Celebrating Robert Burns

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“The Birthplace of Robert Burns” found on Jones’s Cabinet Edition of Select British Poets, Vol. 2,
Boston Public Library, Rare Books Department

To honor the Scottish poet Robert Burns on his birthday, we present two delicate works of art painted on the fore-edges of books of his poetry.

Digital Commonwealth’s Massachusetts Online Collections include Boston Public Library’s collection of Fore-Edge Paintings. The paintings are ”visible only when the pages of the book are carefully fanned, in the same manner as when the artist was painting the picture. When the book is closed the painting disappears under the gold leaf of the edge . . . The work itself is done in watercolor, very dryly.” The books with fore-edge paintings were collected by Albert H. Wiggin between 1945 and 1951, and donated to the Boston Public Library at the time of his death in 1951.

Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland. His birthday is celebrated all over the world with Burns suppers and Burns Night activities.

“A View of the Bridge of Ayr” found on Jones’s Cabinet Edition of Select British Poets, Vol. 1,
Boston Public Library, Rare Books Department

Where We Are Now

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Dr. Matteo Caradonna administers polio vaccine

In the last blog post, we mentioned that with more people being vaccinated, crowds would once again be gathering. Not so fast, said COVID.

As we enter our third pandemic year now with the fierce Omicron variant infecting even fully vaxxed individuals, we need to re-adjust our activities once again. Additional booster shots will probably become the norm in the months and years to come. More vaccine drives and clinics will be held. Our featured image at left shows an Everett Public School student begin vaccinated against polio in 1954.

In 2021, changes at Digital Commonwealth have also been in the works. New collections have been on pause while conversion to an enhanced storage platform is in process. As Digital Commonwealth nears the 1 million item mark, this upgrade is essential.

Our longtime Membership  & Conference Manager Glynda Benham has retired and new Operations Manager Anne Callahan has joined Digital Commonwealth. Thanks, Glynda for your expertise and fantastic management of both in-person and virtual annual conferences. Enjoy your well deserved retirement! Welcome, Anne!

This blog welcomes a new contributor, Barbara Schneider of the Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries. Barbara retired from full-time work but continues at the Law Libraries on a per diem basis. Barbara currently serves on the Outreach and Education Committee. She’s got some intriguing posts planned in the next several weeks. Welcome, Barbara! Have fun exploring Digital Commonwealth.

As for me, I’m stepping away from the blog but will remain on the Outreach and Education Committee, chaired by colleagues Andrew Begley and Matt Amory. I’ll continue to post on social media, finding and sharing hidden gems within the treasure chest that is Digital Commonwealth.

Anne Berard, Member Outreach & Education Committee

Reference & Outreach Librarian, Milford Town Library

 

New Collections Added in May & June

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Mayor Kevin White is mobbed by Golden Agers at the annual club picnic on Castle Island, South Boston
Bird’s eye view of crowds in Post Office Square

 

Massachusetts’ high COVID vaccination rate means that gatherings and crowds will once again be a common occurrence. For the best in vintage crowd photography, be it parades, demonstrations, protests and rallies, The Brearley Collection is the place to browse.

Recently, some additional images were added to the already voluminous collection of photographs and negatives from Boston press photographers from the 1920s to the 1970s. The collection’s namesake, Dennis Brearley worked among the photojournalists and he amassed a huge amount of material. He and his wife ran a gallery at Faneuil Hall from 1978 to 2012, selling prints of Boston’s History.

Boston Public Library