February, 2008 - Vol. 66 No. 2                             The Bookshelf

Celebrating Black History Month

On February 12, 1926, Americans first celebrated “Negro History Week.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson, founder of the Journal of Negro History, chose the second week in February because it marked the birth anniversaries of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month.

Woodson, the son of two former slaves, enrolled in high school at the age of 20, graduated in two years, and went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He dedicated his life to writing the contributions of African Americans into the nation’s history books.

Milwaukee Public Library will celebrate Black History Month with a number of special programs for children and adults. Several of “The Big Read” events celebrating Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God will also take place this month. The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

The library will also sponsor two contests in Milwaukee. A photo contest entitled "Get Caught Reading" and a poetry contest. Applications and more information on the contests are available on the library's Big Read website.

Black History Month Events  | The Big Read Events

From the Library Director
Paula A. Kiely

It seems we can’t read newspaper or website, or turn on the TV without a pundit or panel discussing the merits of the candidates for the upcoming elections.  Election year creates an air of excitement.

In the literary world, elections take place every year.  Those of us who value a great story well told look forward to predicting the outcome of our favorite “race.”

I remember anxiously awaiting the long-distance call with the results of the Newbery, Caldecott and Coretta Scott King awards, the most prestigious for writing and illustration for youth.  Little more than a decade later, the results are available online moments after the public announcement. In fact, no matter what your literary taste, a quick trip online reveals many great award winners.

Among the best known is the Booker Prize, for the best original English language novel, written by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations or the Republic of Ireland.  The John Dos Passos Prize is awarded annually to the best currently under-recognized American writer in mid-career.  Graham Greene was the first to receive this award in 1980.

There are also genre awards such as the Dagger - “best adventure/thriller novel in the vein of James Bond,” the Edgar - mysteries, the Hugo - Science Fiction, the Spur - Westerns and the James Beard Award - the best cook book.

But perhaps the most coveted is a National Book Award, whose recipients comprise a veritable Who’s Who of American authors: Kunitz, Didion, Ellison, Bellow, Faulkner, Updike, Roth, Irving, Alice Walker, Cormac McCarthy.

While the political elections will take much of our time this year, let’s remember to cast our vote for those authors who enrich the lives of readers.  Pick up a book by a prize-winning author listed on the Reader’s Advisory page on the library’s website.

Project President at Central Library

See history in a whole new light through memorabilia from George Washington to George Bush.

The American Presidency Exhibit, a traveling museum-quality exhibit of 80 objects from the two largest private presidential memorabilia collections in the United States, will visit Central Library from Saturday, February 16 to Monday, February 18.  Timed to coincide with Wisconsin’s presidential primary election day of February 19, the exhibit will travel to nine cities in states considered to be important caucus and primary locations.

One-of-a-kind pieces will be on display – from campaign buttons to state dinner menus and seating arrangements to an original key to the White House.

Author Jordan M. Wright will talk about his new book Campaigning for President on Sunday, February 17 at 2 p.m. in Central’s first floor meeting room.  Copies of his books will be available for sale from Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops.

Friends Award $10,000 to Library for Playaway Collection
Thanks to our generous Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library, the neighborhood and Central libraries will each receive new digital audiobook collections.  The library submitted a single-grant request to the Friends for $10,000 to purchase new “Playaway” audiobooks.  Playaways are the digital content of an entire book pre-loaded into a pocket-size player.  There is no need to load CDs or cassette tapes; you just press “play” and begin listening.  Very simple to operate and light to carry, the library is excited to be able to offer this type of media to its patrons.

Adding these devices to our shelves benefits our patrons who may have limitations with their vision or who don’t have a personal CD player or computer to still access books.  This generous support from the Friends allows MPL to join other systems in offering this new format to patrons. Look for these players to arrive on our shelves in early 2008! 

Take a Tour of Beautiful Central Library!
Due to our wonderful docent program, visitors can take a guided tour of Central every Saturday.  In 2007 we had 11 knowledgeable docents who volunteered their time on Saturdays (and special by-appointment tours) to educate our guests on the architecture and history of the building.  Docents attend monthly educational programs given by staff members who work in different areas of the library.  Central Library tours were given to 473 people in 2007 and we’re looking forward to guiding more visitors through our historic building in 2008!

Tours begin in the rotunda at 1:30 p.m. every Saturday.  If you’d like to arrange for a tour at a different time, please call 414-286-8687.

Make a Difference to Your Library!
Join the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library.  Your membership allows the Friends to fill shelves with new and relevant materials, provide access to the latest technology and work for the education and enjoyment of our entire community.  If you’d like to join the Friends and make a difference, visit our website at www.mpl.org or call our office any time, 414-286-8720.

Visit the Bookseller at their next sale:  Romance and Cookbook sale, Feb. 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the first floor meeting room of Central Library.

Celebrating the Good Doctor
Theodor Seuss Geisel, AKA Dr. Seuss, is probably the most famous author and illustrator of our time, but he didn’t intend to have a career writing children’s books.  He attended Dartmouth to study English.  He loved to write and draw and became involved in the college’s humor magazine, the Jack-O-Lantern.  He started his pen name there when, after having a loud party at his apartment, the dean punished him by making him resign as editor.  He began signing his works as Ted Seuss, or simply Seuss.  A few years later, he signed his works as Dr. Seuss to make his cartoons seem more professional.

After graduation he attended Oxford University, where he met his first wife Helen, who encouraged him to be an artist instead of an English professor.  Ted was skeptical he could earn a living as an artist, but after several weeks of rejections, the Saturday Evening Post finally bought one of his cartoons.  Eventually he was offered a staff writer job at a humor magazine called Judge. 

It was a cartoon for Judge that attracted advertising executives from Flit insect repellent.  He started producing ads promoting Flit and was making $12,000 a year in 1931.

While he was successful financially, he wasn’t satisfied with what he was doing.  He decided to try writing a children’s ABC book with his imaginary animals as illustrations; however, he couldn’t get it published.  On a return trip from Europe the ship’s engine created the rhythm he needed to write And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.  He was rejected by 27 publishers before he literally ran into an old college friend who just started as an editor at Vanguard Press and needed something to publish.  The book was well received and sold quickly.

The Cat in the Hat came about by a challenge from someone who was criticizing the Dick and Jane books.  Ted talked to Random House, who was his publisher at this time, and was given a list of 223 easy-to-read words and told to create a book with them.  He thought he could do it in a week, but it took him nine months.  Because of the success with The Cat in the Hat, Random House developed a division of Beginner Books and put Ted in charge.  Sometimes he would just write a story and have someone else draw the pictures.  When this happened he would use the pen name Theo LeSieg – Geisel spelled backward.

Green Eggs and Ham was another result of a challenge.  Seuss’ editor Bennett Cerf bet him $50 he couldn’t write a book using only 50 simple words.  Ted won the bet, but lived to regret it as every time he was invited to a banquet they served green eggs and ham.

Dr. Seuss died from throat cancer on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1991 at the age of 87.  By the time he died he had written and illustrated 48 books that sold more than 200 million copies. Celebrate his life and his work with us at the library this March.

Dr. Seuss Celebrations
Kick-off Celebration featuring sing along with Ken Baron, crafts, cookie decorating, stories, face painting jugglers, costumed characters and more!
Central - Saturday, Mar. 1, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Time to Read With Curious George and Friends

For a complete list of children’s programs stop in at any library for a Programming Calendar, or print out this pdf version. Or call the children’s department at 286-3091 for a calendar to be mailed to you.

Library for the Blind Reception

The Wisconsin Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (WRLBPH) provides Braille, recorded books and playback equipment for Wisconsin residents who for any physical reason cannot read normal print.

On Thursday, March 6, WRLBPH will host a reception to celebrate the upcoming completion of its renovated space in the Central Library.  Catherine Byers, Library of Congress narrator for Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, will speak at 2 p.m. in the Centennial Hall Loos Room (733 N. Eighth St.). 

WRLBPH is funded by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Division for Libraries and Community Learning and administered by the Milwaukee Public Library.