Member Spotlight: MLS Local History Group

by Christina Stoll, MLS

The Metropolitan Library System (MLS) has several member library networking groups in a variety of interests and subjects.  Ranging from young adult to solo librarians to library staff interested in graphic design and reference, these groups provide an opportunity for library staff to network and share ideas outside of their library.  Up first is the MLS Local History Networking group. 

The MLS Local History group kicked off its first official meeting last November at the Elmwood Park Public Library.  The group is comprised of both librarians and interested individuals in the greater Chicago Metropolitan area who are involved with the development and maintenance of libraries' local history collections.  The group’s mission is to share its members’ knowledge, skills, ideas, and interests with regard to developing, maintaining, and promoting local history collections.  Group members also provide support and encouragement to each other for the benefit of the communities served.

Anyone who works with and/or has responsibility for a local history collection in relations with a library can join the group. You do not need be a librarian, nor need to work at a MLS member library, or even work at a library.  The group welcomes participation from all library system members in northeastern Illinois, and even encourages library trustees and volunteers to participate.  Keeping with its mission and focus the only criteria for membership is occupational or volunteer activity with local history collections in libraries.

To join the MLS Local History Group, you can do one of the following:

• Join their Yahoo Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MLSLocalHistory 

The Yahoo Group provides an online space for the posting of upcoming meetings, the sharing of questions and resources between group members and a listing of group members.

•  You’ll be prompted to provide your name, email address, library and a few words about your local history activity.
• You will need to sign up for a Yahoo ID, but you can use any email address.
• Email co-moderators Kathy Nicola at nicolak@eisenhowerpld.org or Rick Roche at rick@fordlibrary.org and provide them with your name, email address, library and a few words about your local history activity and why you’d like to join the group.

Many of the group’s members have made rewarding connections and taken away valuable ideas to further the advancement of their own local history collections.

Maywood Public Library

The Maywood Public Library (www.maywood.org) has two librarians who have been active with the MLS Local History group for the past year: Carol Clover, Head of the Reference Department and Kris Flanders, Technical Services Department Head and Local History Librarian.
 
The library’s reference department maintains a collection of pictures of Maywood, local history clippings, and an index to their local history collection.  Additional information can be found on the library’s web site at http://www.maywood.org/library/Adult.htm#Local%20History. For a complete overview of Maywood history, check out the library’s part-time librarian and author Doug Deuchler's book Maywood: Images of America.

Last month the library celebrated National Historic Preservation Month
(http://www.maywood.org/library/HistoricPreservation.htm). This included a library sponsored lecture and presentation by Jeanette Fields, renowned architectural columnist and architectural historian. The curator of Maywood's West Town Museum of Cultural History was also present to discuss Sears mail-order homes.

June’s theme will focus on the 2007 Summer Festivals in the Chicago area.  From the library’s web site (http://www.maywood.org/library/Summer2007.htm) patrons can link to Chicago events throughout the city such at such venues like Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Maywood Parks and Recreation activities and Ravinia. 
 
By participating in the MLS Local History group, the Maywood Public Library gets exposure to local history collections of neighboring libraries, access to local history reference and research tools, and collaboration with other libraries on funding and assistance with grant proposals for local history projects.

Brookfield Public Library

The Brookfield Public Library (http://www.brookfieldpubliclibrary.info/) has been a member of the MLS Local History Group since its beginning. 

Christy Eyre, Adult Services Librarian at Brookfield was really excited when she heard about the possibility of such a group forming.  “Not every community is fortunate enough to have a historical society.  In those cases, the public library is often the only source for information relating to a community’s history,” states Christy. 

Brookfield has a historical society with open hours every 2nd and 4th Sunday of May through September.   One of the reasons the library joined the MLS Local History group is to improve its own small local history collection.  The library is also looking for ways to improve their relationship with the town’s historical society.  

Hearing the successes and difficulties of other libraries’ local history collections at group meetings has been very rewarding for Christy.  The group shares ideas ranging from collection development tips to brainstorming grant ideas for future development of their collections.

“I come away from the meetings with ideas for ways to further develop Brookfield’s Local History Collection.” says Christy.  “I think it’s great to have a group like this because it helps make the task of maintaining local history collections much less daunting.  We’re able to learn from each other and help each other out.”

For additional information about the MLS Local History Group contact Kathy Nicola at nicolak@eisenhowerpld.org or (708) 867-7828.

Published June 6, 2007 in vol. 1, iss. 10 [View]