Summer 2018 links

LibraryLinks

A Publication of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

Summer 2018 • Volume 26 • Issue 3

Connecting people with the world of ideas and information.

OUR DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

LIBRARY NEWS

YOU ARE the center of everything we do.

KIMBER L. FENDER The Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director

Feeding children in our community throughout the year For many of the children in our community, summer and other school breaks mean no meals. Without the breakfast and lunch available at school, these children go hungry every day. That’s why we decided to offer lunches at many of our branch libraries each summer. Served as part of our Summer Adventure program, any child in the Library at lunchtime, Monday through Friday, can have a free, nutritious lunch. Sadly, the need in our community is great and in 2017 we served more than 17,000 lunches at the Main Library and 12 branch libraries across Hamilton County.

One of the great things about the summer lunch program is the cost to the Library is minimal. Funding comes from the USDA’s Free and Reduced Lunch program, and the meals are prepared and delivered by our community partners Cincinnati Public Schools, Mt. Healthy City School District, and the UMC Food Ministry.

Without these partners, this service would not be possible and we greatly appreciate their support.

year-round at eighteen of our 41 locations. Free, nutritious snacks such as milk, fruit, vegetables with dip, oatmeal bars, yogurt, pretzels, string cheese sticks, cereal bars, and muffins are delivered Monday through Friday. In addition, shelf-stable snacks are kept on hand in case of an unexpected increase in students.

Snacks are for kids ages eighteen and younger who are attending Homework Help or other Library afterschool programs. More than 21,000 snacks have been served since starting this initiative.

We look forward to the day when this service is no longer needed and there are no hungry children in our community. Until then we’ll continue to look for ways to use the Library’s programs, locations, and partnerships to go beyond traditional Library service to meet these community needs.

The success of this program prompted us to look for additional ways to meet the nutritional needs of children in our community beyond the summer months. In March of 2017, we joined the Children’s Hunger Alliance to offer an Afterschool Snack service

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Library launches first Pop-up Preschool in Deer Park The Library celebrated the opening of its first Pop-up Preschool at the Deer Park Branch Library March 5. The Pop-up Preschool is a free eight-week series of interactive experiences for hands-on learning and play, put together in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati. The preschool supports one of the Library’s

strategic plan objectives to prepare children to succeed in kindergarten and throughout their education. The class filled up in the first 24 hours of registration! If this project proves successful, it may be expanded to other communities.

MAIN LIBRARY CHILDREN’S LEARNING CENTER ADDS NEW FEATURES FOR KIDS The CLC now has a Children’s Technology Center — a new computer room complete with 10 public computers designed to provide a safer, more collaborative learning environment.

The Children’s Technology Center is the latest update in a series of other changes that the CLC has completed over the last year. The department has a new storytime theater, where storytimes recorded by Librarians play on a loop; group study tables; and the baby zone, where the CLC’s youngest customers learn, explore, and play safely.

LIBRARY BOOKS AND LAPTOPS NOW AT CARNEGIE CENTER OF COLUMBIA TUSCULUM The Library and the Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum are working together to bring laptops and a deposit collection of print material to the former library. A laptop kiosk is now at The Center, located at 3738 Eastern Ave. Library cardholders can check out a laptop and use it inside The Center for four hours at a time. The Library is also placing books at The Center. The Library paid for these new features thanks to a grant from the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), awarded by the State Library of Ohio.

| CincinnatiLibrary.org

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| CincinnatiLibrary.org

LIBRARY NEWS

Library relieves food insecurity during after school snack program When children burst into the Avondale Branch Library after school, the staff is prepared for their arrival. “The branch goes from being a traditional neighborhood Library to seeing a surge of children at about 2:30 p.m.,” says Ashley Barnhill, branch manager at Avondale.

This trend can be seen system-wide. Students arrive at branches requesting more than books or help with homework—they’re hungry.

According to the Children’s Hunger Alliance, 1 in 5 children in the state of Ohio don’t know where their next meal will come from.

Nam et eum quia et

In March of 2017, in an effort to combat this staggering statistic, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County partnered with the Children’s Hunger Alliance to bring after-school snack service to five branch locations: Avondale, College Hill, Pleasant Ridge, Price Hill, and Walnut Hills. Since the start of the program, 13 more branches have been added to the list.

The service provides snacks such as milk and a granola bar; yogurt and veggies with dip; or fresh fruit and a cheese stick to kids ages 18 years and under who come on weekdays for Homework Help or another Library after-school program. “Reaching children who are ‘food insecure’ helps them focus better in and out of school and provides them with a sense that they won’t go without food until they return to school the next day,” says Katie Greifenkamp, regional manager at the Library.

To see if your branch is involved in the snack program, just ask a staff member.

Autographed Amelia Earhart book found in Library stacks A book personally autographed by Amelia Earhart was found in the Main Library stacks in February, much by accident! The Fun of It: Random Records of My Own Flying and of Women in Aviation was written in 1932. The book was discovered by a Library staff member taking photos for the Library’s social media accounts. The book includes two tiny phonograph records, featuring a recording of a speech that Miss Earhart made over a transatlantic radio hookup the day after she landed in Ireland in May 1932. The book is now housed in the Joseph S. Stern, Jr. Cincinnati Room in the Main Library and can be viewed by the public. Just ask the staff to see it.

SHIPPING MAGNATES

There’s a small but mighty band of workers whose whole job is to get your holds to you—fast!

Every weekday at 6 a.m., the shipping dock at the Main Library comes alive. Shipping and Receiving Manager Matthew Todd and his staff of seven drivers warm the engines on a fleet of vehicles. In a few moments, they’ll begin the task of delivering hundreds of red bins to the Library’s 40 branch locations. Inside those bins are all the books, DVDs, magazines, and other items that Library cardholders put on hold, including hundreds of copies of new books.

It’s a massive job. Last year, the Library circulated more than 19 million items, and the vast majority of those items were handled

by Todd’s team. Each branch gets a delivery twice a day, Monday through Thursday, and once a day on Friday and Saturday.

Todd takes pride in his team’s efficiency and his time with the Library. He started working for the Library in 1995 as a student shelver in the Mt. Healthy Branch Library. “I love being an integral part of the Library,” said Todd. “Overseeing this department gives me the contentment of knowing we make a difference each and every day when a customer picks up their hold.”

But the job has gotten more and more difficult as demand has increased. The Library purchased an automatic sorter in 2011 to help with distribution of items and it works so well that Todd’s team has a hard time keeping up. Library administrators realized the department needs a bigger loading dock area, with a higher clearance and more room to safely maneuver vehicles.

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“CURRENTLY, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO LOAD AND UNLOAD ALL OF OUR TRUCKS AT THE SAME TIME . EVERY DAY WE HAVE TO MANEUVER VEHICLES, TAKE TURNS, UNLOAD DELIVERIES ON THE STREET, AND USE A MAKESHIFT LOADING DOCK IF NEED BE . IT IMPACTS CUSTOMER SERVICE BY NOT BEING ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD WHEN WE WANT WHICH COULD DELAY THE DELIVERY OF BOOKS. THAT’S SOMETHING WE WANT TO AVOID,” SAID MATTHEW TODD, SHIPPING & RECEIVING The library has found a potential location for the distribution center in the West End and is working on securing the building. Once they do, Todd and his team will have multiple loading bays and plenty of space for vehicles to move about without putting the safety of workers at risk. Todd and his team are excited about the move, which is slated to happen sometime in the second half of 2018. “The new distribution center will speed up the process of getting materials through a production line and sorting machine,” said Todd. “We will be able to unload and load all of our trucks at the same time and get everyone back on the road promptly. It will help the Library by eliminating handling material multiple times before they are sent out.

The focus will be making our deliveries more effectively. It will help get the customers holds out to them in a timely manner.”

To learn more about the distribution center and all the Library’s plans for facilities, visit CincinnatiLibrary.org/Facilities.

| CincinnatiLibrary.org

MAKE YOUR SUMMER AN ADVENTURE!

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

JUNE 1 - JULY 31 • FULL DETAILS AT CINCINNATILIBRARY.ORG/SUMMERADVENTURE ) WEEK-LONG BRAIN CAMPS

Read great stories, make themed crafts, play fun games, experiment with science and create art. These camps meet Monday–Friday for three hours each day, and are designed for children entering grades 1–5.

In addition, Library locations will hold two-hour mini camps to explore a variety of STEAM topics and are designed for children entering grades 1–5. Topics include Storybook Science, NASA @ My Library, and Patterns in Art. Registration is required for all camps. Registration for June events is underway now. Registration for July camps starts June 1 at 2 p.m..

Visit your Library to sign up!

Dan Abrams will visit the Main Library Monday, June 25 at 7 p.m.

) SUMMER MEALS

Meals and snacks are available for free at select Library locations to all children ages 18 years and under. Meals and snacks will be served Monday through Friday from June 4–Aug. 3 at the Main Library (Children’s Learning Center and TeenSpot), and these branch libraries: Avondale, Bond Hill, College Hill, Covedale, Deer Park, Elmwood Place, Groesbeck, Madisonville, Mt. Healthy, North Central, Pleasant Ridge, Price Hill, Reading, St. Bernard, and West End. There will be no meals Wednesday, July 4, due to the Fourth of July holiday.

The Summer Food Service Program is sponsored by the USDA and Ohio Department of Education. Meals are provided in partnership with UMC Food Ministry and Mt. Healthy City Schools.

) SUMMER READING TUTORING

Children entering grades 1–3 who are behind grade level in reading may be eligible for free, one-on-one tutoring at the Library from June 4– July 26. Each session will last 45 minutes. Sessions are available at these branch libraries: Bond Hill, College Hill, Covedale, Forest Park, Groesbeck, Mt. Healthy, North Central, Northside, Pleasant Ridge, and Price Hill. For enrollment information, call 513-369-7855 or email Programs@CincinnatiLibrary.org.

TEENS READING BUDDIES Read, explore, and create this summer. Stop by any Library location starting June 1 to get your Adventure Kit, which includes: • A Summer Adventure passport • A free book • A voucher for a free View Level ticket to a Cincinnati Reds game • A Coney Island coupon Use your passport as a guide to your Summer Adventure. Record your reading and other learning activities and check in at the Library once per week to earn prizes. Each time you check in, you will get a stamp in your passport and a scratch-off card that will reveal your prize! Weekly check-in starts June 3. At each weekly check in, you will also be entered for a chance to win the Grand Prize, four tickets to Coney Island! Winners will be chosen on August 1.

The Library will host the Reading Buddies program at several locations this summer. This is the second year for the program, which had about 40 participants in 2017. Young readers from kindergarten through grade five are paired with teen buddies to practice reading skills and do literacy-based activities. Buddy pairs meet one time per week at the Library for about one hour. Teens and children interested in participating can contact their nearest Library location.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Library Day at the Cincinnati Reds is Sunday, Aug. 19, at 1:10 p.m. vs.

San Francisco Giants. Watch CincinnatiLibrary.org to get discounted tickets and a free gift at the gate!

Stella Parks, author of BraveTart cookbook and blog Stella Parks graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2002. After a few years working in restaurants, she moved to Tokyo, and then back home to Lexington, Ky., where she has spent every day since baking. In February 2012, Food & Wine magazine named her one America’s Best New Pastry Chefs. She’s currently the senior editor at Serious Eats, where she earned a James Beard Award nomination for roasting sugar. She also writes the blog BraveTart.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME BRAVETART FOR YOUR BLOG? Early on, I was looking for light-hearted, pop culture-driven names that would convey the idea that I didn’t take myself too seriously and that baking was fun.

Eventually, my brother hit upon the name BraveTart, and it was just so short and sweet I couldn’t resist—plus I loved how the word “brave” helped to convey a sort of fearlessness in the kitchen.

to discuss his new book, Lincoln’s Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him to the Presidency. The book tells the true story of Abraham Lincoln’s last murder trial, a case in which he had a deep personal involvement— and which played out in the nation’s newspapers as he began his presidential campaign. Books will be available for sale and signing, courtesy of Joseph-Beth Booksellers.

Dan Abrams is the CEO and founder of Abrams Media and chief legal affairs anchor for ABC News. He is also the host of both 60 Days In and Live PD on the A&E network. A graduate of Columbia University Law School, he is the author of the Washington Post bestseller Man Down and has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and the Yale Law and Policy Review.

HOW DID YOU END UP AT THE MAIN LIBRARY IN CINCINNATI? Through WorldCat.org, a service that helps people search library collections around the world. When I’d find some intriguing reference, I could hunt down the closest library with a physical copy of the book or periodical I was looking for; more often than not, that proved to be Cincinnati. Through WorldCat, I found an article about key lime pie published in 1941 by a magazine called School and College Cafeteria. I could only read a snippet online, but the folks at the Library pulled that issue for me and I was able to read the article myself, which was a real breakthrough—one of the first published mentions of the phrase “key lime pie!” I was also able to read an out-of-print book from 1951 called Confessions of a Grand Hotel by Horace Sutton, which included some first-hand reporting on the origins of an urban legend surrounding a cake served at the hotel.

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| CincinnatiLibrary.org

HAPPENING

Friends & ATLA

at the Library

Botany through the Ages

MAY 18–AUG. 19 IN THE JOSEPH S. STERN, JR . CINCINNATI ROOM AT THE MAIN LIBRARY Explore books on botany from all over the world and during different time periods. The exhibit includes books with detailed drawings, pressed flowers, and moss and wood samples.

Bookworks XIX

MAY 19–SEPT. 2 AT THE MAIN LIBRARY The 19th annual Cincinnati Book Arts Society (CBAS) exhibit Bookworks will be on display on the second floor connector. Artist walk-throughs will take place Sunday, June 3, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 19, at 2 p.m.

Vintage Cincy

A LOOK AT THE PAST—PIATT PARK For 150 years, the Main Library’s neighboring Piatt Park has served as an oasis of shade and greenery amidst the city’s bustling business district. The land was originally donated in 1817 by brothers John and Benjamin Piatt, making it Cincinnati’s first and oldest public park. The park was dedicated as Eighth Street Park on June 19, 1868. Shortly after the assassination of President James A. Garfield in 1881, the stretch of Eighth Street surrounding the park was renamed Garfield Place. Even before the park’s iconic Garfield statue was completed in 1887, it had assumed his namesake as well, only to receive its final designation as Piatt Park in 1940.

Some of the earliest documented improvements to the park include the addition of plants, benches, electric lighting, and a wrought iron fence.

Before the advent of indoor cooling, city officials resolved to leave the park open late into the evening during particularly hot spells. For many years, the city hired a watchman to patrol the area and secure the gates in inclement weather.

In spite of this, an 1883 Cincinnati Enquirer article reports that “ambitious boys daily scale the fence and convert the enclosure into a base-ball ground.”

The Friends’ of the Library’s 46th Annual June Book Sale is heading home to Hartwell!

Christmas in July Sale at the Library Friends’ Shop inside the Main Library

at the Friends’ Used Book Store at the Warehouse 8456 Vine St. 513-369-6035 cincylibraryfriends.org #hometohartwell #cincylibraryfriends

800 Vine St., Downtown Cincinnati 513-369-6920 Shop and enjoy special early holiday savings. Current Friends members receive 25 percent discount on most items.

Open 10 a.m.—4 p.m., Mondays—Saturdays

JUNE 2–9

Enjoy an extra day of shopping and special hours during this sale in our Hartwell home. Find surprise sale collections, overstock sales, Friends’ member discount days, and other special sales. Used books, DVDs, CDs, VHS, books-on-CD, and vinyl are ready to go home with you!

| CincinnatiLibrary.org

End-of-Summer Book Sale in Hartwell AUG. 9-12

at the Friends’ Used Book Store at the Warehouse Help the kids locate those last few summer reads.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2: 10 A .M. — 7:30 P.M.

Opening Day

THURSDAY, AUG. 9 AND FRIDAY, AUG. 10: 10 A .M. — 7:30 P.M.

SUNDAY, JUNE 3: NOON — 5 P.M.

SATURDAY, AUG. 11: 10 A .M. — 6 P.M.

Special Feature: Religion

MONDAY, JUNE 4: 10 A .M.— 7:30 P.M.

Friends’ Member Choice Day*

TUESDAY, JUNE 5: 10 A .M. — 7:30 P.M .

Friends’ Member Choice Day*

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6: 10 A .M. — 7:30 P.M.

Special Feature: Cookbooks

THURSDAY, JUNE 7: 10 A .M. — 7:30P.M.

Special Feature: Vintage and Collectibles FRIDAY, JUNE 8: 10 A .M. — 7:30 P.M.

50 percent off for everyone

SATURDAY, JUNE 9: 10 A .M. — 2:00 P.M.

SUNDAY, AUG. 12: NOON — 5 P.M.

Anderson Township Library Association June Book Sale JUNE 22–24 at Nagel Middle School 1500 Nagel Rd. CincinnatiLibrary.org/ATLA Sales benefit the facilities and programs of the Anderson Township and Mt. Washington branch libraries. Great deals and bargains plus a raffle on Friday and Saturday! Rare books, cookbooks, used media, gardening books, children’s books, puzzles, fiction and more. ATLA accepts checks and cash; no credit cards please.

Bag Day!

FRIDAY, JUNE 22: 10 A .M. — 8 P.M.

* FRIENDS pick one day only to enjoy this special benefit!

SATURDAY, JUNE 23: 10 A .M. — 5 P.M. SUNDAY, JUNE 24: NOON — 3 P.M.

The park’s scenery shifted again in 1955 following the construction of the Main Library’s current South Building. The view from the Library’s Huenefeld Tower Room is one of the city’s best. Learn more and see more historic photos by visiting Digital.CincinnatiLibrary.org.

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JULY 5–31

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| CincinnatiLibrary.org

Marlene Ryan in honor of Daniel and Morgan Ryan

Thank you The following gifts were received between January 1 and March 15, 2018.

For more information about donating to the Library Foundation, visit our website at CincinnatiLibraryFoundation.org.

The Library is deeply grateful for the generosity of our community and welcomes gifts of all sizes. Your donations are essential to ensuring delivery of excellent Library services and the availability of the widest possible range of informational resources for all ages. For inquiries regarding contributions, please contact, Staci Dennison, Library Chief Development Officer, at 513 369-4595.

V’Ann Ryther and Linda Norwell, designated for the Mt. Washington Branch Library

The Kroger Company Justine Sacco

$500+

Battoclette Family Foundation of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

$200+

Bristol-Myers Squibb Mr. and Mrs. Jay Cranley Kevin and Pamela Hubert John Muhlhauser Sara Pearce Martha A. Stimson

$100+

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Huenefeld in memory of Emma, beloved dog of Amy and Graham Tyrrell

Barb Shively in memory of Mary Helen Beimesche, Frances Mary Rizzo, and Gert Streit, designated for the Delhi Branch Library

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Kline in memory of Dudley Finn, beloved pet of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Finn and family

Sogetsu Cincinnati Branch, designated for the Maderia Branch Library

Robin Lippelman in memory of Chloe, beloved dog of Joan M. Kaup and Rick Pender

Alice Suckow in memory of Charlotte Badger

Elaine Luchi and Darin Ladd in memory of Otis, beloved pet of Monica and Wade McKinney

$49 AND UNDER

PET MEMORIALS

Erica Eastman Joe Flanders Lisa Krain and Michael Goldberg Catherine Lippert Virginia Meyer PayPal Giving Fund Mario Pellegrino Mary Jo Rottmueller Mary Wernke

Lisa Arnett in memory of Joey and Molly, beloved pets of Sharon Arnett Elizabeth Batie in memory of Tia, beloved dog of Katherine and Pete Jurs Jennifer Burden in memory of Lou, beloved pet of the Higgins Family Anne Chimenti in memory of Bella, beloved greyhound of Brenda and Ron Pennix Susan Cohen and Rob Schmuelling in memory of Bella, beloved pet of Scott Puthoff and Jen Johnson

Dave and Linda Mathews in memory of Mee Moo, beloved pet of Sara Mathews Scott and Annie McManis in memory of Chloe Kaup Pender, beloved pet of Joan Kaup and Rick Pender Betsy Ross in memory of Oliver Weston, beloved pet of Sara Vance Waddell Jewel Rossman in memory of Maddie, beloved dog of Janet Schlegel Lea Shull in memory of Daisy, beloved dog of Paul and Denise Burch George and Dorothy White in memory of Bo, beloved dog of Su Jervis and Agnes Hoen Kolar Design in memory of Kali, beloved pet of Matt Grote and Cori Wolff

MEMORIALS AND TRIBUTES

Birthroots, Inc., Cincinnati Master Plumbers Association, Nancy Feller, Eric Franke, Shirley Gibson, Kathy Huebner, Jeff’s Drive Thru & Carry Out, Harry Leigh, Renee McCutcheon, Marie Meiners, Thomas Paff, Jerry Palermo, Jerry Rehage, Mark Reid, Bret Specht, Carol Strathman, Tri-State Plan Administration, Inc., and Blanche Voss in memory of Joseph H. Klosterman

Daniel Findley Jessica Gmeinder David Mason Tracey Nowlin Steve and Helen Rindsberg Jennie Vose

Colette Brehm in memory of Frances Mary Rizzo, designated for the Delhi Branch Library

$50+

Raymond Fellinger in memory of Bonnie Fellinger

Yolanda M. Alvarez Mr. and Mrs. John L. Biederman Amy and Ranjit Chima Charles Margolis Bevin McLaughlin April Piatt

Karen Glink in memory of Black Jack

Ruth Schneider in memory of Arthur Weber

Jeffrey P. Waltz in honor of Avery Marie Mills

$1,000+

Ron and Elaine Friday in memory of Benny, beloved dog of the Rev. Alex Martin

Bruce Family Charitable Foundation designated for the Mariemont Branch Library Joan Fatika, Joanne Johnson, Sharon Koenig, Mr. and Mrs. Bruno Perfetti, Joyce Reitz, Andrea Ziser and Sharon Zumwalde in memory of Diana Reitz, designated for the Mariemont Branch Library

Fredrick M. Heath in memory Annie F. Heath, designated for the Deer Park and Pleasant Ridge branch libraries Dianne Miller Adamore in memory of Andrea Chang John Morton in memory of Harry F. Matheis, Jr. Rob and Sara Mulhauser in memory of Leslie Clark Mary Ann Rack in memory of Mark C. Potee Ann C. Regan, designated for the Deer Park Branch Library in honor of Beulah L. Weppler

Mary S. Stern Gives $1 Million To Library Foundation To Create Annual Lecture In the coming years, the Library will have a new annual program to fulfill its mission to connect Hamilton County residents with the world of ideas and information through the Mary S. Stern Lecture.

This new annual lecture is supported by a generous gift to the Library Foundation’s permanent endowment.

To help select the lecture topic and presenter the Library formed the Mary S. Stern Lecture Committee. Committee members are Sandy and Peter Stern, M.D., Vicky and Rick Reynolds, and Betsy and Paul Sittenfeld. We hope to hold the first lecture in late 2018 or early 2019.

“Our public Library is special. It has always been a place of inspiration and knowledge for everyone in our community—and it is important that it continues its work into the future.” - Mary S. Stern Mary S. Stern and her late husband Joseph. S. Stern, Jr., have continued to make lasting impacts on the Library.

In 1957, Mr. Stern co-founded the Friends of the Public Library and was appointed to the Library Board of Trustees in 1961, serving until 2003. Upon his retirement, Library Trustees conferred upon him the honorary lifetime title of Trustee Emeritus, in recognition of his 42 years of service. Mr. Stern also donated $1 million to the Library Foundation in 2010. Those funds became the cornerstone for a permanent endowment fund. The Joseph S. Stern, Jr. Cincinnati Room at the Main Library is dedicated to Mr. Stern in honor of his support.

For updates on the lecture series and more news from the Library Foundation, visit Foundation.CincinnatiLibrary.org.

Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Main Library 800 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202–2009 www.CincinnatiLibrary.org

Cincinnati, Ohio Permit No. 3221

TALES F RO M T HE A RCHI VES

TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR GREAT-GRANDPARENTS’ INSTAGRAM For anyone curious about the world, all it takes is access to the internet and you’re instantly traveling the globe. More than 100 years ago, though, that window to far-off places and curious animals came in the form of a stereoscope.

Stereoscopes date from the 1850s and are devices for viewing two slight variations of the same scene side-by-side on a stereograph card that appears to the viewer as a single three-dimensional image. Prior to the advent of motion pictures, stereographs were a popular form of entertainment.

In 1861 Oliver Wendell Holmes created — and deliberately did not patent — a handheld, streamlined, cheaper viewer. This type of stereoscope remained in production for a century and there are still companies making them in limited production.

The Library had a collection of 20,000 stereo cards and Holmes Stereo Viewers which were available to borrowers. According to the 1916 Public Library Handbook, that year they decided to move the stereoscopes and cards from the Art Rooms to the Children’s Department of the Main Library and 18 of the branches. In a later entry, the handbook stated: “Boxes holding a stereoscope and a set of stereographs are issued for a week and are in great demand.”

To see our special collections, go to Digital.CincinnatiLibrary.org.

ALL LIBRARY LOCATIONS WILL BE CLOSED Monday, May 28, in observance of Memorial Day and Wednesday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.