Introducing HeritageQuest!

East Central Regional Library is pleased to announce that it now offers a family history tool that complements the already popular Ancestry Library Edition. We are thrilled to add HeritageQuest Online database to our growing list of high-quality resources. HeritageQuest is conveniently accessed via the library's website anywhere with an internet connection by logging in with your library card!

HeritageQuest Online is a comprehensive database of American genealogical and historical sources with unique primary sources, local and family histories, convenient research guides, interactive census maps, and more.  With coverage dating back to the 1700s, it is a great place for people to start searching for their ancestors or discovering a place’s past.

This authoritative resource consists of the following core data sets:

• U.S. Federal Censuses feature the original images of every extant federal census in the United States, from 1790 through 1940, with every-name indexes for all years.
• Genealogy and local history books and directories deliver more than 40,000 family histories, local histories, city directories, and other books.
• Revolutionary War records contains original images from pension and bounty land warrant application files help to identify more than 80,000 American Army, Navy, and Marine officers and enlisted men from the Revolutionary War era.
• Freedman’s Bank Records, with more than 480,000 names of bank applicants, their dependents, and heirs from 1865–1874, and full-page register views, it offers valuable data that can provide important clues to tracing African American ancestors prior to and immediately after the U.S. Civil War. It is considered one of the most important resources for African-American genealogical research.
• U.S. Serial Set records the memorials, petitions, private relief actions made to the U.S. Congress back to 1789, with a total of more than 480,000 pages of information.
• Periodical Source Index (PERSI) Archive (1800-2009), published by the Allen County Public Library, it contains more than 2.3 million records covering both English and French periodicals published around the world since 1800.

To learn more about HeritageQuest Online or for help using HeritageQuest Online, view the LibGuide.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert family historian, try HeritageQuest today!

Sarah Hawkins, Resource Librarian

Digital Public Library of America Launched Today!

After some two and a half years in the making, the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) has launched today!

DPLA will deliver millions of materials found in American archives, libraries, museums, and cultural heritage institutions to students, teachers, scholars, and the public. Represented in this unprecedented national aggregation of digital content is the rich contribution of the Minnesota Digital Library (MDL) through the organizations participating in Minnesota Reflections.

As a special part of the DPLA launch, the MDL, under the direction of curator Leah Bowe from the Minnesota Historical Society, has created a fascinating online exhibit on the topic of Native Americans, entitled History of Survivance: Upper Midwest 19th Century Native American Narratives. This exhibit tells a story of extraordinary culture disruption, change, and continuity and the effect that has had on the Native population of Minnesota.

Take a look and explore the new DPLA portal!

Sara Ring, Digitization and Metadata Training Coordinator
Minitex Digitization, Cataloging & Metadata Education

Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota

Digital Delights

A monthly glimpse into the collections at

Minnesota Reflections

http://reflections.mndigital.org

a project of the Minnesota Digital Library

 

Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota

By Greta Bahnemann, MDL Metadata Coordinator

Marian Rengel, MDL Outreach Coordinator

November 1, 2012

 

Young men left family and friends and traveled to the Civilian Conservation Corps camps across Minnesota in the 1930s and 1940s to work, provide for their families, and leave a lasting mark on the state’s history.

A major new collection in Minnesota Reflections captures the stories of these men in their own words. Now, more than 500 issues of weekly newsletters from camps in Cook County and on Minnesota’s Iron Range provide students and teachers, researchers and descendents with first-hand accounts of daily life for the men working in those camps.

The Minnesota Historical Society contributed the newsletters to Minnesota Reflections. These newsletters complement a wide array of photographs that document camp life that the Cook County Historical Society and the Iron Range Research Center had already contributed to Minnesota Reflections.

MDL Metadata Coordinator Greta Bahnemann and MDL Outreach Coordinator Marian Rengel selected just a few newsletters and photographs to highlight this amazing collection of materials about the CCC. The chart on the following pages gives readers a sense of the depth of the treasures they can now find in the collection.

Once you have explored our offering here, you may wish to find more within Minnesota Reflections. Here’s the shortest way to find only the newsletters.

To find all of the newsletters, go to the Minnesota Historical Society’s landing page in Minnesota Reflections http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/mhs; then click on “Browse Minnesota Historical Society.” After that page loads, look to the left under “Narrow your search by” for “Item Physical Type.” From that drop-down menu, choose “newsletters (513).” You can then Browse those results or narrow your search.

CCC Newsletter	Location
Camp Chips 1935-1937 April 14, 1935 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/2501 (First of 18)	Hovland, Minnesota
Link to 35 images for “Hovland” in Cook County Historical Society: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/search/collection/p15160coll14/collection/p15160coll14/searchterm/Hovland/mode/all/order/nosort/page/1 Selected Individual Images: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/11 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/22 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/26 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/38 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/39 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/41 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/44
The Caribou Ripsaw 1934-1935 April 20, 1935 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/2693	Lutsen, Minnesota
Link to 33 images for “Lutsen” in Cook County Historical Society: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/search/collection/p15160coll14/searchterm/Lutsen/field/all/mode/all/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc Selected Individual Images: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/142 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/131 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/5
Gunflint Trailer (Company 712) 1935, 1939-1941 April 23, 1940 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/3201	Grand Marais, Minnesota
Link to 11 images for “Company 712” in Cook County Historical Society: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/search/collection/p15160coll14/searchterm/Grand%20Marais!civilian%20conservation%20corps%20%28u.s.%29!712/field/all!specif!all/mode/all!all!all/conn/and!and!and/order/nosort/ad/asc Selected Individual Images: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/147 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/151 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/28
Sawbill Sez-All March 1939 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/3556	Tofte, Minnesota
Link to 11 images for “Tofte” in Cook County Historical Society: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/search/collection/p15160coll14/searchterm/Tofte/order/nosort Selected Individual Images: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/8 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/78 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/3
Northern Hi-Lights March 1939 (one issue) http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/3360	Cusson, Minnesota
Results for “Cusson” in Cook County Historical Society: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/144 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll14/id/145 Link to 4 results for “Cusson” in Iron Range Research Center collection: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/search/collection/irrc/searchterm/Cusson/order/nosort
Deer Lake Echo 1939 April 25, 1942 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/3059	Effie, Minnesota
Results for “Effie” in Iron Range Research Center collection:  http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2456 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2499
The Blue Ox 1936-1937 April 23, 1937 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/2297	Nevis, Minnesota
Results for “Nevis” in Iron Range Research Center collection: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2462 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2464
The Sullivanite 1935-1936 July 11, 1936 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/6485	Brimson, Minnesota
Results for “Brimson” in Iron Range Research Center collection: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2450 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2447
The Big Lake Breeze 1935, 1937 April 17, 1935 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/3836	Cloquet, Minnesota
Results for “Company 1760” in Iron Range Research Center collection: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2507 http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/irrc/id/2505

 

NEW BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS at Your Library!

Publishers are gearing up for fall!  New biographies and memoirs are sure to be popular and many will hit the bestseller lists.  Check the ECRL catalog in the coming weeks for the following:

Bruce by Peter A. Carlin – the life of Bruce Springsteen based on interviews with family, band members, friends, and ex-girlfriends

But Now I See by Steven Holcomb – the Olympic gold medalist faces possible blindness

Butch Cassidy by W.C. Jameson – the life, exploits, and controversial death of Robert Leroy Parker

Call of the American Wild by Guy Grieve – the author escapes to the Alaskan wilderness and builds a new life

Five Lieutenants by James Carl Nelson -- five brilliant young soldiers from Harvard serve their country during WWI

A Gift of Hope by Danielle Steel – the romance novelist discusses her tireless work with the homeless

The Godfather’s Daughter by Rita Gigante – growing up in the household of Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, head of all five New York crime families

Heisman by John M. Heisman – the first authorized biography of the man memorialized by the Heisman Trophy

Hello, Gorgeous by William J. Mann – Barbra Streisand’s early New York years and her rise to stardom

Killing Kennedy:  The End of Camelot by Bill O’Reilly – focuses on a 20^th century assassination shrouded in mystery and conjecture

Lady Bird Johnson:  An Oral History by Michael L. Gillette – 37 newly released oral histories collected over 14 years

Marmee & Louisa by Eve LaPlante – Louisa May Alcott’s relationship with her mother based on recently discovered family papers

Martin Luther King Jr:  A King Family Tribute edited by Angela Farris Watkins – family members share their memories

Pray the Gay Away by Bernadette C. Barton – the extraordinary lives of 50 Bible Belt gays and lesbians

Thornton Wilder:  A Life by Penelope Niven – the life of the great playwright and literary icon based on his personal papers

Titian:  His Life by Sheila Hale – a definitive study of the great Renaissance painter

Twitch Upon a Star by Herbie J. Pilato – Elizabeth Montgomery “Bewitched” thousands of TV viewers in the 1960s

The Voice is All by Joyce Johnson – a groundbreaking portrait of Jack Kerouac as a young artist

Bob Gray
Librarian
East Central Regional Library

April 15, 1912 - TITANIC SINKS IN NORTH ATLANTIC!

It was the largest and most luxurious ocean liner of its time.  Captained by Edward J. Smith, the RMS Titanic left Southhampton, England, for New York City on April 10, 1912.  Four days later, at 11:40 pm on April 14th, the ship struck on iceberg in the North Atlantic, south of Newfoundland, Canada.  In the early morning hours of April 15th, the Titanic broke in two and sank to the ocean floor.

1517 people perished.

April 15, 2012, is the 100th anniversary of a maritime disaster that continues to fascinate people around the world. 

East Central Regional Library has a wide variety of materials on the Titanic in various formats that can be requested and borrowed from your local branch library.

If you enjoy fiction, consider these novels, all published in 2012:

“By the Light of the Silvery Moon” by Tricia Goyer

“The Company of the Dead” by David Kowalski
“The Dressmaker” by Kate Alcott
“Echoes of Titanic” by Mindy Starns Clark
“Hearts that Survive” by Yvonne Lehman
“Promise Me This” by Cathy Golke

For nonfiction readers, the following 2012 titles should prove interesting:

“Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage” by Hugh Brewster
“Shadow of the Titanic” by Andrew Wilson
“Titanic:  Last Night of a Small Town” by John Welshman
“Titanic in Photographs” by Daniel Klistorner
“Titanic Tragedy” by John Maxtone-Graham
“Voyagers of the Titanic” by Richard Davenport-Hines

For film buffs, the library offers both feature films and documentaries:

“Titanic” starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck (1953)

“A Night to Remember” starring Kenneth More and Jill Dixon (1958)
“Titanic” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (1997)
“Titanic” starring Toby Jones and Linus Roache (2011)
“Titanic:  the Complete Story” (2011)
“Titanic:  100^th Anniversary Collection” (2012)
“Titanic:  the Definitive Documentary Collection” (2012)

 These are only a few of the items you'll find in the ECRL catalog.  For additional materials in various formats (for children, teens, and adults), access our homepage at www.ecrlib.org and click on "ECRL Catalog" on the upper left. 

And remember that library staff are always happy to assist with queries and suggestions!

Bob Gray
Reference and Interlibrary Loan Librarian

Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library

Here's a great place to find primary source documents on Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States.
http://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/Research/Digital-Library.aspx
From the website:

Unlike modern presidents, Theodore Roosevelt does not have a presidential library. Instead, his personal and presidential papers are scattered in libraries and other sites across the United States. The mission of the Theodore Roosevelt Center is to gather together and digitize copies of all Roosevelt-related items, to make his legacy more readily accessible to scholars and schoolchildren, enthusiasts and interested citizens. Items in the digital library include correspondence to and from Roosevelt, diary entries, notes, political cartoons, scrapbooks, newspaper columns and magazine articles by and about Roosevelt, speeches, and photographs. Users can also view film clips and listen to audio recordings.

Barbara Misselt, Director

Veterans History Project

Today is Veterans Day. Thank you to all Veterans for your service!

The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000. The address for the site is http://www.loc.gov/vets/

Veterans can contribute to the project by personal narratives through audio and video-taped memoirs or written memoirs; correspondence via letters, postcards, v-mail and personal diaries; and visual materials in the form of photographs, drawings and scrapbooks. There is information on the site on how to contribute memoirs, etc.

The database is searchable by name of war or conflict, branch of service, and other variables by selecting Search the Veterans Collections from the main page. You can also browse the collection by a variety of ways by selecting the browse tab on the search page.

The collection provides interesting reading and is an excellent primary research  source.

Barbara Misselt, Director 
information in this post from the Veterans History Project site

"Last Man's Club" at Minnesota Digital Library

This column shared by Minitex and the Minnesota Digital Library. Reprinted with permission

This is a special edition of “Digital Delights from Minnesota Reflections,” in honor of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War.

Sometimes, memories are our only companions.

July 21, 1930, marked the 69th anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run.  In Stillwater, an old man named Charles Lockwood sat at a table surrounded by 33 empty chairs, drinking a bottle of burgundy wine.  Why did this Civil War veteran relive his memories of the bitter conflict alone, with only a bottle of wine to console him?

The records of the “Last Man’s Club,” contributed to Minnesota Reflections (http://reflections.mndigital.org) by the Stillwater Public Library, answer this question.

Charles Lockwood was a member of Company B of the famous 1st Minnesota Volunteer infantry.  The 1st Minnesota suffered heavy losses in the First Battle of Bull Run as well as Antietam, later showing heroism at Gettysburg.  View an accounting of Company B officers and soldiers: http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/spl,1724.

After the war, 34 surviving veterans of Company B formed an organization known as the “Last Man’s Club,” devoted to keeping the memories of the 1st Minnesota alive.  The group held an annual banquet every year on the anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run.  View a book of “Last Man’s Club” member biographies: http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/spl,1728.

As time passed, so too did veterans of Company B.  View a list of deceased and living members of the Last Man’s Club by following this link: http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/spl,1726.

In joining the “Last Man’s Club,” each veteran promised that, if he were the organization’s last surviving member, he would drink a bottle of burgundy wine in his comrades’ honor.  Charles Lockwood was the “Last Man.”  Thus, on July 21, 1930, he convened the final meeting of the “Last Man’s Club,” fulfilling his promise to drink the wine of memory alone.

Click the following link to view a soliloquy by the last survivor of the Last Man’s Club, entitled “The Wine of Memory:” http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/spl,1727.

Read a poem entitled “The Last Survivor to His Dead Comrades” by following this link: http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/spl,1725.

To view other Last Man’s Club records, conduct an advanced search for “Last Man’s Club” in the Stillwater Public Library’s collection.

Minnesota Reflections contains other Civil War collections.  The Hennepin History Museum (Minneapolis) contributed a ca. 1905 descriptive book of Hennepin County Grand Army of the Republic members to Minnesota Reflections.  Follow this link to see a page from the book: http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/hchm,1076.  Search for “Descriptive Book of Members of the Grand Army of the Republic, Hennepin County, Minnesota” to find the item from the Minnesota Reflections homepage.

The Olmsted County Historical Society (Rochester) contributed letters and other materials documenting a Minnesota family’s Civil War experiences.  Follow this link to read an 1863 letter written by soldier Jacob Dieter: http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/olms,928. Browse the entire Dieter family collection by using the advanced search feature to limit your search to the Olmsted County Historical Society.  Then search for “Dieter.”

The Civil War ended long ago, but the conflict lives on in national memory.  Though we will never know how Charles Lockwood felt as he drank the wine of memory one summer’s day in 1930, explore Minnesota Reflections to peer into the state’s Civil War past.

Alex L. Ames
Graduate Assistant, Minnesota Digital Library Coalition
Learning Resources & Technology Services

Barbara Misselt, Director

It's TWELFTH NIGHT at Anoka-Ramsey!

William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was first performed over 400 years ago on Candlemas night, 2 February 1602, in England. Some of the greatest names in 20th century English and American theatre have since performed in the play - Sir Ralph Richardson, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, and Helen Hayes, to name a few.

Twelfth Night, one of the Bard's most accomplished comedies, is currently being performed on the stage of the Performing Arts Center at Anoka-Ramsey Commmunity College in Coon Rapids.

I was delighted to attend opening night on April 16th. Scott Ford's inspired direction, the stark yet effective scenic design, and the striking costuming made for a memorable evening.

The young actors, by and large, did a commendable job of interpreting Shakespeare's intricate and complex prose. A few struggled, others should remember that they must react to action and other actors on the stage, but Marcus Coker (Sir Toby Belch), Jacob Budnick (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), and Emily Moulds (Feste) gave diverting and entertaining performances in their comic roles. Neal Skoy was outstanding as Malvolio.

Mr. Skoy is a remarkably talented young man, and the audience was captivated by his exceptional performance from the moment he first appeared on stage. Malvolio is a complex and fascinating character that he handled with assurance and aplomb, especially through the use of his rich and eloquent voice - which filled every corner of the auditorium, seemingly without effort.

The actors cavorted about the stage in some of the most intriguing, if not startling, costumes I've ever seen in a Shakespeare production. Special kudos to Costume Designer Barb Portinga for combining vintage evening gowns, fright wigs, and red high-top sneakers with more conventional ensembles recalling the 16th century. Lauren Haven was lovely in everything she wore, Mr. Skoy bore a striking resemblance to the young F. Scott Fitzgerald in many of his scenes, and Mr. Budnick looked like an escapee from the Court of Versailles throughout. It was all very strange, but it worked.

The public can enjoy upcoming performances of Twelfth Night at 7:30 pm on April 22, 23, and 24. Tickets are $8.00 at the box office.

Bob Gray
Reference and Interlibrary Loan Librarian

Veterans Day, November 11th

Today is Veterans Day, and the East Central Regional Library Headquarters and branches are all closed. Veterans Day is a national holiday, first proclaimed as Armistice Day by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 with the following words: To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…

Armistice Day commemorated the end of World War I – known at the time as “The Great War.” The War officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting had ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. November 11, 1918, was regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Armistice Day became a legal holiday through congressional action on May 13, 1938. (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a). Armistice Day was a day dedicated to world peace and to honor veterans of World War I. In 1954 the 83rd Congress amended the Act of 1938 by changing the word "Armistice" to "Veterans" following World War II and the Korean Conflict. With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

The observance of Veterans Day moved to Monday, along with Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day, when the Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968. This was unpopular with many states, who continued to observe Veterans Day on November 11th, and ignored the legislation. In response to the desires of the the majority of state legislatures, all veterans service organizations, and the American people, Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479) on September 20, 1975, which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978.

Source of information, Department of Veterans Affairs http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/
See also, History.com http://www.history.com/content/veteransday

Barbara Misselt, Director

Berlin Wall Anniversary

Today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. For over 25 years a city existed within the confines of a wall that encircled it, keeping its residents in and everyone else out. Travel to and from West Berlin was only permitted through applications and documents. The Wall was a symbol of the Cold War

Following World War II, the defeated country of Germany was divided into four sections and governed by the Allied Control Council or Allied Control Authority, the Alliierter Kontrollrat, a military governing authority. The members were the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. France was later added with one vote, but no duties. As was the country divided, so too was the capitol city, Berlin. Berlin was well within the Soviet controlled section known later as East Germany.

When the Soviets and East Germans erected a wall around the portions of Berlin governed by the Americans, Brits, and French, West Berlin was isolated from West Germany. Armed guards patrolled the wall and the checkpoints going in and out of West Berlin.

I lived in West Berlin from 1983 to 1987, while my husband served with the Air Force. While we lived a relatively normal lifestyle there, getting "Flag Orders" every time we wanted to travel outside the city was an inconvenience. While I lived there, the political climate was relatively calm and we traveled back and forth into East Berlin fairly often. One very tragic incident in 1985 affected us personally, when Major Arthur Nicholson was killed in the line of duty. His daughter Jennifer was in my son's class. We were also there when President Reagan cried "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" at the Brandenburg Gate.

The cold gray wall served as a grim reminder of the differences in lifestyle from East to West. Bus drivers who drove through Checkpoint Charlie often played "God Bless the USA" or "Born in the USA" -- with the windows open.

Shortly after we moved from Berlin to Maine, I was overwhelmed with emotion as I watched throngs of East Berliners pour through the torn down wall. I feel that way yet.

This website about the Berlin Wall has some good information: http://www.berlin.de/mauer/index.en.html

Also, check for books about the Berlin Wall under the number 943.155

Barbara Misselt, Director

Minnesota Video Vault

Sharing with you this announcement about an unbelievable new online resource:

From Keith Ewing, Saint Cloud State University and the Minnesota Digital Library:
Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) has released the Minnesota Video Vault. The vault provides access to hundreds of videos and TPT productions, from short clips to lengthy shows. The "Educators" button allows you to sort by very broad K12 areas (e.g., Social Science, Science, or Language Arts), then focus by "grade level," then "strand" (e.g., Minnesota History or US History), and then by "sub strand" (e.g., under the Minnesota History "strand" you can select "sub strands" like the "Civil War and Dakota War" or "Contact and Fur Trade"). The "Interest Areas" button provides a more immediate breakdown by history, people, places, MN issues, arts & entertainment, and special collections, with further topical subdivisions beneath that. This is a terrific resource, of special value to schools and educators, but also for everyone interested in Minnesota and regional history (although the content goes far beyond Minnesota).
Online at http://www.mnvideovault.org/

I'm amazed at all the quality viewing available. Here's a sample of my favorites:

• Dakota Conflict (the film shown for the Cambridge Reads event)
• Tales of the Road: Highway 61, Almanac with Cathy Wurzer
• American Experience Series
• Antiques Roadshow
• Great Performances
• America at War
• Nova

Barbara Misselt, Director

D-Day Anniversary

Today is the 65th anniversary of D-Day: the day 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy. Landings on Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold and Sword Beaches enabled the march across Europe to eventually defeat Hitler. The History Channel had some excellent programming on today, including interviews with a number of D-Day veterans.

To find information about D-Day, check out the following:

• Search the books and media we have in the library using the call number 940.5421 in our online catalog
• Army.mil D-Day feature
• Encyclopedia Britannica's Guide to Normandy 1944, includes a collection of Veterans' oral histories

Barbara Misselt, Director

Happy Birthday, Abraham Lincoln

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. With the use of the Lincoln Bible at the recent inauguration of President Obama, and the bicentennial observance of Lincoln's birth, we've recently been hearing Lincoln's name frequently. A couple of years ago I ran across a website created by Roger Norton, who describes himself as a "former American history teacher who enjoys researching Abraham Lincoln's life and accomplishments." In other research, I found that Mr. Norton taught middle school history -- I wasn't surprised. It has a wealth of information, all written in the style of that favorite history teacher we all had who made history live for us. I even learned the name of Lincoln's dog (Fido, a yellowish mutt)!

The website is named Abraham Lincoln Research site. It is divided into 3 parts: Abraham Lincoln Research Site, Abraham Lincoln's Assassination, and Mary Todd Lincoln Research site. There are photos of Lincoln's children and the Inauguration as well as the Assassination.

Check out Mr. Norton's history lesson at: http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln2.html

link was updated March 30, 2010 at request of Roger Norton

Barbara Misselt, Director