Who: SUL and Coordinate Library Staff
When: Thursday, November 6, 2014, 2:30-4 pm (reading group)
Thursday, November 13, 2014, 2:30-4 pm (discussion with Prof. Marvin Diogenes)
Where: Green Library, SSRC Seminar Room

Near the beginning of every academic quarter, a host of Stanford librarians is deeply involved preparing and giving workshops for students in Stanford's Program in Writing and Rhetoric (PWR). Most Stanford frosh take one or two of the many PWR classes available, studying and writing on an array of topics such as “Frog Princes and Ugly Ducklings: The Rhetoric of Self-Transformation,” “Global Protest and Civil Unrest: The Rhetoric of Resistance,” “Propaganda: The Dark Side of Rhetoric,” or many others.

Our library-based workshops obviously teach PWR students how to navigate library resources, but do we ourselves approach these students with a solid understanding of the rhetorical approaches we are charged with supporting? Just what is the rhetoric of PWR? Is there a rhetoric of the library? And what rhetorical functions do we ourselves serve?

Please join us for this special two-part Chalk Talk / Ref Forum aimed at enhancing our collective understanding of Stanford PWR and of our library-based approaches to research, writing, and argumentation. Whether you teach PWR sections yourself, or otherwise support student learning in your work, or are simply curious, this Chalk Talk / Ref Forum will surely hold something of interest for you.

Part 1. Thursday, November 6, 2014, 2:30-4 pm, SSRC
This preliminary session will get us started on the topic of rhetoric with a few short readings. We’ll discuss and explore our own library-base rhetoric in light of these readings.

Part 2. Thursday, November 13, 2014, 2:30-4 pm, SSRC
This “main event” session will feature Prof. Marvin Diogenes, Director of the Stanford Program in Writing and Rhetoric. We’ll hear first-hand about the principles of PWR, and will discuss together how the library can best complement the PWR students’ assignments.

Suggested readings
Introductions to the Stanford Program in Writing and Rhetoric

• PWR Director's Message
• A Rhetorical Approach to Writing at Stanford

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:  Aristotle’s Rhetoric

• “The Purpose of Rhetoric”
• “Three Means of Persuasion”

Silva Rhetoricae: “Persuasive Appeals” (logos - pathos - ethos)

Two great new readings!

• Adventures in Rhetoric: The Traditional Library (from In the Library with the Lead Pipe)
• Paradoxical Views of "Librarian" in the Rhetoric of Library Science Literature: A Fantasy Theme Analysis (from Boise State University ScholarWorks: Library Faculty Publications and Presentations)

[optional / skim] Wikipedia: Aristotle's Rhetoric

SUL Chalk Talks are sponsored by the Digital Initiatives Group (DIG) and are held bimonthly (in even-numbered months), normally on third Thursdays at 2:30 p.m. Join us!

The SUL Ref Forum is an occasional series sponsored by the Information Center, and focusing on a broad range of library reference and teaching concerns. It is open to all SUL and Coordinate Library staff.