Grand Rapids Public Library

A couple of websites that are fairly new to the scene offer sound, sight and video, making past events interesting to more than just history buffs. The Oyez (say “oh yay”) Project is a multimedia archive devoted to the Supreme Court of the United States and its work. You can listen(!) to the cases being [...]

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

Recently a patron called asking if we could identify the location of where a picture was taken. She found a photo on our website that she said was strikingly similar to a photo of her grandparents’ wedding. The people in our photo were not in her photo but the trellis and decorations were all the [...]

David Quammen’s Spillover is a great new book to read as flu season heats up. The author looks at how and why zoonotic diseases may transfer from their traditional population to humans. It also gets my vote for “best cover” of 2012. If one compares death statistics, we’re much more likely to die from a small [...]

Sometimes objects are believed to resonate with the emotional record of the time that they were created. Actual letters can have a disturbing power to reach out from the past and move us. Art Johnson’s letter to his wife turned up at an estate sale, and our Local History Dept. solved the mystery of what [...]

Photo courtesy BBC News  If you’re like me, the recent declaration of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas leaves little relief.  I’m often left with questions of how what is arguably the most sacred spot can become so ramp with conflict and aggression.  When I finally decided to learn about the creation of Israel, I [...]

Our dogs are already excited about Halloween. Nikki wants to be a princess or a circus performer, and Buster wants to go as an undercover dog  (which would not require a costume).  I guess we won’t go door to door (chocolate being poisonous for dogs and all that), but we’re ready. Where did Halloween come [...]

Day of the dead is a mix of Christian tradition and pre-hispanic beliefs.  It originated as a Mayan ritual to honor and celebrate the lives of the dead. Day of the Innocents is a less known Mexican holiday, it is November 1: this day is to honor children and infants that have passed. It is [...]

Last weeks Digital Public Library of America, or DPLA, seminar helped to clarify some issues regarding this national project and what the future implications are for our library. The initial vision of the DPLA was to create a national digital library that will keep items free and accessible for everyone. This is especially important with the [...]

El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican celebration in honor of friends and relatives who have passed away. On Day of the Dead, family members celebrate the lives and spirits of deceased loved ones by building altars, preparing special foods and parading in special disguises and masks. The celebration begins [...]