Mencken Day!

[LibraryLady]

Once a year, the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore celebrates Mencken Day with speakers and a tour of the Mencken Collection. The collection is of his books and papers which he bequeathed to the library on the condition that it was available to the public only on his birthday. We have amended this to the Saturday closest to his birthday, and that will be this Saturday, September 13 at 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

It's my day off, so I can't offer private tours or other personalized events , but it's well worth the trip. One of the best items in the collection, in my opinion, is his copy of the bible, which is inscribed, "From the Author."

Come one! Come all!

 

[Kochanski]

Oh pooh, I would love to do it, but I have a tournament on that day

 

[LibraryLady]

There's always next year.

 

[dahduh]

I'm curious; why in the world did Mencken stipulate that the collection only be available to the public for one day of each year? Do scholars have broader access, and if so what distinguishes a 'scholar' from 'general public'?

 

[LibraryLady]

I'm curious; why in the world did Mencken stipulate that the collection only be available to the public for one day of each year? Do scholars have broader access, and if so what distinguishes a 'scholar' from 'general public'?

I'm not sure why Mencken made this stipulation, but it's in his will. We do welcome scholars at other times, but that's up to the Curator and the Manager for Special Collections. They make the call. I believe if someone is writing a book or article or can otherwise demonstrate that their need is for research, but I'm not sure of all of the criteria.

ETA: I've been known to take guests of mine in to show them around.

 

[Soapy Sam]

Suggested audience- adults and seniors?
What is a "senior" in this context?
And are seniors not adults?

 

[LibraryLady]

We have programs specifically designed for senior citizens and retirees, so there's a category assigned to them.

 

[dahduh]

ETA: I've been known to take guests of mine in to show them around.

Well I wish I could take you up on your invitations; one feels one should pay homage to the viper of the monkey trial. And my aunt was a librarian, I had a room-mate who was a librarian, and they each consorted with whole gangs of librarians; and they were all without exception extremely well-informed, entertaining, liberal, and gay.

 

[Soapy Sam]

GAY?
I've been madly in love with at least two librarians- and now you tell me they're all gay?
My life lies in ruins.

 

[LibraryLady]

I've actually never inquired about the sexual orientations of my colleagues. I personally am straight, just to set the record, well, straight.

 

[dahduh]

I don't mean to suggest that librarianism and sexual contrarianism are in any way linked. I should hasten to add that chance endowed both said aunt and former room-mate with, um, outgoing personalities, and I was thus exposed to an unusually skewed sample from which no general conclusions may be drawn.