Beacon Street Diary

Brown Bag Lunch -- American Grace

Nancy Ammerman, professor of sociology at Boston University and leading scholar of modern American religion, will lead a discussion on Robert Putnam and David Campbell's recent book, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us.

American Grace is a innovative study of American religiosity, in all of its paradox and complexity. Campbell and Putnam outline three "seismic shocks" that have profoundly shaped American belief and behavior since the 1960s. The current climate of deep religious polarization has disenchanted those seeking a middle ground. Yet we also live in a time of increasing interfaith understanding, especially on the personal level. While the culture wars continue, American people from every religious tradition are learning to live together with surprising tolerance.

Bring your lunch and join us at the table.

Wednesday, March 14th
12:00 - 1:00 pm

Join us for lunch at noon.
Program begins promptly at 12:15.

Free.
Register today.

Native American resources at the National Archive

Here at the Congregational Library, we have quite a lot of materials about Native Americans in a religious context, from editions of John Eliot's translation of the Bible into a local Native American language of Massachusetts to a sizable collection of missionary and historical materials.

If you're looking for something a bit broader in scope, though, the National Archives and Records Administration can be a great place to start. They have historical records from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, articles, image collections, links to other repositories, and more. There are also lists of Native American genealogical resources and tribal resources for researchers interested in those subjects.

Whether you're looking for ancestors, doing research for your next book, or just a fan of American history, there are some wonderful materials waiting for you. Go take a look around. You might be surprised at what you can find. 

 

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image of Lone Wolfe (Guipago), a Kiowa chief from the National Archives' collection of Native American pictures (American Indian Select List number 105)

Reminder -- Research 101 on Monday

There is still time to let us know if you'd like to join us for a day of orientation and research among our collections this coming Monday. Get to know our books, archival collections, online catalog, and digital resources. Find out how to make the most of your research time.

Monday, February 27th
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Free.
Register now to reserve your spot.

Church anniversary workshop

"Celebrating Your Church Anniversary with Wisdom and Style"

Does your church have an important anniversary coming up in the next few years? Could you use a hand figuring out what to do or how to get started? We're here to help. This full-day workshop will give you the tools you need to plan a great celebration, big or small.

Guest speakers and breakout session leaders will cover a variety of topics, including:

• why church records are so important
• writing and publishing your church's history
• creating an oral history project with your members
• organizing your anniversary committee
• commemorative worship services
• managing your institutional records

Take a look at the session details on our Program & Workshop Schedule.

 

Saturday, March 17th
9:30 am - 3:00 pm

Hancock Congregational Church, Lexington, MA

$50, lunch included
Register today.

Event reminder -- Brown Bag Lunch tomorrow

There's still plenty of time to register for tomorrow's Brown Bag Lunch featuring Karl Giberson, co-author of The Anointed, in a discussion about the relationship between evangelical religions, political conservatives, and our modern views on American history. This important new work will provide a thoughtful and engaging view of American evangelicalism in the twenty-first century.

Come enjoy informal conversation around the table about a timely and important topic.

Wednesday, Feb. 22
12:00 - 1:00 pm

Join us for lunch at noon.
Program begins promptly at 12:15.

Free.
Preregistration required.

Honoring Presidents Day from the Congregational Library’s Archives

In honor of Presidents Day, we wanted to share recent items found while processing archival materials from the Chicago Theological Seminary. The sermon titled, "Lincoln's Death" is part of the Reverend D. M. Fisk Collection. It's dated April 16, 1865, just two days after President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D. C. with Mary Todd Lincoln. Another undated, but apparently contemporaneous, address in the same collection is titled "Abraham Lincoln – His Life and Place in American History" and goes on to contextualize Lincoln's presidency, his legacy, and the state of the nation. These items, among others from the Rev. D. M. Fisk Collection are in the midst of being processed and made available for research by the Congregational Library’s archivists. Stay tuned for more information!

 

-Cristina

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Lincoln portrait courtesy of Fotopedia through a Creative Commons license.

Scheduling reminder -- closed on Monday

The Congregational Library will be closed on Monday, February 20th in observance of Presidents Day.

All of our online resources will be available as usual. If you have questions that you'd like to ask the staff, send an email or leave a voicemail, and we'll get back to you when we return.

Research 101

We wanna hold your hand.

We've helped enough researchers over the years to know that our collections can be a bit daunting. If you have a topic you're excited to delve into but don't know where to start, this is a great time to jump in.

Our staff will provide an orientation to the collection and the best ways to find the material you want. They'll also be available to provide one-on-one assistance during the day.

Monday, February 27th
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Free.
Register now to reserve your spot.

 

(And if you can't make it this month, keep an eye out for the next Research 101 session coming up in April.)

The more things change: Tech Talk

In the middle of the 20th century, the big exciting technological thing to do in the library/archive realm was creating a photostatic copy. (That, or microfilm.) Recently, Cristina and I came across a document discussing a project in the 1950s where some special documents were under consideration for such a process, but the exorbitant cost of $3.00 per page -- equivalent to more than $24.00 in today's currency -- was not feasible.

Today we have digital projects. We frequently talk about how much it will cost to get some books or church records or photographs scanned. However, the cost of doing so is inevitably what prevents us from automatically proceeding with the project.

If essentially making a photocopy -- something most of us don't think twice about -- was such a huge deal 60 years ago, what will be the thing that is taken for granted and the thing that is hard to do in another 60 years?

-Jessica

 

Intern Introduction -- Rebecca Franz

Hello, I'm Rebecca Franz. I am currently in my last semester at Simmons College where I am pursuing an MS in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Archives Management.

Prior to enrolling at Simmons, I received a BFA in painting and drawing from Wichita State University and my MFA in painting from The San Francisco Art Institute.

I am thrilled to be at the Congregational Library where I will be picking up where Katherine Williamson left off on the Small Collections Digital Exhibition.

The internships I have completed prior to coming to the Congregational Library reflect my background in the fine arts. From processing scientific illustrations to scanning and cataloging 35mm slides, most of the materials I have handled have been visually based. I am therefore particularly excited about the wealth of textual documents that the Small Collections has to offer.

This project promises to be an exciting, challenging experience... everything I had hoped for and more!

-Rebecca