George Mason University Authors Reception
On Thursday October 3, 2002 the University’s Libraries, in conjunction with the Fall for the
Book Festival, kicked-off their Millionth Volume celebration by hosting a reception to recognize
all of George Mason University’s creative and scholarly authors. A buoyant crowd of faculty,
students, staff, and friends joined Provost Peter Stearns and University Librarian John Zenelis on
an unseasonably warm October afternoon and heard ten faculty members from a variety of
disciplines. Faculty speakers were invited to read from their works or offer reflections on
libraries and the role the university plays in their research and writing.
Thanks to the all who attended and special thanks to our faculty speakers
Peter Boettke
Economics
Alan Cheuse
English
Robert Clark
Public and International Affairs
Peter Klappert
English
Beverly Lowry
English
Maureen Miller
History and Art History
Eric Pankey
English
James Trefil
Robinson Professor of Physics
Roger Wilkins
Robinson Professor of History and American Culture
Terry Zawacki
Writing Center
MILLIONTH VOLUME CELEBRATION
Appreciation of GMU Authors, October 3, 2002
Remarks by John G. Zenelis
I would like to extend a warm welcome to all attending today’s celebration, and most
particularly to the George Mason University faculty. Thank you for coming. We are
honored by your presence here this afternoon.
Today we are starting a year-long academic celebration commemorating the acquisition
of the libraries’ one millionth volume. To my mind, there is no better, more appropriate
way to inaugurate such festivities than to dedicate the first event to our university’s
faculty.
We salute, recognize and honor George Mason’ faculty. By doing so, we acknowledge
both their individual and collective scholarship. And, at the same time, we have the
opportunity to celebrate the book –- the written word – certainly a most enduring feature
of world civilization.
We all know about the power of the written word. Throughout history, ideas widely
disseminated through publication have sparked social and political revolutions, have
incited world-scale upheavals and wars, but have enriched our lives as well, by exposing
us to the beauty and wisdom of humankind, expressed in words, teaching and inspiring us
in all disciplines: poetry, literature, performing and visual arts, religion, philosophy,
politics and government, the physical and life sciences, technology and commerce.
On this occasion, I am reminded of two books by Robert B. Downs. The first book,
published in the mid-1950s, was titled Books that Changed the World. Books that
Changed America was published in the early 1970s. In these two books, Downs
attempted to identify books that changed the course of world history, revolutionized ideas
about the universe, and helped shape the American dream and the American reality, as
well as the way we live and think today. One could certainly argue with Downs’ specific
selections, but the point is that there indeed have been such transformative authors who,
through their ideas and books, have made a lasting and positive impact upon our
civilization.
In the George Mason University libraries today you can find all of Downs’ selections in
their various editions and manifestations, and much more. In fact, 1,000,000 volumes
more (!) -- not to mention the other forms and formats of research materials available to
the faculty, students and staff of the university. Although we increasingly live and work
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in a digital word, the traditional scholarly book endures – in both production levels
world-wide and, more importantly, in its continued relevance to the academy and society.
For this reason, we are delighted with the University’s One Millionth Volume library
achievement -- truly an incredible achievement given the relative youth of our institution!
How did we accomplish this? Certainly, healthy library materials acquisitions budgets,
especially during the last eight years or so, have helped considerably. So have the
professionalism, dedication and diligence of the libraries’ staff. But the library has been
assisted in countless ways by you -- the faculty. You have provided the libraries with
advice and guidance -- have been excellent advocates for the notion that a great
university requires a great library -- with many faculty members assisting the libraries in
other material ways.
We are most grateful to the faculty, and everything that you do to advance the University
and its libraries. Today’s gathering illustrates faculty support for what we do, and can be
measured in many ways – enthusiasm for the libraries, and a collaborative spirit that
sustains the libraries’ mission and role in the University’s academic life.
We thank the faculty, staff and friends that have come here today to support this very
important work and to help us celebrate this milestone.
I would also like to thank the Fall for the Book Festival and its director, Bill Miller of the
English Department’s Creative Writing Program, for inviting us to join their efforts.
Last, but not least, we thank the Provost’s Office, and the international honor society
Φ Β ∆ - Ε chapter, for joining with the Libraries to co-sponsor this event.
Thank you.