A Community Book Club

The community book club UCSB Reads continues through winter and spring quarters with a series of events that includes book discussions, faculty panels, a film screening, an exhibition and a talk by the author.

An annual program, UCSB Reads engages the campus and the Santa Barbara community in discussions about a key topic while reading the same book. This year’s selection is “Orange Is the New Black” by Piper Kerman.

The events, which take place at UC Santa Barbara and at the public libraries in Santa Barbara and Goleta, are free and open to the public.

The program kicked off with UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang and his wife, Dilling, distributing free copies of the book to UCSB students in the lobby of Davidson Library. Also participating in the giveaway were Executive Vice Chancellor David Marshall, Associated Students President Ali Guthy and Associated Students Internal Vice President Angela Lau.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, the film “Fruitvale Station” will screen at 6 p.m. in the UCSB MultiCultural Center Theater.

On Tuesday, Feb.3, Richard Ross, professor of art at UCSB, will give a talk about his photography exhibition “Girls-in-Justice,” which documents girls in juvenile detention facilities in the U.S. The images are on display in the UCSB Library’s Tower Gallery through April 30. Ross’s talk will begin at 4 p.m. in the library’s Mary Cheadle Room.

On Wednesday, March 4, a panel discussion on released prisoners will begin at 4 p.m.in the library’s Mary Cheadle Room. Panelists include Terry Dodge founder of Crossroads, a Los Angeles-based organization that provides housing, education, support and counseling to women who have been incarcerated; Billi Jo Starr, co-founder of Freedom4Youth, an organization that serves youth in the juvenile justice system as well as integration as they return to their families, school and society; and Kristianne Clifford of the Freedom to Choose Foundation, a non-profit organization holds education workshops for inmates of the California prison system.

On Thursday, March 12, UCSB faculty members Victor Rios, Michael Morgan and Auli Elk, of the sociology and theater and dance departments and the UCSB Writing Program, respectively, will discuss “Orange Is the New Black” at the Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. A similar panel discussion will take place Thursday, April 2, at 6 p.m. at the Goleta Branch, 500 N. Fairview Rd. Panelists include Merith Cosden, acting dean of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education; Caren Converse of the UCSB Writing Program; and Eileen Boris, Hull Professor in the Department of Feminist Studies.

On Sunday, April 15, author Piper Kerman will discuss and read from “Orange Is the New Black” at 8 p.m. in Campbell Hall.

In addition, KCSB-FM will be broadcasting excerpts from the book, read by campus and community volunteers, on weekdays from noon to 12:30 p.m. The readings also will stream at http://www.kcsb.org.

More information about UCSB Reads, including a complete schedule of events, as well as links to videos and interviews with the author, book reviews, a blog by UCSB student Jessica Sparks and an online discussion forum, is available at http://www.library.ucsb.edu/ucsbreads.

Questions can be directed to Rebecca Metzger at metzger@library.ucsb.edu or (805) 893-2674.