Presented by Jenny C. Freed

SAA Annual Meeting, 10 August 2012

THE HIDDEN COLLECTION: ARCHIVES IN SMALL PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Clinton Power Station

Built on a 14,300-acre site with a 5,000-acre cooling lake

Began operating April 24, 1987 and reached 100% capacity on September 15, 1987. 

Capable of generating nearly 1,065 net megawatts (MW), enough electricity to power about 1 million average American homes.

Source: http://www.exeloncorp.com/powerplants/clinton/Pages/profile.aspx

C. H. Moore and Judge David Davis

Source: Warner Archive and David Davis Mansion

Lincoln and MooreStanding in front of the second courthouse (1849-1893).

Source: Moore & Warner Farm Management

C. H. Moore’s LibraryThe C. H. Moore Homestead (DeWitt County Museum) is open from April-December.

They host a variety of events, including the Apple and Pork Festival, sleigh rides at Thanksgiving, and historic baseball games. They also decorate Moore’s mansion at Christmas and offer candlelight tours.

Source: The DeWitt County Museum, courtesy of Larry Buss.

Vespasian WarnerC. H. Moore’s law partner and son-in-law.

He built the Vespasian Warner Public Library to house C. H. Moore’s book collection.

Vespasian Warner LibraryConstruction began in 1906 and was completed in 1908.

If you look closely, you can see that the library is still under construction in this postcard. The windows do not have glass.

Source: Warner Library Archive

The Library TodayThe new addition was completed in 1992.

Source: vwarner.org

Summer 2009Archival materials and books were grouped together in no particular order.

Things I found on the shelves, floor, and assorted cabinets throughout the building:

• Silver tea service

• Works Projects Administration Artwork

• Photographs of the Japanese Surrender aboard the USS Missouri in 1945

• Stereoscopes and photographs

OrganizingWe brought materials, including the C. H. Moore collection, into the museum so we could organize them

We worked on this project every Summer and Fall for three years.

WPA ArtworkWe found twenty-nine pieces of WPA artwork.

The artwork appears to be of Illinois, both industrial and rural areas.

The Works Projects Administration was very active in the community, and the mural they did in the local post office is still there today.

Bulletin Board ExhibitsI did several bulletin board exhibits, including ones on ...

• American Archives Month

• Preservation

• Postcards of Clinton in the Warner Library Archive

• “Vespasian Warner for Governor!”

The postcard bulletin board was particularly popular. Many people asked for copies of the images we had on display.

“Vespasian Warner for Governor!” We used information we had on Warner’s campaign for governor to remind people to register to vote.

We also used it as an opportunity to explain to our patrons what was happening to public libraries in Illinois.

“The Civil War: A Soldier’s Journey”Dave Ward, the Warner Library’s resident Jack-of-All-Trades, created a replica of the local Civil War Cemetery, Woodlawn, for the exhibition.

“The Civil War: A Soldier’s Journey”We received an “Award of Superior Achievement” for our work on “The Civil War: A Soldier’s Journey.”

The award is for  “recognition of superior achievement that serves as a model for the profession and reaches a greater public.”

“Uncommon Valor: Poverty and Triumph” Four large posters gave a general history of the war. Smaller posters discussed topics like the radio, movies, race relations, and the Holocaust.

We also had nine posters on WWII veterans from DeWitt County. They were the highlight of the exhibition.

“Uncommon Valor: Poverty and Triumph” We recreated a soldiers’ camp for the WWII exhibition. The setting was the Battle of the Bulge.

Included in the camp: a fake fire, uniforms, magazines from the period, pin-ups, candy wrappers and foods from the period (Spam, Campbell’s Soup). The background was painted by my assistant, Hannah Kitson.

The Nazi flag on the right was taken from Berlin in 1945.

Photograph Collection: DeWitt County Civil War Veterans

Railroad Collection

Photograph Collection: The second courthouse (foreground) and Magill Hotel (background)

AcknowledgementsSpecial Thanks To...

My co-presenters for their support and willingness to read multiple drafts of this presentation and to Bobbi Perryman, the Adult Services Librarian at the Warner Library, for proof-reading and fact-checking.

BibliographyCook, Hansel. “Librarians and Archivists, Archivists and Librarians: What’s the Connection?”

Feliciter 51, no. 2 (2005): 69-71.

Edwards, Julie Biando and Melissa S. Rauseo. “Community Centered: 23 Reasons Why Your Library is the Most Important Place in Town.” Public Libraries Online, 50, no. 5 (Sept/Oct 2011)http://www.publiclibrariesonline.org/magazines/featured-articles/community-

centered-23-reasons-why-your-library-most-important-place-town.

Edwards, Ronald G. “Migrating to Public Librarianship: Depart on Time to Ensure a Smooth

Flight.” Library Trends 50, no. 4 (Spring 2002): 631-639.

Glazer, Gwen. “Digitizing Hidden Collections in Public Libraries.” OITP Perspectives 1 (June

2011). http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oitp/publications/oitpperspectives/oitp

_perspectives_ju.pdf.

Manning, Mary and Judy Silva. “Dual Archivist/Librarians: Balancing the Benefits and

Challenges of Diverse Responsibilities.” College & Research Libraries 73, no. 2 (March 2012): 165-181.

Marquis, Kathy. “Historical Collections: Is Adding One Right for Your Public Library?” Public

Libraries Online. 50, no. 2 (Mar/Apr 2011). http://www.publiclibrariesonline.org/

magazines/featured-articles/historical-collections-adding-one-right-your-public-library.