions will continue at 6 p.m. on various Thursdays at various locations throughout the semester.

During the first meeting, Director of Library Services Kristen Becker will provide an overview of the “One Book, One Campus” program and introduce the first novel in the fall series, The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. A limited number of copies are available at the Alumni Library or participants can download a free copy of The Jungle—in various formats like epub, kindle, etc.— from Project Gutenberg at www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/140. The group will use the issues addressed in the book — immigration, food production, healthcare, and employment — as a springboard for discussion on current topics.

The following four meetings will feature a “Speaker Series” with guests sharing their expertise on topics, such as immigration and human trafficking, food production including GMOs and organic farming, healthcare, and employment. The “Speaker Series” kicks off Sept. 7, with Immigration and Human Trafficking led by Marc Tetzlaff and Raul Bustamante from the Department of Homeland Security.

On Sept. 14, Dr. Randy Norton from University of Arizona Agriculture Extension office will discuss food production. The Sept. 28 meeting will include a discussion of healthcare issues led by Ryan Rapier from Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center. Kimberly Termain, from Arizona@Work, will close out The Jungle’s “Speaker Series” on Oct. 5 with a discussion on employment. The final meeting on The Jungle will be held Oct. 12.

“This program is designed to strengthen the acceptance of opposing viewpoints among our community and encourage participants to expand their understanding of current and controversial topics,” Becker said. “By encouraging students, faculty, and staff to read the same book, we are creating a shared learning opportunity and providing a safe environment where important issues can be addressed without fear of reprisal.”

The second book in the fall “One Book, One Campus” program is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, with discussions beginning Oct. 26.

For more information on the event check out the Alumni Library’s website or contact Kristen Becker at (928) 428-8304, or by email at kristen.becker@eac.edu.