Carmichael Library at the University of Montevallo has been chosen among a select group of national libraries, colleges and universities to host “Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.

“The Holocaust is one of the defining moments in the history of the 20th century,” said Dr. Clark Hultquist, professor of European history. “The stories of genocide in general and the Holocaust in particular teach us the importance of citizens remaining vigilant against prejudice and hatred in all forms and the need for understanding and tolerance. This exhibit provides a specific example from the experience of the United States in a critical era.”

The touring library exhibition — based on the special exhibition of the same name at the Museum in Washington, D.C. — runs from Jan. 11 to Feb. 22, 2025. The traveling exhibition details the public response to the Holocaust in the U.S. and encourages visitors to think critically about what type of response they would have had during the time period.

“It hits the high points, and that’s what we’ll base our programming around, but we’ll also take it a step further and make it more Alabama and Montevallo centric,” said Carey Heatherly, UM archivist.

Throughout its display time in Carmichael Library, the exhibit features four lectures from local history and social studies experts:

• Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.: “Americans and the Holocaust: A Global Perspective,” presented by Hultquist. He placed the exhibit in a larger historical context with a discussion of anti-Semitism, the rise of the Nazis and the impact of World War II. A reception followed, and guests could explore the exhibit.
• Jan. 28 at 6 p.m.: “Uncovering Lost Voices: African American Involvement during the Holocaust,” presented by Dr. Greg Samuels, associate professor of secondary education, and Dr. Amy Samuels, associate professor of instructional leadership. This session highlighted the role and involvement of African American soldiers throughout the European theater during World War II. The discussion focused on narratives that examine their collaborative efforts in the liberation of concentration camps, as well as the challenges they faced while they served in racially segregated units of the military. Sources and questions for discussion were provided throughout the session.
• Feb. 4 at 5 p.m.: “Effects of the Diffusion of Attention and Interest Among Citizens,” presented by Dr. Ruth Truss, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Disillusionment with international affairs after 1918, domestic distractions of the 1920s and 1930s, distrust of groups seen as outsiders, and the Pacific as the primary theater of war identified with Alabama troops — these factors led many Alabamians to ignore news from Europe immediately preceding and during World War II. This presentation focused on Alabama and how her citizens tended to overlook information critical to the unfolding of and the eventual culmination of the crisis in Europe.
• Feb. 11 at 5 p.m.: “Basics and Best Practices in Holocaust Education using the Resources of the USHMM,” presented by Logan Greene, English Language Arts and social studies teacher at Berry Middle School in Hoover. Greene, a UM alum and the 2019 United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Teacher Fellow, will present the foundations of effective and purposeful Holocaust education. This will include discussions and explorations of the Guidelines of Holocaust Education and how to effectively utilize the timeline of the USHMM to help students understand the enormity of the Holocaust.

If you haven't had the chance to view the exhibit, be sure to make time by Feburary 22nd. And learn more by visiting UM's Americans and Holocaust website.

Adapted from Montevallo's Carmichael Library to Host "Americans and the Holocaust" Exhibit

Coordinated with the Americans and the Holocaust Exhibit, the library curated a display of materials and resources available online and on the first floor lobby. Be on the look out for future displays for Women's History Month and more.

Did you know that librarians led 148 instructional sessions in Fall 2025? These sessions were implemented in a variety of courses: ENG 101, Digital Foundations, Digital Photography, Research in Social Welfare, Introduction to Music, Ecology, and more. Further, librarians are thrilled to have initiated instructional partnerships with the new Nursing and Educational Leadership Ed.D. programs.

We encourage faculty to team with librarians to deliver library instruction sessions. These sessions can cover topics such as library resource introductions, research tools and strategies, and digital technologies. They can be held in our EBSCO instruction room, the DML, in your classroom, or via Zoom. Additionally, asychronous options can be offered including prerecorded video, Canvas modules (available in Canvas Commons), and self-guided tutorials. If you are interested in planning or scheduling an instructional session, you can complete this instruction request form or contact a librarian.

We are excited to announce that some major library renovations are underway, thanks to support from the EBSCO Community Foundation and the UM Administration. With the goal of creating more of a one-stop academic experience, the Falcon Success Center will be relocating to the ground floor of Carmichael Library in Fall 2025. In preparation for this move, many upgrades are happening on the ground floor in 2025, including new carpet, furniture, and offices as well as new and reimagined spaces for meeting and studying. While work on this project began in January, efforts will be made to keep the floor accessible for students during construction. The project is set to be completed by August 2025. We appreciate your patience as this project progresses and are looking forward to unveiling the reinvisioned floor in the fall. Many thanks to UM's Physical Plant and IS&T personnel for their hard work on this project!

The Spring semester in the library has been unusual so far, in a good way. Hosting the “Americans and the Holocaust” traveling exhibition has been a valuable new experience for us. Archivist Carey Heatherly and History Professor Clark Hultquist wrote the grant that brought this national exhibit to Montevallo, and they’ve done a fantastic job of coordinating the setup (with help from Physical Plant, library staff, and students), scheduling a wonderful set of lectures, training student docents, and bringing in K-12 students and community groups to view the exhibit. And on February 22, we’ll have the additional experience of packing everything back up and sending it off to its next destination!

The exhibition, lectures, and field trips are all taking place on the main floor of the library – at the same time construction is occurring on the ground floor. The construction is taking place in phases, with different parts of the ground floor being walled off at different times, and we’ve noticed an uptick in students taking refuge on the upper floors (particularly the “quiet” top floor) from some of the noise that accompanies progress. While we know the construction process is disruptive to typical student routines, we remain convinced that in the long run it will all be worth it, when we’re able to welcome our colleagues from the Falcon Success Center into the building in the Fall. Stay tuned for a new chapter of academic support and student success at UM!

Did you know that some library resources have apps, downloads, or extensions that enable convenient access on mobile devices? Learn more below.

1. The Dark Forest (The Sequel to the Best Selling Novel Three Body Problem) by Cixin Liu

2. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

3. Floaters, Poems by Martín Espada

4. How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks

5. This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyber-Weapons Arms Race by Nicole Perlroth

6. Prequel: An American Fight Against Facism by Rachel Maddow

7. Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka

8. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

1. Dune, Part 2 directed by Denis Villeneuve

2. Licorice Pizza directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

3. Origin directed by Ava Duvernay

4. Handmaid's Tale, Season 4 (Series)

5. Petite Maman directed by Céline Sciamma

6. Happiness directed by Todd Solondz

7. Time directed by Garrett Bradley

8. Madoka Magica directed by Akijuki Shinbo and Yukihiro Miyamoto

• Jan. 14: Americans and the Holocaust: A Global Perspective
• Jan. 28: Americans and the Holocaust: Uncovering Lost Voices, African American Involvement during the Holocaust
• Feb. 3: Americans and the Holocaust: Shelby County Historical Society
• Feb. 4: Americans and the Holocaust: Effects of Diffusion of Attention and Interest Among Citizens
• Feb. 11: Americans and the Holocaust: Basics and Best Practices in Holocaust Education using the Resources of the USHMM
• Feb. 20: AAUW Talk featuring Dr. Maxine Morgan
• Feb. 20: Cash for College
• Mar. 3: BACHE Visiting Writers Series featuring Maurice Carlos Ruffin
• Mar. 14: VAAP Art Workshop
• April 9: Poems and Prints
• April 17: Poetry @ UM Reading: Dan Albergotti
• April 21: Art and Zoology exhbiition

Did you know that the library showcases the College Night Production Books? The 2024 set that is on display will soon be replaced with the 2025 editions. Stop by the library's main (first) floor to view them!

Email: library@montevallo.edu
Website: library.montevallo.edu
Location: 75 College Drive, Montevallo, AL, USA
Phone: 2056656100
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