MEMOIR WRITING CLUB
Do you have a story to tell? Have family members been pestering you to tell your personal stories of long ago? Learn how easy it is to capture your cherished memories on paper - using an old photograph for inspiration, or listening to others tell their stories. Anything you care about can become part of your memoir, from a first bicycle to holiday traditions, from favorite family meals to growing up without air-conditioning. A congenial group of mixed ages meets monthly. Upcoming dates are: September 9, October 14, November 18, and December 9, 2010. Join us! Call 908 757-1111, ext. 136.
LOCAL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Historical Photo of the Month
Shakespeare Society of Plainfield
Photo: The Shakespeare Club, May 1890.
Early members of The Shakespeare Club (later known as the Shakespeare Society) of Plainfield. This image was photographed by flashlight, a recently invented technology using a magnesium-coated wire in a glass globe to light the scene. Learn more about this club and others in the library's Local Clubs and Organizations Collection held in the Local History Room.Part of the recently acquired Courier News Photograph Collection.
The library documents the history of Plainfield by preserving the archival records of organizations and agencies. Papers and documents of 140 organizations are now in the library's collection. The following records were recently processed: The Shakespeare Society was created in October 1887 with 18 charter members. Society members prided themselves on being the antithesis of a stodgy, academic group. It has been noted that they were not a learned society or literary club; they simply liked to read Shakespeare aloud. The library holdings include hand-written and typed minutes, photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and other Society-related records. A finding aid is now available online. Click Here for more details.
EARLY NEWSPAPERS DIGITIZED
Plainfield Public Library has completed the digitization of two 19th-century newspapers, The Daily Press and The Plainfield Daily Press. The digitization of 110 reels of microfilm was made possible through an $11,000 Special Projects Grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission. These two related newspapers, spanning 1887-1916, document an important era in Plainfield's and Union County's development. Although the library has earlier newspapers on microfilm, The Daily Press and The Plainfield Daily Press were the first choice for digitization because of the genealogical information they contain and their heavy use. Also, the Plainfield newspapers have never been indexed, nor have obituary indexes ever been compiled. The digital files have been uploaded to the Library's local history website. Please note that because of copyright restrictions, online searching of these files can only be done at the library.
BOOK REPAIR WORKSHOPS
In May and June, Plainfield Public Library held a series of workshops about book conservation and repair. Master bookbinder and Local History Department volunteer, Leonard Cummings, instructed participants from 13 libraries over three sessions. Students learned how to identify and diagnose needed book repairs, unbind and prepare signatures for stitching, and other aspects of bookbinding. Students received a formal certificate of completion as well as the book they had completely rebuilt over the course of the series. The workshops were a great success, and we look forward to the next series scheduled in the fall.
CONSERVATION WORKSHOP
The Care and Keeping of Family Treasures was the workshop presented by the Plainfield Public Library staff on May 22, 2010. Topics were selected to be of interest to members of historical societies and museums in Union County. Cynthia Harris, Head of Local History at Jersey City Public Library led off with a spirited discussion of how and where to find local history artifacts at flea markets, garage and estate sales.
Three speakers from the Plainfield Public Library gave tips on caring for Bibles and family papers, photographs and heirloom textiles. The Saturday morning event, funded by the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, was well received and has sparked interest in a future workshop on photographs and digital storage options.
COURIER NEWS PHOTOGRAPH ARCHIVE
 Coretta Scott King speaking at a rally in Plainfield, November 1980. Photo by Vince Kremer; Courier News Photograph Archive of the Plainfield Public Library.
In February 2009, the Courier News shut down its operations in Bridgewater and gave the Library access to 25,000 photographic prints and 50,000 negatives from its photograph morgue. These images document local and statewide events back to the 1890's. With grants from the Plainfield Cultural and Heritage Commission and the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, Archivist Sarah Hull and library volunteers reviewed the prints and selected 10,000 for retention, including the photographs of Milt Campbell seen in this newsletter and in our new online exhibit. They are now being entered into the library's online photograph database. Approximately 15,000 prints were transferred to Newark Public Library. Phase 2, the review of the 50,000 negatives, has just begun.
CHURCH RECORDS
Finding information for their family trees is one of the most popular reasons that residents visit or call the library's Local History Room. Currently, staff members and volunteers are transcribing records of the First Park Baptist Church, where birth dates of members go back to 1820. Three types of lists are being transcribed: Cemetery Lists, Membership Lists, and Deceased Files. Names are being compiled into an Excel spreadsheet so that surnames can be searched.Contact us if your church or house of worship would like to participate in our project. We will return all record books, or make arrangements with you to archive them in the Local History Room.
To learn more about any of our local history activities, including how to become a volunteer, contact Mary Ellen Rogan at 908-757-1111, ext. 132, or me.rogan@plfdpl.info.
The Local History Department is supported by grants from the New Jersey Historical Commission, The Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, and the Plainfield Cultural & Heritage Commission.
The Plainfield Public Library is located at 800 Park Avenue in Plainfield, NJ
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August
Monday - Wednesday
9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday & Friday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Main Number
908-757-1111
Reference......x 112
Circulation.....x 111
Local History....x 136
Children's Room...x 129
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Giant Book Sale!
August 27th through September 11th 2010
during regular library hours.
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Free Computer Classes
The Plainfield Public Library will be offering a series of computer classes starting in September. These classes are FREE to Plainfield card holders OR $10 per class for non-cardholders.
Computer Basics
Internet Basics
Introduction to Word
Introduction to Excel
Email Basics
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Plainfield: Lost
But Not Forgotten
Book on sale!
Click Here for details.
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Family Bible Project
If you have family bible records in your possession, we encourage you to submit your records for inclusion on our website.
The Plainfield Public Library Bible Records Project scans and digitizes family bible records from families with connections to Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. The records will be available online for the purpose of sharing and disseminating these invaluable genealogy resources.
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"Glimpse of History"
Plainfield Photographs
Click Here to see historical Plainfield photographs that have appeared in the Union County edition of the
Star Ledger's Glimpse of History series.
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2010 Photograph Contest
"East Side, West Side
All Around the Town"
Entries must be received by October 1st 2010
For more details and entry form Click Here
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New Online Exhibit
"Milt Campbell"
A World Champion
From Plainfield
Milton Gray Campbell (born December 9, 1933) is truly a Plainfield Champion as well as state, national and world champion. He captured the 1956 GOLD Medal and became the world's Olympic Decathlon Champion. He was the first African American to win it. Learn more about this great athlete by visiting our online exhibit, made possible by a grant from the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage
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