Research Blog : events

WWII Rosie the Riveters

just_renny@evpl — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:15:00 GMT

Dr. Heidi Strobel will be presenting a program titled "Harmony of the Homefront: Homegrown Rosie the Riveters" tomorrow (March 20, 2013) starting at 6:30 in the Browning Room at Central Library. This program will feature information from an oral history research project Dr. Strobel conducted in 2008 and 2009. Dr. Strobel is currently Associate Professor of Art History in the Department of Archaeology and Art History at the University of Evansville.

The Evansville in WWII Digital Collection was funded with a grant from the US Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Indiana State Library. The WWII Speaker Series is part of the promotional events for the grant.

Ms. Mary Sims, Welder.

Evansville in WWII Digital Collection

just_renny@evpl — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:24:00 GMT

EVPL worked with the University of Southern Indiana and the Evansville Museum of Arts, History, and Science for the last year on the "Evansville in WWII" Digital Collection. The collection was funded with a grant from the US Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Indiana State Library.

EVPL digitized their collection of newsletters from Evansville factories producing for the war industry. The newsletters contain information about safety on the job, awards and goals acheived in production, recreational activities, comics, and photographs of laborers and their families. The newsletters can be searched by word which greatly helps when searching for something specific.

USI owns a collection of war bond posters produced and distributed nationally by the Government Printing Office. The posters are colorful and show a variety of topics that were important to the patriotic feelings of Americans during the war. A few of these posters are recognizable as they were created by Norman Rockwell, famous for his Saturday Evening Post (among other magazine) covers.

The Museum allowed EVPL to scan their collection of Evansville Shipyard photographs which were commissed by the Navy at the beginning of the shipyard construction in Evansville. The collection includes nearly 10,000 pictures of the shipyard, building construction, laborers, office workers, ship building, ship christening, recreational activities, war ships on the Ohio River, and much more. Many of these pictures contain names of workers or people involved in the ship christenings which can be searched.

In support of the efforts to bring to light Evansville's participation in WWII, EVPL is also hosting the WWII Speaker Series. The first speaker will by Mike Linderman from Angel Mounds discussing the WPA and Angel Mounds. Coming up later in March are Tom Lonnber from the Evansville Museum and Heidi Strobel from the University of Evansville. April features the final three presenters: Jennifer Greene from USI, local author Harold Morgan, and EVPL digitization clerk Lauren Weingart.

If you have questions or comments submit them to Renny in Reference Services.

1888 Bird's Eye View of Evansville

just_renny@evpl — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:18:00 GMT

To help celebrate the Bicentennial of Evansville and Historic Preservation Month, EVPL has enlarged an 1888 Bird's Eye View map of Evansville! The map is 10 feet by 15 feet, so you can see a lot of detail. It is located at Central on the 2nd Floor just outside the Indiana Room. Be sure to sign the guest book and share what you like about Evansville! Dennis Au, Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Evansville will be leading a "walking" tour of the map pointing out key features while giving some history of Evansville in 1888. His tour starts at 6:30 on May 31st.

The panoramic map was a popular cartographic form used to depict U.S. cities and towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Known also as bird's-eye views, they are nonphotographic representations of cities portrayed as if viewed from above at an oblique angle. Although not generally drawn to scale, they show street patterns, individual buildings, and major landscape features in perspective. Preparation of panoramic maps involved a vast amount of painstakingly detailed labor. For each project a frame or projection was developed, showing in perspective the pattern of streets. An artist then walked in the street, sketching buildings, trees, and other features to present a complete and accurate landscape as though seen from an elevation of 2,000 to 3,000 feet.

Check out the Library of Congress American Memory Map Collection for other types of maps and another Bird's Eye Views of Evansville.

We also have several other programs planned as part of the Bicentennial and Historic Preservation Month. Be sure to mark you calendars for Do You Know Your Local History on June 5th at 6:30 in the Browning Room B and come by and check out Home Movies of the Great Flood of 1937, narrated by Dr. Robert Reid on June 7th at 6:30 in Browning Room B.

Do You Know Your Local History?

wag.mado@evpl — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:34:00 GMT

Do you know the name of the restaurant that was located at 218 N.W. Fourth in the 1950's? Hint: The owner's last name was Topper. Well, if you'd like to take a stroll down "memory lane" and discover the answer to this question and many more, please join us for our next Savvy Senior's Series program. We will be meeting at Hickory Lake Apartments this Thursday, June 9 at 10:00 AM. This program is free, open to the public and does not require registration. Renny McBride, EVPL's local history librarian will present a quiz show format program about people/places in Evansville's history. She will also discuss the many library resources that are available to our community regarding local history. Come and share the memories with us.

Central's anniversary celebration SUNDAY features mini-golf, Book Cart Drill Team, & more!

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:59:00 GMT

(Please visit the site to view this media)
View larger version.

Starting with a press conference on Thursday, September 17, we've been honoring Central Library's 5th anniversary with some special events. Our Film Festival wraps up this afternoon with a showing of Citizen Kane. On Saturday, we'll be hosting a Poetry Festival.

On Sunday, party with us at Central Library's Anniversary Celebration! There will be activities & entertainment for all ages to enjoy.

How many times have you had the urge to play mini-golf in the library? Satisfy that urge on Sunday, when we'll have 18 holes of mini-golf set up in Central's stacks (on the 1st & 2nd floors)! And don't worry...there won't be any water hazards. Get your golf game on from 1-5pm.

Enjoy some food & music in the café garden from 1-4:30pm. We'll be grilling hot dogs & hamburgers!

Over 20 cakes will be on display in the lobby from 1-3:30pm as part of our Cake Decorating Contest. Vote for your favorite! Winners will be announced shortly before 4pm, and the cakes (& punch) will be served from 4-5pm.

Nothing will prepare you for our Book Cart Drill Team's first public performance at 2:30pm in the lobby! With epic choreography & drama, the team will recreate a famous battle from literature (& a recent movie trilogy). With book carts.

We'll also have a scavenger hunt & appearances by literary actors (can you guess who they are?) throughout the celebration.

There will be something for everyone at Sunday's Anniversary Celebration. Hope to see you then!