The Mary Bishop Memorial Gallery at the Crawfordsville District Public Library would like to invite the community to view the More Than Books exhibit.
This show highlights the many talents of the library and museum staff. Take a leisure stroll through the gallery to learn more about the people that assist you during your visit to our facilities. This exhibit will be on display now through Jan. 5, 2024, during CDPL’s regular hours of operation. A limited amount of work will be available to purchase through our Circulation department.
Nearly every day of the year, this hardworking team encourages patrons to pursue their curiosity and they spend endless hours ensuring that you have access to a variety of knowledge in multiple formats. But who are some of these helpful people?
After being snowed in and missing work, Mary Sloan of the Circulation department moved from a rural area to Crawfordsville just weeks before the Blizzard of ’78. Sloan stated that she “began her dream job” at CDPL shortly after retiring from Work One.
Kelly Wantuch of the Carnegie Museum focuses on painting, printmaking, and photography in her creative endeavors, and she spent several years as a licensed K-12 art teacher. She loves working with artists and hopes to encourage personal growth at a young age.
Many of you have likely met Michelle Ogden in the reference and local history departments or at the Yarnworks club. She has worked in libraries for over twenty years and she has a special talent for knowing exactly what to recommend to patrons.
Year after year Crystal Compton of the circulation department has greeted patrons with a friendly smile and a helpful hand. She is an avid Japanese role-playing (video) gamer and spends much of her time with her American Eskimo dog, Dakota.
Steph Morrissette of the reference and local history departments is a dendrochronologist and she hikes through the forest as much as possible. She develops engaging adult programs and is known for organizing popular group hikes.
Susanna Howard of the reference and local history departments has a background in architecture and she enjoys making prototypes for the adult programs’ how-to videos. Howard also is enchanted by D&D development, creating scavenger hunts and puzzle-based games, and is always willing to begin a new learning adventure.
Joni Jeffries of the collection services department is a photojournalist who taught studio photography and lighting at Bard College at Simon’s Rock (MA). She is fond of film developing processes and enjoys working in a darkroom. She is continuously finding ways to improve current library processes.
The Staff Association of CDPL is sharing some of the works created during their quarterly meetings. This year, several of their members created mixed media paintings of their beloved pets. The purpose of the SACDPL is to encourage unity among library employees from all departments, to provide a forum for expression, and to provide support to co-workers in times of need.
CDPL and CMMC are proud of each and every person that serves this community, professionals and volunteers alike, and they strive to improve access to materials including art-based topics. Be sure to tell your favorite library or museum worker how much you appreciate them at your next visit.
The Mary Bishop Memorial Gallery offers every visitor the opportunity to learn about local, regional, national and international artists on a rotating basis. Make the arts a part of your holiday tradition and plant a creative seed in the minds of future generations. Consider purchasing a unique gift from a local artist this holiday season.
For more information about CDPL’s hours of operation, to access our databases, or to learn more about upcoming program opportunities, please visit our website at http://www.cdpl.lib.in.us/.
If you are an artist or a member of an artists’ group and are interested in displaying your work at the Mary Bishop Memorial Gallery in 2024-25, contact Toni, the gallery coordinator, at 765-362-2242 for more details.
