Robert Bussie
S580: Final Project
Dr. Lamb
4/20/16
History of Lowell Public Library
URL: https://lowellhistoryblog.wordpress.com/
I was trying to brain storm for ideas for a final project in my History of Libraries class. I was enjoying my class and had already learned a lot. I knew that starting a new job and taking two classes for the first time would make my life very busy this semester, so I wanted to start early. Then a few days later a library patron asked if I was new at the library. When she found out that I live over 20 miles away she rudely pointed out that I do not belong working in her small town library. Even though her behavior was impolite she had a point. I did not know anything about the history of the library or the town of Lowell, Indiana. This gave me the idea of researching information about the library for my class assignment.
I asked the library director, Gene Pidzarko, if I could do a website about the history of Lowell Library. He informed me that there was already a brief word document covering the history about the library on the website, however the material is highly in need of updating. He asked me to come back later in the week with my proposed ideas. I took a look at the history of the library’s webpage and found many issues. It did not have any citations or resources listed to back up the information, it was written hastily with incorrect grammar, it did not include a lot of information, and worst of all: it was BORING!
I wrote out an outline focusing my agenda on the Specific Subjects area under Richard Krzyer’s category of library history. I wanted to address the research questions about the history of the library, the nature trail surrounding the library, and the mural in the children’s section. I proposed the idea to the library director who gave me the permission to do it. My next step was to start gathering information.
I started my research by going through the book Memories of Lowell, Indiana and West Creek, Cedar Creek townships, and Eagle Creek written by former town historian Richard Schmal. This book proved to be a great starting point. From there I read through the book Lowell, Indiana: Sesquicentennial 1852-2002 written by Gregory Jancosek. These books had basic information about the library and also helped me in two other ways. First, it contradicted dates and information on the library’s history web site, so I stopped referring to that paper for information. Second, I realized that the town of Lowell, Indiana is a very close knit community and a website about the history of the library would not be complete without a history of the town’s beginnings. So, I needed to include information about the town’s founder Melvin Halstead.
I searched through the local history cabinets that included newspaper clippings, library memorabilia, maps, photos, and other materials. I also looked through several dusty boxes of library materials in storage. The problem is that none of the material in the cabinet or boxes were organized or catalogued. So, I spent a lot of time collecting and sorting different kinds of unorganized materials in order to collect the necessary information.
I interviewed the current and former editors of the library newsletter Becky Ashe and Nell Fabish. They were helpful and important to my research, because they had witnessed first-hand and written about these events in the library newsletter. I read through many issues of the newsletter. Nell had a great idea. She wanted to go back through the newsletters and create a timeline highlighting library events. She told me that she has wanted to do this for years and now has the opportunity to make a list and have it published online. I agreed that this is a great idea.
The library mural and nature trail are unique and important parts of the library and its history. So, I did research on these topics too. I contacted the mural artist, Dennis Orlowski, for an interview. We talked about his work, the library, and art in general. When I get to talking about art topics I can talk for hours. Dennis loves talking about art too, so the interview was helpful for my assignment and I was able to meet a fellow artist. J
I organized my research, double checked dates and information, did several write-ups, revisions, and scanned lots and lots of images. I made the color of the website grey to match the background of the library’s main website. I made the word headings a shade of green to match the library sign outside of the building. However, there were some challenges. I originally wanted to include separate tabs on the website about the history of the two very tiny library branches of Schneider and Shelby. I started researching Shelby by interviewing the branch manager Anna Dotson. The library is very small with a couple thousand books and maybe 6 people a day as patrons. In the summer they get a lot more patrons, because of summer activities. The Schneider branch is even smaller. However, with time constraints I could not add the history of these two branches to the website before the assignment was due. The good news is the library director wants me to continue adding to the website after my class is over. So, Shelby and Schneider’s library histories will be represented in the near future.
I believe that there is a need for this website. The director is going to have the old word document about the Lowell Library’s history removed from the main website. The document has incorrect information and is boring. It is going to be replaced with a link to the webpage I created. Nell has told the Friends of the Library about the webpage and they would like me in the future to add on historical information and pictures about their organization and what they have done with the library. The library director wants me to maintain the webpage with updates this summer about their reading program and other activities. We are still working out the details; however it would be separate tabs on the website that would include dates, information about the event, and lots of fun pictures. This is a great way to present historical library information just after it happens.
Here is the citation for the two books I mentioned in this paper. These and the rest of my cited sources are listed on the individual web pages on the website.
Jancosek, G. & Schmal, R. (2002). Lowell, Indiana: Sesquicentennial 1852-2002. Shawnee Mission, KS: Herff Jones Yearbooks.
Schmal, R. (2007). Memories of Lowell, Indiana and West Creek, Cedar Creek townships, and Eagle Creek. St. John, IN: R&B Fine Printing.