> WHS Timely Topics
WHS Timely Topics
The most successful people and institutions these days adapt quickly to change. Join us at Windsor Historical Society on Tuesday, October 5th, at 7 p.m. as we take a look at how public libraries have adapted to changing times for 150 years. This program is part of the Society's widely acclaimed "Timely Topics" series which takes issues of contemporary concern and infuses historical perspective. Today most towns wouldn't seem complete without a public library. Yet it wasn't always that way; and in these times of rapid change, public libraries are stretching their parameters in order to continue to survive and thrive. Learn about the history and evolution of libraries; what might be coming next; and how new media such as electronic books affect library design, staff training, and even something as basic as how people think and process information. Our thoughtful and eloquent panel of librarians and historians includes Chris Bradley, Assistant Director of the Norwalk Library; preservationist and architectural historian Bill Hosley; Vince Juliano, Assistant Director of the Russell Library in Middletown; and Windsor Public Library Director Gaye Rizzo. After the Civil War ended, libraries proliferated. Many were founded by women's clubs. Others, established in the late 19th and early 20th century were supported by Scottish-American steel mogul Andrew Carnegie, who required that towns petitioning for Carnegie funds donate the land for the library, pay for half the construction costs, promise to supply ten percent of the library's construction costs each year for future operating expenses, and offer library services to the public at no charge. The relationship between libraries and museums has always been close: both serve as gateways to knowledge, and many of the nation's earliest libraries held local history collections as well. In the past decade public libraries have changed. Once primarily repositories for books, libraries have embraced a community-center role with banks of computer stations, public programming space, and Page 2 of 2. even cafes as print media and public funding have declined. Futurists have postulated that libraries may succeed by becoming "electronic outposts" and workspaces for increasing numbers of telecommuters who miss the social atmosphere of office life. How might this affect historic library buildings? What will constitute standards of appropriate library behavior? How should librarians be trained for future library needs? These are just a few of the issues on the table for our panelists to discuss on October 5th. Cost for the program is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and $4 for Windsor Historical Society members. Additional parking is available at the Windsor Discovery Center, First Church, and around Palisado Green. Call (860) 688-3813 or visit us at www.windsorhistoricalsociety.org for directions to the Society and more information about programs. To receive e-reminders for public programs, please send your e-mail address to jalberti@windsorhistoricalsociety.org. |
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Tickborne Illness Support Group
Jan 11, 2025 at LP Wilson Community Center, 599 Matianuck Ave. Windsor
Jan 11, 2025 at LP Wilson Community Center, 599 Matianuck Ave. Windsor