Search Stories
Meet National Geographic Photographer Frans Lanting
National Geographic Photographer Frans Lanting has been hailed as one of the great photographers of our time with his work appearing in books, magazines, and fine art exhibitions. Lanting has photographed across the globe from Antarctica to the Amazon. Join Lanting as he shares the stories behind his best photographs and answers audience questions about his adventures and how to get that perfect shot.
June 5, 3 - 4 pm | Register now »
Throwback Thursday
This Throwback Thursday we recognize Memorial Day and remember those who died in military service. While these Civil War veterans, members of the Franklin Post #68, Olathe KS, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Kansas, did not die in active service, we recognize and appreciate all Johnson County military personnel.
Interesting local history can always be found at jocohistory.org or follow our hashtag on Twitter.
Meet the Author: Kwame Alexander
Join us June 5th for a day of fun including a keynote talk from children’s book author Kwame Alexander, live family trivia including a special musical guest, talks on butterflies and gardening, and to end the day, National Geographic photographer, Frans Lanting will tell the stories behind his most iconic nature photographs!
Encore!
Just in case you didn't get a chance to listen to this month's podcast episode, we present an encore! Why? Because this episode on poetry is just that good and we care so very much about you.
- Hear poets featured in elementia
- A look back at our Poetry Walk and how it lives on digitally
- Exciting past poetry writing programs and a visit from an impressive author
- Our friends from the MakeSpace explore physical art as poetry
- What happened to KCUR's New Letters on the Air?
- Our haikus!
- Your haikus!
- And the latest installment of In Search of Paul Rudd
All this and more! It's the Poetry episode and it's not to be missed. When is this delightful episode available? Right now!
TBT: Tired of the Rain? It could be worse!
Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. Are you feeling a little irritated after the downpours and deluges this week? Well, it could be worse! Using the search term "Flood" on jocohistory.org, we found a number of devastating scenes! Just another fun way and interesting way to time travel through local history. Be sure to follow our hashtag on Twitter!
Happy Throwback Thursday! Some call it the best day of the week.
Imagine Your New Library
Johnson County Library is excited to have begun the design process for the new Library in Merriam. And it’s time to hear from you!
Tonight, Wednesday, May 19, our first public input session will be held virtually. In this session, you’ll have a chance to meet the architects, become familiar with their community involvement approach, learn about the project, and ideate about your future library.
The current Antioch Library has been a fixture in the Merriam community for over 60 years; staff and patrons alike have many fond memories of the building – some having visited Antioch their entire lives.
The new building will be located just a few blocks away on the campus of the Merriam Community Center. This summer, the design for the replacement Library is being developed with an eye toward the future, ensuring the ability to meet the changing needs of the community. Construction is anticipated to occur after the design is finalized with completion in 2023.
For more information about the new Library in Merriam, visit the Antioch Library Replacement Project page. Additional public input sessions will be announced on this page and @jocolibrary on social media.
Genealogy Help
With the Johnson County Genealogical Society's Special Interest Groups, you can learn more about a specific topic or area of interest. Meetings are held via Zoom at no cost.
• Genealogy Newbie Group
• Family Tree Maker Software
• Roots Magic Software
• Legacy Software
• FamilySearch.com
• Irish Special Interest Group
• DNA & Genetic Genealogy
• Writing Group
• Genealogy Scrapbooking
For questions or more information on the Johnson County Genealogical Society and items listed above, or to sign up for notifications, email info@jcgsks.org or visit their website.
Update: Central Resource Upgrade
As you know, we're making areas of Central Resource Library even better in 2021! Here's a little peek at what's been going on behind the scenes.
During April, crews installed a new boiler and completed MakerSpace improvements. In addition, shoring was installed for new exterior openings, existing precast walls were removed, and new wall framing installed. Demo work began at the Drive-Thru addition.
We know you may have many questions about what to expect this year, so we’ve put together a Construction FAQ that addresses the status of popular services like the Black & Veatch MakerSpace and Genealogy resources, more details about Little Central, and where to find alternate services. You’ll also find a Fly-Through video rendering of the project.
In addition to its public service staff, Central is home to many departments that support all 14 branches. Once the work at Central is complete, you will feel the positive impact across the Library system!
Photos provided by Construction Manager, Titan Built, LLC.