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Featured Posts

Light Street Branch’s Lynne Parks Earns 2013 Baker Artist Award
By Tom Warner

10 Answers to eBook and eReader FAQs
By Anjanette Wiggins

Young Makers are Building Circuits at Waverly Branch
By Rose Anne Ullrich, Children's Librarian, Waverly Branch

State Library Resource Center

A Good Short Story Is Not Hard to Find: One Librarian's Favorites
By Shaileen B.
Last Edited on 5/23/2013
Don't call me Ishmael—not today. Today, in honor of National Short Story Month, I'm celebrating fictional works that don't resemble great white whales. Today I'm celebrating fiction that's leaner, more ...more
Pratt Profile: Sights & Sounds Regular Paula
By Tom Warner
Posted on 5/20/2013
Paula lives around the corner from the Central Library and uses much of her free time since retiring from the Social Security Administration roaming our aisle for foreign films, topical documentaries, ...more
What My Grandmother Couldn't Tell Me: Missing Pieces of the Past
By Claire Wang
Last Edited on 5/17/2013
As a child, I spent many afternoons poring over my grandmother’s photos, the majority of which were stored in albums. However, the oldest images—black-and-white or sepia-toned pictures in various stages ...more
Anatomy of the Poe Collection
By Sarah Gearhart, Volunteer in Special Collections
Posted on 5/13/2013
Many of the books I handle in my volunteer job in Special Collections are "tender" (their bindings are loose) and some are "cocked" ("usually caused by either reading the book, or stacking cases of beer ...more
Pratt Profile: Sights & Sounds Regular Peter Geier
By Tom Warner
Posted on 5/10/2013
Here at the Pratt Library, we interact with a lot of interesting—even (dare we say) "unusual"—people who frequent the library on a regular basis. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Sights & Sounds ...more
Wreck-It-Up At The Library With Free Family Flicks
By Ryan O'Grady
Posted on 5/10/2013
Line your pockets full of quarters and head on down to the Central Library this Saturday, May 11, to watch Wreck-It Ralph. This screening is part of the Library’s Free Family Flicks series, the once-a-month ...more
Free Family Flicks: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
By Ryan O’Grady
Last Edited on 4/26/2013
If you want an extra special film experience, come to the Central Library this Saturday, April 27 at 2pm, to watch E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Whether you are revisiting this classic or seeing it for the ...more
The Poetry Contest Winner: 'To the Bird That Wakes Me'
By Shaileen B.
Last Edited on 4/23/2013
Ah, April! You may be the cruelest month, but in Maryland you're a month full of poetry and birdsong. Those two elements came together for Lori Powell, who won the Pratt Library's second annual Poetry ...more
Birds of a Feather Double-Bill Together
By Marc Sober, Guest Blogger
Last Edited on 4/15/2013
While planning my FILMTALK screening at the Central Library for April 20, I wanted to do something a little special, as it was to be the 10th anniversary of the Saturday morning program (see a list of ...more
[Guest Post] Enoch Pratt Free Library , an Anchor for Baltimore
By Kitty Mervine
Last Edited on 4/12/2013
Reposted with permission from Yankee Skeptic. ...more
Hobo Signs & Traveling the Meandering Path
By Brian Manning
Last Edited on 3/11/2013
I am not too sure of when I had my first taste of wanderlust, but I can recall reading Jack London and Jack Kerouac during my formative years, and feeling the itch for the open road. Either way, here I ...more
Creative Solutions: Superman's Reader's Advisory
By Super Tom Warner
Posted on 3/5/2013
Skimming Larry Tye’s new biography Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero (Random House, 2012), I came across a quote that lauded the Pratt Library for its foresight in championing ...more
Poetry & Conversation: Karen Garthe's CHARTER
by Shaileen B.
Last Edited on 2/28/2013
The arrivals and departures of boats make such beautiful subjects for poems, which are always abandoning or landing at places inside ourselves. Think of "Where Go the Boats?" by Robert Louis Stevenson, ...more
Creative Solutions: Check Out a Circulating Laptop at the Central Library
By Sarah Kuperman, Guest Blogger
Last Edited on 2/22/2013
My job in Collection Managment is a "behind the scenes" assignment. My usual work involves websites and spreadsheets. A bright spot in my work week is the time I spend working at the Information Desk in ...more
Exhibiting An Original Lincoln Document at Central Library
By Michael Johnson
Posted on 2/21/2013
Last Tuesday (February 12) was Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, and in celebration we decided we wanted to try something new. The Library has always been lucky enough to have gracious supporters, and over the ...more
Poetry & Conversation: Chris Mason's Poems about Places
By Shaileen B
Last Edited on 2/12/2013
Even in these days of e-books and electronic communication, the Pratt Library continues to thrive as a set of lovely, historic buildings where people encounter one another face to face. Take the upcoming ...more
On Display Today Only: Presidential Appointment Signed by Lincoln
By Roswell Encina
Last Edited on 2/12/2013
On February 12, 2013, Lincoln's 204th birthday, the Enoch Pratt Free Library is displaying a Presidential Appointment signed by Abraham Lincoln in the Main Hall of the Central Library. The display will ...more
Gathering the Sons, Daughters, and Enthusiasts of Erin
Claire Wang
Last Edited on 2/4/2013
Recently, the New York Times released their 46 recommended travel destinations for 2013. At first glance, the featured activities on this list are as varied as the locations in question. Descriptions boast ...more
Poetry & Conversation: Sue Ellen Thompson's 'Blue Blanket'
By Shaileen B
Posted on 1/29/2013
"Heavens, I recognize the place, I know it!" says Elizabeth Bishop in the middle of one of my favorite poems, as she realizes that a painting by a stranger shows a countryside where she has been in real ...more
Poetry & Conversation: Talking with Poet Kathleen Hellen
By Shaileen B
Last Edited on 1/24/2013
Umberto's Night: doesn't that have a terrific ring to it? This darkly musical phrase is the title of a new book by Kathleen Hellen, whom we welcome to the Pratt Library on January 30 for the first Poetry ...more
Here We Come A-What-Ing? Unveiling Wassailing for the Holidays
By: Claire Wang
Last Edited on 12/21/2012
Confession: When I first heard the traditional holiday song "Here We Come A-Wassailing," the first stanza sounded a lot to me like "here we come a-waffling among the leaves so green." In my defense, I ...more
Film Event: December's Double-Thrill Double Bill
By Marc Sober and Tom Warner
Last Edited on 12/13/2012
Marc Sober in the Humanities Department has been hosting "FilmTalk," a once-a-month Saturday morning film and discussion series, for almost 10 years. Tom Warner, in the Sights & Sounds Department, has ...more
6 Library Books to Travel With
By Brian Manning
Last Edited on 12/7/2012
It’s the Holiday Season, and for many Marylanders it is a time filled with trips, treks, and layovers. And for many dealing with the rigors of yuletide traveling, the ideal companion is quiet, a source ...more
Music for Kids? Haacking the Record Collection
By Tom Warner
Posted on 12/6/2012
I only recently discovered underground electronic music pioneer Bruce Haack, while browsing through Pratt’s Central’s "best-kept-secret" collection of phonograph records (those archaic round pieces of ...more
[New] Pratt eLibrary: Get more for free
By Sarah Kuperman, Collections Management Department
Posted on 12/4/2012
A customer with a question about reading eBooks on her iPhone recently phoned the Library for help. The conversation resulted in a helpful one-on-one session in the Central Library’s Wi-Fi coffee shop. ...more
Seven Secrets about the Stacks: Could someone disappear down there?
By Brian Manning
Last Edited on 11/30/2012
If you’ve ever visited the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Central Library location, then you know how large of a building it is—filled with bound volumes of passed-down thoughts from bygone ages, as well as ...more
Fall Rocks: A playlist for the chilly season
By Brian Manning
Last Edited on 11/23/2012
It’s November, and the fall is finally in full regal: there are pumpkins on stoops, rich yellows and oranges, and an air of mischief in the cool night airs. This air of degeneration is captivating, to ...more
Did the English and Wampanoag Really Eat Pumpkin Pie? A Brief Look at Thanksgiving's Origins
By Claire Wang
Last Edited on 11/20/2012
On this Thanksgiving Eve, many of us are preparing to gather around the centerpiece of this beloved tradition: food. Although no two Thanksgiving menus are exactly identical—regional fare such as sauerkraut ...more
The Poet: Tim Ward and the Power of Words
By Shaileen B.
Last Edited on 11/19/2012
I rarely forget how powerful words can be, but if I ever did, I'd remember as soon as I ran into Tim Ward. Tim, a seemingly sturdy man with a big, deep voice, has made it to almost every one of the Pratt’s ...more
12 Graphic Novels that Define the Genre
By Marc Sober, Humanities Department
Last Edited on 11/19/2012
What are graphic novels? We know them when we see them—they have text and pictures together. Isn’t that the same as comic books? Essentially, they are two kinds of works using the same methods, just as ...more
Friendship: The Story Behind Baltimore's First Airport
By Jeff Korman
Posted on 11/7/2012
While waiting in line to pass through security at BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport last week I gave some thought to the evolution of our busy, ultra-modern airport. I go way back with this place. ...more
Photography Exhibit: One View Of The World
By Ryan O’Grady and Danni Downing
Last Edited on 10/26/2012
The Fine Arts and Recreation Department is hosting an exhibit called One View of the World, featuring photography by Danni Downing. The exhibit runs through December 9th at the Central Branch/State Library ...more
32 Classic Films Available Free Online
By Tom Warner
Posted on 10/25/2012
In the course of putting together a Pratt Library guide to the best web resources for watching full-length feature movies, I was surprised to find that so many great classic films by critically acclaimed ...more
Charting the Central Library: Explore our Maps Collections
By Brian Manning
Last Edited on 10/23/2012
Why do we look at maps? To see where we’ve been? To locate where we are? To see where we’re going? Or to see where we have not (yet) been? ...more
Baltimore: My City, My Home
By Harriet Lynn, Producer/Artistic Director of Heritage Theatre Artists' Consortium
Last Edited on 10/19/2012
My mother, Ruth Garbis (née: Rochkind), was a gifted poet who did not take her work seriously. However, she was passionate about the written word, and would literally surround herself with books. The Enoch ...more
Really Old Greeting Cards Are Cool
By Michael Johnson
Last Edited on 10/17/2012
Let’s be honest, some of the things we do at work are done because we’re deeply interested in the topic and some things are just done. We’ve got work to do, and not everything can always be absolutely ...more
Pratt Contemporaries Celebrate Banned Books
By Roswell Encina
Last Edited on 10/16/2012
What do Harry Potter, Holden Caulfield, Jay Gatsby, Atticus Finch and Christian Grey have in common? All are characters from banned and challenged books. ...more
10 Library Services You Should Be Using
By Anjanette Wiggins
Last Edited on 10/15/2012
10. Self-CheckoutFor customers who prefer self-service, self-checkout is available at five branches: Reisterstown Road, Northwood, Roland Park, Orleans Street, Edmondson Avenue, and Southeast Anchor Library. ...more
Lets Go Os! Orioles Memorabilia at the Pratt
by Roswell Encina
Last Edited on 10/12/2012
Like the rest of Baltimore, the Pratt Library is under the spell of Orioles magic. We will be cheering on the hometown team during this afternoon's critical Game 5 of the American League Division Series ...more
A Frightful Morass: Name Variations and Genealogy
By Claire Wang
Last Edited on 10/18/2012
If you’ve ever used Census records to hunt down family members, you may have noticed something unusual about your ancestor’s name. ...more
Celebrating Pratt's Legacy, Staff and Retirees Share Years of Service and Wisdom
By Darcell Little, Manager of Documents Unit/State Publication Depository and Distribution Program
Last Edited on 10/10/2012
"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example." -Benjamin Disralei ...more
Pierrot Centenary Project and the Lunar Ensemble
By Bill Jones, Assistant Manager of the Fine Arts and Music Department
Last Edited on 10/5/2012
The Pratt Library will host a special afternoon concert and lecture on Saturday, October 6: A Centenary Celebration of Pierrot Lunaire* with Paul Mathews and the LUNAR Ensemble (*Pierrot lunaire is a ...more
Maryland Yearbooks are in Demand
By Jeff Korman
Last Edited on 9/25/2012
Each month the managers of the subject departments at Pratt review the number of times the web the pages linked to their sites are viewed. In the Maryland Department popular pages include our guides on ...more
Living With Henry, And Waltzing With David: Mencken Day 2012
By David Donovan and Ryan O'Grady
Last Edited on 9/20/2012
I was born in the northeast of the USA and so H. L. Mencken was somewhat of a mystery to me when I moved to Baltimore six years ago. Working at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, every day I have the privilege ...more
Event: Celebrate the Sage of Baltimore on Mencken Day
By Vince Fitzpatrick, Curator of the H.L. Mencken Collection
Last Edited on 9/7/2012
H.L. Mencken (1880-1956), a talented and prolific journalist known fondly as the Sage of Baltimore, had a long and friendly relationship with the Enoch Pratt Free Library . As a child, he used the branch ...more
Come Work or Lounge in the Library with our Free Wi-Fi
By Teresa Duggan
Last Edited on 9/11/2012
Did you know that the Pratt Library offers all customers free Wi-Fi access in most all library locations? With the temporary exception of the Washington Village Branch, any Pratt Library location you visit ...more
War Posters Collection
By Michael Johnson
Last Edited on 8/29/2012
One of my favorite collections at the Pratt is the War Posters Collection. Not being a war buff, and not being any kind of expert on early 20th century history, it surprised me a bit at how much I liked ...more
Hammering Through the Brick Wall: 3 Tips for New Genealogists
By Claire Wang
Last Edited on 8/10/2012
It’s a fact: Regardless of skill level, experience, or serendipity, all family historians will encounter dead ends in their research. ...more
Urgh! Two Perfectly Overdone Rockumentaries
By Tom Warner
Last Edited on 8/8/2012
On August 11, the Central Library will host a special 30th anniversary screening of Urgh! A Music War (1982), director Derek Burbidge’s cult concert film that many consider the best-ever "Rockumentary." ...more
Grow Your Child's Brain
By Selma Levi, Children's Department Supervisor, and Ryan O'Grady
Last Edited on 8/6/2012
Looking for an exciting and interactive learning tool for your toddler or young child? Look no further. Here at The Enoch Pratt Free Library State Library Resource Center Children’s Department, we post ...more
New Digital Collection: Manumissions, Indentures, and Bills of Sale
By Michael Scott, Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Coordinator
Last Edited on 8/6/2012
On July 29, 1845, Betsey Nugent, a free woman of color living in the Howard District of Anne Arundel County, bought her daughter Harriet from slaveowner Rezin B. Simpson for $260. She had borrowed some ...more
2012 Olympics: Baltimore was a contender!
By Jeff Korman
Last Edited on 7/27/2012
Opening ceremonies at the London Olympics are almost upon us. I'm a big sports fan but admit that I don't look for the latest news in water polo, equestrian or pentathlon when I open the sports pages of ...more
The Trial of the Century? Not OJ. Not the Manson gang.
By Jackie Watts, Menckeniana Editor
Last Edited on 8/28/2012
The State of Tennessee v. Scopes, which began on July 10, 1925, was the first trial subjected to the massive burden of worldwide attention. Before the formation of any of America’s three major broadcast ...more
Reels at the Pratt: 5 Must-See 16mm Films
By Tom Warner
Last Edited on 7/11/2012
Last month, the Windup Space in Station North hosted “Sights & Sounds from the Vaults,” an evening of experimental film classics culled from the 16mm film collection of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The ...more
Why Try YA?
By Liz Sundermann
Last Edited on 6/27/2012
Have you read The Hunger Games books or are you someone who wonders why your friends are scrambling to find a series written for teens? Teen fiction is the fastest growing segment in the publishing industry, ...more
Researching Beer at the Pratt
By Michael K Johnson
Last Edited on 8/23/2012
I’ve been helping a couple researchers find things about beer this week. Mostly about the history of brewing, social customs, where people drank (everywhere), what people drank (everything) and whether ...more
Visit the Humanities Department
By Ellie Luchinsky, Humanities Department Manager, and Ryan O'Grady
Last Edited on 6/21/2012
Come see us on the third floor! ...more
Mysteries at the Museum: The Pratt on the Travel Channel
By Jeff Korman, Librarian, Maryland Department
Last Edited on 7/5/2012
It is always an honor to be asked to speak about Edgar Allan Poe and the wonderful collection of Poe documents that are held in the Pratt Library. In January, I spent half a day being interviewed and ...more
Photographer Cheryl Atkins At The Pratt
By Ryan O'Grady
Last Edited on 6/18/2012
The Fine Arts Department and The Maryland Department at The Enoch Pratt Free Library have a photography exhibit on display until mid-July, 2012. It features the work of Cheryl Atkins, whose first solo ...more
Pratt Gives Visitors the Silent Treatment
By Tom Warner
Posted on 6/15/2012
2012 has been a banner year for celebrating the early days of motion pictures: Michel Hazanavicius’s black-and-white silent film, The Artist, won five Oscars (including Best Picture, Best Director and ...more
Baltimore Sailabrates the Bicentennial of War of 1812
By Katie H., Librarian, Social Science and History Department
Last Edited on 6/13/2012
The War of 1812, sometimes referred to as America’s second war of independence, began in June 1812 and continued until the signing of the Treaty of Ghent brought it to an end in 1815. It took place for ...more
Friends School of Baltimore Seniors Volunteer
By Tyler Lehmann, Volunteer
Last Edited on 6/7/2012
Every year, Friends School of Baltimore high school seniors end classes a month early to begin their Senior Work Projects. The Senior Work Project is a month long internship required for all seniors to ...more
A Smorgasbord of Tasty Tales
By Selma Levi, Children's Department Supervisor and Ryan O'Grady
Last Edited on 5/31/2012
...more
Maryland's Veterans At Your Library
By Jeff Korman, Manager of the Maryland Department
Last Edited on 5/25/2012
As Memorial Day approaches we take time to reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. In the Maryland Department at Pratt we are often asked for information about Maryland ancestors ...more
Images of Maryland’s History from MDCH
By Teresa Duggan
Last Edited on 5/24/2012
If you visit our homepage this week, you’ll see one of five images featured at the top, with the caption “View Maryland’s history at MDCH.org”. I created these images after working with our Digitization ...more

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