Nancy Mattoon

Shooting History: Notorious 1963 Photo On Exhibit At Truman Library

One of the most famous shots (literally and figuratively) in the history of American photojournalism was snapped by a photographer who'd already blown one chance to capture a historic moment, and was sure it was about to happen again. That's just one of the fascinating stories behind the Pulitzer Prize winning photos on exhibit through January 24, 2010 at the Harry S.Truman Library and Museum.Robert H. Jackson, a 29-year-old photographer for the Dallas Times Herald, was assigned to cover the Friday, November 22, 1963 visit of President John F. Kennedy to the Texas city. According to a NBC news story,...

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Libraries Keep MLK’s Crucial Comic Book

The Comic Book That Changed A Nation."The comic book [is] the marijuana of the nursery, the bane of the bassinet, the horror of the home, the curse of the kids and a threat to the future."John Mason Brown. (American literary critic, 1900-1969)In December of 1957 a comic book was published that really did threaten the future--at least the future of American segregationists. Carefully preserved in the special collections of several academic libraries, such as The Smithsonian Institution, Morehouse College, and Stanford University, The Montgomery Story, a 14-page comic book is, credited with being one of the most influential teaching tools...

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Library’s Letters Reveal The Real Van Gogh

Still Life With Plate Of Onions, 1889, Oil on Canvas.Note the letter and the book. This painting is said to refer to Charles Dickens' remedy against suicide: "A daily glass of wine, a piece of bread and cheese, and a pipe with tobacco."London's Royal Academy Museum and Library will host the city's first major exhibit of the works of Vincent van Gogh in over 40 years beginning January 23, 2010. Curated in conjunction with Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum and Library, the show is entitled: The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters. The letters of Van Gogh, borrowed from...

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These Libraries Are Going To The Dogs

A "Reading Dog" Offers A Comforting Paw(Images Courtesy Of Librarydogs.) Library cats have garnered nationwide media coverage recently, including here on Book Patrol. Not wishing to offend canine loving readers, today's post gives library dogs equal time. Libraries across the country from Swampscott, MA. to San Jose, CA. are making exceptions to that arcane "No Dogs Allowed " rule for a program proven to help struggling young readers."I need a little help with my reading, because I'm sometimes a slow reader," said Linda , a 9-year-old New York City girl. She found the perfect tutor at New York Public Library....

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Library Cats 45, Bookstore Cats 0

Before She Was Famous: A Rare Unretouched Photo of Stacks The Library Cat.Cats are drawn to quiet, solitary activity. Writers know that putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, is a magnet for Kitty more potent than fresh catnip. Same goes for knitting, sewing, drawing, paying bills, folding laundry, and, of course, reading. So no surprise libraries and bookstores often have felines in residence. Two recent news stories reveal a trend in the area of literary felines: while library cats bask in the spotlight, bookstore cats are an endangered species.The State Journal-Register of Springfield, Illinois reports that the February...

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