This week, on December 18, we will host the third and final Library Lunchtime Lecture for this semester. Our speakers are Jason Hale, chair of the Department of Theater, and his colleague and State Theater actress Meltem Keskin. Their talk, entitled “Let’s Play: Directing American Dramas in Turkey,” will take the form of a one-on-one conversation in which the speakers will discuss the challenges and rewards of directing and acting in American plays in Turkey. Topics include casting, translations and the process of making understood on the Turkish stage the various specific American cultural identities. The presentation will shed light on the nature of global collaborations and the universal nature of theater arts. This unconventional and exciting talk will take place at 12:40 p.m. on Thursday, in the Main Campus Library Art Gallery. The lecture will be in English (mostly!), and lunchtime refreshments will be provided.
Many Bilkenters may recall that the first speaker for our Lunchtime Lecture series, back in March 2008, was the late Prof. Talât Halman. Bilkent librarians and library staff were very sad indeed to hear the news of his passing on Friday, December 5, for Prof. Halman was a great friend and benefactor of the Library. In addition to the more than 60 books in our collection authored or edited by Prof. Halman, he donated over the years approximately five thousand books to the Library, many of them valuable and rare items. Prof. Halman was also proactive in securing other important donations to Bilkent from outside: for example, he was very much involved in the establishment of the Hasan Ȃli Yücel Room last spring semester. In addition to the Lunchtime series, Prof. Halman supported other events at the Library, including the annual Library Week activities and our Turkish Writers at Bilkent series. Library staff remember Talât Halman as a polite and extremely friendly library user who, despite his advancing years, would always insist on collecting books from the shelves himself. He will be very much missed.