Off the Shelf - Fall 2012 - Free Library of Philadelphia

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HIDDEN GEMSHistory in Black and White:Exploring the Past through Political CartooningFOCUSONParkway CentralRenovations begin this winter innext phase of “Building Inspiration”The pundits are shouting; the blogposts are multiplying; and the latestpolitical cartoons hammer away atcandidates left and right: Electionseason is in full swing.While it seems like much of this is aproduct of our 24/7, media-saturatedworld, political cartooning hasactually been used as a mechanismto voice opinion in what is now theUnited States since the 18th century.In fact, it was Philadelphia’s ownBenjamin Franklin who startedthe craze with his now-iconic “Joinor Die” cartoon, published in thePennsylvania Gazette in 1754 as areaction to the French and Indian War.It is only fitting, then, that the FreeLibrary of Philadelphia’s Print andPicture Collection holds an incrediblenumber of rare, hand-drawn politicalcartoons dating back to the 18thcentury and running throughWorld War II. A selection of thesefascinating, funny, and sometimesfearsome cartoons—which totalsome 2,500 in number—will be ondisplay in Parkway Central Library’sWest Gallery (First Floor) throughNovember 11 as part of the Drawninto Politics exhibition.“Political cartoons are such animportant part of our culturebecause they speak to readers on alllevels and are able to sum up with adrawing and six or seven words whatis often a really frustrating situation,”Ty Mahon. “The Crowded Clinic.” Philadelphia EveningBulletin. November 18, 1939. Courtesy of the Print andPicture Collection.This cartoon, called “TheCrowded Clinic,” appeared in thePhiladelphia Evening Bulletinin November of 1939 and was drawnby Ty Mahon, who illustratedfor the Bulletin as well asEsquire magazine in the 1930s and‘40s. The cartoon is a nod to thedramatic loss of funding forcity institutions, including theFree Library, in the wake ofserious, Great Depression-inducedbudget cuts. Here, the “sickly”institutions crowd around CityCouncil, looking for an antidoteof additional funding, INCLUDINGdesperately needed building andinfrastructure upgrades.says Aurora Deshauteurs, Head ofthe Print and Picture Collection.The cartoons featured in Drawninto Politics provide commentaryon everything from Prohibitionand foreign affairs to Philadelphiapolitics and the escalating cost ofliving. And despite the fact that manyof them were created before today’sreaders were born, Deshauteurs saysthey are pertinent even in our 21stcenturyworld.“These cartoons are relevant becausein terms of culture, economics, worldaffairs, and politics, we often repeatourselves, so these really remainconsistently fresh,” she notes. “Inaddition, these cartoons give us thesense that ‘this too shall pass.’ Theyillustrate how we have overcomewars, debt crises, and other tragediesand have managed to move forwardas a society and as a country.”Drawn into Politics is onview in Parkway CentralLibrary’s West Galleryuntil November 11. Theexhibition is free andopen to the public Monday –Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.,Friday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.,Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.,and Sunday 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.• • • BY ALIX GERZLEFT: Parkway Central’s entire fourthfloor—including this outdated andNON-working kitchen—will receive atotal renovation in the coming months.RIGHT: The Rare Book Departmentcurrently has limited space forshowcasing its unique holdings(pictured here), but the next phase of“Building Inspiration” will ensure largerexhibition and conservation space.PHOTO CREDIT: EILEEN OWENSWith soaring vistas from City Hall to the Franklin Institute, the Free Library’s outdoor SkylineTerrace has stunning views that rival the grandeur of Parkway Central itself. And this WINTER,the terrace’s adjoining interior space—the Skyline Room—and the rest of Parkway Central’s fourthfloor are set to undergo a series of renovations that will restore it to its Beaux-Arts majestyand complement the gorgeous terrace.This massive fourth floor renovation—along with significantupgrades to the third floor Rare Book Department—signal thenext step in the Free Library’s ambitious “Building Inspiration”plan, which seeks to secure the future of the Library system andits resources while providing significant capital improvements.The fourth floor, which is composed of the Skyline Room, severalsmaller spaces and offices, and an outdated, non-functioningkitchen, will shortly be transformed into a world-class conferenceand special-event space, ready to host everything from agathering of children’s librarians sharing the latest storytellingtechniques to a meeting of city planners discussing the futureof Philadelphia. It will also continue to be rented for weddingsand parties as well as provide a beautiful setting for specialLibrary events and soirées. In addition, the kitchen space willbe completely gutted and updated so that the Library can offerhands-on cooking demonstrations and culinary literacy classes.The Rare Book Department is also being readied to undergorenovations to enhance its conservation and exhibition space,ensuring that its precious artifacts—ranging from ancientcuneiform tablets to drawings by Beatrix Potter—are not onlystored in museum-quality space but also safely and beautifullydisplayed for the public to enjoy.“This series of renovations to the Parkway Central Libraryshowcases the types of flexible spaces and innovative programsPHOTO CREDIT: RYAN BRANDENBERGthat the Free Library is dedicated to creating and sustaining forour community,” said Siobhan A. Reardon, President and Director.“I’m thrilled that we will be offering culinary literacy classes in astate-of-the-art kitchen just one floor above the department wherewe show off Charles Dickens’s writing desk. These renovationswill allow our librarians to inspire curiosity in bold new ways.”“Building Inspiration” will continue to bring renovations andrestorations of this caliber not only to Parkway Central but alsoto neighborhood libraries throughout Philadelphia, enhancingand beautifying the century-old system. In addition, the planencompasses much more than capital improvements, andhighlights an effort to bolster the Library’s endowment; garnerfunds to secure the Library’s services well into the future;and invest in fresh and innovative programming. This grand,comprehensive project will ensure that a new century ofcustomers will be able to learn, create, connect, and grow at theFree Library of Philadelphia.• • • BY ALIX GERZWork on Parkway Central’s third and fourth floors isslated to begin this January and should be completedwithin a year. Stay tuned to freelibrary.org and thenext issue of Off the Shelf for the latest in “BuildingInspiration” news and photographs.{ 6 }{ 7 }
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Off the Shelf - Fall 2012 - Free Library of Philadelphia

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