SP R IN G 2 01 5
VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 2
OFF the SHELF A MAGAZINE FROM THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA
Framing Fraktur CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN FOLK ART AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CONTEMPORARY ART
SECURE THE FREE LIBRARY’S TOMORROW E S T A B L I S H A C H A R I T A B L E G I F T A N N U I T Y T O D AY The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation is pleased to offer our supporters a unique way to make a difference to the future of the Library—by establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). A CGA enables you to receive a guaranteed income for life in return for an outright gift today. Rates for CGAs are based on your age, and CGAs can be established for as little as $10,000, using cash or highly appreciated stock. Current rates are below as of March 1, 2015. FOR MORE ABOUT CGAS—AS WELL AS ESTATE GIFTS—PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA GOLDSTEIN, DIRECTOR OF MAJOR GIFTS AND PLANNED GIVING, AT 215-567-7710 OR GOLDSTEINA@FREELIBRARY.ORG
SAMPLE RATES FOR A $10,000 SINGLE LIFE ANNUITY ANNUITANT AGE
65
70
75
80
85
90
ANNUITANT RATE
4.7%
5.1%
5.8%
6.8%
7.8%
9%
CHARITABLE DEDUCTION $3,363
$4,001
$4,502
$4,965
$5,621
$6,269
ANNUAL PAYMENT
$510
$580
$680
$780
$900
$470
Rates current as of March 1, 2015 Not intended as legal, tax, or investment advice
UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS FOR MORE INFO: 215-567-4341 • FREELIBRARY.ORG/AUTHOREVENTS
APR 6 • 12:00 PM
APR 14 • 7:30 PM
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Alexander McCall Smith
Judith Miller
Bruce Eric Kaplan
Freeman Dyson
Scott Simon Unforgettable: A Son, a Mother, and the Lessons of a Lifetime
Emma: A Modern Retelling
The Story: A Reporter’s Memoir
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APR 27 • 7:30 PM
APR 28 • 7:30 PM
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Michelangelo Signorile It’s Not Over: Getting Beyond Tolerance, Defeating Homophobia, and Winning True Equality
Cokie Roberts Capital Dames: The Civil War and the Women of Washington, 1848-1868
Kate Mulgrew Born with Teeth
I Was A Child
Dreams of Earth and Sky
Beth Shapiro
George Mitchell
How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of De-Extinction
The Negotiator: Reflections on An American Life
FROM THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
Melissa B. Greenberg
Welcome to the spring 2015 issue of Off the Shelf! We’re especially excited about this issue, which highlights the Free Library’s flair for the artistic, as we mount new exhibitions and explore new installations at our 21st century libraries throughout the city.
VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Opening March 2, the Free Library is proud to present Framing Fraktur,
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
Siobhan A. Reardon DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
Joseph Benford VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT
Sandra Horrocks
a three-month celebration of Pennsylvania German folk art through two
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND BRAND MARKETING
unique exhibitions at the Parkway Central Library—one featuring our
Alix Gerz
extensive historic collection and the other showcasing contemporary
SENIOR WRITER AND EDITOR
art related to fraktur. We’ll be offering special programming for all ages
Michelle Saraceni Sheffer
throughout the city, and partner organizations throughout the region
COMMUNICATIONS AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
will also present complementary exhibitions and events. You can
Samantha Maldonado FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION
1901 Vine Street, Suite 111 Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-567-7710 freelibrary.org/support OFF THE SHELF
offtheshelf@freelibrary.org freelibrary.org/publications Off the Shelf is published twice annually for supporters of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and showcases the Library’s educational, economic, and cultural contributions to the region.
read more about Framing Fraktur and the Library’s incredible historic collection in our cover story on page 8. In addition, you’ll learn about how we’re incorporating communitybased art at our libraries through the Building Inspiration: 21st Century Libraries Initiative. You’ll also read about the Library’s efforts to ensure that Philadelphia’s children are reading at grade level through the READ! by 4th initiative, take a peek at some rediscovered Oscar Wilde hidden gems, catch up on the latest news from around the system, and find out just why renowned food writer and former New York Times restaurant critic Mimi Sheraton loves the library. It’s a vibrant spring at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Join us in celebrating art, literacy, and the library! Warmly, PHOTO BY
Siobhan A. Reardon PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
WHAT’S INSIDE 8
FRAMING FRAKTUR: CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN FOLK ART AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CONTEMPORARY ART
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NEWS AND NOTES HIDDEN GEMS: REDISCOVERING OSCAR WILDE FOCUS ON: READ! BY 4TH FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS: LIBRARIES AND ART: PERFECT TOGETHER THE FINAL WORD: MIMI SHERATON BOARD LISTS
ER JON ROEM
ON THE COVER: THE FREE LIBRARY WILL CELEBRATE ITS INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN FOLK ART AND ITS TIES TO CONTEMPORARY ART DURING FRAMING FRAKTUR.
Congratulations to Free Library President Siobhan A. Reardon, who was named Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year for her visionary leadership of the Free Library of Philadelphia! LOVETT MEMORIAL LIBRARY RECEIVES REIMAGINING THE CIVIC COMMONS INITIATIVE GRANT On March 16, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the William Penn Foundation announced that they had chosen the Free Library to be one of five organizations participating in an innovative Reimagining the Civic Commons initiative! Led by the Fairmount Park Conservancy, the initiative is designed to create new, accessible, and energized public spaces that will revitalize diverse communities. The Free Library will receive $1.25 million for the transformation of Lovett Memorial Library as part of the Building Inspiration: 21st Century Libraries Initiative. The gift is paired with a $500,000 grant to Mt. Airy USA that will improve Lovett’s adjacent park.
The Free Library welcomed Greater Philadelphia’s generous movers and shakers for an evening of dinner, dancing, and dishing with today’s top authors at the 2014 Borrowers’ Ball—all in support of the fabulous Free Library! PHOTOS BY KELLY & MASSA PHOTOGRAPHY
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(1) FREE LIBRARY PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR SIOBHAN A. REARDON WITH STACY HOLLAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LENFEST FOUNDATION (2) PEPPER SOCIETY CO-CHAIR NADIA DANIEL AND HER HUSBAND, MATT, WITH FELLOW PEPPER SOCIETY CO-CHAIR AARON MAASS AND FREE LIBRARY FOUNDATION DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE RELATIONS RUTH AUSLANDER (3) FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: WILLO CAREY; BALL CO-CHAIRS BOB AND EILEEN HEIM; AND GERRY AND MARGUERITE LENFEST (4) BORROWERS’ BALL CO-CHAIRS BRYNA AND ANDY SCOTT (5) BORROWERS’ BALL CO-CHAIRS RICH AND PEGGY GREENAWALT (6) ACCLAIMED CHEFS MARC VETRI AND JEAN-MARIE LACROIX, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BALL’S LIVE AUCTION AND GENEROUSLY DONATED THEIR SKILLS AND EXPERTISE IN PRIVATE DINNERS FOR AUCTION WINNERS
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AROUND THE SYSTEM (1) Girls from the Northeast Regional Library Children’s Department made blankets for Project Linus, an organization that gives blankets to sick children. (2) Mayor Nutter reads to children at McPherson Square Library.
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(3) President and Director Siobhan A. Reardon joins Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf during his visit to the Parkway Central Library. (4) Members of the Dali String Quartet of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society perform at Wyoming Library. (5) Donald Root, Chief of Parkway Central Library, meets Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler at Parkway Central.
CUSTOMER CORNER
BECKY LEDEBOHM
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“Sometimes I joke that I should introduce myself like this: ‘Hi, my name is Becky, and I’m a book addict,’” Becky Ledebohm says. Becky reads three to four books a week on average for a total of about 200 books per year. She tracks her reading on a spreadsheet complete with commentary. “There’s always a book within reach,” she says. “I usually have an audiobook, two ebooks, a downstairs book, an upstairs book, and backup books.” Although Becky was used to purchasing books, she quickly realized that she could save money and read more by downloading materials from the Library’s online Overdrive resource and borrowing print titles from the Parkway Central Library. She also developed friendships with librarians, who gave her book recommendations to push her outside her reading comfort zone.
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Becky has earned herself a library-loving reputation amongst her friends, coworkers, and library staff. One librarian calls her the Summer Reading Queen: During the 2014 Summer Reading: 30-Million-Minute Challenge, Becky read more books and turned in more book completion raffle cards than she ever had before—so many that she made herself preprinted labels with her contact information to stick to the cards. This summer, she hopes to best herself by finishing even more books than she did last summer. Although Becky tears through books faster than most, she’s in no danger of running out of reading material. “The Library has a lot to offer in terms of digital resources, as well as the amount and selection of books,” she says. From Becky, it’s clear that reading is an obsession, and being a Free Library customer is a lifestyle.
HIDDEN GEMS
Rediscovering Oscar Wilde Poet, writer, playwright. Bon-vivant, media personality, possessor of razor-sharp wit. No matter what fabulous hat Oscar Wilde was wearing during his short life, he never failed to shock and delight. And now, more than a century since his passing, Wilde continues to do just that.
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This past fall, the rediscovery of three items from the Wilde canon landed the Free Library’s Rare Book Department in what The Philadelphia Inquirer called “a happy storm of attention.”
When news of the Wilde items broke and generated a new flurry of interest, the Rare Book Department team sprang into action, digitizing the entire notebook of poems as well as The Ballad of Reading Gaol manuscript for the public to immediately read, dissect, and enjoy. A digitized version of Salome is forthcoming.
The cause of all the hubbub? A virtual treasure trove of one-of-a-kind works from Oscar Wilde including a fourpage draft of The Ballad of Reading Gaol in Wilde’s hand, a hand-corrected typescript of the play Salome, and a personal notebook with new verses of poetry and drawings by the inimitable writer.
These three not-so-hidden gems— along with a bevy of other pieces related to Wilde’s visit to Philadelphia in 1882 and his ongoing links to the region—will be displayed for the first time in the exhibition “Everything is Going on Brilliantly: Oscar Wilde and Philadelphia,” on view at The Rosenbach of the Free Library through April 26.
The Rare Book Department received these items in 1978—carefully cataloging them first on paper, then online, and finally creating special digital finding aids in 2009—but their significance wasn’t widely understood until a team of scholars researching an exhibition on Wilde for the Rosenbach visited the Free Library in late 2014 and were stunned at what they’d found. “After 10 years working in the Rare Book Department, the treasures we have never cease to amaze me,” says Janine Pollock, who was recently
promoted from her position as Head of the Rare Book Department to become the Assistant Chief of Parkway Central Library. “Not being a Wilde scholar, I was just excited to know we have manuscripts in the author’s own hand. I always expect scholars to be as excited about things like this as I am— being able to connect with the person they’re studying on this level,” she added, noting that she was delighted that the Department is getting attention for the Wilde holdings, which truly showcase the depth and breadth of its collections.
TO GET A PEEK AT THE RE-DISCOVERED WILDE PIECES RIGHT FROM HOME, SIMPLY HOP ONLINE AND VISIT OUR DIGITAL COLLECTIONS 24/7! TOP: WILDE, OSCAR, 1854-1900 BOTTOM: AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPTS SIGNED OF MANY POEMS, IN A NOTEBOOK ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS SKETCHES, 142 PAGES, UNDATED. RARE BOOK DEPARTMENT, FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA.
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• • • BY ALIX GERZ
PHOTOS BY RYAN BRANDENBERG
FOCUS ON
READ! by 4th
THE FREE LIBRARY IS PROUD TO SPEARHEAD READ! BY 4TH, A NEW INITIATIVE THAT WILL ENSURE ALL PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR LITERACY.
IMPROVING LITERACY FOR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT PHILADELPHIA READ! by 4th is a citywide effort of 50 organizations, public and private, large and small, convened and managed by the Free Library of Philadelphia, aiming to have 97% of students in Philadelphia entering the 4th grade at reading level by 2020. This is the largest effort of its kind in the city of Philadelphia. This initiative attempts to tackle the literacy crisis in our city—nearly half of all Philadelphia public school students (and about 65 percent of public school students nationwide) cannot read at grade level by fourth grade. On-track literacy is an important indicator of a child’s future academic and professional success, and the inability to read at grade level by the fourth grade is correlated to higher rates of dropping out of school, risky behavior, and incarceration later in life. READ! by 4th’s comprehensive strategy includes improving early learning, providing parents with resources to teach their children reading skills, emphasizing summer reading and other strategies to prevent learning loss, decreasing absenteeism by addressing behavioral and health concerns, and enhancing reading instruction in schools. “READ! by 4th is a fitting manifestation of the Free Library’s mission to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity,” said Free Library President and Director Siobhan Reardon.
“We’ll work hard to ensure that our leaders of tomorrow are on track to possess the tools they need to succeed.” Alongside the School District of Philadelphia and 50 civic and non-profit partners, the Free Library is driven to better the reading abilities of its youngest citizens and is backed by generous support from many private and philanthropic organizations, including The Lenfest Foundation, Wells Fargo, the Samuel S. Fels Fund, the Eagles Youth Partnership, and the Douty Foundation. Currently more than half of the workforce-age adult population in Philadelphia is considered low-literate. Action taken in the present through READ! by 4th will lower that statistic for the future. • • • BY SAMANTHA MALDONADO
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• • • BY MICHELLE SARACENI SHEFFER
CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN FOLK ART AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CONTEMPORARY ART BIRTH. BAPTISM. MARRIAGE. WE OFTEN COMMEMORATE THESE LIFE-CHANGING EVENTS TODAY THROUGH PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL BLOGS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, AND MORE. BUT SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS AGO, BOTH THE SIGNIFICANT AND THE EVERYDAY JOYS OF LIFE WERE CELEBRATED IN PART THROUGH FRAKTUR—A RICHLY DETAILED, MANUSCRIPT-BASED FOLK ART CREATED BY GERMAN IMMIGRANTS WHO SETTLED IN PENNSYLVANIA BEGINNING IN 1683. Used commonly for birth and baptismal certificates, writing samples, music books, and religious texts, and less commonly for marriage and death certificates, fraktur were exuberantly decorated with tulips, hearts, angels, unicorns, eagles, and other motifs. Fraktur helped these German immigrants, commonly known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, preserve their rich cultural heritage in an unfamiliar new land. The term fraktur is derived from the Latin fractura (breaking) and refers to the “fractured” style of lettering common in these pieces. As works of art, fraktur are comparable to illuminated manuscripts, and yet they are essentially domestic and personal documents, exemplifying a truly unique confluence of the folk and fine arts.
“FRAKTUR IS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC GENRES OF AMERICAN FOLK ART,” EXPLAINS LISA MINARDI, A SPECIALIST IN PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN ART AND CULTURE. “ITS BOLD COLORS, WHIMSICAL MOTIFS, AND BEAUTIFUL TEXT MAKE FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY COMBINATION. BECAUSE THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF FRAKTUR WAS THE BIRTH AND BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE, FRAKTUR ARE ALSO A GREAT SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR SCHOLARS AND GENEALOGISTS.” GERT AND UWE TOBIAS, UNTITLED, 2014. COURTESY THE ARTISTS AND TEAM GALLERY, NEW YORK.
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The Free Library of Philadelphia is home to one of the largest public collections of fraktur, highlighting a wide range of styles and artistic skills and showing how the designs changed over time. In fact, the Rare Book Department at the Parkway Central Library boasts more than 1,300 pieces of hand-drawn and printed fraktur as well as important manuscripts, books, broadsides, and mixed-media objects. To showcase these unique and historic works of art—as well as examine their far reach into contemporary art and design—the Free Library will be presenting Framing Fraktur, a three-month celebration of the historic Pennsylvania German art form, running through June 14, 2015. At the heart of Framing Fraktur are two simultaneous exhibitions being mounted at the Parkway Central Library: Quill & Brush: Pennsylvania German Fraktur and Material Culture, a historic exhibition featuring original fraktur works along with Pennsylvania German artifacts, manuscripts, and ephemera, and Word & Image: Contemporary Artists Connect to Fraktur, a contemporary exhibition featuring the work of international artists. Quill & Brush, curated by Minardi, who is also assistant curator at the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, will be on view in the Rare Book Department’s William B. Dietrich Gallery through July 18 and will provide current research and interpretation of major examples of historic fraktur and related objects.
“VISITORS TO THE QUILL & BRUSH EXHIBITION WILL SEE NUMEROUS, VISUALLY STUNNING EXAMPLES OF THIS MANUSCRIPT ART, INCLUDING HYMNALS MADE AT THE EPHRATA CLOISTER, ACCOUNT BOOKS, WRITING SAMPLES, TUNEBOOKS, AND MANY OTHER FORMS,” SAYS MINARDI. “ADDITIONALLY, A RARE FRAKTUR ARTIST’S TOOL KIT AND OTHER ARTIFACTS WILL BE DISPLAYED.” Word & Image is curated by Judith Tannenbaum, a Philadelphiabased curator and writer, and will be on view throughout Parkway Central through June 14. It will feature drawings, paintings, woodblock prints, and embroideries by contemporary artists Marian Bantjes of Canada, Anthony Campuzano of the United States, Imran Qureshi of Pakistan, Elaine Reichek of the United States, Bob and Roberta Smith of Great Britain, and Gert and Uwe Tobias of Germany. Whereas discussion of fraktur has often been confined to the folk art genre, Framing Fraktur reinterprets and reframes traditional fraktur through a contemporary lens that is international in scope, multigenerational, and diverse in content, medium, and formal approach. Each of the contemporary artists uses text or type as a visual component of their work to convey particular subject matter about his/her own culture and identity. “I think the connection between the historic and the contemporary exhibitions in Framing Fraktur is particularly interesting and striking,” says Tannenbaum. “Many of the TOP BOOKPLATE FOR ANNA LÄDTERMÄNN, ATTRIBUTED TO DAVID KULP (1777-1834), DEEP RUN SCHOOL, BEDMINSTER TOWNSHIP, BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, 1812. WATERCOLOR AND INK ON WOVE PAPER. MIDDLE ANTHONY CAMPUZANO, CONSTANT LIFE CRISIS, 2005. COLLECTION ROBERT L. PFANNEBECKER. BOTTOM BOOKPLATE FOR ABRAHAM LANDES, ATTRIBUTED TO JOHANN ADAM EYER (1755-1837), PERKASIE SCHOOL, HILLTOWN TOWNSHIP, BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, 1780. WATERCOLOR AND INK ON LAID PAPER.
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IMRAN QURESHI, HARD TO UNDERSTAND, 2013. COLLAGE, INK, AND GOUACHE ON WASLI PAPER. COURTESY CORVI-MORA, LONDON
BIRTH AND BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE FOR EVA EISSENHAER, ATTRIBUTED TO THE SUSSELWASHINGTON ARTIST, BETHEL TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER (NOW LEBANON) COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, C. 1773. WATERCOLOR AND INK ON LAID PAPER.
contemporary artists are adapting folk genres and traditional forms—like samplers or sign paintings—but using this as a launching pad to explore content that is concerned with their cultural experiences, individual backgrounds and interests, and views of the world. Juxtaposing these works with the historic pieces creates a dialogue about the connection between words and images that has never been seen or discussed in this way.”
“WHAT INTERESTED ME MOST ABOUT THE FRAKTUR PIECES FROM THE FREE LIBRARY’S COLLECTION WAS PRIMARILY A USE OF COLOR IN THE LETTERING, PARTICULARLY WHEN COLOR DIFFERENCES ARE USED AS THE LETTER SWASHES CROSS EACH OTHER,” EXPLAINS CANADIAN ARTIST MARIAN BANTJES, WHOSE BRIGHT, EYE-CATCHING TEXT DESIGNS ARE FEATURED ON FRAMING FRAKTUR MATERIALS. “THERE IS A PLAYFULNESS TO THIS LETTERING THAT AT THE SAME TIME CONFORMS TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE LETTERING THAT I FIND VERY SIMILAR TO SOME OF THE THINGS I DO IN MY OWN WORK.” Philadelphia-based artist Anthony Campuzano also finds similarities in his own work to historic fraktur pieces. “When I look at fraktur, the story is sometimes lost because of a language barrier, yet the intentions of the work are clear. There is a wonderful sense of invention matched with rigor and design,” he says. “Fraktur is interesting in its use of borders and other motifs to guide, constrain, or emphasize the text. This is something I also do within my work.” In addition to Quill & Brush and Word & Image, Framing Fraktur will also feature extensive programming and additional, complementary exhibitions at Free Library locations throughout the city. Partner organizations in southeastern Pennsylvania MARIAN BANTJES, MY DEAR, CAN WE WORK TOGETHER, 2007. COURTESY THE ARTIST.
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and the Greater Philadelphia region, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, the Mercer Museum, and the Barnes Foundation, are also presenting fraktur exhibitions and events. Programming offerings at the Free Library include expert and artist lectures, genealogy exploration, Pennsylvania German cooking classes, and related craft programs for children of all ages. “Framing Fraktur is a wonderful example of how the Free Library showcases and enlivens its special collections through a variety of pathways for a whole new generation of scholars and curiosity seekers,” says Siobhan A. Reardon, Free Library President and Director. “Framing Fraktur serves as a model of how we’re envisioning and using library space in new ways—more than just a place to check out books, the Library truly is a community center that inspires curiosity and engagement.”
THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED ON THE FRAKTUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ENSURING THE STRENGTH AND SUCCESS OF THE FRAMING FRAKTUR CELEBRATION: Amy Finkel Sis Grenald Clara Hollander Joan Johnson Reinhard Kruse Leslie Miller
Lisa Minardi Eileen Rosenau Mari Shaw Miriam Spector Judith Tannenbaum John Wind
Tannenbaum agrees. “I’ve been working in museums and galleries for decades, but have not seen a major contemporary art exhibition in a public library space,” she says. “Having people encounter art like this when they don’t expect it provides a new experience of what a library can be and how art can be a part of people’s everyday lives. I think that’s inspiring.”
CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CONTEMPORARY A
CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CONTEMPORARY A
FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF ALL FRAMING FRAKTUR EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMMING, AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE ONLINE CONTENT—INCLUDING DIGITAL IMAGES AND EXHIBITIONS, TIMELINES, BLOG POSTS, AND MORE—VISIT FREELIBRARY.ORG/FRAMINGFRAKTUR.
Major support for Framing Fraktur has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, with additional support from the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, American Airlines Cargo, Christie’s, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation.
RELIGIOUS TEXT, ATTRIBUTED TO SAMUEL GOTTSCHALL (1808-1898), FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, 1833. WATERCOLOR AND INK ON WOVE PAPER.
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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS AT PASCHALVILLE LIBRARY Happy 100th Anniversary to Paschalville Library! It’s time to celebrate the past century of all the services and guidance Paschalville has offered.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: BELITA THORNTON, BRANCH HEAD AT LOGAN LIBRARY How did you get started working for the Free Library? I started off as a history major in undergraduate school because I wanted to teach history. One of my professors suggested that I might consider the field of library science if I decided not to teach, and the rest is history. What do you enjoy most about working in the neighborhood libraries? I have an opportunity to work with a variety of people on a daily basis and have the opportunity to build community partnerships. The highlight of my day is when a person comes back to thank me for the assistance offered or when a student stops by to tell me they made an “A” on their research report because of my assistance. If you could have lunch with any author, living or dead, who would it be and why? I would love to have lunch with Maya Angelou. This is a woman who rose from her struggles and became a beautiful, confident woman filled with wisdom who helped all women of color believe that they really could become a “phenomenal woman.” Several years ago at the Constitution Center there was an Evening with Maya Angelou that I attended. It was a magical moment, and I still have an autographed copy of her book.
Paschalville Library is located at 6942 Woodland Avenue, which is one of the oldest roads in Pennsylvania. Native Americans originally used the road as a trail before Swedes developed it in the mid-17th century. The actual village of Paschalville was established in 1810 when Dr. Henry Paschal laid out its boundaries. He was a descendant of Thomas Paschal who came to the colonies in 1681 and purchased a 500-acre tract from William Penn. In 1857, the Philadelphia and Darby Passenger Railroad started a line along Woodland Avenue. Paschalville has been part of the Free Library system since March 9, 1900, when Maurice Fels of the Fels Naptha Soap Company spearheaded efforts to build a library in the community. The first library was housed in the Sparks Building at the Saint James of Kingsessing Church. The present building opened to the public on April 20, 1915, and in the past 100 years, it has undergone numerous renovations to tailor the space for the needs of the surrounding neighborhood. Here’s to many more years of community building at Paschalville Library! • • • BY SAMANTHA MALDONADO
What would be your librarian “super power”? My super power would be telepathy. People don’t always say what they really want and answering reference questions would be much easier and shorter if I could just read their minds! • • • BY EILEEN OWENS A PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAM H. RAU OF PASCHALVILLE LIBRARY IN 1914.
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from the
NEIGHBORHOODS
L I B R A R I E S A N D A RT: P E R F E C T TO G E T H E R RENDERINGS OF PROPOSED ART INSTALLATIONS AT 21ST CENTURY LIBRARIES
The Free Library’s landmark Building Inspiration: 21st Century Libraries Initiative will touch five neighborhood libraries throughout Philadelphia. Physically and programmatically, these libraries will be transformed. But it gets even better! Thanks to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, five artists were selected in a juried process to design artistic concepts for the selected 21st century libraries. Let’s reflect back to April 2014, when these libraries became places for community portraiture, storytelling, and artistic exploration. How do we see ourselves, our neighbors? How do these identities fit with the library? Facilitated by James Moustafellos of the Center for Design + Innovations at Temple University, workshops were held during which library staff, community representatives, and the selected artists worked together to craft the visions for the art installations and how these pieces would best represent their libraries and their neighborhoods. At LOGAN LIBRARY, artist Ife Nii Owoo heard from participants: “Logan is vibrant, struggling to make improvements; everyone together will make things better.” There was hope expressed by this dynamic group, that things were difficult but going to improve. Ife explores color, texture, and pattern in her stunning art. Incorporating Logan’s footprint, Nii Owoo will use images, symbols, and poetry to explore the process of lifelong learning and moving into light. R. Cooper O’Neil is a stained glass artist and himself a resident of Mount Airy. At LOVETT MEMORIAL LIBRARY, he heard from workshop participants that they “value education and nature against a backdrop of history, architecture, and art.” O’Neil notes that Philadelphia, especially Northwest Philadelphia, has a long tradition of stained glass. In keeping with neighborhood values and traditions, he proposes a series of pictorial stained glass windows depicting children, animals, and the natural and fantastical worlds to which books take us.
LILLIAN MARRERO LIBRARY on West Lehigh Avenue is familiar territory to artist Julia Staples. Having worked nearby, she sought the opportunity to engage with the customers of this library. A close connection is particularly important to Staples because her medium, photography, is quite intimate. Her objective is a large-scale photographic piece that will celebrate and honor the community. As a representation of hope and community pride, the work will have an air of both dignity and joy. With the portrait goal of “personal and community transformation yielding safe, beautiful spaces filled with opportunity,” Staples is artistically complicit in this hopeful vision. TACONY LIBRARY has a physical proximity to both the waterfront
and Interstate 95, with a historical and engaged community bridging yesterday with the challenges of today. Immersed in research, Benjamin Volta’s artistic concepts speak to Tacony’s important history. Brushed metal wall treatments of drawings, diagrams, and photographs from Tacony’s industrial past will become animated with the reflection of the sun as it moves across the sky. It will bring serendipitous factory beauty onto the walls of the library, the community’s collective home. The SOUTH PHILADELPHIA community is an ever-evolving diverse group of families who are invested in their neighbors and neighborhood. The only one of the 21st century libraries to be demolished and completely rebuilt, this space is an exciting new investment in the neighborhood and library services. Artist Miguel Horn, a local resident, proposes a mash-up block of residences inside the new facility. Complete with stoops and planters, the concept will create the feel of a row-home streetscape—indoors. It’s an idea that speaks to the neighborhood’s history, present, and durable future and aligns perfectly with the community portrait.
As this first conceptual stage concludes, we look forward to the implementation of these beautiful artistic visions. Libraries and art: perfect together!
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• • • BY JENN DONSKY
TO LISTEN TO THE FREE, DOWNLOADABLE PODCAST FEATURING MIMI SHERATON, VISIT FREELIBRARY.ORG/AUTHOREVENTS.
Former New York Times restaurant critic Mimi Sheraton knows food. Of her, renowned chef JeanGeorges Vongerichten claims, “Her knowledge knows no bounds; her glossary of flavors is ultimate. Her opinion is like gold.” In addition to the Times, Sheraton has contributed to Food & Wine, The New Yorker, Time, Vanity Fair, and many other publications. She is the author of more than a dozen books, including The German Cookbook, the memoir Eating My Words, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals and James Beard Award-winning The Whole World Loves Chicken Soup. Her new book celebrates the best cuisine from around the world, offering directions on where to find it and how to make it. OTS WHAT ROLE HAVE LIBRARIES PLAYED IN YOUR LIFE? WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK THEY PLAY IN OUR 21ST CENTURY WORLD? MS My first and long-time library experiences were at the New York Public Library in Brooklyn. It was two fights up over a store in Flatbush. The thought that I could actually take books out was a great discovery, and I carried home as many as I was allowed. It allowed me to feel free with what I chose, and I also liked to sit in the library and look through books until I was sure I wanted to read one. I think libraries in this 21st century have a big challenge and a big opportunity. First, I think children should be encouraged to read from actual books, though various electronic versions are to be valued for adding to their choices.
OTS WHAT IS IT ABOUT FOOD THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU TO BUILD SUCH A STRONG AND RENOWNED CAREER IN EXPLORATION AND CELEBRATION OF IT? MS Although my first interest in food undoubtedly had to do with eating it and eventually learning to prepare my own by first watching my mother cook, the more I looked into the subject the more facets of it revealed themselves. Food relates to culture, customs, and spiritual and folklore beliefs, and it’s a handle with which to pick up other foreign cultures. The more I know, the more I want to know, and I now I realize the subject is endless. OTS AS THE FORMER NEW YORK TIMES RESTAURANT CRITIC, YOU’VE NO DOUBT ENJOYED SOME AMAZING MEALS. IS THERE A SINGULAR DINING EXPERIENCE THAT STANDS OUT ABOVE THE REST? MS Of the many memorable meals I have had, the one that comes immediately to mind is a dinner I had in Paris in 1976. I had been traveling around France for two weeks for the New York Times writing about the “young Turk” chefs of the nouvelle cuisine. When I got back to Paris, I decided to find the oldest chef there. It turned out to be Antoine Magnin, then I think 81. His very traditional meal at Chez L’Amis Louis bowled me over more than all of the creative efforts of the young Turks. OTS ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, WHICH CURRENT RESTAURANT OR FOOD TREND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FADE AWAY FOREVER? MS The trend I would most like to see go is the glorification of chefs. Giving them due recognition is one thing, but they are over-celebrated now. I also deplore the overuse of any food that has become fashionable, and what I most have in mind as an example is kale, now appearing in many unsuitable guises. OTS YOUR NEW BOOK, 1,000 FOODS TO EAT BEFORE YOU DIE, CELEBRATES THE BEST CUISINE FROM AROUND THE WORLD. IF YOU HAD TO RECOMMEND JUST ONE DISH (OR, OKAY, TWO DISHES) FROM THE BOOK, WHICH WOULD IT BE? MS I can’t really answer that. There are just too many. OTS TO YOU, THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA IS ALSO THE FREE LIBRARY OF________________. WHY? MS The Free Library of Opportunity—opportunity to explore one’s own mind and to become curious about something you never knew existed before.
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FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR
Robert C. Heim MEMBERS
Donna Allie Steven M. Altschuler Christopher Arlene Jacqueline Barnett Darwin Beauvais Pamela Dembe Tobey Gordon Dichter W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Melissa Grimm Nancy D. Kolb H.W. Jerome Maddox Sonia Sanchez Suzanne Simons John J. Soroko Sherry A. Swirsky Nicholas D. Torres Ignatius C. Wang Shelly Yanoff EMERITUS
Joseph F. Burke Gloria Twine Chisum Armand Della Porta Herman Mattleman Teresa Sarmina EX-OFFICIO
Michael DiBerardinis Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Community Resources
Dawn Maglicco
TAKE A FRONT ROW SEAT The George S. Pepper Society recognizes those who give $1,000 or more annually to the Free Library Foundation. In appreciation of their generosity, Peppers receive advance access to and reserved seating at the Author Events Series, exclusive invitations to private events, personal access to world-renowned authors, and much more. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PEPPER SOCIETY, CONTACT NICK MCALLISTER AT
Friends of the Free Library
MCALLISTERN@FREELIBRARY.ORG OR 215-814-3542 FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR $25,000
CHAIR
Tobey Gordon Dichter MEMBERS
Robert Adelson Cynthia Affleck James H. Averill Phyllis W. Beck Peter A. Benoliel Sheldon Bonovitz George Day Andrea Ehrlich W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Daniel Gordon Richard A. Greenawalt Melissa Grimm Janet Haas Robert C. Heim John Imbesi Michael Innocenzo Philip Jaurigue Geoffrey Kent Alexander Kerr Marcienne Mattleman Thomas B. Morris, Jr. Stephanie W. Naidoff Bernard Newman Patrick M. Oates Derek N. Pew Nick Pournader William R. Sasso Susan G. Smith Miriam Spector Stacey Leigh Spector Lenore Steiner Barbara Sutherland Monica Vachher Jay Weinstein Larry Weiss
“I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.” —OSCAR WILDE
Everything is Going on Brilliantly: Oscar Wilde and Philadelphia A SPECIAL EXHIBITION AT THE ROSENBACH, ON VIEW THROUGH APRIL 26, 2015
Oscar Wilde arrived for a tour of Philadelphia in January of 1882, and in many ways never left. Featuring unpublished materials on display for the very first time, Everything is Going on Brilliantly celebrates Wilde’s sumptuous legacy and his indelible impression on the cultural lexicon of an entire city.
EMERITUS
Marie Field Elizabeth H. Gemmill Leslie Miller A. Morris Williams, Jr.
ROSENBACH.ORG | @ROSENBACHMUSEUM
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The Free Library of Philadelphia is proud to present Framing Fraktur, a three-month celebration of the delightfully detailed manuscript-based art form, created by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania beginning in 1683. NOW THROUGH JUNE 14, 2015
SUPPORT THE FREE LIBRARY! To make a gift to the Foundation, please visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.
MAJOR EXHIBITIONS
Quill & Brush: Pennsylvania German Fraktur and Material Culture View hand-drawn and printed fraktur along with important manuscripts, ephemera, books, and artifacts. NOW THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 18 PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY, RARE BOOK DEPARTMENT, WILLIAM B. DIETRICH GALLERY
Word & Image: Contemporary Artists Connect to Fraktur Seven international, contemporary artists respond to fraktur folk images. NOW THROUGH SUNDAY, JUNE 14 PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY, LOBBY, FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR GALLERIES
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
Beautiful Bookplates In fraktur tradition, bookplates were used for important texts. Children can create their own decorative bookplates! FRIDAY, APRIL 17 • 3:30 P.M. WYOMING LIBRARY
Expanding Our Views about Fraktur Expert Corinne Earnest will discuss advances in our understanding of this historic art form. SATURDAY, APRIL 18 • 2:00 P.M.
PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY, RARE BOOK DEPARTMENT
Lettering in the Fraktur Style Enjoy hands-on instruction in the art of lettering in this program for adults. SATURDAY, MAY 9 • 10:00 A.M.
PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY, PRINT AND PICTURE COLLECTION
FOR THE FULL CALENDAR, VISIT FREELIBRARY.ORG/FRAMINGFRAKTUR.