The Boston Public Library has a large collection of abolitionist documents from the 1800’s, and they need help transcribing them. Find more information and how you can help here. 🙂

The Boccaccio Project is a LOC commissioned project that is part of their response to the covid-19 pandemic. It started on June 15th and will run for 10 days. A new piece of music will be featured each day!

During the Great Depression a part of the Work Project Administration, called the Federal Project number One, employed artists to create posters. Many of them are in the Library of Congress. Atlas Obscura has put together several that promoted libraries at that time. They are quite striking. 🙂

Are you looking for a creative way to pass the time? Here are some fun challenges you can attempt at home:

• The Getty Museum is challenging people to recreate their favorite artwork. Read the details and see some fun examples here.
• Atlas Obscura is challenging people to draw a place they have never seen before. To prompt participants, they provide a short description with no images for several places you may not have heard of before. Give it a try. 🙂
• It is not too late to start the Read Harder Challenge for 2020! Get the list here.

Do you enjoy hunting for morel mushrooms? It is about that time of year when they start popping up! They grow throughout Missouri and are delicious. Hunting for them is a fun way to spend some time outside. 🙂 Get more information on morels from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

If you are looking something more quirky to focus on in your extra time, look no further that Atlas Obscura. It has fun stories about art, food, nature, and of course, libraries!

Happy Valentine’s Day. Here are some fun old Valentine cards brought to you by Mental Floss.

Do you want to live like Jane Austen? You can! There is a lady in Vermont who hosts Jane Austen weekends at her home. Guests dress up and partake in activities from Austen’s novels, including sewing, dancing, and writing with a quill pen! What a fun way to meet fellow Jane Austen fans! 🙂 More information here.

Who remembers Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! program? It is turning 35 this year. It is the best! Kids meet their reading goals and get a free personal pizza! I wish a similar program existed for adults. Ha! 🙂

Have you ever wanted to stay the night in a library? In this library in Wales, you can! It has its own B&B and is the only residential library in Great Britain.