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Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture Series: Journalist Yamiche Alcindor
Johnson County Library is honored to partner with the Division of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Missouri, Kansas City on their annual Martin Luther King Jr. lecture series. The lecture series honors Martin Luther King's tremendous contributions to furthering civil rights by featuring national thought leaders, who provide insight and advocacy to current civil rights issues of education, economic and justice system inequalities.
This year the series features Yamiche Alcindor, the moderator of Washington Week, White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, and a political contributor for NBC News and MSNBC.
Tuesday, Feb. 15
6:30 p.m.
Register »
This event is sponsored by UMKC Division of Diversity and Inclusion and the Johnson County Library.
Patron Spotlight: Dawn Kelly
Dawn Kelly, of Fairway, signed up for HomeConnect several years ago, even before the COVID pandemic. HomeConnect is a Johnson County Library service giving patrons access to Library resources in their homes. She has come to appreciate the service all the more as the pandemic has made getting out in public more risky. She says it’s been a link to brilliant Johnson County Librarians, and she’s been amazed at the “smashing” books, CDs, DVDs and other materials they’ve uncovered for her.
“I have found so many obscure items through Interlibrary Loan,” she said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous the things the Librarians have worked with me to find.”
She’s received behind-the-scenes information about movies she’s watched, and even got a rare Frank Zappa vinyl record.
“That’s the type of treasure that the Library has,” Dawn said. “You just have to be willing to seek it out. You have to be curious and aware.”
Patrons interested in HomeConnect fill out an application and can then request items by calling 913-826-4600. All sorts of Library materials can be mailed directly to them. Dawn marvels at this convenience that brings the world to her home, with “no traveling except for walking out to my mailbox.”
Dawn has had a lifelong love of Libraries, since she was six years old in 1966 and a Library bookmobile showed up regularly in her Louisville, Kentucky neighborhood.
“That’s where the early seeds were planted,” she says. “If you borrowed, you were very motivated to get that done so the next week you could gather up some more.”
She lived with a sister in Fairway for a time and graduated from Shawnee Mission West High School.
She got a fine arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, with a concentration in multimedia. She met the love of her life, who was also an artist.
The couple moved to the Kansas City area, where Dawn’s parents had relocated. She bought a house in Fairway, and also got a Johnson County Library card in 1987.
She worked for many years in the family businesses, which included The Good Earth, a natural grocery store, in Prairie Village. Her significant other passed away in 1997 and she retired a few years ago.
Over the years, Dawn was a regular at Corinth. “A big thing for me was when books were put on audio. I was doing a lot of driving. I had show dogs, and was driving to all types of remote areas,” she recalled. “I could put an audio tape on and learn all about something or someone.”
In 1993 she kept track of everything she read or listened to that year; it came to 165 books.
Later she began frequenting Cedar Roe, where she also got to know the Librarians well. One Valentine’s Day, she even made a huge poster to display outside Cedar Roe, sharing her appreciation with the message “Remember to (Heart) Your Librarian.”
It was the Cedar Roe Librarians who alerted her to HomeConnect.
“It’s very ingenious. It’s a zipper pouch,” she said, describing how items are sent postage paid, with the Library return address also provided postage paid. She looks with great anticipation into the pouch “to see the goodies and what they’ve scored for me.”
Dawn has found a particularly meaningful way to give back and pay forward all the enrichment and wonderful relationships she’s enjoyed. She has arranged for half her estate to go to Johnson County Library.
“I think that is to say how extensive I feel about the Library,” she said, “and how much I revere the people working there.”
Battery production at the Olathe Delco Batteries plant. 1955 - 1959.
Olathe Oldies
It’s another grand Throwback Thursday when we encourage you to time travel through Johnson County's history. JoCoHistory is a collaborative presentation of the history from the Johnson County Museum, Johnson County Library and many JoCoHistory partners. Explore historical photographs and documents about the people, places and organizations of Johnson County, Kansas, from the 19th century to the present.
Collection spotlight: Olathe Public Library
About this collection: A number of images from the Olathe Daily Mirror (published 1861 - 1959) and other local sources. The photographs date from the mid-twentieth century and depict scenes of daily life, including weddings, award ceremonies and include a number of studio portraits of individuals.
Prepare for your next profession!
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Plus access to create an account with Optimal Resume online suite to create and manage all of your job-search documents. Sign up for your own Learning Account to review past sessions, receive expert feedback, save practice tests and more.
Learn more about how to use Brainfuse JobNow »
Why I Give: Ava Christie
Growing up overseas, Ava Christie learned the value of libraries at a young age. She remembered finding the local library with her family as they moved around to different places. Libraries were special, familiar places filled with books and materials that inspired her. “All you need is a library card, and the world is your oyster”, remarked Ava as the inspiration is ever-present for her today.
In college in Douglas County, KS, Ava has fond memories of the library being a strong and important part of the culture and community. The Library would continue to play a significant role in her studies through her master’s degree and PhD programs as she utilized Inter Library Loan resources for her research and thesis.
As a mom, Ava raised her kids with her same love for the Library, which she referred to as “a best friend.” Frequenting the Corinth and Central branches for books and programs, she noted the Library is a place which extends far beyond books, and is a place to meet people, access media and audio/visual materials, large print materials and travel books. Travel continues to play a key role in Ava’s life both personally and professionally and she visits libraries everywhere she goes. She has noticed over time that newer libraries seem to be redefined as a focal point, accessible, and transparent with large windows to look in as well as see out.
Entering her 15th year as a volunteer on the Foundation’s board of directors, and starting her tenure as president, Ava credits the strengths of the Johnson County Library system and its key role in our county and communities for her continued involvement and support. She believes the Library has always been a place of diversity and inclusivity, citing the teen publication elementia as an example for young people of various ethnic, economic and cultural backgrounds to be highlighted. She adds that the Library is an exciting and fulfilling place to be and is reflective of the community it supports. Ava believes the community in turn supports the Library because we build and strengthen literacy and awareness, and to inform people is to empower them.
Looking to the future, Ava sees our Library system continuing to be modern and forward-thinking and to stay relevant and responsive with ever-changing community needs. “Johnson County Library is not standing still”, says Ava enthusiastically, “and there isn’t another entity in the world of charitable organizations where you can make such a profound difference. The Library provides equal access to information to everyone, and everyone is welcome. Libraries are the key to helping people of all ages open and grow their world. The openness and availability 24/7 are unique to libraries as nothing else exists this way.”
Black History Month on Kanopy
Celebrate the pioneers, leaders, and innovators within the Black community through the stories offered in a new curated film collection presented by Kanopy for Black History Month.
This collection of narrative and documentary films shines a light on influential individuals including civil rights leaders, legal scholars, musicians, athletes, actors, artists and more, and provides perspective on contemporary and historical events.
This Week at the Library
This week at the Library, you can join us at:
Library OnDemand – Available anytime you like
Your doorway into live and archived programs. Arts & Culture, Career & Finance, Community Matters, Writers and more!
Citizenship Civics – Tuesday, Feb. 8, 9:30-11 a.m.
Pass the U.S. naturalization interview and citizenship exam with help from the Library! Our free online classes provide two levels of coursework focused on the English language, American history and civics knowledge. Assistance with the citizenship application is also available. Participants review citizenship study materials, practice listening and responding to citizenship interview questions, access online practice tests and receive guidance throughout the application process.
The Women’s Employment Network – Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2-3 p.m.
The Women’s Employment Network (WEN) helps women earn a brighter future for themselves, their families, and our community. Through their program of individual services tailored to your situation, WEN supports women who are ready to make a change in their professional life. If you feel isolated or frustrated in your job search or are looking for a career change, the WEN program is for you! Kim Barnes, WEN’s Community Engagement Coordinator, will explain how the program can provide you the support you need to achieve your personal and professional goals.
Community Matters Book Club – Thursday, Feb. 10, 6-7 p.m.
Are you looking for spaces to explore identity and the world around us? This intergenerational book club will provide kids and families a place to read about the unique experiences of diverse characters and historical events.
Each session, we will provide a book for you to keep, along with an invitation to join us as a family for discussion, questioning, and community building. Copies of the book will be provided to participants who live in Johnson County. Best for parents or guardians, and their children ages 8-12.
Legislative Coffee Series – Saturday, Feb. 12, 10-11 a.m.
Discover what's percolating in the Kansas Legislature. Representatives and Senators with constituents in Johnson County will discuss the new legislative session, followed by Q&A. You bring the questions!
- Representative Jo Ella Hoye, District 17
- Representative Mari-Lynn Poskin, District 20
- Representative Rui Xu, District 25
- Representative Timothy Johnson, District 38
Central Resource Library Temporary Closure
The “Little Central” portion of Central Resource Library will close beginning Monday, Feb. 14 to prepare for the building’s full reopening on Tuesday, Feb. 22. If you've been using Little Central facilities, please take note:
- Please contact us no later than Thursday, Feb. 10 if you would like to pick up your available holds from another branch during the closure period.
- Holds not picked up by 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13 will remain on the holds shelf an extra seven days from their original expiration date. Please check your Library account for specific dates.
- If you have items checked out that will be due during the closure, please return your items to another branch or renew materials through your Library account.
- For public computers and access to the collection, please visit one of our other 13 locations during the closure period.
Our Construction FAQ contains additional information about Central Resource Library’s reopening, which includes a live-streamed ribbon-cutting ceremony on our Facebook page at 2 p.m. on Feb. 22.
Thank you for your patience as we work to improve your Library experience. We look forward to welcoming you back to the building!
Archiving Architecture
It’s another grand Throwback Thursday where we encourage you to time travel through Johnson County's history. JoCoHistory is a collaborative presentation of the history from the Johnson County Museum, Johnson County Library and many JoCoHistory partners. Explore historical photographs and documents about the people, places and organizations of Johnson County, Kansas, from the 19th century to the present.
Collection spotlight: Johnson County Museum Historic Preservation Survey
About this collection: Begun in 1991, the Historic Preservation Survey is a collection of photos documenting the architectural style and condition of more than 10,000 pre-1950 homes across Johnson County. The original photos are owned by the Johnson County Museum.