The soon-to-be featured film "Angels and Demons" portrays a fictional global struggle between the Catholic Church and a secret sinister society known as the Illuminati. But what exactly was the Illuminati in history or contemporary time? What are some theories of the dark agendas of these global organizations? Books that cover this group and/or topic and others similar to them are:
Circle of Intrigue: the Hidden Inner Circle of the Global Illuminati Conspiracy
Rule by Secrecy: the Hidden History that Connects the Trilateral Comission, the Freemasons and the Great Pyramids

Come join us on Wednesday, April 15th at 2pm as we view the movie and discuss the book "Into the Wild", a true story about a college graduate who hitchhiked the U.S., culminating in his Alaskan experience. Copies of the book are available for signout on the "From Page to Stage" bookshelf. Ask a librarian for a copy and register online to come!

An interesting DVD about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution is Persepolis, which was a 2007 Academy Award nominee for best animated feature. It is told from writer and director Marjane Satrapi's experience and point of view.

Lent is a season of fasting, spiritual and mental cleansing, and discipline. But how orthodox do the orthodox fast in these parts? Read this article from the Detroit Free Press to find out how. For a broader view of lenten festivities, see The Encyclopedia of Easter, Carnival and Lent in our library collection.

Tu B'Shevat (Tu from "tet vav," the Hebrew numeral for 15; b' (of); and Shevat (the month), is a minor Jewish holiday that focuses on ecology and connections to the natural world. Almonds along with dried fruits such as dates, figs, raisins and carob are eaten at a Tu B'Shevat seder. Other activities include the planting of trees and the drinking of wine. For more, see this article.

Facts.com database has many cartoons that can be used to illustrate a point in papers or presentations. Here is one from the past (2003) that is definitely partisan: