Research Library 50th Anniversary Open House

The Research Library at Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary on Saturday, September 15 from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. with an open house consisting of a wide selection of special programs. Learn about the library’s vast resources which are available to the public throughout the year. Visitors will hear special guests and library staff discussing subjects including highlights from the library’s first 50 years and an introduction to the extensive photo collection and genealogical resources. Talks on library collections will focus on the Abraham Lincoln Collection autopsy notes, the Historic Manuscript Cookbook Collection, and more. Each talk runs 10-20 minutes to accommodate visitors attending The Farmers’ Museum’s 40th Annual Harvest Festival. The open house is free and open to the public.

Hear the Stories and Learn about the Resources: A Series of Mini-Sessions:

10 am – Highlights from the Library’s first 50-years
Wayne Wright, Former Head Librarian

11 am – Introduction to the Photography Collection
Christina Milliman, Director of Museum and Library Collections
and Jennifer Griffiths, Digital Initiatives Manager

1 pm – Introduction to Genealogy Resources
Joe Festa, Librarian

2 pm – Let’s Hear It for our Volunteers!
Library Volunteers in Special Projects, Research and Book Repair

3 pm – Cooperstown Graduate Program
Georgia LaMair, Graduate Assistant and CGP Student

What’s in the Library? Collection Highlights
The library isn’t just home to books, come and see some of our more fascinating holdings in these highlight presentations. These 10-minute talks will be led by our knowledgeable and
passionate Library staff members, Joe Festa and Pamela Cooley.

Time Highlighted Collection
10:30 am – Steiner Collection of Native Indian basketry
11:30 am – Beauchamp Collection of regional drawings, sketches, paintings and more
1:30 pm – Belva Lockwood Collection of ephemera –
the first woman to run for US President
2:30 pm – Historic Manuscript Cookbook Collection
3:30 pm – Diaries & Correspondence of local and regional families
4:30 pm – Abraham Lincoln Collection of autopsy notes

There’s More to See!
All-day Photographic images, local atlases and more on display
Who were the Coopers and Clarks of Cooperstown? Learn more about early generations of the two families by viewing our photographic family trees!

This event is free and open to the public! Limited seating. Reservations are requested, but not required. RSVP to library@fenimoreart.org.