While writing a blog entry about the exciting upcoming release of the 1940 Census records online, I came across a neato event at a Michigan library where a professional geneaology researcher will help people find their relatives in the records. It's free and it's awesome, particularly in this era of plummeting budgets. Props to you and your Michigan colleagues, Janet.
This is the thread in which we show love and share cool library resources and events. If you libraries, post!
I love libraries. These days, I mostly only visit them online to download audiobooks, but they are much appreciated.
I noticed that they also have Kindle books available. I don't have a Kindle, but I have downloaded the free Kindle app. for my computer, so maybe one of these days, I'll read an e-book on my computer.
I'm off to download an audiobook right after I finish browsing
Despite budget cuts from an already tiny budget, our local library continues to offer quality children's programs. During the school year they have story and craft time twice a week for the preschoolers, and during the summer offer reading contests, free movies, puppet shows, concerts, and demonstrations...again there is something of interest twice a week. The children's librarians are super special ladies that take a keen personal interest in the kids they serve.
Awesome little place.
Statewide, I have been enjoying the digital library program, unexpected for a poor state, and have checked many books out to my Kindle app.
I wouldn't at all mind working for Multnomah. Their former director used to hang out on the Intellectual Freedom boards of ALA when I did. I think he was on the Intellectual Freedom Committee, too, but probably not when I was the RUSA representative to it. I could be wrong about that, though. It's all lost in my memory somewhere.
Oh, and I'm totally going to talk our genealogy expert into stealing that idea and doing an Intro to the 1940 Census program.
__________________
"freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."
- Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
Our library has a pretty cool community workshop series that they do in partnership with The Center for Texas Studies at TCU.
It mostly focuses on local history. I went to one where our neighborhood historian, Mike McDermorr, spoke. It focused on our neighborhood and post WWI buildings in general. He published an images of America book on it. It is very well done even if he falls into some of the rah rah "urban pioneers" BS about the present. Fort Worth's Fairmount District.
I am glad you made this thread because this next one sounds awesome:
Quote:
Censored Movies! Theda, Jane and Brigitte and the Fort Worth Censor Board
Movie censorship began almost immediately after the introduction of motion pictures. The Fort Worth Censor Board, created in 1911 to monitor content of theatrical productions and motion pictures, banned or edited films featuring actresses such as Theda Bara, Jane Russell and Brigitte Bardot deemed inappropriate for local audiences. Failure to meet board standards resulted in police raids.
Speaker Max Hill retired as the assistant manager for the Genealogy & Local History Unit of the Fort Worth Library in 2005 after almost 29 years of service. He currently researches local golf courses, nightclubs, and movie censorship.
It is an absolute trip to think about localized censoring boards in our current media environment.
So does every library have a whole unit, or a least a whole expert, dedicated to genealogical research? I didn't realize it was such a common thing, especially in these days of slash-and-burn budgets. I did just discover during my recent research obsession that my small town library has far more extensive historical records -- including a surprising number of period high res photographs -- on their rudimentary website than the town itself has on its.
Ours doesn't have an expert on staff that I am aware of. We have had a lot of fun going through the microfilm of the old City directories to find the previous owners of our house though. I have dabbled in looking at their census records, which is how I discovered that the dentist that built our house actually resided in a Parish in Louisiana and only came to Fort Worth to pull teeth during the cattle drives. Which solved so many mysteries for us. It explains the size and layout (I don't think my front parlor was for entertaining if you know what I mean) and the fact that we don't have a fireplace. He never wintered here so there was no need of one. Same with the bathroom. It was for baths only and there was an outhouse in the back. Even in 1919 a bachelor had little need for such comforts.
The weirdest thing we discovered though is an old King's Manual of Obstetrics from 1882. We found it in the rafters of our house. There is an entire dog-eared chapter on abortions. Who knows what kinds of late night medical procedures happened in my house once upon a time. I do know that the dentist had an office in Hell's Half Acre and later in a posh place downtown, but he listed his home as well as his work address side by side in the directories.
We are spoiled though, because we have the southwest National Archives. That is genealogy mecca and I really should take more advantage of it. Is it terrible that I am more interest in the people who lived in my house, rather than my family? I have some curiosity about my fore-bearers, but I get all excited about finding out who lived in the spaces I inhabit.
Our local library offers nice reading programs and other events for the little ones. They're also part of the Overdrive ebook program, so I can check out ebooks from there (selection isn't great, but they have a few I want to read). They also participate in freegal, and I've been able to download several full albums (three songs per week) for free.
I love the library in my hometown. It's a six-story behemoth built in the early 1900s. It *looks* like a library.
Although I've moved almost entirely to reading ebooks, I still have a soft spot for libraries, and I also know they serve an underrepresented portion of the population who don't have high speed Internet, nice computers, and Kindles. Plus, since my kids are budding bookworms, they provide an inexpensive alternative to buying new books every 2-3 months.
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Be it true or false, what is said about men often has as much influence upon their lives, and especially upon their destinies, as what they do.
Not all libraries have genealogy departments, but we have a great one. We actually lucked out on the librarian. He was already a member of the local genealogical society and a local history buff when he came here. He volunteered for us while he was in library school and several librarians told the director to hire him or else. Glad she listened.
ETA: I should say that most urban libraries have genealogy collections. Suburban or rural libraries may not, but it's pretty standard in urban libraries. San Antonio has an entire department for it with pretty much a floor to themselves. At least they did when I worked there, budget cuts may well have dented it. Detroit has an outstanding one that they now charge non-residents to use. Flint with its provincial sense of importance naturally has to have its own.
__________________
"freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."
- Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
my b. I'm still a red-headed stepchild after 6 years lol
Our local library is pretty hot--the whole state is interconnected into a single consortium (of course, the entire state is smaller than some counties on other parts west of here). More than once some new book I need to read is not yet in the academic library network I'm part of and buying it is out of the question but then Mrs. KA finds it in one of the public libraries in some rural corner of the state and gets it on inter-library loan. She relies quite heavily on the local public library to put together her curriculum for home-schooling the people. I've never investigated whether any of the local libraries offer genealogical services, but I have noticed a very close connection between a lot of the local historical societies and whatever public library is close-at-hand.
__________________ I saw a man at the beach yelling "Help, shark! Help!"
I just laughed, I knew that shark wasn't going to help him.
So does every library have a whole unit, or a least a whole expert, dedicated to genealogical research? I didn't realize it was such a common thing, especially in these days of slash-and-burn budgets. I did just discover during my recent research obsession that my small town library has far more extensive historical records -- including a surprising number of period high res photographs -- on their rudimentary website than the town itself has on its.
That's impressive, Ding. Genealogy is a big trend right now. I think public libraries that have these resources should publicize them like crazy. Get more butts in seats.
Your library is on Dewey Avenue, Ding. That's adorable.
__________________
"freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."
- Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
Abandoned Walmart Transformed Into A Functioning Library, and a really pretty, cheery, smart one too. It's really quite a brilliant use of what is basically an inhumanly huge ranch-style structure. The architects who designed it won an award.
Quote:
For a library, the existing 124,500 square foot space is huge. That’s the size of about 2 1/2 football fields making the new library the largest single-story location in the US.
MSR began by stripping out much of the old ceiling and walls left in the space. All the perimeter walls and ceiling were given a fresh coat of white paint.
A laser-cut wood wall at the entry folds into a ceiling plane that runs the length of the building, visually dividing the library on the left from the computer lab, meeting rooms and staff areas on the right.
We could never do that, sadly. Because we're a city library and Walmart doesn't build in cities.
__________________
"freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."
- Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
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