Thu, 01 May 2008 16:53:16 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/ PostNuke Powered Site en-us http://www.boxcarbooks.org/images/logo.gif http://www.boxcarbooks.org/ geoff@terrorware.com http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=74  The prom photo booth photos have arrived!  You can view/download them from the Rock N' Roll Prom 2008 gallery. Thu, 01 May 2008 16:53:16 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=73 Saturday, May 3, 2008Freeat Boxcar Books and The CinnematA New Jail?!: Exploring Alternatives to Incarceration in Monroe CountyThis day of popular education will explore alternatives to the current proposal of building new adult and youth jails in Bloomington.  Through interactive workshops featuring community members, non-profits, experienced activists, and YOU, we will explore:  What is the history of incarceration in Monroe County?  What are some existing community alternatives to incarceration in Bloomington and other parts of the country?  What have successful campaigns to challenge other jail constructions looked like?   Several workshops will offer education, training, and networking opportunities for local folks questioning the need for new jails.  The day’s events will culminate with special guest speaker Kai Barrow from Critical Resistance.  This is an open event, with people from all backgrounds and political beliefs encouraged to attend.Workshop One- 11:00 am, Boxcar Books A discussion and Presentation on the History of the Monroe County Jail SystemThis workshop will begin with an interview from Indiana University Criminal Justice Department faculty member, Hal Pepinsky.  Following the interview will be a facilitated discussion on the history of the jail, encouraging input from community members in piecing together the jail's history and the sharing of personal and familial experiences with the jail.Workshop Two- 2:00 pm, Boxcar BooksA Panel Discussion on Alternatives to IncarcerationThis workshop will explore community alternatives to incarceration in Bloomington, as well as highlight successful initiatives from around the country.  Representatives from different organizations will speak briefly about how their work keeps people out of jail by offering positive responses to poverty, homelessness, hunger, and conflict that enrich and restore community. Workshop attendees will be able to offer their own perspectives on what makes a community safe and whole.Film Screening- 4:00 pm, The Cinemat Yes, In My Backyard, A documentary by Tracy HulingFinancially-strapped communities are now begging for prisons to be built in their backyards. With plundering agribusiness, military-base closings and major industry relocation, incarceration is seen as the salvation of rural communities. Through the eyes of one farming-community-turned-prison-town, this hour documentary explores the increasing and multi-layered dependence of rural America on prison industries and subtly probes the profound implications of this dependence for both the keepers and the kept, and for our society's understanding of and response to crime.Workshop Three- 6:00 pm, Boxcar BooksPotluck Dinner and Discussion with Kai Barrow from Critical ResistanceKai Lumumba Barrow is National Infrastructure Director for Critical Resistance, a national organization dedicated to opposing the expansion of the prison industrial complex.  Kai is the former ProjectDirector of Hunter College Student Liberation Action Movement (SLAM) and has been active around police brutality issues and political prisoner issues since the late '70's.  She current sits on the Boards of Directors of FIERCE, LGBTSTQ youth of color organization in New York City, and INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, a national activist organization of women of color. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:04:23 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=70 Just add this code to your profile to display this sweet banner on your blog, MySpace, or Facebook page: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:31:40 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=69 Mary Hallinan has made this fierce flyer for prom! View full-sized image of poster or download a PDF of the poster to print and help promote! Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:18:50 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=68 By Naomi Wolsieffer and Steven Stothard We came into the New Year just days after a fun-filled Dance Party vs. Karaoke Benefit at the Bluebird, and if you missed it, you missed out! Thanks to all who came to hear the talents of local songbirds, would-be rock-stars, and those who danced along! Santa barely kept his beard on, what with all the cheer and beer, and we've got pictures to prove it. Check out the silliness that ensued Santa's lap on our website, boxcarbooks.org.  You can judge for yourself who was Naughty or Nice! We had a great 2007, and we're on the road to another year of bookishness and community lovin'.  We carried 56 classes-worth of textbooks (our biggest load yet!) for the Spring 2008 semester, and our rush is just now calming down. With three full bookshelves, we've had to double-staff many a shift in order to restock the demand. We also just had a new computer installed, which would have come in handy when the line was all the way into the meeting room.  From here on out, you can expect faster and friendlier (e.g. no more cursing at the computer) service at the counter. Since implementing a textbook section, we've had many a curious professor at IU approach us about carrying their course-loads. It's great to have so many interested parties, and we'd love to stock your reading materials, required and recommended. Finding the space for all of this has been interesting, and we're getting more and more organized about it. "How can I get Boxcar Books to stock my course reading material?" you ask. It's pretty simple, really. What we need from professors is this: Your Course Number and Title Enrollment Number Title and Author of each book ISBNs and Publisher, if available Specific Editions, if pertinent Are the Books Required or Recommended? Professor Contact Information This information is due March 15th for the summer semester, June 1st for the fall semester, and November 1st for the spring semester.  Send in all fields to abbey@boxcarbooks.org by these dates to get your books in at Boxcar. Don't forget we have a free meeting space for your out-of-class needs! Stop in, call us (812)339-8710, or email our events coordinator at steven@boxcarbooks.org to inquire about using the room.Now, what if you're not a professor, student, or local with prior knowledge of our lovely, little establishment? Well, come on in!  We stock all kinds of top-quality new and used books on gender, race, politics, history, environment, food, DIY, music, art, comic books/graphic novels, fiction, and an ever-expanding children's section!  If you want to see us in the flesh, come celebrate our 6-year Anniversary this February!  Boxcar Books is turning 6 years old on February 2nd, and throwing an open-house and dessert party!  For six years, Boxcar has been a hub for community, culture, and activism in Bloomington, and we owe our success to our loyal customers, supportive Bloomington community, and volunteers.  To thank all of these valuable individuals and, hopefully, make some new friends, we're opening up our doors for an evening of delicious desserts, an art show provided by the Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary, a great sale, and other surprises.  After 7pm we'll have a store-wide 20% new and used book sale, while all books under $2 will be $0.50!!  Please, stop by for drinks and desserts in a casual format to celebrate the continued success of Bloomington's only non-profit, all volunteer run bookstore and community center.  We're determined to thwart that ol' groundhog's pending prediction of more cold, by huddling in the storefront and handing out warm fuzzies to every hungry community member.  So, join us for some groundhog-breaking, uh, I mean, ground-breaking birthday cheer! On Saturday February 9th, we're happy to host IU professor and local author Alyce Miller as she will be reading and signing from her new book Water: Nine Stores published by Sarabande Books. Winner of the 2006 Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, Water weaves stories told from different perspectives of age, race, and gender, acknowledge a common rhythm in each of us unsettled desire. Norman Rush writes, "Alyce Miller has the eye and the skills for getting the short story right ... Miller gives us solidly-crafted neorealist studies in contemporary American unhappiness and dislocation. She writes vividly about people in various degrees of emotional extremis, and she avoids the temptation to invent resolutions for the dilemmas they're in. She deftly captures individual psychologies."  Please join us for this informal evening of food, drink, and community with Alyce and her new book from 7:30 - 9 PM on Saturday, February 9th. We will have copies of her new book for sale in the store! Another neat way to get involved with Boxcar Books is to lend a hand and time to our Store Inventory "Party".  We'll be closing the store on Sunday, February 17th to do a complete store inventory.  This involves matching the books we have stocked on the shelves with the books listed in our computer's inventory.  It can take several hours, FUN hours, with rockin' tunes and silly volunteers galore.  We can use all the help we can get!  For more details or to volunteer, contact 812-339-8710 or email steven@boxcarbooks.org. In case you miss the Anniversary Party sale, we?ll be having a Valentine's Day sale, the day of (Thursday, February 14th), with a 20% discount on all used books and 10% off new books with pink or red on the original book cover.  Your sweetheart's tired of chocolate? give 'em something to digest with their mind! Then, once you've bought your special someone a good book or two, take 'em to the Vagina Monologues that same night.  In case you've got dinner planned for the 14th, the Monologues will also be performed the next day, Friday, February 15th.  An international phenomenon that has graced stages within the month of February since 1998, with off-Broadway beginnings two years prior, the Vagina Monologues will be performed both nights at 7pm in the Indiana University Memorial Union's Whittenburger Auditorium.  For more information, turn the page!  We took the time to speak with IU's Women's Student Association President, Vanessa Holiday to learn more about this year?s installation of the Vagina Monologues.Recently, we've been tabling fools!  When we're not busy selling and/or reading great literature, we enjoy further bonding and the enrichment of relationships with local businesses and organizations. It has always been our goal to either co-sponsor or support other valuable projects in Bloomington, and one of the ways we attempt this is to table at local events, author readings, and cultural happenings around town. We?re thankful to be a part of the newest installment of author readings at the Waldron Arts Center sponsored by IU and the MFA Creative Writing Program. Thanks Cathy Bowman! We were able to table at "A Day On, Not a Day Off: Youth Activism Summit" at Rhino's Youth Center, where we met a lot of motivated Bloomington youth and listen to some rockin' MLK Day inspired tunes from some very young musicians. Thanks Kerri! We were also privileged to be at the 2008 PRIDE LGBTQ Film Festival. What an amazing celebration, definitely Bloomington's claim to flame! Thanks Danielle! We are also going to be tabling at the Voices of A People's History at the Bloomington Playwrites' Project later in February, where local actors, authors, and activists will be reading the rabble-rousing writings and speeches of American history's most important roustabouts and radicals! Thanks Bob and Anthony Arnove! Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:58:49 -0500 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=63 Thanks to everyone for coming to support Boxcar during our Six Year Anniversary Party.  For six years, Boxcar has been proud to be a center for community, culture, knowledge, and activism in Bloomington.  We owe our success to our loyal customers, supportive Bloomington and IU community, volunteers and supporters.  Don't forget the Rock 'n' Roll Prom on April 19th at The Bluebird! Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:02:21 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=62 Click The Logo Wednesday, October 24 2007 7--9pm at Boxcar The Humane Society of the United States: Free Lobby Seminar 101 Check out http://www.hsus.org/ for more information or email Anne at asterling@hsus.org Think only professional lobbyists can lobby? Think again! The Humane Society of the United States invites you to attend a free Lobbying for Animals seminar where you can learn how to make a tremendous difference for animals in Indiana. Our presentation covers everything you need to be a citizen advocate for animals. We'll show you basic, but effective, lobby techniques. You'll learn how a bill becomes a law, what influences a legislator and what animal-related bills and issues we expect to be considered by the state legislature in 2008. Attend this free seminar and gather all the tools and techniques you need to be a successful citizen lobbyist. Hope to see you there! Check out http://www.hsus.org/ for more information or email Anne at asterling@hsus.org The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 202-452-1100 Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:09:05 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 Click The Sun Written by Jessie Well folks it’s been a steamy few months and I don’t know about you all, but we at Boxcar have definitely enjoyed the air conditioned haven that the bookstore becomes every muggy Indiana summer. If you can’t stand the humidity anymore is there a better place to indulge in artificially chilled air than your local, all volunteer run non-profit bookstore? So come on down, bring your winter parka, and grab a book, zine or magazine and cool off. As the school year rapidly approaches we at Boxcar are gearing ourselves up for another great textbook season. We began selling textbooks to Indiana University students a few years ago. We started out slow, carrying books for a few classes and special ordering textbooks for a small number of individual students. This fall we will carry the textbooks for nearly forty classes! During the first few weeks of classes, the bookstore will be swarming with eager students buying their books. And as we apologize for how busy the store will be, his is just another way Boxcar can outreach to the university community and students. Bringing in individuals who might not know about or frequent local organizations and non-profits can expose new students and others to the vibrant, active and radical niches of our community. Purchasing textbooks through Boxcar comes with many advantages for students; and if your classes don’t use our textbook services, you can always special order your school books. Get in touch with our textbook coordinator: abbey@boxcarbooks.org. It usually takes less than a week and we can order used textbooks when available. And as always, you would be supporting a local business and non-profit and you would receive more personalized service. And even though Boxcar can seem busier during textbook times, it’s no where near as nerve-racking as the textbook frenzy that accompanies the larger bookstores. One of the founding principles of Boxcar Books was to provide a physical space that could host various local organizations and non-profit groups working for positive change. Here at Boxcar we feel providing this space to local agencies and organizations to meet, whether it is a weekly basis or just as a one time get together, fosters connections to other community members that are local and active in Bloomington. And since Boxcar has come into existence, our meeting space has maintained a robust and consistent schedule, although more groups are always welcome! Our meeting space is something we’re all particularly proud about, so check the events section of this issue to browse at the groups that currently meet at Boxcar and get involved! Oh the times at Boxcar, they are a-changing! For example, we have decided to make some substantial changes to our audio visual section. For those of you who did not know we even had an audio visual section---you’re why we changing the section! Ha! No we’re kidding! We once had a video rental system but we are changing to DVDs for purchase. This means two things. First, our DVD’s for purchase now will be more selective, so the caliber of films will be excellent. Second, we will be having a sale of all our old audio visual materials at very cheap prices! Come in soon and check out the selection of DVD’s, Videos, Books and Political Speeches on Tape and CD for sale. Speaking of changes, we have recently added to some new volunteer shift workers around the bookstore. Boxcar is very excited to welcome Vanessa, Sara(h), James, Nikki and Susan to the team! We’re stoked to have some new positive, knowledgeable and energetic individuals to help sustain the collective and to continue providing for the Bloomington community. Welcome aboard! And if you, beloved reader, have some free time and are looking for a place to volunteer, Boxcar could always use more helping hands! Email boxcar@boxcarbooks.org or stop in and fill out a volunteer form! We’re always looking for help; whether it be as a regular shift worker or someone to stop in and help every now and then. Well that’s all for now folks. As always you check our website www.boxcarbooks.org for updates, events and news. Or you can stop by the store! Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:25:50 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=60 WE HAD A GREAT TIME DURING THE HARRY POTTER PARTY! THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME DRESSED UP, MADE FOOD AND DRINKS, AND HUNG OUT. WE HAVE MORE COPIES OF HARRY POTTER, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOURS---COME ON IN. CHECK OUT THE HARRY POTTER CONFERENCE IN TORONTO WHERE SOME LOCAL BLOOMINGTON FOLKS WILL BE PRESENTING---- http://hp2007.org/ http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/240265 OUR NEWSLETTER WILL BE OUT VERY SOON! IF YOU AREN'T ON OUR MAILING LIST, COME IN THE STORE AND SIGN UP! OR EMAIL EVENTS@BOXCARBOOKS.ORG WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. WE SEND THEM EVERYWHERE, SO DON'T BE SHY. Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:45:52 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=59 Boxcar News By Sara(h) Downey This spring was a very successful time for Boxcar. Our fifth Rock ‘n’ Roll Prom, which was on April 7th, raised more money and brought together more people than it ever had before. Boxcar and Pages to Prisoners each received about $2,000 from it! Thank you so much to everyone who came. We also want to send our thanks out to the bands that played, the DJs, Dave Kubiak of the Bluebird, and photographer Will Claytor. All of the pictures Will took can still be found on our website (www.boxcarbooks.org). This spring was good for us in terms of our textbook sales as well. Each semester we carry books for more and more classes at IU. This definitely contributed to the 100% sales growth we had in 2006! At the rate things are going, 2007 may be the same. We are still looking for more professors to order their books through us, though. If you are interested in doing this, or know someone who is, just contact Abbey (abbey@boxcarbooks.org). Pages to Prisoners has also been very busy. There was a bowl-a-thon and a pack-a-thon in April. During the pack-a-thon, about 250 letters were answered! If you would like to be involved with Pages, the summer hours are from 8-11 pm every Thursday and from 2-5 pm on Sundays. Boxcar is always looking for people to help out, too. Four volunteers- Ian, Jen, Tess, and I- just graduated. Congratulations! Because of this, however, not everyone will be staying in Bloomington. Ian is moving this summer. We will miss him very much. Even if you do not have the time to volunteer, maybe you can still make it out to some of the upcoming events Boxcar is having. There will be art openings, poetry readings, and music. There may also be a Harry Potter release party towards the end of July. So don’t forget to pre-order Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! In addition, Boxcar will be selling books at a couple of exciting events- the IU Writer’s Conference and the Allied Media Conference. More details about all of these events can be found at the end of this newsletter. But for the most up-to-date information, check our website. It is a great time of year to be in Bloomington. There is so much to do all over town. There is also enough time to sit back and enjoy a good book. So hopefully we’ll be seeing you soon!! ****************************************************** UPCOMING EVENTS AT BOXCAR! Tuesday, July 10th 7—9pm Ken Waldman Performance Fiddle Playing, Poetry, and Storytelling featuring his new project "As the World Burns: The Sonnets of George W. Bush and Other Poems of the 43rd Presidency.” --a book written square in the midst of our national dialogue. Sometimes subtle, sometimes scary, every page is arresting. Featured routinely on WFHB, Waldman is a former college professor and Philadelphia native who moved to Alaska twenty years ago and has been a traveling minstrel for more than ten years. www.kenwaldman.com Friday, July 20th at Midnight Possible Harry Potter Release Party???? Pre-Order Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's magical Harry Potter series. Check our website for release party updates! Weekly Meetings: Mondays: 7-9pm The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project Tuesdays: 6pm G.R.A.C.E. Wednesdays: Truth in Recruiting Thursdays 7-11pm: The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project Sundays 2-5pm: The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project Monthly Meetings: Hoosiers for a Commonsense Health Plan General Meeting: Every Second Wednesday 5pm Research and Legislation: Every Second Thursday 4:30pm Endorsement: Every Third Thursday 4:30pm Education: First Wednesday 5pm please check website www.hchp.info for updated information Thu, 24 May 2007 18:54:36 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=58 Bill Daniel: 3 Films Nomad Filmmaker returns to Bloomington with more cinematic treasures! www.billdaniel.net Tuesday, May 15th at Boxcar Books. "Sunset Scavenger: Sail-Van", "Selective Service System Story" and "Last Free Ride" Show Beginning at DUSK. "Sunset Scavenger" is the name of a '65 Chevy sailvan, and the video show that is projected on its sails, and the coast-to-coast tour that will bring the show to your town. The sailvan -- a 2-masted gaff-rigger schooner-- functions as tour vehicle, as well as projection screen. The video program is a 2-projector documentary-essay on low-down survival strategies in a world of ecologic and economic collapse. "Selective Service System Story" a short video about an infamous and graphic 60's protest film. "Last Free Ride" is an incredibly rare film that defies categorization and provides a mind-blowing glimpse into a fantastic world where industrious dropouts lived for free on homemade boats on San Francisco Bay. As the Sixties wound down hippies and misfits began to move out of Haight-Ashbury and onto an abandoned waterfront across the Golden Gate Bridge. There they built a sprawling free-form floating community of hand-made houseboats, beat-up sailboats and salvaged and converted World War Two lifeboats. They lived rent and law-free on their floating folk art houses, until the establishment--city officials backed by real estate interests-- launched a war to evict them. Last Free Ride captures this incredible story in a home-made film with all the naive charm of a community theater presentation, with beautiful photography and amazing reportage that could only be captured by the people who were actually living the life. Texas-born, San Francisco exile, and confirmed tramp, Bill Daniel continues to experiment with survivalism and bricolage in his attempts to record and report on the various social margins he often finds himself in. Working without an art or film school education, he endeavors to make work that connects with an outsider audience. Tue, 08 May 2007 17:14:19 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=57 PROM PHOTOS ARE NOW UPLOADED! CLICK ON THE *PHOTOGRAPHS* LINK TO THE LEFT! Thank you for all who came out to Boxcar's Rock and Roll Prom Benefit! You all made it such a successful fundraiser and a night to remember, if you were sober enough. 750 people came out to support Boxcar and Pages to Prisoners, and those were just the folks that paid! That doesn't include the bands, boxcar volunteers, and those who slipped past the door folks. We want to thank all the folks who put time and energy into making this years prom a great success. Secretly Canadian Breakfast Club Squad, Tina and all the Turners (you guys rocked!), Iggy and the Stooges, and The Pixies. Thank you to the get-yr-booty-shakin' and club-kirkwood-revitalizin' DJ's and MC's Justin, Derrick and Molly, your performances were top notch! Thanks to Brooke for keeping everyone in line, Will and Jared for taking the saucy prom photos, our gracious hosts Dave and Brent from the Bluebird, and Mary for creating that amazing mermaid. You might see her again soon if you stop by the store! We want to thank all of the coordinators and volunteers who helped plan and organize the event and all the folks who came out to help decorate and give their time and energy. Let's make next year’s prom even better. Start those cover bands, get your dance moves down, send us theme suggestions, and come back next year for another great fundraising party! Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:10:19 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=56 Please join us for the 5th Annual Rock 'n' Roll Prom!! A Split Benefit for Boxcar Books and Community Center and The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project (more info about pages at www.pagestoprisoners.org) Saturday, April 7th @ The Bluebird (www.thebluebird.ws) Doors 9:30pm 21+ $6 each/ $10 couple (gender-schmender!) Featured Cover Acts: - Sweet 80's and 90's Covers (Secretly Canadian’s best) - The Pixies (members of Kentucky Nightmare and The Delicious) - Tina Turner (members of The All-Girl Summer Fun Cover Band) - Iggy Pop and the Stooges (members of Puppy vs. Dyslexia, Green Fuzz Society, One Reason) - and DJ/MC extraordinaire's Justin and Derrick spinning the hits between sets This year's theme is "Under the Sea," so dress to impress! There will be contests for best dressed, best themed outfit, and best drag. Remember to bring dollar bills for the photo booth!! Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:18 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=55 Check out our Photographs link to view some great pictures from this years Anniversary Benefit Dinner! Save the Date! Saturday, April 7th is our Annual Rock and Roll Prom. This Year it will be held at the Bluebird Nightclub. Remember the classy prom pics? Remember the sweet rock cover bands? Remember the great djs? And although we're sad to not have it at the timeless Second Story Nightclub, there are three bars instead of just one, so no more waiting in line for an hour for a drink. This year will be even better! More details will be posted soon, so check back! Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:50:06 -0500 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=54 The 5th Year Anniversary Dinner was a great success! Thank you to all of you who attended and made the evening so energetic and enjoyable. And thanks to all the hardworking volunteers; Christie and her kitchen staff did such a fantastic job. The food was excellent! Our recent February/March Newsletter just hit the stands. If you didn't get a special one in the mail, come into the store and sign up on our mailing list. February/March 2007 Boxcar Books News By Steven Stothard Happy Birthday Boxcar Books!!!! This February marks the Five Year Anniversary of Boxcar Books and Community Center, and we’d like to invite you to a party! Come and celebrate with us as we throw our 5th Year Anniversary Benefit Dinner on Friday, February 2nd at the Universalist Unitarian Church. Tickets only cost $15 for Adults, $5 for kids, and are available both at Boxcar Books, and both Bloomingfoods locations. Backed by a hearty staff of kitchen volunteers and under the expert direction of Christie McCloud, famed and eccentric Bloomingfoods Kitchen Manager, we’ll treat you to a delicious and vegan friendly “Mediterranean Evening” feast. Fresh Baked Bread by Colin Schoder-Ehri, Olives with Fennel and Orange, Falafel, Dolmas, Spinach Phyllo Cups, Roasted Garlic Crostini with Smoked Paprika, and Charmoula Drizzled Vegetable Kabobs. And those are just the hors devours! Salads include a Greek and a Moroccan Couscous Salad. The scrumptious entrée will be Eggplant Roulade served with Polenta and topped with Vegetable Saffron Bouillabaisse followed by sweet treats of Baklava by Tess Hannah and Creamy Mediterranean Rice Pudding. Is your mouth watering yet? Please join us for a lovely dining experience with friends, all for a worthy cause! Tickets are going fast and space is limited, so get them today! More details are in our events section or visit www.boxcarbooks.org. For five years, it has taken a community of support that has held Boxcar’s continued success and sustainability. With the help of countless Bloomington individuals, organizations, businesses, co-sponsorships, benefits and donors, Boxcar has been able to follow its original mission “ to promote reading, self-education, social equality, and social welfare through increased accessibility to literature and workshops - and the promotion of a community to support these projects.” We earnestly thank everyone who has graced us with their time, effort, donations, and good wishes. The record of folks to thank is far too long to list, and I think this speaks to how necessary the Bloomington community is for the sustainability of Boxcar Books. Although a small group of folks started the project in early 2002, this number has grown to a vast network of past, present, and future volunteers, dedicated to the success of the Boxcar, Pages to Prisoners, and to each other. I did some math, so bare with me. Boxcar volunteers spend an average 66 hours a week keeping the store open. We’re open, on average, 360 days a year. So, that’s about 3,400 hours a year. Excluding any extra hours including project planning, benefits, special events, tabling, conferences and meetings…after five years, Boxcar volunteers have racked up roughly 17,160 hours of volunteer time. Wow. That’s like watching The Yes Men (an excellent documentary that we rent from our Audio/Visual section) 11,440 times. It makes sense now why many Boxcar volunteers have vague recollections of something called a social life. Why would folks put so much volunteer time and energy into just a store? Well, some testimonials display a sentiment that Boxcar isn’t merely a store; it’s a community space with a mission and goals. Volunteers talk of the involvement of Boxcar to the community, the status of the space as “all volunteer run and non-profit”, the support of Pages to Prisoners, the alternative or radical nature of the store, the mission to provide alternative media to people, and the steadfast friendships formed by volunteers and by customers. Christie, our volunteer coordinator and anniversary dinner concierge says, “I'm so proud to be a part of an organization that is promoting truth through education in our community. It also always amazes me that there are such wonderful people willing to volunteer their time and energy to the bookstore and Pages to Prisoners.” Likewise, our financial coordinator Sparky states that her favorite part about Boxcar is “that we have an incredible selection for being such a young project, and that we are successful as a volunteer-run business.” New volunteers always add such amazing energy and new ideas to Boxcar and we’re always looking for more dedicated folks. For instance, a relatively new volunteer Jen just happened to be shopping and decided this is where she wanted to volunteer. "The first time I came to Boxcar I was with my girlfriend at the time and we were so psyched that there was an entire gender/queer section. That was a pretty big deal for me then. I probably spent a good 2 hours in the store that first day. I was hooked." Boxcar’s resident tech support and a main Pages to Prisoners coordinator, Geoff describes our sentiments regarding new volunteers exactly when he says, “Recently, the store is weathering a significant change in the people who are involved and volunteer and we feel like new people have the same energy and ability as those who they're replacing. Also, I like that Boxcar is a radical bookstore staffed by volunteers who not only have a commitment to building alternative community institutions, but who also truly love books.” What does all this talk about old and new volunteers have to do with you? It’s to assure our friends and neighbors in Bloomington and beyond that Boxcar has held fast the last five years and has flourished into a vibrant community space and organization that has the momentum, commitment and support of volunteers and the community to sustain old and new projects for a long time coming. Alright! Let’s shift gears. Thank you to the Horizons Art Therapy Program from Bloomington’s Center for Behavioral Health for showing their “Art in Mental Health” Painting Show at Boxcar early in January. The opening and month long art show provided an opportunity to discuss and learn about Mental Illness and the benefits of Art Therapy, and to break down stereotypes and stigma associated with the mentally ill. The art opening was a great success! Thank You also to Danielle and the PRIDE 2007 Film Festival for allowing us to provide reading materials for the whole PRIDE weekend. As always, the film festival was a grand achievement and we were proud to be a part of it. We provided titles from our Queer, Gender Studies, Transgender Studies, Women’s Studies and Feminism, Sex and Erotica Sections but we couldn’t bring the whole store to the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre. For a wider selection of materials, come by the store and check out these sections and more! Talking about expanding sections, if you’ve been in the store recently, you may have noticed an increase in IU textbooks. We’ve increased our textbook capacity from offering books for just a few classes a couple years ago, to currently providing all the reading material for 40 IU classes! For Boxcar, textbooks create a unique opportunity to bridge gaps between the university and the community. Our textbook project draws students away from campus and shows them that cool, independent local businesses exist and can be a much more pleasant experience than corporate textbook sellers. It shows students that profits made from textbooks can stay in the community and help fund good projects, as it increases dialogue and community building with like-minded professors and graduate students. And to be honest, it’s just plain fun! Remember, if your classes don’t order through Boxcar, we can always special order your textbooks, or any books for that matter. It’s the same price, takes less than a week, and you’d be supporting a non-profit business! 2007 planners, calendars, and the few remaining Slingshot Organizers are going fast! How could you go wrong with titles from Edward Gorey, Mad Libs, Amnesty International, R. Crumb, Latin American Art, Star Trek, We’Moon, and our personal favorite “Why Cats Paint 2007 Calendar.” Also, please check out our events section for exciting upcoming book readings and signings, art openings, activist meetings, poetry readings, and an audio/visual benefit night here at Boxcar. Please keep an eye out and an ear turned for news about our upcoming Rock and Roll Prom in April, the Pages to Prisoners Bowl-O-Thon in April, and an exciting new auction benefit happening in May/June. Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:41:19 -0500 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=53 Friday, February 2nd. 7pm at The Unitarian Universalist Church Boxcar Books would like to invite you to a celebration of our 5th anniversary with “A MEDITERRANIAN EVENING” benefit dinner! Join us for our annual dinner where we will feast on authentic and vegan friendly Mediterranean favorites. There will be a cozy environment and an array of appetizers, entrees, and delicious desserts that will take you away to a warm, windswept night by the seaside. We hope to create a relaxing family atmosphere so that our guests can truly savor an evening of fabulous food and great company, while supporting a worthy cause. Tickets are available at Boxcar Books and both Bloomingfoods locations. TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLY IN ADVANCE - SEATING IS LIMITED! Location: Unitarian Universalist Church 2120 N. Fee Ln. Fee: $15 for adults/ $5 for children Happy Birthday Boxcar! Sun, 07 Jan 2007 16:28:04 -0500 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=52 By Christie McCloud The holidays are upon us! And, although many moan and groan about this busy season, I try to think of fun family gatherings, building snowmen, and meditating on New Year’s resolutions. As 2006 comes to a close, I have the pleasure of reflecting on the history of Boxcar Books. I have witnessed Boxcar Books grow from infancy to five… yes, FIVE marvelous years! We’ve come a long way, baby! And, I have no doubt that 2006 was the most successful year yet. We’ve experienced better sales; we offer a wider selection of literature; we expanded to create a much better space for the Midwest Pages to Prisoners project and a bigger, more comfortable meeting space. Thanks so much to our loyal customers, professors who have participated in our textbook programs, and especially to all our volunteers. Boxcar could not exist without the devoted work of our volunteers, and we appreciate their perseverance! We also thank everyone for all the donations throughout the year, as well as, your suggestions for amazing literature! Speaking of amazing literature… give the gift of literature for the holidays! Boxcar Books really has something for everyone. From fun fiction, comic books, current events, sci-fi, cooking, poetry, to hobby how-to’s, there are a lot of options. We also have a terrific selection of unique calendars and neat planners/organizers. As always, we have the ever popular Slingshot Organizers in an array of colors and two sizes. Don’t forget that if you have a specific book for that special person, we can special order it. And, if you just can’t find the right thing (or maybe you feel a little lazy), we have gift certificates in any amount. Have a friend who loves shopping at Boxcar? Give them the gift of being a “Friend of Boxcar.” Signing up as a Friend of Boxcar is only $10 and entitles the card holder to a lifetime 10% discount on purchases. Also, don’t forget that you’ve been extra good this year! You might want to pick up that book you’ve had your eye on for months. Enough about shopping! But, still about gift-giving, Pages to Prisoners has once again given the gift of literature to hundreds of prisoners with another successful “Pack-a-thon.” Thanks to all who participated in the recent “Pack-a-thon” where volunteers packaged, addressed, and mailed hundreds of free books! These events are always a lot of fun. Not only do volunteers help educate prisoners across the country, they get to enjoy homemade cookies, snacks, and good friends while they work. Look for future “Pack-a-thons,” as well as, other Pages to Prisoners events and benefits at www.pagestoprisoners.org. Pages to Prisoners happily accepts volunteers anytime. They meet regularly throughout the week: Mondays 7-11p.m., Thursdays 7-11p.m., and Sundays 2-5p.m. First semester textbook sales were more successful than ever before. We are always working to improve our systems, and we learn something new every semester. We look forward to helping students in 2007, and want to remind you that we also do special orders for textbooks. You can order all your books at once, pay once, and enjoy the great atmosphere and friendly customer service while supporting an all volunteer-run non-profit! Another great way to support Boxcar Books is through our annual benefits. Although it seems far away as I sit writing this in November, the excitement of our fifth anniversary will soon be upon us! Boxcar is always happy to celebrate our February Anniversary with a delicious dinner party and, starting last year, a wonderful silent auction. We will host another theme dinner this year with time and place to be announced, so stay tuned. We are always grateful for the space and equipment provided by the Unitarian Universalist Church and all the hard work volunteers perform to make this event happen. We have a spectacular turn-out every year, and we love to play with the theme and the food! It’s sure to be a good time. Unfortunately, the Encore Café who hosted our fantastic silent auction for a whole month last year is closing and will not be able to offer their space again. We are currently working on an alternate plan for this year’s auction, but hope to achieve the same success as last year. Last year we had a plethora of awesome items donated by wonderful people, and many people were extremely pleased with their winnings. Thanks so much to everyone who makes our auction a great event. If you or your business would like to donate something to our silent auction, please contact steven@boxcarbooks.org. Not only is your gift tax deductible, but it’s a great way to advertise for your business. Stay tuned for more details on when and where this benefit will happen. From all of us at Boxcar Books and Pages to Prisoners, we’d like to wish you a happy holiday season and a fun and prosperous 2007! Thu, 07 Dec 2006 16:24:55 -0500 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=49 We have Tons of 2007 Calendars, Organizers and Planners IN STOCK! The Perfect Gift for Certain Occasions! Come check out our selections: 2007 Slingshot Large and Small Organizers, The Time Is Now Calendars by Nikki McClure, We'Moon '07 Organizers and Calendars, Bad Cat Calendars, Edward Gorey, Stitch 'N B*tch, Herbal Journals, Anne Taintor Calendars and Organizers, Witch's Calendar, Sex: Every Day in Every Way!, Women Artist Datebooks, Little Prince, Che, Classic R. Crumb, Tenacious D, The Organic Kitchen Garden and Many, Many More! Thu, 26 Oct 2006 20:48:25 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=48 You are all invited to Boxcar Books for a special volunteer night THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14TH starting at 7pm and ending around 8:30pm. What makes Boxcar Books successful as an all volunteer run, non-profit bookstore and community center are the VOLUNTEERS! What's This Night All About? Informal Yet Informational! --An introduction to Boxcar for newer volunteers such as how we started, who we are, how we make decisions, and what's sweet about being a volunteer. along with a short store tour (check out the weird dungeon in the back room) --A breakdown of volunteer responsibilities for more interesting and active volunteer options. Who wants to shelf-read all day when there are so many more exciting ways to involve yourself! Do you want to put on an event in our meeting space--Do It! Do you want to travel to different academic or activist conferences--Do It! --An informal meeting between newer and established volunteers interested in fulfilling Boxcar's mission to become a more viable community center --Did I mention Pizza from Max's Place, snacks, and drinks? This will be the first of various special, volunteer meetings. Don't worry, they'll be once about every couple of months. Here's a chance to get more involved, set some real and attainable goals, meet other volunteers, eat some pizza, and actually use some of Boxcar's resources to make Bloomington an even more special place! If you have any questions, please feel free to email our volunteer coordinator at christie@boxcarbooks.org, steven@boxcarbooks.org, or call 339-8710 Go get some more information, on the left hand table click "Information" and then click on "new volunteers" at the top! OK! See You This Saturday! -Steven ****Please forward to your organization, group, friends, and neighbors! Sun, 08 Oct 2006 20:34:45 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=47 Our October/November Newsletters are hot off the presses and being sent around the world. If you're not on our mailing list, stop by the store and pick up a copy. Also, sign on up to recieve our newsletter free of charge. ROCKtober news by Colin Schoder-Ehri Ian Dinius Steven Stothard Another busy year at Boxcar has begun. New faces, volunteers, and oh so many book donations have swamped us. We've had a wild ride getting ready for the new school year with a textbook orders doubling since spring semester. August brought us amazing libraries of book donations as so many of our friends found new homes. We've had to become more organized to deal with it all, and we're still enjoying what we do. On October 12, don't miss our friends from Microcosm Publishing when they come into town with their Thinkin', Stinkin' and Rarely Drinkin' tour. Hear Dave Roche, author of On Subbingtalk about having Crohn's disease. Watch the incisive, clever documentary videos of Joe Biehl. Enjoy good advice and a morsel from vegan gourmand Joshua Ploeg. We've hosted a slew of musicians over the last two months, and that's not letting up anytime soon. Our next great show will be with Denise Dill and Pamela Means - amazing lesbian folk musicians on November 8th. Recently at Boxcar, we've been tabling fools! For those of you unfamiliar with tabling, it's when we, as a sweet sweet bookstore, provide the books for local and on the road events. Whether it's a poetry reading, zine symposium, academic conference or the Vans Warped Tour, we're there providing necessary reading material for participants. We'd like to thank Alyce Miller for allowing us to participate in the recent IU sponsored Kindred Spirits Conference that brought academics and activists from around the country to Bloomington to discuss issues of animals, animal rights, the sexual politics of meat, animal law and veganism. In the next couple of months, we're excited to be a part of the upcoming Writers in Rhythm project: an ongoing collaboration between the Creative Writing Program at Indiana University, WFHB Community Radio and the BAAC. This writers' series brings distinguished authors from around the country to read from their award-winning works. Visitors include Charles Baxter, Michael Martone, Mary Gaitskill, and Major Jackson. If that's not enough, right around the corner comes the Fourth Annual Bioneers Conference! The IU campus will play host to the satellite beamed conference from San Rafael, California from October 20th--22nd. Speakers Carl Anthony, Amy Goodman, Paul Hawken, Maria Elena Durazo and Michael Pollan will present on various topics regarding practical and sustainable environmental solutions and strategies for restoring the earth and our communities. Boxcar will be tabling the whole conference including the keynote speaker event at the Buskirk Chumley Theater on October 20th, where Tony Hiss will speak on how environments, modes of travel and other aspects of American landscapes affect our lives and create "Special Places." Introduction by distinguished professor of English and local favorite Scott Sanders. The Bioneers conference is coordinated by the Center for Sustainable Living; for information on all conference events, visit www.simplycsl.org. It's a very exciting time in Bloomington for conferences, poetry readings and speakers and we're thrilled to be able to provide the books! For a complete list, check out our upcoming events section! We hate to brag, but we've got some new signs to flaunt! If you haven't heard, our signboard was recently abducted from our patio. We've got two bea-U-tiful 4' tall signs mounted on the building. The Midwest Pages to Prisoners and Boxcar Books logos are finally complete and installed on the fascia facing 3rd Street. Thanks to Mary Hallinan and mLe Winter for designing and painting them. They rethought the whole idea of what a sign is. Fri, 29 Sep 2006 12:26:05 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=46 Discount Book Sale - September 4 - Setember 17 * Every discount used book is 50 cents! * Selected new books are now 40% off. You can check out some of the selected sale books on the display island at the front of the store. Tue, 05 Sep 2006 17:23:34 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=45 Boxcar Books Textbook Return Policy Textbooks can be returned with a receipt up to 30 days after purchase date. The book needs to be in original condition or else we will not accept the return. Returns are for store credit unless purchase is with a credit card or arrangements are made with the textbook manager (Abbey). Textbook Buybacks We will be buying back selected books at the end of the semester between the dates of December 4th and December 16th. Please Use Our Meeting Space!! We love to have classes and groups use our meeting space (for free!). To schedule use of our space on a one-time or regular basis, email steven@boxcarbooks.org or call 339-8710. Thu, 31 Aug 2006 17:01:21 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=44 By Steven Stothard and Friends Question: Why did the activist walk across the road? Answer: To get a vegan Moose Horn at The Chocolate Moose. Not funny? Try this one: How many out-of-towners does it take to clog all five toilets at Boxcar for three days? Well this last month, Bloomington’s own record label Plan-It-X brought over 600 activists and independent music lovers to town for a week for Plan-It-X Fest 2006. Although Boxcar Books wasn’t directly involved in the Fest, many of our volunteers helped plan and organize the festival; especially Abbey, Geoff, and Joe who did a truly amazing job. What the public might have seen were groups of youth walking around town, lounging in parks, and swarming the Co-op, Boxcar, Rhino’s, coffee shops, record stores, vegan friendly restaurants and the like. Yet, what you might not have seen were hundreds of hard-working people from around the country and world converging on our little town to raise money for local charities, attend and teach around sixty workshops and skill shares, and to volunteer at local organizations. Boxcar Books and Plan-It-X Records share a common “do-it-yourself” mentality: an ethic that says together, we can imagine, build, and sustain the kinds of communities and systems we want to live and work in, and help others create their own sustainable communities. And this year’s festival was a time for youthful activists networking and sharing to build stronger radical and sustainable movement for the future. During the night, Rhino’s hosted six full-capacity benefit shows in six days that raised 2,000 dollars for Rhino’s and over $3,000 dollars each for Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project. This money will go toward the fulfillment of the mission statements of each organization. Visit www.rhinosyouthcenter.org, www.bloomington.in.us/~mhc, and www.pagestoprisoners.org for more information. During the day, Boxcar seemed to be the hub of activity. Our meeting and event space held various acoustic benefit shows with acts from all over the country. Singer/songwriters filled the air with inspirational, political and personal songs to a packed room. The majority of skill shares and workshops became fully enrolled weeks before the fest and were taught at the Library, Boxcar, Rhino’s, The Bike Project, in the park and other places. In Boxcar, a workshop entitled “That’s So Gay!”: Homophobia, Punk and You discussed how systems of oppression and homophobia exist even in groups in society that consider themselves outside typical power structures. Also, Racism: Slavery, Prisons and the African American Community was held in the Pages to Prisoners space connecting how prisons exist as modern day slave plantations and the necessity of sending empowering and educational books to prisoners. Also during the Fest, many spent time giving back to the community in which they were visiting. With the help of many out-of-towners unfamiliar with how a books to prisoners project works, our own Pages to Prisoners Project was able to ship 100+ packages of books to prisoners during a Pages Pack-A-Thon. Basically, Pages Pack-A-Thons happen at various times throughout the year to catch up with the hundreds of prisoner letters requesting literature and educational materials that Pages receives. If you’d like to support rehabilitation and education of United States prisoners, the next time you see a flyer or a call-out for a Pack-A-Thon, come on by! Eat some snacks, listen to music, make some friends and make a direct, hands-on difference in the lives of people. With all that said and done, the summer is far from over so mark your calendars with some fantastic events! For instance, The Ice Capades is coming to Boxcar Books on Saturday, August 5th! Now, before getting out your sequence leotard and reminiscing about your favorite Michelle Kwan memories, The Ice Capades is actually a traveling Film and Video Series from Chicago. Co-Founders Sara Jean and Colin Palombi are dedicated to presenting work by Chicago based film and video artists in a fun and intimate environment. They believe that consistent monthly screenings encourage community and collaboration not only between filmmakers, but musicians, printmakers, and writers. And they’re bringing the show to Bloomington! Showing over twenty films with such titles as, Progress, What Hits the Moon, and Letter to My Mom, The Ice Capades Film and Video Series is sure to bring some inspiring and creative pieces to a thriving and growing Bloomington film scene. For more information, visit www.theicecapades.com. On Friday, September 15th, Al Burian and Todd Dills from Chicago’s writing project THE2NDHAND will roar through Bloomington to read the latest and greatest from THE2NDHAND. Burian has prolifically written underground fiction and non-fiction for years, turning out the amazing Burn Collector zine. Dill edited in 2004 a best-of collection called All Hands On: A THE2NDHAND Reader, published chapbooks of short stories such as For Weeks Above the Umbrella, and the novel Sons of the Rapture, a work of wishful history and contemporary surrealism, due out from Featherproof Books in Aug/Sept 2006. You definitely don’t want to miss this. (Unfortunately, our text-posting provider apparently censors certain words for the interweb-viewing public. This is by no means our decision. So, when you see the B-Word in this next paragraph, it will be partial. Sorry) Everyone loves a birthday, right? Well this fall, B*tch Magazine celebrates ten years of feminist response to pop culture. And on Friday, September 29th, we’re proud to host co-founder Lisa Jervis, reading from and signing the anthology B*tchfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of B*tch Magazine. B*tch Magazine insightfully comments on our media-driven world by critiquing TV, movies, magazines, and advertising and by featuring interviews, reviews and profiles of feminist pop-culture makers, new books, musical artists and more. B*tch Magazine “seeks to be a fresh, revitalizing voice for feminism, one that welcomes complex arguments, showcases witty and whip-smart critiques of popular culture, and refuses to ignore the contradictory and sometimes uncomfortable details that constitute the realities of life in an unequivocally gendered world.” You can find B*tch Magazine along with other feminist magazines, zines, comics and literature in our store. Also, visit www.bitchmagazine.com for more information.So with all of these great events coming soon, and many more in between, the rest of the summer couldn’t be any better. Check out our events section for more exciting happenings and always check our website www.boxcarbooks.org for the most up to date information. Thu, 10 Aug 2006 18:58:11 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=41 Photos from the Boxcar Books Rock N' Roll Prom are here and they look good! You can browse the photos by following the links below. Clicking on a thumbnail image will show a larger version of that image that fits in your browser window. Clicking on the larger image will show an even larger image that would be suitable for printing. To download this larger image, right click on the image and choose 'Save Image As' in your web browser. If you have any problems or questions, let me know at geoff@boxcarbooks.org. There are many, many prom photos, so please be patient while we upload all of them. Browse the Rock N' Roll Prom 2K6 Prom Photos Sun, 23 Apr 2006 08:57:39 -0400 http://www.boxcarbooks.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=40 Boxcar Books 4th Annual Rock-N-Roll Prom 2006!!! A Benefit for Boxcar Books and the Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project Saturday, April 15 @ Second Story Nightclub (201 S. College) doors @ 9:30pm, bands @ 10:30pm $6 a person or $10 a couple featuring the following fine cover bands: BAD IS BAD a top-secret band from the folks that brought you Erotic City ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL sweet Ramones covers ALI CASH featuring Madeline as June Carter if Johnny Cash was a girl, with all-star line-up REDONDO BEACH PARTY The Door-Keys take on Patti Smith and records spun all night by: THE MOTHERTRUCKIN' DJs! also featuring: photos, party favors, decorations, and wild yet classy times Wed, 29 Mar 2006 15:09:15 -0500