THE TEACHING COMPANY

I've just ordered another course for myself from "The Teaching Company". This is an outfit based in Virginia who offers "The Great Courses". They have over 200 courses taught by reknowned college professors available in several different media formats. I have quite a few of them (more than I'll admit to my wife). They are excellently done.

The one I just ordered is "Between the Rivers: The History of Ancient Mesopotamia." The DVD format I ordered has 36 lectures each 30 minutes long on the history of what is now modern Iraq. One of the tragedies of the current war, in addition to the lives lost on both sides, is the destruction of archeological sites and of ancient artifacts from this area which was the birthplace of civilization. I felt a need to learn as much as I could about them before it was all blown to bits, sold on the black market, whatever.

I would think that purchasing of courses such as these for your library would be an excellent project for your Friends group. The courses are not dirt cheap but are still inexpensive enough so that if you have a fund-raising project that raises a couple hundred bucks you could buy two or three for your library.

Check them out at http://www.TEACH12.com