Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center will host its third Arkansas Tech University Human Library from 6:30-9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15.

The event will take place in Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center room 300B. Admission will be free and open to the public.

The Human Library Project was developed in Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of a four-day festival in 2000.

“A human library is one in which the books are humans with stories,” said Sherry Tinerella, assistant librarian at ATU. “The connecting theme is that the books’ stories revolve around the person’s experiences with prejudice, discrimination or hardships beyond their control. The purpose is to promote understanding within a diverse community. Readers, the people coming to the event, will browse the shelves and choose a book to sit down with. The book will tell their story, allowing for the reader to ask questions. It is our wish to provide a safe place for candid conversations.”

Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center is located at 305 West Q Street in Russellville.

For more information, visit http://libguides.atu.edu/humanlibrary, call (479) 964-0571 or send e-mail to stinerella@atu.edu.

Arkansas Tech University students donated 204 food kits to the Salvation Army in Russellville as the result of the 2018 Helping Halls program.

The project by the John Tucker Chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary represented a gift of approximately $2,400 from Arkansas Tech students to the local community.

The food kits, which contain all the side items necessary for a traditional Thanksgiving meal, will be paired with a protein and distributed to area residents in need served by the Salvation Army of Russellville, which is led by Lt. Andrew Thorson and his wife, Lt. Shannon Thorson.

“It’s just an amazing thing (Arkansas Tech) is doing here,” said Andrew Thorson while surrounded by the donated food. “To put this together and organize it takes a little bit of stress off us, but it’s also taking a huge stress off families in the community who truly need (this food).”

Over the course of the first 12 years of Helping Halls, the program has donated approximately 3,300 holiday meals to neighbors in need.

Arkansas Tech University has been selected to host the 2019 HOBY Arkansas Leadership Seminar.

The program, tentatively scheduled for June 5-9, 2019, will bring 200 Arkansas high school sophomores to ATU in Russellville and provide them with interactive programming designed to enhance their leadership skills and commitment to serving others. The seminar explores leadership from personal, group and societal perspectives.

ATU was selected to serve as host for the 2019 program following the submission of competitive applications by interested institutions. The applications were reviewed by the corporate board of HOBY Arkansas.

Arkansas Tech’s application was developed and submitted by the ATU Department of Campus Life in collaboration with such internal partners as admissions, residence life and events management. This will mark the second consecutive year that ATU has hosted the seminar.

HOBY — Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership — was founded in 1958. Its namesake was motion pictture and television star Hugh O’Brian, who was inspired to start the program after meeting and spending time with 1952 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

The mission of HOBY is “to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation.”

Approximately 10,000 students participate in HOBY programs on an annual basis. There are more than 450,000 HOBY alumni in the United States and beyond.

For more information about HOBY Arkansas, visit www.facebook.com/hobyarkansas.