Campus News

Russell Library to celebrate 40th anniversary

The Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies will host a scholars and policymakers symposium Oct. 27-28 to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Richard Baker, U.S. Senate historian emeritus, will kick off the symposium with a keynote address Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. The keynote and all symposium events will be held in the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries.

On Oct. 28, scholars from a number of institutions will participate in panel discussions, highlighting their use of Russell Library collections in recent publications. Presenting scholars will include Chris Manganiello, Jason Sokol, Gregory Mixon, Tammy Ingram, Monica Gisolfi, Michelle Brattain, Thomas Okie and Ashton Ellett. Panels will be organized around the Russell Library’s six key collecting areas: politics, social relations, public good, environment, economy and peace and war.

Featured policymakers will include Chris Carr, state commissioner of economic development; Michael Thurmond, former state labor commissioner and current superintendent of the DeKalb County School System; Abit Massey of the Georgia Poultry Federation; as well as congressional staffers and others. Speakers will comment on the creation of related public policy.

The Russell Library is a center for research and study of the modern American political system. Established in 1974 through the efforts of the Richard B. Russell Foundation, the Georgia General Assembly and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, the library’s original mission was to collect and preserve materials that document the life and career of the late Richard B. Russell, who served in the U.S. Senate from 1933 to 1971.

Panel sessions are open free to the public. They will be held in Room 271 of the Russell Special Collections Building.

The full schedule is at http://rbrl40.weebly.com/schedule-of-events.html.