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Essex Library Creates New Digital History Exhibit as It Turns 131

In honor of the Essex Library Association’s Founder’s Day on June 12, and in celebration of the library’s 131st year, library staff is unveiling a new digital archive this month. Using Omeka, an open-source publishing platform, the library has collected and scanned materials related to the association’s history. Materials include photographs, pamphlets, lists, and other documents dating to the library’s establishment in 1889. Items in the collection have been described and tagged with keywords to make them easy to search and locate. This digital photo album of the library’s history will be available online for anyone to view.

Beginning June 12, visitors can access the digital collection, titled The Essex Library Association: A Brief History, on the library’s website www.youressexlibrary.org.

The Essex Library Association: A Brief History includes important documents from Essex Library’s past, such as organizational documents, newsletters, and brochures, as well as photographs and memorabilia from key events. The Essex Library Association: A Brief History shares in digital format a physical exhibit that was displayed in the library’s Program Room in February. That exhibit run was cut short by the need to close the library building on March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibit included a pamphlet describing the library’s revised 1945 constitution and by-laws and circulation reports from the 1950s and ’60s. The digital archival collection includes digitized copies of these items, as well as historical photographs and postcards of the library that were lent to the library by the Essex Historical Society.

Hilariously, one of the reports in the archive chronicles a reason the library purchased few books in the spring and early summer of 1955 (because all the books being published at that time were “dull”). Instead, the library opted to replace a copy of Emily Post’s Etiquette. Another report is a bit emotional, as it was the final report from librarian Mildred Lord (“Your Old-Time Librarian”). Lord mentions being glad not to have to read the report herself to the group as she would likely have wept on someone’s shoulder.

The library plans at a future date to share a second collection about library life during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

At a time when the library building remains closed to the public, Essex Library hopes that residents and patrons will enjoy a visit to its digital collection.