Our Libraries
October 17, 2008
Exhibit sheds new light on Ben Franklin
Who said, "A penny saved is a penny earned"? Or, "Honesty is the best policy"? If you guessed Benjamin Franklin, you'd be right!
But he also said, "The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself." And, "A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one." And, "I guess I don't so much mind being old, as I mind being fat and old." Franklin's observations on the human condition are as fresh today as they were three hundred years ago when he spoke them.
Here's your opportunity to get to know our First Citizen much better. The exhibit, "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World" will be opening at the Niles Public Library on Sunday, October 19, 2008.
"This exhibit presents Benjamin Franklin in a new light," said Neil O'Shea, Niles Reference Librarian and Coordinator of the Franklin Exhibit. "We think of Franklin as a wise and kindly old man, the author of Poor Richard's Almanac, or someone who flew kites in bad weather. But his contributions go far beyond these popular images. Franklin was a consummate diplomat who was instrumental in securing American independence from England. He secured French support for our revolt against England. As a result, the French gave us arms and experienced senior officers. France also provided vital military supplies, and loaned money to pay for their purchase. France was the only nation to recognize the independence of the U.S. before the treaty which ended the war in 1783. Before that, when the Continental Congress met and later the Constitutional Convention, it was Franklin's library that the framers used in preparing our founding documents. Without Benjamin Franklin we might all be singing, "God Bless Our Noble Queen" instead of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" O'Shea concluded.
Linda Weiss, Director of the Niles Public Library said, "We are so proud to be hosting this exhibit. The exhibit was created for the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary in Philadelphia. After that the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) cooperated in creating a national traveling exhibit. Benjamin Franklin is very popular and many libraries wanted to host it. We were thrilled when our application was selected."
The panel exhibit runs 108' and consists of six sections of colorful, freestanding photo-panels, incorporating representations of artifacts from the original Franklin exhibition and a text written by the curator of the original international traveling exhibition of the same title. The library is augmenting the exhibit with related book displays and bibliographies in both print and media formats.
The library is also supporting the exhibit with programs for adults and children. On Sunday, November 2, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. beer historian Bob Skilnik, will discuss the beers and ales favored by Franklin and the Founding Fathers while they were making our history. On Sunday, November 23, from 1:00 to 4:00, kids are invited to "Science with Ben." There will be kite building and other programs including period musical concerts, book discussions, and treasure hunts for kids. Visit the library's website for complete details: http://www.nileslibrary.org/ and to register for the events.
Benjamin Franklin himself will be available at the exhibit's opening on Sunday, October 19 at 2:00 p.m. Additionally Dr Ralph Lerner, the Benjamin Franklin Professor Emeritus in the College and of the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago, will deliver the keynote speech--"The World through Ben's Bifocals." Mark your calendar now for a Benjamin Franklin Sunday afternoon. The exhibit is free and will remain at the library through December 5, 2008.
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Sarah Long's weekly column, Our Libraries, is published in the Chicago Daily Herald. The Herald is Chicagoland's third largest daily newspaper, with a circulation of approximately 128,000.
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