Institute seeks designers for community aid

The Drachman Institute at the University of Arizona is issuing its 2004 Request for Proposals for Planning, Landscape and Architectural Design Assistance.

The RFP program is designed to help neighborhood organizations, small cities and towns, rural associations and non-profit groups with community planning and design projects. Proposals are due by Friday, July 9.

The institute is the public service outreach arm of the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. Over the last 12 years, the institute has brought the skills and knowledge of students, faculty and staff from the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture to communities in need in Tucson, Pima County and Arizona. Projects vary in scope and size and may include community and neighborhood plans, parks, playgrounds and landscape designs, preliminary architectural designs for affordable housing or community buildings, master plans for an organization's building on a proposed site, traffic coaming projects, pedestrian and bicycle paths or similar schematic or concept designs.

"Unfortunately, we are not able to do architectural projects in which we are asked to prepare construction drawings or specifications," said architecture Professor Corky Poster, who heads the project. "However, our previous concept design work has often led to project funding, which in turn has allowed groups to hire on the professional assistance required to implement the project."

Poster said that while there is generally no charge for faculty and student salaries for the work performed on these projects, they do request that the groups selected for project assistance contribute funds - on a sliding scale, based on ability to pay - at the start of the project for materials, supplies, production, travel and related direct costs.

More information on the Drachman Institute and their technical assistance in planning, landscape and architectural design is on line at http://architecture.arizona.edu/outreach/cpdw/default.htm. An online application for the RFP also is available at the site. For more information or an application, call Professor Poster at 520-623-1722 or e-mail cposter@u.arizona.edu.

'Friends' strengthen library collections

The University of Arizona Libraries have recently added more than a quarter of a million dollars of valuable electronic and print materials to their collections, in addition to a few extraordinarily rare items for Special Collections.

This spring, the Friends of the Library, an active association that supports the UA Libraries' efforts in acquisitions, preservation and outreach, procured $280,000 worth of materials for the campus.

"Each year, the Friends of the Library purchases many valuable items that strengthen our collections," said Carla Stoffle, dean of the Libraries and Center for Creative Photography. "But this is the largest set of purchases ever made through Friends' contributions and efforts to raise money. We are thrilled at their generosity and many hours of commitment on behalf of the campus at large."

One of the largest purchases is "Latino Literature," an electronic database with more than 200 novels, hundreds of short stories, approximately 30,000 pages of poetry and more than 250 plays by Latino writers working in the U.S. Other large purchases include electronic back editions of The New York Times from 1851-1924 and a limited edition of Aeschylus's "Oresteia" by Ted Hughes with woodcuts by Leonard Baskin, the final production of Gehenna Press and a masterpiece of American typography held by only four libraries nationwide.

All the Friends' purchases aspire to meet the needs of researchers and students across campus working in a wide range of academic fields.

Latino filmmakers' association hosts national workshop

The Tucson Chapter of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) will help coordinate the Latino Producers Academy, Aug. 5-12. Volunteers are needed to assist with everything from driving producers, directors and actors from the Tucson airport to the University Marriott to assisting with the logistics of nightly script readings during the academy.

Activities related to the Latino Producers Academy will take place at the University Marriott Hotel and on the UA campus.

This is the second consecutive year that Tucson has hosted the academy, during which 30 up-and-coming filmmakers work for a week under the guidance of major New York and Hollywood filmmakers to develop their projects. Volunteering is for anyone interested in being in the center of an exciting week of entertainment-related activities as nationwide Latino talent is developed in the Tucson and University of Arizona community.

The invitation to volunteer is extended to students, retirees and anyone with the desire to participate.

For information on volunteer opportunities during the Latino Producers Academy contact Valentino Costa, 520-235-1862 or email: Tinoc72@yahoo.com or nalip_talentlpa04@hotmail.com.