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Maddening March
Say what you will about basketball in March. It's magnificent, majestic, marvelous, mayhem ... and it can be Madness.
But truly, there's nothing new under the sun. It's always been Maddening! Just ask:
- 1913's Greenwood Schoolyard Boys
- The "timeless" Kansas School for the Deaf Jackrabbits
- 1954's Olathe High School Eagles
- 1907's Olathe Normal School Basketball Team
- 1927's Overland Park School Boys Team
- 1954's Baker's Jim Draper
See more local basketball history at jocohistory.org or follow our hashtag on Twitter.
Art at Gardner Library
InterUrban ArtHouse (IUAH) is a non-profit organization creating a new hub for arts and culture in Johnson County, Kansas. IUAH’s mission is to enrich the cultural and economic vibrancy of Downtown Overland Park and surrounding community by creating a place where artists and creative industries can work and prosper in an affordable, sustainable and inclusive environment. This exhibition features local photographers currently working with IUAH. We're happy to share an interview with one of those artists, Sharon Rodriguez.
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What comes first – the medium or the message? Tell me a little about the work that will be on view.
Message comes first. What message do I want to tell about person experiencing homeless-ness. Then comes the medium which conveys the message.
I started this project with questions. Do we have homelessness in Johnson County? What do they look like? Where are they? These photographs in this “”It’s About Time” art show are the answers to these and many more questions.
What do you feel is your role as an artist?
To raise awareness of the social in/justice issues facing Johnson County the most affluent county in Kansas. These homeless people are not going away! In fact the “problem” is getting worse.
What influences your practice/works?
Seeing through my heart is what my work is about. I see the faces of real people, not someone to be ignored or pushed aside. I am considered a free-lance photographer. I work on projects that draw my interest.
Who are the other artists you look to for inspiration? And what about their works do you like?
Dorothea Lange inspires me because she had a passion for telling the people of plight’s story through her photographs.
What other writings do you recommend reading to have a better understanding of your artworks and your art practice/process? Please look through our on-line catalog and provide any links to resources that you would recommend.
Finding Grace by Lynn Blodgett https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/805551036
Voice in the Mirror by Gordon Parks https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/133908036
Photographs of Dorothea Lange https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/241270036
Homeless Not Invisible my book https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1534292036
Create At Your Local Makerspace
Make48 interviewed our very own Maker Ayah about our MakerSpace. We think the most important quote is this:
One thing to know before going: anyone and everyone are welcome to take advantage of the MakerSpace.
Check out the full article here »
Louder Than a Bomb KC
Central Resource Library is hosting a Louder Than a Bomb KC preliminary bout tomorrow evening, March 6, 6-8 pm. Areas in and around the Carmack Community Room will indeed be loud. We hope to see you there enjoying some spoken-word poetry!
LTABKC is an annual youth slam poetry competition. This year, 19 teams from all corners of metropolitan area will participate. The winning team will represent Kansas City at Brave New Voices, a national slam poetry competition held in Houston this July.
This Week at the Library
This week at the Library, you can get help with or your book group or your sound recordings, think deep thoughts about religion and time, up your selfie game, and connect with your legislators!
Drop-In Sound Studio Help Tuesday, March 6 @ 4 pm, Central Resource Library
The Care and Feeding of Your Book Group Thursday, March 8 @ 6:30 pm, Corinth Library
Dr. Nicholaus Pumphrey on Religion and Time Thursday, March 8 @ 6:30 pm, Central Resource Library
Take Better Photos Saturday, March 10 @ 3 pm, Gardner Library
Legislative Coffee Saturday, March 10 @ 10 am, Blue Valley Library
You can also catch the last of our canine series or play some table top games!
New Storywalk at Antioch Park
The days are getting a bit warmer, and next time you're itching to get to the park, don't just take a walk, take a Storywalk! At Antioch Park, you and your little ones can enjoy a story while you stroll. Our newest featured book is All Kinds of Friends, a book about friendships with old friends, young friends, furry friends, feathered friends, "friends with different ways to walk," and "friends with different ways to talk." Thanks to Johnson County Park and Recreation for this partnership.
Enter a Writing Contest
We love reading local, and we love local authors here at the Library. In support of our home-grown talent, we invite submissions of poetry, fiction, and essays.
Each month we host a new contest with prizes including a $200 honorarium and a reading at the Library or The Writers Place. Read more about the guidelines and enter your original works here »
Today at the Library
Today you can meet author Bronwen Dickey and artist Juniper Tangpuz!
Pit Bulls as Targets of Breed Specific Legislation 8am @ Central Resource Library
Join Bronwen Dickey, author of Pit Bull: the Battle Over an American Icon, and Brent Toellner of KC Pet Project in a conversation about more than dogs. Animals in deprived areas can easily be affected by the same cycles of desperation, poverty and violence that plague their human caretakers. Q&A following program. Cosponsored by The Writers Place.
Meet the Artist: Juniper Tangpuz 12pm @ Lackman Library
Meet local artist Juniper Tangpuz and learn about the secrets behind his incredible paper and cardboard sculptures currently on display at the Lackman Library.
Research and Reporting for Creative Writers 6pm @ The Writers Place
Once you’ve settled on a topic, what comes next? Explore the nuts and bolts of research and reporting, from pre-interview to assembling the final endnotes and citations with Bronwen Dickey, author and contributing editor at The Oxford American. Think of it as “all the tips and tricks this journalist wishes someone had shared with her when she started out.” Now she’s sharing them with you.
Meet the Author: Bronwen Dickey
Join author Bronwen Dickey at these four events:
Evolution of a Pit Bull Tuesday, Feb. 27, 12pm @ Central Resource Library
Join Bronwen Dickey, author of Pit Bull: the Battle Over an American Icon, in conversation with Lisa Wade McCormick, award-winning journalist and investigative producer at WDAF Fox 4, and Katie Bray Barnett of Barnett Law Office and founder of the KU Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Animals in deprived areas can easily be affected by the same cycles of desperation, poverty, and violence that plague their human caretakers. Q&A following program. Cosponsored by The Writers Place.
Pit Bulls in our Communities Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6pm @ Central Resource Library
In Pit Bull: the Battle Over and American Icon, Bronwen Dickey asks, "What is it about pit bulls that ignites such strong feelings? And what does that mean for us, as a society?" Join Dickey and Brent Toellner of KC Pet Project to explore these questions. Q&A following. Cosponsored by The Writers Place.
Pit Bulls as Targets of Breed Specific Legislation Wednesday, Feb. 28, 8am @ Central Resource Library
Join Bronwen Dickey and Brent Toellner of KC Pet Project in a conversation about more than dogs. Animals in deprived areas can easily be affected by the same cycles of desperation, poverty and violence that plague their human caretakers. Q&A following program. Cosponsored by The Writers Place.
Research and Reporting for Creative Writers Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6pm @ The Writers Place
Once you’ve settled on a topic, what comes next? Explore the nuts and bolts of research and reporting, from pre-interview to assembling the final endnotes and citations with Bronwen Dickey, author and contributing editor at The Oxford American. Think of it as “all the tips and tricks this journalist wishes someone had shared with her when she started out.” Now she’s sharing them with you.
Why I Give My Time
A quick interview with JCL Foundation Volunteer Extraordinaire Beth Welsh
Why did you initially become a volunteer with the Johnson County Library Foundation?
I was in a place where I was feeling stuck in rut and was looking for new experiences. Also, I work from home and I wanted to get out of the house and interact with people. My husband Barry is a longtime volunteer for the Library and it seemed like it would be a good fit. I’m a lifetime learner, I always want to be learning new things, I don’t want to stagnate. I began volunteering at Friends book sales in 2007 and became a fill-in cashier for the Friends bookstores in 2011. Volunteering for the Foundation struck me as a fun opportunity to learn new things. I learned WordPress and social media marketing. Fortunately, I didn’t have to learn anything about grant writing!
What are some of your favorite things about being a volunteer?
I love getting to play with books and be around librarians. Library people are awesome – and that includes Foundation people! They’re smart, inquisitive and well informed.
Have you had any discoveries about the Library or the Foundation working as a volunteer?
The Foundation was a new discovery; I didn’t know anything about it before volunteering. I learned about the Foundation’s mission to build an endowment for the Library’s collection and find support for lifelong learning programs offered at the Library. I also discovered the Foundation events. The Pinnacle Awards, Library Lets Loose, Stay Home and Read a Book Ball and elementia. My favorite Foundation event is the Library Lets Loose – it’s pretty amazing. elementia is also a fun event tied to a great mission to encourage teen writers and artists.
Any advice for people who might be on the fence about volunteering?
Try it! There are so many outlets for volunteering at the Library. Visit a branch, or the Friends sorting center or bookstore – see what interests you. Volunteer coordinators can connect you with a volunteer opportunity that works with your schedule and meets your interests. If it sounds like fun, give it a shot.