Stories from the Stacks

By Kelly Noble
Gold Mine Processing Manager

America turns 249 years old this July 4th. People celebrate this day with parades, barbecues, collective gatherings, hot dogs, potato salad, and fireworks.

We celebrate independence and freedom after years of war, national unity, a new cultural identity, democratic ideals shaped by the newly established government, and a period of reflection on what our new country fought so valiantly for.

This is an important opportunity to reflect on what this country has been through over the past two and a half centuries. Many aspects of our history are not pretty.

Opinions vary decisively on the difficult times behind us and the challenging road ahead.

But on this day, we could at least consider the importance of Independence Day and how one can promote life, liberty, and democracy. The notion that Americans can read freely, without the government telling us what to read, is an indispensable gift of the American Revolution. I call this a gift because many people in the world do not have this luxury.

America is replete with local libraries. These are public places where you can borrow a book, research a topic, hear differing viewpoints, use a computer, reserve a meeting room … all for free. Libraries provide information to the public. Free access to information is vital to a democratic society, and an informed citizenry is key to maintaining a free and fair government.

At The Community Library in Ketchum, library cards are free to anyone from anywhere. Just bring in your picture identification and you’ll have access to tens of thousands of titles, plus computers and printers, digital assets, archival documents, personal help from knowledgeable librarians, and more. In addition, the Library offers over 10,000 public programs annually – from Story Time to English Language Learning to world renowned speakers.

Libraries are more than a repository of books; they are symbols of democracy.

Providing fee and accessible information and delivering lectures on a wide variety of topics, including those with a minority viewpoint, is at the heart of what libraries do. Information is free so that every citizen can judge the validity of a subject or policy on their own. Americans can read and think for themselves without government oversight or censorship.

That right is found and guaranteed in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

On this national holiday, please exercise your First Amendment rights by visiting your local library, attending a lecture, researching a topic, and becoming informed on a subject by doing your investigation. There is no need to have others interpret a policy for you. As an American, you have the right to read freely and make your judgments.

I do not believe it is accidental that every library I see has an American Flag nearby. Libraries were a part of this country even before we were a formal country. The oldest library in continuous operation is at Harvard College, which was founded in 1638.

I love quoting Benjamin Franklin, who started the first lending library. “The institution of a library I consider an essential part of any civilized society.” From Franklin’s autobiography, “This library afforded me the means of improvement by constant study…”

I do not think more needs to be said. Libraries are critically important to our nation. Grab a hotdog, a Coke, and a book, and celebrate this national holiday in the true spirit of American fashion.

Creating the Wood River Museum of History and Culture

By Mary Tyson; Director of the Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History

Many years ago, I saw a light brick-colored, rough-surfaced figurine as tiny as a doll. As I imagined the artist’s hand forming the clay, time dissolved. The encounter with Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo’s collection of pre-Hispanic figurines spotlighted what museums can do. It opened up the door to how a figurine from the past could speak so directly to me. It’s this kind of door-opening the Wood River Museum of History and Culture is inviting.

Understanding the Importance of Story

Library staff and community members discussed loudly and passionately what should be included in our first exhibits. From education to immigration, ski history to indigenous history, the possibilities went on and on until we were truly tired. And then, the realization above all others: As a library and museum it is our responsibility to receive, preserve, and tell stories from diverse community members.

Honoring Time and Space

Meanwhile, the building at Fourth and Walnut was springing up through the summer and then through the very long, snowy winter, and into spring. Once we made the big choices on the main exhibits and displays, we worked with a fabricator from Vancouver to create special exhibit cases, interpretive panels, hanging display mounts, and other innovative constructs. You name it; they will make it.

They were also good at sourcing objects like refurbished typewriters from the 1920s to help with the experience of Hemingway as a prolific writer in the 20s and 30s before he set foot in Sun Valley. The typewriters provide a visceral experience for Museum visitors of what it’s like to write in the era that Hemingway did.

Making Choices

We had to be disciplined about choosing which objects would best illustrate the stories we were telling.

In addition to artifacts in our own collection, we needed to search for items in the community that would do right by the exhibit, even though it was harder to accomplish. In some instances, we had to abandon or modify our ideas. For example, we wanted our “Flying Squirrel” ski lift chair for a photo op in the exhibit Portrait of a Mountain, but it was crumbling too much. And we didn’t have a Baldy chair in good enough shape, either. Time was of the essence, so we found a restored chair from Dollar Mountain, and with Tim Deckard’s passion, we rigged it so that it would swing a little, adding depth and interest to the exhibit (much to the chagrin of our construction manager, Morley Golden).

We knew that in making another exhibit about Hemingway, we had to convey the great power in his writing. We curated objects that were emblematic of his disciplined writing life—his books and published stories.

Honoring Curiosity

Our Cabinet of Wonders displays an extraordinary arrangement of doors, drawers, pulls, and lifts that challenge you to open them up and discover the historical artifacts inside.

From the 25 unique items in the Cabinet of Wonders, to each and every subject and object in the museum, our choices were driven by curiosity, and created by teamwork, inspiration, and a relentless dedication to our community and to the stories that forged it.

The Wood River Museum of History and Culture

All the exhibits at the Wood River Museum include interactive elements, where visitors are encouraged to write, type, talk, and remember – because we all are part of history! Visitors are invited to explore the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Room, How in the World Did you Get to Sun Valley?, A Writer in New Country: Hemingway in 1939, Portrait of a Mountain, and the Cabinet of Wonders. Entrance to the Museum is FREE, Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. More here.