Library Blog

Neither Blue Nor Gray: Memorial Day Weekend

Thursday, May 24, 2018

The Library is closed Saturday, May 26, Sunday, May 27, and Monday, May 28, for Memorial Day. Otherwise we observe normal hours.


In the Memorial Day volume of the 1911 series "Our American Holidays," author Robert Haven Schauffler takes care to note,

"In harmony with the generous non-sectional spirit characterizing our Memorial Day celebration, no discrimination has been shown in this collection between the literature of South and North. For our secular All Souls' Day knows neither North nor South, Blue nor Gray.

The sole discrimination shown has been in selecting from all sources the most beautiful poetry and the most eloquent prose in this first attempt to reveal, from various viewpoints, the true spirit and significance of the festival and of the events leading thereto."

This reader would be more impressed by Mr. Schauffler's broad-mindedness if he'd included more than one in ten authors who was female, but never mind. Memorial Day, after all, principally memorializes war, and up to 1911 the majority of war and discussion of war happened among men - though tell it to Julia Ward Howe.

Anyway, in the spirit of inclusiveness, a grab-bag of wonderful things available on the Library's website whether we're closed for a holiday or not.

All of Art & Activism in the Anthropocene. All-star speakers hold three literate and up-to-the-minute discussions about the written and visual arts in a time of climate change, in conversation with Amy Brady of Guernica magazine. 

Event Recordings. Catch up with a creative and hilarious take on Marie of Romania, meet a historic stowaway to Antarctica, enjoy the ceremony of the 2017-18 New York City Book Awards, and more.

Recent Blog Highlights:

Book Recommendations: Whether you want Young Adult books for grownups, green reads, the best about Willa Cather, or something else entirely, there's a recommendation for you.

Electronic Resources: Electronic books, electronic magazines, scholarly databases, Oxford Reference Online: an infinity of intellectual rabbit holes to explore. 

We wish you a holiday weekend both meaningful and festive.


In the sidebar: The frontispiece and title page of this unashamedly partisan 1915 book.

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