History

An Archival Mystery… Solved in the Children’s Room!

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Have you ever wondered about the large metal book press solidly fastened to the circulation desk in the Children’s Room? I hadn’t given it much thought, myself, long assuming that it was just a helpful fixture in the library. We use it to repair books and it couldn’t be handier. Working in the Community Archives Room (and relatively obsessed with all things historical in the library), I had read the plaque on the counter and knew that the desk had stood in a long-operating, family-owned insurance office here in Gardiner for many, many years. Somehow, however, I never paused to …

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Historic Photo Mystery – Solved in the Archives!

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Of all the wonderful reference questions we field in the Community Archives Room, some of the most engaging involve identifying photographs and their subjects, relative to Gardiner history.  Often people bring in photos of family members or local buildings and want to know just where or when or why a photo may have been taken.  We have wonderful historic maps and directories, as well as many already-identified photos that help with picking out clues to solve the mystery.  And, inevitably, every “solve” brings out new and enlightening details of our richly historic town. Recently, a  mystery came our way electronically. …

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100 Years And Counting!

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Did you know that there was a booklet published in 1981 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the library?  It was written by Jody Clark, illustrated by Betty Heselton, and gives a concise history of the first centennial.   Recently we found a small box of these booklets tucked into the back of a closet.  They are now at the front desk and can be yours for the price of any monetary donation. Here’s a taste of what you will find in it:    A lovely sketch of the fireplace in the Hazzard Reading Room     A poem written …

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MARVEL Blog – Week 10

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Back to the MARVELous Blog assignments, what will we discover this week?  It looks like a have a choice.  My options are Academic Search Complete ; Masterfile Premier ;  MiddleSearch Plus or Primary Search.  I’m sure that I will look at ALL of these, but for now, I look at Masterfile Premier. First I take a few minutes to glance through and see what publications are available as resources.  At this point, all I can say is “WOW”!  Truly an amazing and broad range of resources in this database.  There are both PDF and HTML formats of complete articles. I …

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MARVELous Invitational – Lesson 2 – Britannica!

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    My first assignment is to use Britannica – Public Library Edition and research something current. What to research???  I consider local elections but decide that might be too narrow a target, so I decide to find what is available in regards to the elderly woman who recently attempted to clean a holy painting.  Once I am in Marvel and find the Britannica Public Library Edition, I see the familiar search box near the top of the page and several interesting features on the rest of the page.  Below the Britannica title I see a Guided Tour and try …

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