Whether you learn about current events through a particular news site like the New York Times or BBC News, or through social media sites like Twitter, information moves quickly, and it’s easy to learn about an event or issue and then lose sight of it as another quickly takes its place. Because of the speed at which information flows, it can be difficult to educate yourself with the background needed to thoughtfully evaluate the events that are occurring. Often all we end up with are snippets of stories, anecdotes, or clickbait headlines designed to generate a gut reaction. Yet our understanding of these events and their social and historical contexts influences our beliefs, and may ultimately impact who we vote for.
The library has created a guide, called “Campus Conversations-Resources” to gather together resources on some of these topics. The goal is to provide more information about subjects that can sometimes be hard to talk about. Books, websites, DVDs, and other resources are made available on these topics, along with call numbers, if the resource is one the library owns. Topics include Free Speech, Race, Colorism, Disabilities (learning and physical), Religion, and others.
Use these resources to become more informed about important topics being discussed around the world, and help move the conversation beyond opinion and hearsay. Know of a topic that should be addressed? Email the McGraw-Page Library at library [at] rmc.edu.
