Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Film4Thought: A Celebration of Librarians in Film

Hunter Library is pleased to present A Celebration of Librarians in Film in honor of Banned Books Week September 29 - October 6, 2007. First observed in 1982, Banned Books Week reminds Americans not to take the democratic freedom to read for granted. It is sponsored by the American Library Association.

A Celebration of Librarians in Film will offer free screenings of some favorite films that feature librarians and is dedicated to the many librarians throughout history who have valiantly defended the freedom to read. All screenings will take place in the University Center Theater on the Western Carolina University Cullowhee campus.

The University Center is providing free popcorn for the event. Hunter Library will host a reception Sunday, September 30, 2007, following the screening of the librarian cult classic: Desk Set (1957), starring Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.

For more information call Beth McDonough at 828-227-3423.

Film Festival Schedule:

Sunday September 30, 2007

Where the Heart Is (2000)
Rated PG-13
Run Time: 120 min.
Showtime: 3:30 p.m.

Starring: James Frain (Forney Hull, Library Assistant); Margaret Ann Hoard (Mary Elizabeth Hull, Librarian); Natalie Portman (Novalee Nation)

Based on the bestselling novel by Billie Letts, this film features a quirky librarian who saves the day by delivering Novalee Nation’s baby in Wal-Mart where she has been hiding out after being abandoned on the roadside by her boyfriend.


Desk Set (1957)
Run Time: 103 min.
Showtime: 7:30 p.m.
Reception to follow film

Starring: Katharine Hepburn (Bunny Watson); Spencer Tracy (Richard Sumner); Joan Blondell (Peg Costello); Dina Merrill (Sylvia Blair); Sue Randall (Ruthie Saylor)

Enjoy the fun as Katherine Hepburn pits her information retrieval skills against Emmarac, an "electronic brain." Based on a play by the same name, this film is a favorite among librarians and is credited with being the first to put technology into a library environment.

Monday October 1, 2007


My Side of the Mountain (1969)

Run Time: 100 min.
Showtime: 3:30 p.m.

Starring: Tudi Wiggins (Miss Turner, Librarian); Teddy Eccles (Sam)


Based on the Newbery-award-winning book by Jean Craighead George, this time honored classic features a librarian who helps a young boy who is determined to survive on his own in the wilderness for one year.


Time Machine (2002)
Rated PG-13
Run Time: 96 min.
Showtime: 7:30 p.m.

Starring: Orlando Jones (Vox, future hologram librarian); Guy Pearce (Alexander Hartdegen)

Based on the classic science fiction novel by H.G. Wells, this film features a visit to the New York Public Library 800,000 years in the future where the time traveler is greeted by VOX, the library’s holographic, artificially intelligent librarian.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007


Pagemaster (1994)

Rated G
Run Time: 80 min.
Showtime: 3:30 p.m.

Starring: Christopher Lloyd (Mr. Dewey/Pagemaster); Macaulay Culkin (Richard Tyler)


A boy seeking shelter from a storm in the library finds himself on an animated adventure where the books come to life.


Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Rated R
Run Time: 142 min.
Showtime: 7:30 p.m.
Starring: James Whitmore (Brooks Hatlen, Paroled Librarian); Tim Robbins (Andy Dufresne, Librarian); Morgan Freeman (Red Redding)

Based on a novella by Steven King, the Shawshank prison library is a place where two prisoners find solace and redemption. This film was nominated for seven Academy Awards.

Information for the movie annotations included in this announcement was gathered from the Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com, and Movie Librarians: Notable Librarians & Librarians in Film a website authored by librarian Antoinette Graham.