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The special event, called The 1902 Club for the year
the Carnegie building was built, featured live music, historic
building tours, displays of archival collections, hors d’oeuvres,
desserts, drinks, and a chance to participate in history.
Patrons arrived in their finery at 7 p.m. and were
welcomed by library staff and 1902 Club planning committee members.
The Carnegie building was decorated with gorgeous, seasonal flower
arrangements provided by Melanie Welch of The Bee and Prairie
Threads, while attendees were serenaded throughout the evening by
exceptional cello music provided by cellists Chet Remmert and
Christine Cicha. Fittingly, Cicha is also a librarian.
The heavy oak built-in for new book displays near the
circulation desk was tastefully decorated with a sculptural balloon
arch and gift bags for patrons to take home afterward. The oak
built-ins originally designed to display periodicals contained rare
books from the original library collection. The long table in the
Scully Reading Room was full of historical and archival materials
displayed for perusal, including the original blueprint of the
Carnegie building, vintage books from the library collection, and a
stereoscope viewer with stereograph cards– a popular entertainment
during the Victorian era. One of the library computers was set up to
view digitized local newspapers from the 1800s.
Once patrons had all arrived, Library Clerk and event
organizer Ashley Ried officially welcomed guests and thanked them
for their support of the Lincoln Public Library. She outlined events
for the evening and invited attendees to enjoy the archival
collections, participate in tours of the upstairs Director’s Room,
and enjoy the music and refreshments. She paid homage to the women
of Lincoln whose contributions made the Carnegie building possible.
Isabel Nash donated the land for the library building and Ida M.
Webster, LPL librarian for 55 years, not only grew and organized the
collections, but was instrumental in the building’s design. Lincoln
has Webster to thank for the attractive bump-outs at the sides of
the Carnegie building that add to its Neoclassical charm.
Ried introduced Library Director Mike Starasta who
also welcomed guests and thanked them for their support of the
library. He shared the LPL’s mission statement with guests, which
reads “The purpose of the Lincoln Public Library District is to meet
the informational, educational, and recreational needs of the people
of Lincoln, IL. These public library services are intended to
provide lifelong learning opportunities, offer access to general
information for school, work, or life, provide current titles for
recreational reading, and develop collections for consumer
information and local businesses.”
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Many patrons enjoyed a photo treasure hunt, scouring
the building for the tiniest architectural features. The first six
who completed the hunt received a prize of a Carnegie building
paperweight for their efforts, in addition to an extensive knowledge
of the building. Attendees also took advantage of the opportunity to
record their favorite memories of the library and best wishes for
the future in the Coatroom to be digitized and available for future
library patrons to enjoy.
One of the most eagerly anticipated aspects of the
night was a tour of the upstairs Director’s Room. Originally the
office space for librarian Ida Webster, the Director’s Room boasts
views of Latham Park through latticed windows, original
architectural features, and interior windows that open to the
topside of the stained glass dome. This area is typically closed to
library patrons. Special displays set up in the Director’s Room for
the occasion included original roof tiles, filigreed steel bookends,
and examples of the building’s plaster. Planning committee member
Pam Moriarty gave tours of the upstairs space providing information
about Isabel Nash, the stained glass dome, and other architectural
elements of the Carnegie building.
Lincolnland Catering provided a scrumptious spread of
sweets and savories. Macarons, lemon squares, mini-cheesecakes,
berry tarts, chocolate eclairs, and peanut butter cookies were some
of the delicacies to tempt the sweet tooth. Cheese pâté served with
nuts, apples, and crackers, and hors d'oeuvres of stuffed mushrooms,
chicken salad in pastry, and cheese and olive on pastry completed
the delicious menu. Custom-blended autumn punch complemented the
hors d'oeuvres and a selection of wine was donated by library board
member Jon Aton. Other beverages were generously provided by Squeaky
Clean Window Washing.
The 1902 Club was a successful celebration of local history and an
historic Lincoln landmark. Library Director Mike Starasta said,
“It’s been a fantastic event! I’m happy so many people in the
community support the Lincoln Public Library.” Librarian Caroline
Kiest added, “Everyone has enjoyed it. The decor is outstanding and
the food is excellent. A special thank you to our sponsors!”
Proceeds from The 1902 Club will go toward restoration work of the
Carnegie building’s original tile roof to address leaks that have
compromised the integrity of this local gem of a building.
Reflecting on the event, organizer Ashley Ried said,
“What a celebration we had! By the end, we were already talking
about “next time.” I think that’s an indication of a good time!”
Ried wants to “give a special thank you to the volunteer team that
helped create this special night. Their hard work will help the
legacy of the library continue for many years ahead. It’s incredible
to think that while our team worked fastidiously to ensure the event
could go off without a hitch, the evening was really a culmination
of the hard work of hundreds of people over the course of a century
and a half. What a wonderful thing to be part of!” Additional
exciting opportunities are planned for the future to support Lincoln
Public Library’s mission and legacy.
[Stephanie Hall]
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