February
has traditionally been set aside to celebrate Black History and contributions of African Americans to society. Not only should we celebrate and learn about Black History during this month, but we can also use the
MeL eResources to create a multi-faceted view of the world, weaving stories and culture
throughout a year of library programming. Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center
from MeL is an eResource that is perfect for discovering content and ideas for programming. From learning about people to doing hands-on research and projects, it is a go-to eResource for a variety of interests.
Quilting
Quilting is a popular hobby that has deep cultural roots. Patrons can use Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center to discover quilting information such as patterns from
African-American
Quilt Patterns and the Underground Railroad in
Antiques
& Collecting Magazine and a profile of quilter Rosie Lee Tompkins in
Entwined
Threads from
Magazine
Antiques. Artist, curator, researcher, and author of
And Still We Rise: Race, Culture, and Visual Conversations Dr. Carolyn L. Mazloomi is featured in
Stories
in the Cloth in
American
Craft, as well as in a
profile
in Quilting
Arts Magazine.
Music
African Americans have deeply influenced music, and Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center can help us gain more knowledge about people such as
Winston
Holmes and his Meritt Record Label from
IAJRC
Journal and jazz violinist
Ginger
Smock in
Strad.
There is also a lesson
plan about African American influence on music in
Activate!:
The Music Magazine for Grades K-6 that could be used as part of a program for children.
Genealogy
Genealogy programs are often popular in libraries. Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center has resources to help people of African American descent locate their ancestors.
Family
Chronicle includes an article about
finding
ancestors prior to 1866 while
Internet
Genealogy offers help for those searching for family members throughout the
Great
Migration. For patrons looking to understand the lives of their ancestors,
Internet
Genealogy also includes an examination of
The
Negro Travelers’ Green Book and its influence.
Using eResources to curate content for library programming is a great way to stretch your library’s budget and find excellent information that you may not have otherwise been
able to access. The MeL Connections Guides for Adult Programming and Youth Programming
can help you plan and execute programs using MeL’s free eResources such as
Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center.
If you are having any issues linking to items on this page, please explore the MeL
eResource Access Page. Contact
melerhelp@mcls.org
for help.
Brought to you by
Laura Warren-Gross from the MeL Team.
Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First.
Hey front line staff: The MeL Maven Badge is a 6-part Information Literacy and eResource adventure designed for you. Start earning your Badge today at
MeL.org!
Want more information on MeL? Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit http://mel.org,
or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via
GovDelivery.
We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks.
MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only.
#IMLSGrant
Laura Warren-Gross
Engagement Specialist for Public Libraries
Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS)
1 800 530 9019 ext 152
