Ypsilanti Ladies Library

November 15th, 2009

Women's groups have been a major force in the establishment of public libraries and the forerunners of public libraries in the United States. A good example of a library established by a women's group that developed into a public library is the Ypsilanti Ladies Library in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The Ladies Library was founded in 1868 by the Ladies Library Association. The library began as a subscription library open to all for a small fee. In 1890 Mrs. Mary Ann Starkweather presented the Association her home, an elaborate Italianate-style building, to house the library. An arch over the front door was added to identify the building as the Ladies Library. Although the library started receiving public support and became a free public library around the turn of the century, it did not change its name from "Ladies Library" to "Public Library" until 1948. The Starkweather home continued to house the public library until 1963 when the library moved into the old post office building. The library is now the Ypsilanti District Library.

No comments »

Posted in Feeds

Abe Martin’s Public Library

November 14th, 2009

Abe Martin was a cartoon character created by Kin Hubbard. Cartoons featuring the homespun Abe Martin character and the cartoon's locale of Brown County, Indiana ran in The Indianapolis News from 1905 to 1930. Will Rogers has been quoted as saying Hubbard was "America's greatest humorist". Hubbard was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 1967. The cartoon featured on this postcard shows Abe in front of the local public library and has the following blurb "I wonder if you've got such a thing as a good, interestin' novel, one I won't be afraid to leave layin' around where the children 'il see it?" asked Mrs. Leghorn Tharp at our Public Library today. A collection of postcards featuring the Abe Martin cartoons is located at the Indiana Historical Society. This one is from my personal collection.

No comments »

Posted in Feeds

The World at our Doorstep– with a photo contest

November 13th, 2009

Here at the library we’re proud to co-sponsor USF’s celebration of International Education Week 2009. Now in the lobby we’re featuring film, recent fiction and poetry by international newcomers to the Bay Area and across the U.S., in honor of IEW and our international students.

You might have already spotted photos from the IEW photo contest around campus or on Facebook. You can view them online here and on the monitor in the library lobby as well. The campus community is invited to vote for the three that best depict international education and cultural exchange. Cast your vote online or in Parina Lounge when it’s transformed into the USF World Village next Tuesday, Nov. 17 from noon to 2 p.m. Voting will be open through Tuesday at 2. The photo contest winners will be announced at the fabulous Culturescape. Don’t miss it!

Photo by Rob Guillen

No comments »

Posted in Feeds

Librarian Veterans

November 11th, 2009

When Veterans Day comes around each year and America pays homage to those who serve and have served in the military, I often reflect on my own military experience during the Vietnam Conflict/War. Part of that reflection is my identification with all the others who have shared the experience of serving one's country in the military. As I have written in an earlier post, my own service was involuntary as was the service of many of those in the Vietnam era. My experience was unusual in that I was already a professional librarian when I went into the Army. Librarians have served in the military and have provided service to the military in times of war throughout our library past. Librarian of Congress John G. Stephenson from 1861-1864 spent much of his tenure serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. Librarians both male and female participated in the American Library Association's Library War Service during World War I. During World War II many librarians disrupted their library careers to serve their country in uniform. Edwin Castagna, former Director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, voluntarily joined the Army during World War II and served as a company commander in the 771st Tank Battalion in several key World War II campaigns. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for heroism. A group of female librarians who were in supervisory roles in military libraries during World War II became leaders in state library agencies in the years following the war. They included Estellene Walker, Nettie Taylor, and S. Janice Kee. There aren't many librarians who served in the military during the Vietnam Conflict/war, but there were some. There are also many librarians in military libraries that serve the armed forces on an ongoing basis .

No comments »

Posted in Feeds

Darwin’s Originality and Its Consequences

November 10th, 2009

A display to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publishing of Charles Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species.”

We have selected for display a number of books that demonstrate the pervasive influence of Darwin’s theory of natural selection on a broad range of disciplines. No single researcher has matched his impact on the natural and social sciences; on politics, religion and philosophy; on art and cultural relations.

We have recently ordered a number of newer books on the topic and they will be continually added to the display until it is removed.

The display will up be up until the end of November. Please visit the display (near the Gleeson front desk and the entrance to the Thacher Art Gallery), browse and/or checkout the books and and say hello to Charles.