Spring 2013 - Friends of the Rosenberg Library

Friends of the Rosenberg
Library
2012-2013 Board Members
President
Cheryl Jenkines
Vice President
Paula Reeg
Secretary
Mary Lou Shuffler
Treasurer
Gene Hornstein
Past President
Trish McDaniel
Executive Director
John Augelli
Standing
Committees
Hospitality
Jimmie Ward
B.J. Logan
Membership
Diane Donohoe
Newsletter
Saralyn Richard
Retail
Jill Randall
Annual Book Sale
Margaret Doran
Friends Book Shop
Margie Frantz
Members-at-Large
Margaret Canavan
Carol Greene
Al LeBlanc
Jan Malone
Jennifer Marines
Lynn Tomlinson
Betty Williamson
SPRING 2013
Greetings from the President
Dear Friends,
Summer is quickly approaching , and the Rosenberg
Library and the Friends are getting ready. We recently
honored the library staff with a luncheon for Library
Appreciation Week. Our library staff is phenomenal!
We continue to process donated books, so we can keep our
Book Shop shelves full. We offer a wide selection of books
for all ages and interests. Remember, after you finish your
summer reads, to donate them to the Friends. All the
money we raise from book sales goes directly to the Library
for purchasing of new books and other circulating materials.
We are excited about the grand opening of the first floor in
July. Afterwards, the Friends plan to hold a Book Donation
Day. All you have to do is pack up your gently used books
and drive over to the Library's alley entrance. We will help
you unpack your car, and away you will go. We will let you
know as soon as the date has been determined.
This is will be another full year of activities for the
Friends, who, with your help, look forward to supporting the
Rosenberg Library.
Thank you for being a Friend.
Cheryl
Eleanor Barton, Museum Curator and Casey Greene,
Head of Special
Collections confer with conservator Brian
1
Howard, p.9. (image courtesy of Galveston Daily News)
From the Executive Director
Dear Friends:
We are happy to announce the re-opening of the Rosenberg Library’s first floor scheduled for
the summer of 2013. The library’s Board of Directors and staff anticipate the re-opening to occur
in mid-July.
Reconstruction of the first level of the library, which was wiped out by the Hurricane Ike storm
surge in 2008, began in September, 2012. The rebuilt first floor will feature a greatly expanded
children’s library with its own computer lab and puppet theater, state-of-the-art meeting rooms,
new public services desks, a terrazzo-floored lobby, new restrooms, an elaborate protection
system to shield the level from future flooding, and a variety of new technologies. In addition to
the first floor renovations, other exciting improvements in this round of construction at the
Rosenberg Library include installation of a new glassed-in media room on the mezzanine level of
the building; climate control upgrades for the History Center vault; installation of new ceiling,
lighting, and flooring systems for the third floor Board Room and adjacent administrative offices;
and replacement of the colossal 1970’s era air handlers that serve the Moody Wing with high
efficiency units.
Major funding for the Rosenberg Library’s capital improvements was provided through
generous grants from Federal Emergency Management Agency, Houston Endowment,
Brown Foundation, Moody Foundation, Wortham Foundation, Harris & Eliza Kempner
Fund, Jamail Galveston Foundation, Summerlee Foundation, Harry S. and Isabel C.
Cameron Foundation, John P. McGovern Foundation, a bequest from Hugh and Evalyn
Gibson, gifts from Kathrine McGovern, the Friends of the Rosenberg Library and
many other donors who have contributed to previous library fall fundraisers. Insurance
proceeds from Hurricane Ike have also been used to pay for the renovation project.
Sincerely,
John Augelli
2
The Joys of Membership
Membership Period: January 1 – December 31
http://friends.rosenberg-library.org
As of April 22, Friends has 189 members, who have donated $9,335, in support of
Rosenberg Library. We appreciate our members and invite those who are not members to join
us. All family members residing at the address provided on the membership application are
included in the membership. Membership applications are available at the library and also on
our website http://friends.rosenberg-library.org/.
We are very pleased that the 2013 membership applications have supplied Friends
with 111 members’ email addressees. These give us a vehicle to alert members about special
events, including sales of collections by the Friends Book Shop Online. If you are a Friends
member, but did not provide your email address on your 2013 membership application, please
send it via rlfriends@rosenberg-library.org.
Friends’ newest means of raising funds for the library is the Friends Book Shop
Online. Members receive emails notifying them of a “first choice” perk, to buy book
collections before they are offered to the public. To date, all book purchases have been made
within the two-week “first choice” period. One grouping sold thirty minutes after the Friends
email was sent.
The following eleven book groupings, all in very good to excellent condition, were
offered by the Friends Book Shop Online and sold for bargain prices. If you are interested in
a grouping that did not sell*, please contact Friends by email for additional information.
Agatha Christie - leather-bound collection of mystery novels
The Best Mysteries of All Time Series - Reader's Digest
*Sue Grafton mysteries – 11 books, including one signed book
John Sanford mysteries
Lilian Jackson Braun mystery novels - Cat Who....
*Patricia Cornwell mysteries – 6 books
Two rare history groupings from the Library of America Freedom Publishers
*Sommerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge; The Novels of Charles Dickens; and
The Works of Jules Verne.
David Baldacci mysteries
James Patterson mysteries
FRIENDS OF THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Please e-mail your updated contact information to RLFriends@rosenberg-library.org, or call
the Friends office at 409-763-8854 x129 and leave a message.
3
Limited Number of Historical Postcards
Rosenberg Fountain “A,” located
currently on the library’s north
lawn
Postcards depicting the Rosenberg Fountains and
selected as the official annual Friends membership card,
have become collectors’ items. Packaged sets of 10
postcards are available for purchase at the second floor
Circulation Desk, for only $3 per set. Each postcard
shows the artist’s rendering of one of the Rosenberg
fountains, “A” – “P,” with the location history written
on the reverse side. A framed exhibit of the postcards is
displayed in the Friends Book Shop. The postcard sets
make a great gift item for any occasion.
Children’s Department Head Librarian, Karen Stanley, interacts with youngsters as they use their
creations to interpret the book Ten Little Beasties.
Children’s Department news
There is never a dull moment in the Children’s Department, especially as summer approaches.
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4
July.
Remember that sharing good books and good times with the children in your lives is what
the Children’s Department is all about. We’re happy to help you find the perfect books!
Children’s
department
Summer
activities
Bluebonnet Book Parties
Storytimes
Stories Alive (ages 4-8)
Drop-in Art Studios
Lego Brick Yard
Family Gaming
Story Fair
Ted Schwank Magic Show
Greg Ruhe Puppets Pizzazz
Life in Classical Greece
TAMUG Shark Program
TAMUG Chemistry Road Show
Wild Things Zoofari
Express Theatre “Ransom of Red
Chief”
Oasis for Children Mother Goose
Mardi Gras Indians
Texas Snakes
History Hike
Hats On and Away We Go
Country Camp Out
Sport of Champions & Catch the
Reading Express
Aquarium
Buccaneers & Books
Preschool story time: “Clowning
Kim
Lehman
&
Around,”
RyanSpinning
Anderson Stories
and Karen.
Songs
5
Books…Our Bread and Butter
Whether it is the Friends’ Book Shop, the Online Book Collections, or the Annual Book
Sale in October, books and Friends go together like….bread and butter.
Have you seen the new sign in the Great Hall highlighting the Friends' Book Shop? The
shop brings in several hundred dollars each month, money earmarked for the library's
circulating collection. The shelves are stocked by volunteers who rely on your contributions
for inventory; we cannot do it without you. The Friends welcome year-round donations of
fiction and non-fiction, adult, young adult and children's books in good, clean readable
condition. We are also happy to receive CDs and DVDs, but cannot process video or cassette
tapes, record albums or magazines.
Recently we have organized collections of our best books for sale at bargain prices, and you,
as members, have the first options to purchase these, so be sure to check your email for our
latest offerings.
This summer's opening of the new Circulation and Children's Departments means the
permanent return of the Annual Used Book Sale to the library's upper floors. Mark your
calendars for the first weekend in October, take advantage of our volunteer opportunities and
keep us in mind as you sort through your personal libraries. Donations are accepted at the
circulation desk. For large donations, call ahead so that a staff member can meet you at your
car.
As always, we want to thank you for making all of our book-selling initiatives such
successful projects.
Right, Jim Foster, acclaimed nature
photographer and writer, gave a gallery talk
during the opening event. A Texas native, he
now lives in Salmon, Idaho and specializes in
writing and photography of nature, environment,
and travel. His publications include Texas
Birding Trails and the upcoming Texas Birding
Trails: The Gulf Coast. His photographs have
appeared in national newspapers and magazines
and he authors a widely read blog.
The Library Delivers!
Homebound residents in Galveston can have books delivered to their door – for free! This
includes large print, regular print, and audiobooks. Books are sent by mail, and when patrons
are ready, they simply place the books in the mail bag provided, give it to their postal carrier,
and the books are returned to the library with no postage charge to the patron.
The Extension Services Department also delivers to organizations and institutions – from
schools to nursing homes, senior centers and more throughout Galveston County. For more
information, please contact Marilyn Lyons at 409-763-8854 ext. 136 or email
extension@rosenberg-library.org .
6
Scrapbook Recalls Galveston’s Leading
Clothing Store
For over a century, Levy’s was Galveston’s
leading clothing store. In 1877, Abraham
Levy established Levy & Weiss, which sold
men’s clothing, at 2115 Market. The store
moved to 23rd and Market in 1900. E.S. Levy
& Co. originated in 1901, moving to 2227
Postoffice in 1917. It also sold women’s
clothing. Levy’s closed in 1979.
Julian Levy, great-great grandson of the
founder, recently donated a scrapbook
commemorating the 75th (Diamond)
anniversary of E.S. Levy Company & Co. in
1952. The scrapbook has newspaper
clippings, photographs, advertising copy,
congratulatory letters and telegrams, records
concerning the community-wide celebration.
These materials speak to Levy’s reputation as
the epitome of excellent personalized customer
service. On February 28, 1952, Oscar H.
Hopkins of Hopkins Electric Company,
Galveston, wrote to Harry Levy, the firm’s
president:
It is just such companies as yours, fair and
square dealing, that gain success. I hope I can
come in 75 years from now and shake hands
with you again.
The Levy family left its mark in Galveston.
Successive generations, including Harry Levy,
Harry Levy, Jr., Harry Levy, III, and Julian
Levy, served not only with E.S. Levy & Co.
but also in many civic, cultural, and charitable
capacities.
Donations Welcome
Preserve historical artifacts and information by donating interesting items to the
library’s Special Collections department. Instead of throwing away Galveston or Texas
history artifacts, bring them in to the library, where Casey Edward Greene and staff will
ensure that they are maintained for posterity.
7
Adult Summer Reading
Why let kids have all the fun this summer?
Reconnect with the Fun Reading with the Rosenberg Library Adult Summer Reading Program!
Remember when school was out and you couldn’t wait to get to the library? When summer
reading was…the bee’s knees? Groovy? Rad? Totally Awesome? Why let kids have all the
fun this summer? Sign up for the Rosenberg Library Adult Summer Reading Program!
The Adult Summer Reading Program at the Rosenberg Library is intended to help motivate adult
library users to reconnect with the pleasure of reading for fun! Once registered for the program –
which is open to all adult cardholders – participants can win prizes as they read! And, yes, audio
books count too!
As always, the library staff is more than happy to make suggestions if you’re looking for something
new to read.
Registration begins June 1 and the program runs through August 30. Check out the many summer
activities for adults by visiting the event calendar at www.rosenberg-library.org.
From monthly Green Living programs including edible landscaping and canning, to meditation
classes and “Tech Tuesdays” learn everything from digital photography editing to having fun with
Facebook at the Rosenberg Library!
Galveston Reads
8
Rosenberg’s Regal Ride
Staff at the Rosenberg Library Museum recently began to conduct research an old horsedrawn carriage that has been stored in the library’s attic for many years. The carriage dates
to the late 1800s and is believed to have belonged to Mollie Ragan Macgill Rosenberg, the
second wife of the library’s founder and namesake, Henry Rosenberg. The library hopes to
put the carriage on exhibit eventually.
As a first step toward this goal, the library hired Brian Howard, a conservation expert from
Pennsylvania-based B.R. Howard and Associates, to examine the carriage and determine
whether it could be reassembled and displayed in the Museum. Mr. Howard will provide a
damage report and conservation estimate.
Howard said most pieces of the carriage appeared to be in relatively good condition. He
could tell it had been re-painted at least once, but many of its original parts were still intact.
Though he was not able to identify the manufacturer of the carriage, Howard said it would
have been considered a luxury vehicle for its time. It featured leather seats, ornate fixtures,
and rubber-covered wheels to ensure a smooth ride.
Howard stated that his vision for the project would not be to restore the carriage and make
it look like new, but to conserve its original parts in a way that reflects its age and history.
B.R. Howard and Associates has restored a number of carriages, most notably one that was
believed to have been used to drive Abraham Lincoln to Ford’s Theater on the night of his
assassination.
Left, Brian Howard examines the Rosenberg
carriage with Museum Collections
Coordinator, Travis Bible. (image courtesy
of Galveston Daily News).
Above, the Rosenberg carriage was last used
in 1954 during Rosenberg Library’s 50th
Anniversary celebration.
9
“Of Birds and Texas: The Art of Stuart and Scott Gentling”
The library’s last art exhibit, Of Birds and Texas: The Art of Stuart and Scott Gentling, ran
from March 9 to April 19. It included lithographic prints from the Gentlings’ limited-edition
1986 elephant folio, Of Birds and Texas, on loan from the Museum of Printing History Houston.
Acclaimed as “the most magnificent book ever produced in Texas,” the 47-pound boxed
portfolio featured more than 50 plates, along with accompanying text by the Gentling brothers
and an essay by legendary Texas writer John Graves. Rosenberg Library owns an extremely
rare signed printer’s edition of Of Birds and Texas which includes notes by the artists and
chromalin printer’s proofs. This folio was displayed as part of the exhibit.
Born in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1942, the Gentling twins relocated to Fort Worth, Texas, at
age five. After attending Tulane University, both were accepted into the prestigious
Pennsylvania Academy of Arts. Though their approaches to art were different, and each
possessed a unique style, the brothers often collaborated on works and were creative partners
throughout their entire careers.
During their childhood, Stuart and Scott Gentling were interested in nature and collecting. At
age 13, Stuart discovered the work of the great naturalist John James Audubon and felt inspired
to copy Audubon’s painting of wood ducks, one of his favorite birds. Enlisting the help of
Scott, who had recently begun experimenting with watercolor paints, he made a large copy of
Audubon’s ducks; this life-changing event led to their vocations as painters of birds.
After successful local sales of the bird paintings, the Gentlings dreamed of creating a modernday, Texas-specific version of Audubon’s Birds of America. In 1983, the brothers began
travelling the State of Texas to view and draw the state’s most beloved birds in their natural
settings. By 1984, the Gentlings were running out of money to complete the production. The
brothers mortaged the home they shared; their mother also mortgaged her home. The twins put
up a rare and valuable painting from their personal collection as collateral for a bank loan.
Eventually this work, an original painting of boat-tailed grackles by John James Audubon, had
to be sold in order to pay off their debt after publishing the book. In 1987, Sotheby’s auction
house arranged the sale, and the winning bid was $253,000. (The total cost of the Of Birds and
Texas project was $850,000.)
While best known as bird painters, Stuart and Scott Gentling continued to pursue other artistic
ventures in the 1990s and 2000s. Scott Gentling won the commission to paint the official
gubernatorial portraits of Texas governors George W. Bush and Rick Perry. Together the
Gentling brothers designed the dramatic dome mural for the Bass Performing Hall in downtown
Fort Worth and ran a successful art gallery. Stuart Gentling died in 2006, Scott in 2011.
1. Roseate Spoonbill by Stuart and Scott Gentling (image courtesy of Museum of Printing
History Houston)
2. Canvasback Duck by Stuart and Scott Gentling (image courtesy of Museum of Printing
History Houston)
3. Stuart and Scott Gentling (image courtesy of Fort Worth ISD)
4. More than 80 guests attended the exhibit opening.
Left to right, Museum visitors at exhibit, the
5. Jim Foster, acclaimed nature photographer andRoseate
writer,
gave a( Museum
gallery of
talk
during the
Spoonbill
Printing
History
Houston),
Scott
and
Stuart
Gentling.
opening event which was enjoyed by all. Mr. Foster is a native Texan who now lives in
Salmon, Idaho. He specializes in 10
writing and photography related to nature, the
environment, and travel. Foster’s publications include Texas Birding Trails and the
upcoming Texas Birding Trails: The Gulf Coast. His photographs have appeared in
Museum Book Club Selection
The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World’s Largest Unsolved Art Theft, written by
Ulrich Boser, has been selected as the Spring 2013 book for the Museum Book Club series.
Museum Book Club offers participants the chance to experience art and literature in a more
interactive way. Members will have the opportunity to view rarely seen art and historical
artifacts from the Rosenberg Library Museum collection as they discuss related books.
The Gardner Heist, a highly acclaimed national bestseller, provides a detailed account of the
daring 1990 theft at the legendary Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. In the middle
of the night, two thieves disguised as police officers stole thirteen works of art including
priceless paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Degas. The missing masterpieces—worth a
staggering $600 million—have never been recovered. Despite a hefty $5 million reward for
information leading to the return of the stolen paintings, the whereabouts of the works remain
unknown 23 years later. Those who have endeavored to solve the mystery develop an allconsuming obsession with the tale.
Author Ulrich Boser was a contributing editor at U.S. News and World Report who became
interested in the Gardner case after meeting Harold Smith, legendary fine arts claims adjuster.
After Smith’s death, Boser continued with his detective work, pursuing a maze of leads related
to the theft at the Gardner Museum. In his book, Boser explores the dark underworld of artrelated crimes. From unethical auction houses to art forgeries and heists, Boser reveals the
startling practices of dealers and criminals who engage in the profitable venture of buying,
selling, counterfeiting, and stealing highly prized works of art.
Museum Book Club participants will experience an up-close view of original works by 17th
century Dutch artists Paulus Moreelse and Godfried Schalcken, contemporaries of Rembrandt
and Vermeer. These paintings, donated by Galveston collector William Willis Sealy in the
1950s, are the oldest works in the library’s Museum collection. The Gardner Heist program will
also feature a signed Degas charcoal drawing that has been identified by art experts as a fake.
The Book Club focuses on a single book and related artifacts on a quarterly basis. On May 18
the book discussion and art presentation will take place at 11 am. Light refreshments will be
provided. Registration is required for all Museum Book Club meetings. Established Book
Clubs are encouraged to participate. Groups of over 10 people are asked to call the Reference
Desk so we may arrange to accommodate your entire group.
The Gardner Heist is available for check out at the Rosenberg Library and is available for
checkout as an e-book through Rosenberg’s
11 3M Cloud Library. Visit www.rosenberglibrary.org or call 409-763-8854 ext. 115 for additional information or to register.
Image Captions:
Friends Library Staff Appreciation
Luncheon, April 17
Friends, Fun, Food, and Laughter
12
Island Art
/ IslandWho
Architecture:
Museum
Mystery:
Is This?
Paintings of Historic Galveston Homes
Rosenberg Library proudly announces its newest art exhibit Island Art / Island
Architecture: Paintings of Historic Galveston Homes. Featuring a large number of works
from the library’s permanent collection, as well as works loaned by local residents, the
opening of this special exhibition is scheduled on Friday, May 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will
coincide with Galveston Historical Foundation’s Evening Preview Stroll to kick off the Annual
Homes Tour weekend. The library event is free and open to the public.
While many of the historic homes in the exhibit are still standing—such as Open Gates
which is featured on this year’s Homes Tour—others were lost over the years to storms, fires,
or demolition in the name of progress. Island Art / Island Architecture is a celebration of
Galveston’s history, architecture, and artistic heritage. From simple cottages to magnificent
mansions, these paintings capture some of the island’s most charming domestic dwellings.
“This exhibit represents Rosenberg Library’s strong commitment to the preservation of
Galveston’s artistic treasures,” says Museum Curator Eleanor Barton. During the past 18
months, many paintings have been professionally conserved in preparation for the show.
Additional works were reframed using archival-quality materials to ensure their long-term
preservation. More than $20,000 has been invested in this critical project.
“Some of these paintings and frames are nearly 130 years old and were in dire need of
cleaning and repair,” explains Barton. “Others were in good condition but were framed with
acidic materials, causing discoloration.” Viewers of the exhibit will have a chance to see
before-and-after images of many of the paintings which underwent extensive conservation
treatment. These can also be seen at the library’s online exhibit:
http://gatewaytogalveston.rosenberg-library.org/exhibits/show/historic-homes-of-galveston.
Julius Stockfleth
Six paintings in the show were done by one of Galveston’s most renowned artists, Julius
Stockfleth (1857-1935). Stockfleth was born in Germany during the mid-19th century. His
father was a ship joiner and sailor, and his mother was an innkeeper. In 1883, Stockfleth
immigrated to the United States; he settled in Galveston two years later and began his career as
a professional painter on the island.
He returned to Germany in 1907, where he continued his art career until his death in the
1930s. During his twenty years in Texas, Stockfleth produced an invaluable artistic record of
historic Galveston.
While best known for his ship portraits, Stockfleth also painted a number of Galveston
residences. Included in the show are three different views of the antebellum William Jefferson
Jones Home. A native of Virginia, Judge William Jefferson Jones came to Galveston in 1852.
In 1855, he erected a plantation house at Virginia Point, an area located at the very tip of the
mainland. Jones was the first person to harvest sea-island cotton in Texas and make use of its
oil. After the Civil War he sold farm tracks to former slaves in an area that would become
known as Highland Station.
Other Stockfleth works in the exhibit include the Henry Greenrood Home at 1224 Avenue G,
the original Lucas Row apartment complex which was destroyed during the 1900 Storm, and
the Nicolini House at Tremont and P ½ during the post-storm grade raising.
A well-known artist in Houston and Galveston,
13 Grace Spaulding John (1890-1972) studied at
the Chicago Art Institute, the Art Students League in New York City, and the Pennsylvania
Academy of Fine Art. Upon returning to Texas, she married Alfred Morgan John, a prominent
attorney and the great-grandson of Sam Houston. John was one of the first artists—male or
female—to have a solo showing at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Examples of her work
Grace Spaulding John
A well-known artist in Houston and Galveston, Grace Spaulding John (1890-1972)
studied at the Chicago Art Institute, the Art Students League in New York City, and the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Upon returning to Texas, she married Alfred Morgan
John, a prominent attorney and the great-grandson of Sam Houston. John was one of the
first artists—male or female—to have a solo showing at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
Examples of her work can be found in numerous national collections, including in the
Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of the City, New York.
John was commissioned to paint a number of prominent residences in Galveston,
including that of the Copley family. Located at the corner of Broadway and 25 th, this
house was built in 1915 for George Noble Copley and his wife Eveline Goggan Copley.
Mr. Copley served as secretary-treasurer during the post-1900 Storm grade-raising. The
Copleys sold the home to the Phillips, family who owned it until 1955. Its next owner,
Mary E. McCowan, sold the home to American Oil Company, which demolished the house
in 1956 to build a service station on the lot.
A second work by John features one of Galveston’s most famous architectural
landmarks, “Open Gates,” home of the Sealy family. Galveston businessman George
Sealy made a fortune as one of the founders of the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway.
In the late 1880s, his wife, Magnolia Willis Sealy, commissioned one of America’s
foremost architectural firms—McKim, Mead, and White—to design a home for their large
family. The multi-colored stone and terra-cotta mansion with surrounding gardens set a
new standard for Galveston’s elite houses. Galveston architect Nicholas Clayton designed
the adjacent carriage house in 1891.
Joan Singleton
Works by another Galveston female artist, Joan Singleton (1915-1982), are also featured
in the exhibit. Born in Ontario, Canada, Singleton came to Galveston with her husband,
Dr. Albert O. Singleton Jr., a surgeon at University of Texas Medical Branch. Singleton’s
works stand out as some of the most colorful and whimsical in the exhibit.
One example is a painting of the Sawyer-Flood House built around 1879 at Broadway
and 16th Street. Sea captain Jeremiah N. Sawyer, the original owner, sold the home to E.O.
Flood in 1905. A native New Yorker, Flood came to Galveston in the 1870s and
established a coal shipping firm. The Flood family retained ownership of the property
until 1948. It was demolished in 1965.
Eugene Aubry
In 2009, BOI and prominent Houston architect Eugene Aubry (b. 1935) created a number
of paintings of historic Galveston homes for the 2012 publication Born on the Island: The
Galveston We Remember. Two of the watercolors featured in the book are part of the
library exhibit including the image 503 17th which appears on the cover.
Architect C.W. Bulger designed this house for concrete contractor Isaac Heffron in 1900.
The house was oriented toward 17th Street rather than Postoffice in order to take full
advantage of the Gulf breeze. Likewise, the second-story bays allowed for maximum
ventilation.
Island Art / Island Architecture is on display through December, 2013. The exhibit is
located in the Harris Gallery on the third floor. The library is open Monday through
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission to the museum galleries is always free.
View select works from the show through our online exhibit:
http://gatewaytogalveston.rosenberg-library.org/exhibits/show/historic-homes-ofgalveston.
14
Young Adult Services
Look for an active 2013 Teen Summer Reading Club, involving 14 library events, plus
eight online events, ranging from crafty projects (like t-shirt screen printing and duct tape
wallets) to educational presentations (including a visit from the Houston Museum of
Natural Science), and a tour of one of our museum attics. Reading logs and optional book
reviews will be submitted online; teens who meet reading goals will have a chance to win
prizes in August. Registration opens June 1 for youth going into 7th-12th grades.
Adult Services
Astronomy for Everyone: Size & Scale of the Universe will be open to all ages this
summer. Presented by Kevin Manning, a retired astrophysicist who is travelling around the
country on a “Star Tour USA” road trip, this event begins with an indoor presentation and
ends outside under the stars, where attendees can find constellations and use a telescope to
view moon craters and distant planets – weather permitting.
Librarian’s Top Fiction Picks
Check the library catalog and reserve your
copy early! Below are titles, authors and
publication release dates:
Entwined With You by Sylvia Day- June 4
Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver- June 4
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer- June 9
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil
Gaiman- June 18
Blood of Gods by Conn Iggulden- July 2
The Never List by Koethi Zan- July 16
The People in the Trees by Hanya
Yanagihara- August 1
Death Masks by Jim Butcher- August 5
Archangel by Andrea Barrett- August 19
Enon by Paul Harding- September 10
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