Before you read any further, have you exercised your right to vote or made a plan to vote? Absentee ballots should go in the mail or the dropbox at the Delaware County Board of Elections as soon as possible. Early voting can be accomplished at the Delaware County Board of Elections Office Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., and Monday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Finally, you can vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at your designated polling location.
While the most important thing you’ll do this week is vote, we at the Delaware County District Library have a few suggestions for some other, far-less-political activities that will surely bring a smile to your face.
The Friends of the Delaware County District Library are holding their annual meeting this Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. During the meeting, special guest and archivist for the Ohio State University, Tamar Chute, will present “Ohio State at 150 – Celebrating and Preserving University History.”
The talk will give viewers a unique perspective of the University Archives’ reference room to see how collections are organized, managed and preserved. Keep your eyes open during the presentation to see unique artifacts, materials, and photographs that showcase The Ohio State University over time.
All Friends members will receive a link to join the interactive Zoom call via email. The Friends will also stream the event live on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/FriendsoftheDelawareLibrary.
Additionally, during the Friends’ Annual Meeting, President Karen Cowan will give an update on the State of the Friends from 2020. From learning new ways of doing “old” tasks to continuing their mission to fundraise for the Delaware County District Library and promote a love of lifetime learning, it has been a year of learning for the Friends indeed.
Though things look different, the Friends are still as energetic a group as ever. In fact, in addition to planning for their upcoming meeting, they decided to throw in a holiday flower fundraiser. Learn the details at their Facebook page or just visit tinyurl.com/FriendsFlowers to see what’s in bloom. Orders can be placed through Nov. 6 with pickup scheduled for Dec. 7.
Looking for some books on voting and the elections in the United States? Check out the Delaware Library app, downloadable on iOS and Android devices. The titles at the top were selected for the youngest readers to our more mature scholars. Additionally, the titles below may be what you’re looking for.
• “Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait? Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson, and the Fight for the Right to Vote” by Tina Cassidy. Discover the antagonistic relationship between tireless Quaker suffragette Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson in the years before the passage of the 19th Amendment. This vivid and dramatic account offers an inspiring portrait of a pioneering yet underappreciated activist. Don’t miss: Wilson’s first inauguration being upstaged by a suffragist parade organized by Paul.
• “Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics” by Lawrence O’Donnell. Host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word,” Lawrence O’Donnell became fascinated with politics at age 17 during the 1968 general elections. Here he reviews the tumultuous political year and the race that captivated him. Whether you remember 1968 yourself or know it from history, you’ll enjoy the ringside seat O’Donnell offers in Playing with Fire.
• “Camelot’s End: Kennedy vs. Carter and the Fight That Broke the Democratic Party” by Jon Ward. A captivating account of the 1980 Democratic primary battle between sitting president Jimmy Carter and Senator Ted Kennedy. Did you know? Incumbent presidents seeking reelection have been challenged from within their own party “only a handful of times.” Why it’s significant: Campaign tensions led to divisions within the Democratic party that continue to resonate.
