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This is a fascinating story of perseverance, individual achievement and team spirit. Available in Spanish from Boundless/Axis360.

Es esta una fascinante historia de perseverancia, superación individual y espíritu de equipo

Con orígenes en la Depresión norteamericana y a pocos años de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, Daniel James Brown narra la epopeya del equipo de ocho remeros y su timonel de la Universidad de Washington, y su épica misión de ganar la medalla de oro en 1936 en los Juegos Olímpicos del Berlín de Hitler. El equipo de remo estadounidense que sorprendió al mundo y que transformó este deporte atrajo la atención de millones de personas.
Fue una misión improbable desde el principio. Con un equipo compuesto por hijos de madereros, trabajadores de los astilleros y agricultores, el equipo de la Universidad de Washington no esperaba poder derrotar a los equipos de élite de la costa este y Gran Bretaña; sin embargo lo hizo, y llegó a sorprender al mundo al derrotar al equipo alemán de remo de Adolf Hitler.
Partiendo de los propios diarios de los chicos y de los vívidos recuerdos de un sueño, Brown ha creado el retrato inolvidable de una era, una celebración de un logro notable y una crónica de búsqueda personal a través de la visión de uno de estos jóvenes extraordinarios.

Find the ebook on Axis 360 here.

As the fate of some 11 million undocumented immigrants has become the political football of the 2016 campaign, actress America Ferrera heads to Texas, the state with the longest border and home to 1.65 million people living without papers.

Ferrera, whose parents and siblings are immigrants from Honduras, understands the challenges faced by the new arrivals to the U.S. fleeing in Central America. In Out of Reach, she witnesses the special difficulties for Central American refugees in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints inside the U.S., many miles from the border, keep undocumented people hemmed-in and place the American dream out of reach.

Streaming on Kanopy, free with your library card.

Episode 1 of The Age Benjamin Franklin

Streaming on Kanopy, free with your library card. Begin your journey into The Age Benjamin Franklin with a look at Franklin’s unfinished autobiography, a book in which he consciously created a persona for himself as a role model others may follow.

Although there is more to Franklin than he showed on the page, surveying the Autobiography offers some foundational insights into his life, his worldview, and the times in which he lived.

Find the entire 24-episode series in Kanopy, here.

Step back in time to the exhilarating era of the Roaring Twenties with our latest museum collection highlight, a historic relic from the period between 1908 and 1920. This Federal Telephone produced in Buffalo, New York, is an exquisite piece that not only showcases the technological marvels of its time but also resonates with the essence of The Community Library’s Winter Read of The Great Gatsby and the pursuit of the American Dream.

The Roaring Twenties, famously captured in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby, was a time of extravagant parties, jazz music, and an unyielding belief in the American Dream. The telephone, akin to the popular Kellogg Grabaphone of its time, becomes a symbol of connectivity—a bridge between aspirations and achievements. In the dazzling world of Gatsby, where opulence and ambition intertwined, communication devices like these marked an age where dreams seemed within arm’s reach.

As one admires the intricate design and craftsmanship of this Federal Telephone, they are transported to an era where technological advancements mirrored the societal shifts. The telephone, with its elegant yet functional form, not only facilitated communication but became a status symbol, reflecting the prosperity and progress that epitomized the Jazz Age.

In the context of The Great Gatsby, this telephone serves as a tangible link to the extravagant parties at Gatsby’s mansion, where conversations sparkled as much as the champagne. It whispers tales of clandestine calls, secret rendezvous, and the pursuit of an elusive American Dream that often felt just out of grasp.

As you explore this artifact, imagine the voices that once echoed through its receiver—the dreams, aspirations, and stories that resonated in a time of unprecedented change. The Federal Telephone stands as a testament to an era when the American Dream beckoned with promises of success, wealth, and a brighter future.

You can see this artifact, and many others, in Community Library’s current foyer exhibit of the Roaring 20s, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Great Gatsby. More on the Library’s foyer exhibits here.

Wood River Museum of History and Culture, 2021.01.63.

Embark on a sartorial journey to the 1920s with this men’s wool flat cap from the Italian brand Conte of Florence. Though this brand emerged in the 1950s, the cream-colored cap pays homage to the timeless fashion of the Roaring Twenties, where style and sophistication were synonymous with the pursuit of the American Dream.

As the epitome of Jazz Age fashion, the flat cap adorned the heads of men who aspired to capture the essence of an era marked by societal shifts and cultural dynamism. Conte of Florence encapsulates this spirit by producing a mid-century creation that pays homage to the style of the 1920s.

Crafted from luxurious cream-colored wool, this flat cap becomes a symbol of understated elegance—a fashion statement that transcends decades. The embroidered Conte of Florence logo, a capital “C” adorned with a fleur-de-lis, adds a touch of refinement to an accessory that once graced the heads of men navigating the dazzling world depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

(More on The Community Library’s Winter Read of The Great Gatsby here.)

In the Gatsby era, fashion wasn’t merely about clothing; it was a language, a means of expressing one’s aspirations and identity. With its distinct silhouette, the flat cap mirrored the transition from traditional to modern, echoing the sentiments of a generation that sought to redefine itself.

This Conte of Florence flat cap invites one to envision an age where gentlemen’s fashion conveyed a sense of sophistication and confidence. In the opulent parties of Gatsby’s mansion, this flat cap would have seamlessly complemented the tailored suits, capturing the essence of an era where style was a passport to the American Dream.

You can see this artifact, and many others, in Community Library’s current foyer exhibit of the Roaring 20s, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Great Gatsby. More on the Library’s foyer exhibits here.

Wood River Museum of History and Culture, 2017.05.56b.

This Gorham silver punch bowl set brings one into the opulent world of the Roaring Twenties. Founded in 1831, Gorham has long been synonymous with quality silverware, and this set, with its monogrammed bowl and cups bearing the initials “JBMC,” captures the spirit of an age marked by lavish parties and celebrations.

In the world depicted by F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby, silverware became an integral part of the extravagant parties that defined the lives of the elite. The clinking of silver cups echoed through Gatsby’s mansion, symbolizing the pursuit of prosperity and the attainment of the American Dream.

The superb craftsmanship of Gorham silver reflects the commitment to excellence that characterized the Gatsby era. This punch bowl set becomes a vessel of history, carrying stories of jubilant celebrations, whispered secrets, and the shared dreams of those who reveled in the prosperity of the time.

As one marvels at the gleaming silver, envision the scenes of Gatsby’s soirées—the clinking of Gorham cups, the glimmering ladle, and the shared moments that defined an era. The Gorham silver punch bowl set invites you to immerse yourself in the lavishness of the Roaring Twenties, where the pursuit of prosperity and the American Dream unfolded in the gleam of finely crafted silverware.

You can see this artifact, and many others, in the Community Library’s current foyer exhibit of the Roaring 20s, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Great Gatsby. More on the Library’s foyer exhibits here.

Wood River Museum of History and Culture, 2022.01.166.