To the Keepers of Our History, Thanks!

My view at the CSU/Special Collections Department

When you write non-fiction books, you, by necessity, spend a lot of time in research libraries. In Northeast Ohio, that generally means small museum archives, public libraries and historical societies, with the occasional university library thrown in for good measure. These facilities range from large, temperature-controlled, meticulously-filed collections of ephemera (the university libraries) to small rooms in century buildings with limited, if any, HVAC systems and filing systems that often consist of piles on a wooden desk or clippings thrown randomly into ziploc bags.

I’ve been welcomed warmly at all of the dozen or so locations where I’ve done book research this year, even when I couldn’t feel my hands on a cold January day in Conneaut or when I had to work in my lap because every one of the limited surfaces at the library was already filled with piles of treasures.

Many of the workers at these libraries and archives are volunteers, who generously give their time so that Northeast Ohio history is preserved for future generations. Most are, like me, of “a certain age”, and have fascinating stories and anecdotes to tell about their lives in our little corner of the world. Each visit is an adventure that has left me with a greater appreciate of our past and of the people who have populated it.

So, to those who keep these facilities open and who collect and process the information donated to them, Thank you!