National Library Week is just around the corner (April 10–16), so for week 13 of our Kansas sesquicentennial series we’re taking a closer look at our Library’s history, including our original charter, catalog and books.
Originally established as the Ladies’ Library Association in 1870 as a place where people could learn and better themselves, The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library has been an invaluable resource and community gathering place for over 140 years.
And here’s a short video about the history of, and relationship between, art and the Library, including a closer look at the inside of the original library building and the later Topeka Public Library where we are located today (before reconstruction completed in 2002).
About 52 for 150
Every object has a story, and stories build history. To celebrate 150 years of Kansas statehood we’re featuring 52 objects (or collections of related objects)—something new each week throughout the year—from the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library’s 130-year-old special, and permanent collections, that represent our collective state history and cultural diversity.
Our collections are available for teachers, students, researchers and general interest, and we hope this online video program will provide insight into what’s so “special” about Special Collections. Your library’s commitment to collecting art and preserving local history makes it possible for users today and in the future to have immediate access to invaluable research material and cultural artifacts.
To learn more about the Library’s early history, call or stop by the Topeka Room (785-580-4510) on the Library’s second floor. We’re located at the top of the stairs on your left.