Giving is a deeply personal action. When you or I make a gift, we are unconditionally giving up our money. Giving reflects what is meaningful to us and what we value most. Let’s dive into this a bit more to discuss why people give. In The Seven Faces of Philanthropy: A New Approach to Cultivating […]
I was very fortunate to spend the first week of June attending Rare Book School at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Spending time with fellow bibliophiles in a place steeped in such rich history was a true gift for this librarian. I “lived” on campus, and although dorm life wasn’t as comfortable for me as […]
While Indianapolis is considered the Crossroads of America, one of the city’s most significant builders could not have been born further from here. William P. Jungclaus was born February 22, 1849, in a small village near Hamburg, Germany, with a seafaring father and a stepmother whose wish for him was to enter education or the […]
Editor’s note: While the data referenced in this article is from 2017, museums continue to play an important role in local economies throughout the U.S. If we were to poll a random cluster of people with the question “What’s the benefit of having a museum,” what do you think the response would be? Many answers […]
The Famous Door, Bellflower Clinic, Essex House, Body Works. What do these places have in common? They are just a handful of lost landmarks of the Indianapolis LGBTQ community. Even though the structures are gone, these demolished buildings still share their stories with us today. The Essex House was the youngest mid-rise apartment/hotel building in […]
Before we dive into a new topic, I’m sure you can’t wait to grade yourself on the following Indiana history questions from last month’s blog post: 1. What towns were the territorial capitals of Indiana? Vincennes (1st); Corydon (2nd) 2. Who was elected Indiana’s first state governor? Jonathan Jennings (In case there’s any confusion, William […]
As we gear up for the 103rd Indianapolis 500 race this weekend, what kind of traditions do you have with your family? A longstanding reference patron brought me a 1914 drinking cup passed down in his family. His family has gone to the race each year since it began in 1911! These metal cups were […]
St. Patrick’s Day 1934 was one to remember in Terre Haute. Four months earlier, Prohibition was repealed and the city was ready to herald the reopening of the Terre Haute Brewing Company and the reintroduction of its signature product, Champagne Velvet. Almost 30,000 people paraded through the streets singing the Champagne Velvet March: “Here’s to […]
Lawyer Calvin Fletcher arrived in Indianapolis almost penniless in 1821. The new city offered boundless opportunities for those who got in on the ground floor, and Fletcher’s resume grew steadily. In addition to his legal work, he fashioned himself into a banker, farmer, husband, father, landowner, philanthropist, politician, abolitionist, public education advocate, and all-around fancy […]
As a former teacher, I always get excited when school materials come my way. I recently cataloged several Indiana history and government workbooks from the 1930s. Like most, I was required to take courses on both topics during my career as a student. I like to think my knowledge is above average – after all, […]
