New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

New York State Library

Ukraine Exhibit at the New York State Library

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Ukraine Exhibit at the New York State LibraryThe New York State Library has just installed an exhibit featuring nine display cases of interesting and inspirational material from their collections on the country and people of Ukraine.

The State Library was founded in 1818, and has a wide amount of material to choose from. Categories include general works on Ukraine; history and culture; writing and art; maps; old and current periodicals; and illuminating federal documents and congressional hearings. [Read more…] about Ukraine Exhibit at the New York State Library

NYS Library Acquires Lincoln Scholar Harold Holzer’s Papers

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Hunter College President Jennifer Raab, Harold Holzer, and actor Stephen Lang at the 2017 Empire State Archives & History Award ProgramThe New York State Library has recently acquired the complete works of Lincoln scholar and Archives Partnership Trust Board Member Harold Holzer. The collection covers his 49-year career as a writer, lecturer, and historian specializing in Abraham Lincoln and Civil War era. [Read more…] about NYS Library Acquires Lincoln Scholar Harold Holzer’s Papers

$34M in State Aid Awarded To Public Libraries for Construction, Renovations

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Albany Cultural Education Center State Museum Archives and LibraryThe State Education Department has awarded $34 million in state aid to 232 public libraries statewide to support construction and renovation projects.

These funds help libraries construct new buildings, create additions, update electrical wiring and computer technology, improve broadband infrastructure, meet energy efficiency standards, renovate facilities to provide full accessibility to library users with disabilities, and provide meeting spaces to accommodate community needs. [Read more…] about $34M in State Aid Awarded To Public Libraries for Construction, Renovations

Digital Equity Webinars Start Sept 10th

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Albany Cultural Education Center State Museum Archives and LibraryThe New York State Library and State Education Department, in partnership with the METRO Library Council and the Northern New York Library Network, have announced a series of webinars on Digital Equity beginning September 10th. [Read more…] about Digital Equity Webinars Start Sept 10th

Chancery Court Records Focus of Saturday NYS Library Talk

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Albany Cultural Education Center State Museum Archives and LibraryThe New York State Library has announced a talk by Jim Folts on Chancery Court Records held in the State Archives, set for Saturday, March 16, 2019, from 1 to 2 pm at the Cultural Education Center, Librarians Room (7th Floor).

Pre-1847 Chancery Court records in the State Archives may provide additional information about the lives of obscure ancestors, including guardianships, divorces, and mortgage foreclosures.  The records include the extensive Chancery records formerly in New York City, transferred to the Archives in 2017. [Read more…] about Chancery Court Records Focus of Saturday NYS Library Talk

History and the New York State Regents

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Institute of history archaeology and educationThe New York State Board of Regents has overall responsibility for the history organizations in the state. The Department of Education which charters New York museums and historical societies operates under the auspices of the Regents.

Its purview includes the Office of Cultural Education: the New York State Archives, the New York State Library, and the New York State Museum where the New York State Historian is based. [Read more…] about History and the New York State Regents

NYS Library’s History As A Federal Depository

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Albany Cultural Education Center State Museum Archives and LibraryThe New York State Library is set to mark the conclusion of its bicentennial celebrations on Friday, November 16, 2018 at 2:30 pm with a talk from George Barnum, Senior Program Specialist and Agency Historian at the United States Government Publishing Office.

As the New York State regional depository for U.S. Government publications, the State Library receives and permanently keeps a copy of every document distributed under the Government Publishing Office Federal Depository Library Program. In his talk, Barnum will discuss the history of the printing and distribution of government documents to citizens across the country. The program is free and open to the public. [Read more…] about NYS Library’s History As A Federal Depository

Schuyler Sisters: Growing Up in the Revolution, Early Republic

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schuyler sistersA presentation on American Major General Philip Schuyler’s younger daughters has been set for Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 1 pm at the New York State Library Cultural Education Center in Albany.

Hamilton: An American Musical fans may be familiar with the eldest daughters of the American Major General Philip Schuyler; Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy. Less familiar, perhaps, are daughters Cornelia and Caty. With twenty-five years between the eldest and youngest daughters, the Schuyler family provides a unique chance to learn about the fast pace world of the American Revolution and what it was like for women growing up and seeking marriage before and after the war. [Read more…] about Schuyler Sisters: Growing Up in the Revolution, Early Republic

An Immigration Exhibit at the NYS Library

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a nation of immigrantsThe New York State Library has a new exhibit, “A Nation of Immigrants,” which focuses on the past and present immigrants in the United States.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a two-page spread from the July 2, 1887 issue of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, which appeared less than a year after the Statue of Liberty was dedicated. The caption reads, “New York — Welcome to the Land of Freedom — An Ocean Steamer Passing the Statue of Liberty: Scene on the Steerage Deck.” [Read more…] about An Immigration Exhibit at the NYS Library