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Local Music
Our local music blog features over 200 Kansas City area musicians and composers, including the indie band Mess, whose debut EP heartswithholes creates a sound that is at once textured, sprawling and intimate. Check out more local music, hear tracks, and read exclusive interviews on Local Music.
This Week at the Library
This week at Johnson County Library, you can enjoy music and dance with the whole family, get your bookish manicure, and rock out on the ukulele!
Rockin’ the Library with Mr. Stinky Feet Monday, July 23, 10:30 am @ Oak Park Library
Johnny and Adam: Rhythm and Music various times and locations
Literary Manicures Wednesday, July 25, 2 pm @ Central Resource Library
Rock Out on the Ukulele (register here) Wednesday, July 25, 2 pm @ Shawnee Library
Check out all of our events for the whole scoop!
Library Histories: Edgerton
Since its inception in 1952, the Johnson County Library has grown to 13 (soon to be 14) locations! In this blog post we feature the history of the Edgerton Library.
The Johnson County Library had long wanted to provide more convenient library service to the city of Edgerton after the bookmobile ceased operation in the early 1980s. At that time permanent Johnson County Library locations in Gardner, DeSoto, and Spring Hill came on line. Edgerton residents needed to drive four miles to Gardner for full library services. For many years two carts of books for self-checkout stood in the Edgerton City Hall.
In 1991 rental space for a library was sought, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Funding was not available in 1997 when an Edgerton Library was again proposed. But the Johnson County Library and the people and city of Edgerton continued to work toward a library in that community. A solution was finally found. A former bank building conveniently located across the street from the post office and in the downtown area was acquired by the city in 1999. The Johnson County Library agreed to provide library service there and the city and people of Edgerton set about providing a setting for the provision of modern library services.
Community Development Block Grants and several hundred thousand dollars in funds raised by the Edgerton Library Task Force paid for much. Local citizens and businesses pitched in with skilled volunteers and materials. Furnishings and library materials were supplied by the Johnson County Library, which rents the facility from the city of Edgerton for a nominal charge.
On July 29, 2000, the Edgerton Library opened its doors to the public. Among the services offered were a wide range of library materials at the facility and requested items brought daily for other Johnson County Library locations, public-use PCs, a meeting room, and youth and adult programming including storytimes. Unique to the Edgerton Library were fishing rods and gear that could be checked out from under the “Cops ‘n Bobbers” program. Sadly, this program is one that got away and is no longer offered.
In 2001, its first full year in operation, 22,711 items were checked out at Edgerton and the branch received 19,150 visitors. The library is open 36 hours a week including two evenings and Saturdays. It is always busy after school.
Did you hear about our writing contests?
Reference Librarian Helen Hokanson says:
"Oh, the writing contests are GREAT!"
Are they? Are they "really" great? And if the Writing Contests are really great, just how great is "really" great? We ask the hard hitting questions in this investigative episode of Did you hear? We get answers! Can you handle the truth?
Showing at Shawnee: Fally Afani
Fally Afani’s music photography captures the electric energy and urgency of the Kansas City and Lawrence music scenes. Her love of live music prompted her to focus her energy on working with local musicians and connecting them with the community. On any given night, you can find her covering concerts in Lawrence, Kansas City, or music festivals across the nation.
Her award-winning journalism, which now spans 15 years, has been featured in magazines, newspapers, and television stations across Kansas. She has received several Kansas Association of Broadcasters awards as well as an Edward R. Murrow award for her online work in journalism.
Meet her on June 20th at Shawnee »
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What comes first – the medium or the message?
The Message.
What do you feel is your role as an artist?
My art runs parallel with journalism, and journalism is a community service. I am here to show what the musicians around me are capable of as performers, and how it engages audiences here in Kansas and even beyond because of our online presence.
What influences your practice/works?
I grew up in a country where media was mostly censored. When I moved to the U.S., I was limited to living in a small, rural area of Kansas. My only access to explore the music scenes I so desired were magazines. So much happens in an entire concert, but only one second from it gets captured in a photo to show you the extent of the activity involved. These photos define the opposite of stagnant, presenting an entire world of opportunity to music lovers who desire to live within that moment.
Who are the other artists you look to for inspiration?
Lately I’ve been enjoying concert photos from journalists who cover the East Coast hardcore music scene, such as Angela Ownes and Farrah Skeiky.
What other writings do you recommend reading to have a better understanding of your artworks and your art practice/process?
Above all, you must follow women and people of color. White men have covered the music scene for far too long and have made it an absolute bore.
The P.R. Wreuster Murder
Have you heard of the P.R. Wreuster Murder of 1911? It is a legend that has faded with time, but was once the talk of the town. Read the thrilling tale at JoCoHistory »
Did you hear about our exhibitions?
We get so thrilled about our art exhibitions at many of our locations. But when one of those artists—especially one that is as interesting and talented as Sterling Witt—is coming for a Meet the Artist visit, we get downright elated! Listen to the latest episode of Did you hear? We talk exhibitions, Sterling, and ... Love?
Meet the Artist: Sterling Witt
Wednesday, July 18
Lackman Library
This Week at the Library
This week at the Johnson County Library...
Poetry and Prose Tuesday, Jul 17, 6 pm @ Central Resource Library
Storyteller Priscilla Howe at two different locations and times on Wednesday, July 18
Wizard Rock with the 8th Horcrux at two different locations and times on Wednesday, July 18
Meet the Artist: Sterling Witt Wednesday, July 18, 6:30 pm @ Lackman Library
Movie in the Park Friday, July 20, 8 pm @ Electric Park in Lenexa and Santa Fe Commons Park in Overland Park
All this and more - plus plenty of fun for kids and the whole family!
Did you hear that storyteller Priscilla Howe is coming?
In this episode of Did you hear?, Youth Services Librarian Dennis Ross talks about his favorite storyteller, Priscilla Howe who will be visiting Wednesday, July 18 at two of our locations!