Picturing America Program Report by Glen Elder Library Director Karen Miller

The Picturing America posters are displayed one at a time in our library near the doorway and the Teacher's Resource Book is displayed below the picture, open to the information about the picture so people can stop and read the information. If they don't stop to read the book, they still see the art as they leave the library. As people have stopped to look at the pictures, I have shared some detail I have learned about that particular piece.

In addition, I chose six pictures from the Picturing America collection and presented a program to the Glen Elder Library Club a their meeting on December 2, 2008. Twelve women were present for the presentation. I chose a variety of different art media to share with them because I thought that would be most interesting. The pieces I shared were "Silver of the 18th, 19th, & 20th Centuries," "Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851," "The Veteran in the New Field, 1865," "Autumn Landscape - The River of Life, 1923-1924," "Fallingwater, 1935-1939," and "Migrant Mother, 1936." I displayed each picture and then presented detailed information from the Teacher's Resource Book on each piece of art. I discussed the artists and their backgrounds, the motivations and ideas behind the piece, details about the art and how the era influenced it, and the locations of the piece. The members of the club found the presentation to be interesting and they said they learned some new information about some to the pieces of art that they were previously familiar with, and were especially interested in the details on "Washington Crossing the Delaware." There were other pieces they were unfamiliar with and learned about through the presentation.

Also, the Picturing America program was described in an article about the library in the local newspaper. Finally, a flyer giving information about the Picturing America picture has been posted in the post office and other local places.