Its a good time to be vegan in the world of fashion. From vegan leather designer bags made from corkto Juicy Couture partnering with vegan fashion label Apparis to make faux fur tracksuits, theres no shortage of amazing cruelty-free clothing and apparel finds.

But vegan suede? Not so easy to track down. Thats why we were so excited to hear that the shoe maestros Mercer Amsterdamhave unveiled a new slate of stylish sneakers made with vegan suede from Alcantara. And this animal-free suede isnt just any suede-like microfiberits the same fabric thats used in ultra-luxe cars such as various Porsche models, BMW "M" cars, and certain Lamborghini makes.

So what makes the material so great for sneaks? Its both more stain-resistant and also more durable than suede made from animal products. Its also cruelty-free, of course, and gives you pretty epic bragging rights to say your shoe finish shares something in common with a swanky Porsche interior. This collection marks the first time Alcantara is used for sneakers, and were hoping it becomes the norm for suede shoes one day soon. The sneakers retail for 250 or about $335 USD as of press time. Currently, theyre available in grey/white, black/white, and black/black color combinations for the shoes body/sole.

I think Alcantara and Mercer go very well together because we both combine high-end design and sustainability, Dutch designer and Mercer Amsterdam founder Pim Mercer told Plant Based News of the new sneaker line. We dont know about you, but the photos alone make us desperate for the days when we can gather in groups once again with our fellow sneakerheads, rocking these new kicks of course.

Check out the new collection herejust look for those with the word Alcantara in the sneaker title. Hasta la vista, suede.

See the article here:

These Sneakers Are Made With Vegan Suede Used in Luxury Cars - The Beet

Is your local library open in this time of Covid-related closures? It sure is, with some limitations to in-person visits but an open welcome for online access with a trove of multimedia resources available 24-7, and so much more than you might assume if you havent visited your local library recently.

Libraries in Globe and Payson now require appointments to be made in advance, in order to limit crowding and assure social-distanced safety in accord with federal, state and county regulations. Appointments arent required at Miami Memorial Library, which is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. - noon; call 928-473-2621.

Business closures and many parents sudden introduction to homeschooling have prompted residents to search the internet for worthwhile online sources providing both education and entertainment. Gila County Governments Library District is here to help. If you have not already bookmarked the new and improved website, add gcldaz.org to your browser favorite shortcuts, and connect on social media at facebook.com/GCLDAZ for daily posts ranging from storytime videos for kiddos to convenient links to an array of magazines, newspapers and books online.

Youll find an impressive aggregator, with links for all ages; for example, lively storytime videos narrated onscreen often with a song by Adrea Ricke (Toddler Storytime each Thursday, and Babytime on Wednesdays).

Charming stories read aloud are just one of the many ways our libraries have found to continue serving local residents during a difficult time, said Gila County Public Services Librarian Elaine Votruba. Payson, Globe and Miami Library began to offer curbside service for students doing school work, and adults as well. Parents can call the library and tell them what the student needs, and the staff will find items and arrange an appointed time to meet for pickup in the parking lot during normal business hours and all our libraries are open for any type of questions, too.

No internet? No problem

Libraries also have free WiFi. Even though buildings now limit public access in order to keep both staff and visitors safer and prevent the spread of Covid-19, youre welcome to park at the library of your choice and connect on your laptop or wireless device. Spend even just a few minutes exploring gcldaz.org to find an amazing portal that links to all your favorite magazines yes, even the National Enquirer and all free to browse online.

A comprehensive site named GALE has the world at your fingertips with pages linking readers to the Encyclopedia Britannica, InContext for students, the Learning Express Library, and subjects ranging from science and U.S. history to global issues, biographies, literature and academia.

You will also find the following through the Gila County Library District portal: book reviews and authors, genealogy, Pronunciator and PowerSpeak language tutorials, legal forms and AzLawHelp.

Kids and adults all are welcome at gcldaz.org, where index page links include children, youth and young adult. Readers of any age can easily get distracted by the mind-boggling rack of popular magazine titles. Whether you prefer the erudite New Yorker or lightweight celebrity news of US or In Touch, youll find access here free. The Week, the National Enquirer, National Geographic, Prevention, Food Network Magazine, Cooking with Paula Deen, PC, Smithsonian, Soap Opera Digest, Taste of Home, WIRED and so many more magazines than space allows to list here. Read more at GCLDAZ, and please like and follow the new group page (search keywords Gila County Library District) for posts spotlighting new reading-aloud videos for kids, and Pro Tips from our local library experts showcasing library links you might not find without an insiders help.

Tour Gila County museums

OK, you may have visited Bullion Plaza in Miami or the Rim Country Museum in Payson but did you know theres a Miami Sports Hall of Fame on Adonis Avenue in our own town of Miami or the Pine-Strawberry Museum in Gila Countys northernmost community? Among library district resources is a museum page with links to all Gila County Museums. Take a virtual tour, get better acquainted with the Northern Gila County Historical Society (also known as The Museum of the Forest) and plan a visit to Payson to see the collections in person once were all able to travel safely again and museums reopen. Explore (virtually, for now) the Gila County Historical Society, the Perkins Store Museum in Young, the Visitor Center at Roosevelt Lake and Globes famous Besh Ba Gowah Archeological Park.

Wondering about books in stock?

Building access may be limited but you can still borrow books from our local libraries, which have arranged innovative ways to get books into the hands of Gila County residents who love to read. Moreover, the search function at gcldaz.org is fast (and, again theres free WiFi in the parking lot). Try it yourself; we tested the search on Thursday, choosing a rare book about a uniquely Arizona subject. Using the single keyword Filaree, quick as a flash it found the historical nonfiction account described as a moving novel of pioneer life in Arizona that has become a classic. Based on the life of the authors mother, it overturns every stereotype of western womanhood.

Want to learn more about our states unique plants, animals and biota? Search by author using the keywords John Alcock to find which of our libraries have titles such as After the wildfire: ten years of recovery from the Willow Fire, published in 2017 (both copies were available when we checked last week); or the lyrical writers Animal behavior: an evolutionary approach (1979, one copy available); In a desert garden: love and death among the insects (1998, both of two available), and either Sonoran Desert Spring or Sonoran Desert Summer collections of essays he wrote in 1985 and 1990, a delightful mix or scientific observation with seasonal ephemera.

Explore TumbleBooks for young readers in grades K-6, and a TumbleMath companion; links to ebooks at teenbookcloud.com; an audio book database for all ages at audiobookcloud.com; even RomanceBookCloud for a gauzy escape from the daily dirge and drama of Covid-19. All are welcome at gcldaz.org; search the keywords Gila-County-Library-District to join our new group page on Facebook.

If you have any questions or need help, contact your local library: Globe Public Library 928-425-6111, Miami Memorial Library 928-473-2621 or Payson Public Library 928-474-9260.

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Library Resources: They're online, free and 24-7 - coppercountrynews

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the 11th year in a row, Cuyahoga County Public Library earned five stars -- and the highest overall score among its peers in Library Journals annual rankings.

Cleveland Public Library ranked fifth in the same category, also with five stars for its 27 branches. Libraries that work with Cleveland in the Clevnet system -- including Heights, Lakewood, Rocky River, and Porter Westlake libraries -- also earned top star rankings.

Akron-Summit County Public Library was awarded three stars.

We are honored to receive the Library Journals coveted five-star rating. Achieving this recognition would not be possible without the dedication of our Library staff and the support of our beloved community, says Felton Thomas Jr., Executive Director & CEO of Cleveland Public Library.The five-Star rating shows the importance of Cleveland Public Library to the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Our world-class collection, thought-provoking programming, and family-friendly atmosphere are what brings visitors from around the world to the Library.

Published annually, the Library Journals Index compares U.S. libraries among their peers. Ohio has 31 star libraries, second only to New York, with 34.

The ratings work on a scale of five, four, and three stars, based on per capita usage data. At least 5,608 U.S. public libraries were scored based on total operating expenditures.

Among its peers, Cuyahoga County Public Library, with 27 branches, earned the Indexs highest overall rating, scoring 2,006 total points,180 points more than the closest library system.

Ultimately the reason that Cuyahoga County Public Library has been able to top the LJ Index year after year is because we are deeply committed to exceptional library service, said CCPL Executive Director Tracy Strobel in a news release. Our collection is outstanding, our staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help; and our programs whether they are in-person or virtual are impactful, interesting, and fun. We strive to be exceptional, and that is what keeps our customers coming back again and again.

Voters in the 47 communities the library serve overwhelmingly approved Cuyahoga County Public Librarys 1-mill tax increase in November.

The Library Journal is one of the oldest, most respected publications covering library service.

The rating system, initially introduced in 2008, derives from data released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It strives to recognize and promote Americas public libraries through a pool of nationally collected statistics and encourages self-evaluation among the libraries.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library system has also received the five-star award designation. Heights Libraries earned the award at least 10 out of the 13 years that Library Journal has published the rating.

Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin says the surrounding communities have been using the library more and more in recent years. The four branches earned their highest circulation numbers ever in 2019, with just a little over 2 million items loaned out or downloaded.

Even now, with shutdowns due to COVID-19, our community members are still borrowing items, attending virtual programs, taking advantage of free WiFi outside our buildings, and getting help on the phone and online with things like reference questions, tech questions, and even limited printing services, Levin said. People need us now more than ever, and we are finding new ways to help them safely with services like virtual resume help, online storytimes, and free online tutoring services.

Rocky River and Lakewood library systems received a four-star designation this year, the highest possible for their circulation size.

We are proud to serve our community and to be acknowledged as such, said Rocky River Public. Library Director Jaime Mason. Our wonderful staff at Rocky River Public Library deserve all the credit for this.

Lakewood Public Library Board President Michael Artbauer says Lakewood has been recognized as a star library every year Library Journal has been ranking public libraries.

I am very pleased to report that the Lakewood Public Library received a four-star designation from Library Journal, ranking the Library among the best public libraries in the nation, says Artbauer. To each of you, I express my sincere thanks for what you do every day, day after day, to serve the Lakewood community. Please know that you are appreciated. You are the stars that make the Library the success that it is.

Excerpt from:
Cuyahoga County Public Library tops Americas Libraries list, as other Northeast Ohio libraries awarded stars - cleveland.com

Posted on Dec 7, 2020

The Flint Public Library at Courtland Center will reopen Dec. 9 through Dec. 23 with lobby service. Patrons will be able to enter the library lobby for a short visit to pick up books on hold or check out DVDs, music and books on CD, according to a press release issued by library staff.

This service minimizes contact between the public and library staff to keep everyone safe during this time of high risk from COVID. Patrons can place holds from home, either online or by phone, according to Library Director Kay Schwartz.

When the holds are ready, they can enter the lobby wearing a mask, grab their holds, check out and be on their way in five minutes, she explained.

Library Director Kay Schwartz. (Photo by Jan Worth-Nelson)

For safety reasons, the computing center in the Annex at Courtland Center will be closed during this time, Schwartz said.

The press release detailed how the reopening would be conducted, as follows:

Library hours will remain the same; Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Patrons should plan their visits for less than 15 minutes (the CDC threshold for COVID exposure). Patrons are urged to go online to http://www.fpl.info and place a hold on materials theyd like to check out and then pick up in a day or two (when notified). They can also call the Library for help placing holds. Lobby service includes patron holds pickup, browsing of DVDs, CDs, books on CD, new books, holiday books, a selection of Childrens books, and Checkout. The Annex will be closed; no patron access to computers, printers, fax machines, genealogy. Virtual programs will continue as scheduled. Go to http://www.fpl.info Join In calendar for links and details. Patrons still have 24/7 access to our large digital collection of books, magazines, music, tutorials and more with their Flint Public Library card. Go to http://www.fpl.info, Browse and Download. Library Cards/E-cards: You can get a library card on-site. You can renew your card on-site or by phone. People who need an E-card to access the digital library can get one online from home. Go to http://www.fpl.info, Browse and Download. Book/Materials return: Return on-site or at the drop-boxes located at the main and movie entrance at Courtland or Crapo Street near 1026 E. Kearsley, St. Flint. Dolly Parton Imagination Library registration: Free books for Flint Kids (Ages 0-5). Go to http://www.fpl.info for the link to register online or register on-site.

The library will be closed to the public Dec. 24, 2020 through Jan. 4, 2021.

FPL $27.6 million upgrade plugs on through the pandemic After 60 years at its Kearsley Street location, the library is undergoing a $27.6 million upgrade, facilitated by $16 million from major donors and by a bond approved by 68 percent of voters in November that will raise an additional $12.6 million.

The Flint Public Library during construction and renovation October 2020. (Photo by Tom Travis)

The buildings deterioration, along with a desire to bring it up to 21st century standards, is what propelled the successful campaign for a like-new library, as Director Schwartzdescribed itin August.

The temporary Flint Public Library location is at Courtland Center, 4190 E. Court Street, Burton, MI 48509. Patrons can email the library at askus@fpl.info or call(810) 232-7111.

EVM Staff EVM may be reached at eastvillagemagazineflint@gmail.com

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Flint Public Library at Courtland to reopen Wednesday, Dec. 9 with limited lobby service - East Village Magazine

Editors note:Duck of the Weekis a new section in Around the O Workplace that highlights UO employees and their work. Each story features an interview with one employee, in his or her own words, with light editing for clarity and length only.

Rayne Vieger

E-Learning & OER Librarian

How long have you worked at the UO?

Ive been here at UO for 19 months now.

Tell us about your work:

I am an e-learning and open educational resource (OER) librarian, which consists of two main roles. For the e-learning side of my job, I serve as an instructional designer within the library. I advance the librarys presence in online learning and design online learning supports for students.

I also raise awareness about textbook affordability and the need for open educational resources, or OERs. OERs are free and openly licensed course materials or textbooks that can help ensure that all students have access to course materials on the first day of class regardless of their financial situation. I teach workshops and collaborate with individual faculty members, librarians and instructional designers. Beyond that, I am also a liaison between the library department and our statewide OER coordinator to help connect faculty with resources as they transition to lower-cost options for their courses.

When I first joined the UO community, awareness about textbook affordability was fairly low. Interest about this issue is definitely gaining traction now though because students are really invested in it. As librarians, we cant change tuition costs or student fees, but we can affect the textbook prices by choosing open textbooks or other lower-cost options through the library.

What does your typical day look like?

On the OER side of things, my responsibilities vary day to day. I do a lot of outreach to individual faculty to help them learn more about low-cost alternatives for their courses as well as the cost-based textbooks that theyre currently using. Im also co-leading a Textbook Affordability Task Force sponsored by the Office of the Provost this fall, where we are working to create a textbook affordability strategic plan for the university.

In terms of e-learning, my job changed quite a bit once we all went remote and students didnt have access to the physical library anymore. I worked with Information Services and UO Online to create a librarian role within Canvas to help connect students with their subject liaison librarian and make sure that they had the research support they needed within the learning management system. I also worked with a team of librarians to develop a suite of library tutorials for students learning online for the very first time. These videos were designed to help students navigate different library services and resources that they might need throughout the remote learning period.

My job is unique in that I work with everyone, whereas other librarians focus on specific disciplines. I serve the whole university and anyone who wants to transition with lower-cost options. I have worked with the UO Composition Program and other departments who are interested in OER to find low-cost alternatives for traditionally high-cost textbooks.

What do you like about working at the UO?

As someone who is in a brand-new job at the UO, I have to rely on strong relationships across campus to raise awareness about OER and the issue of textbook affordability. With that in mind, I feel incredibly grateful for the wonderful partnerships Ive created across campus within the library, UO Online, Teaching Engagement Program (TEP), Office of the Provost, and ASUO too. They have been wonderful colleagues to work with and have all expressed support and interest in OER. Thats what I enjoy mostconnecting with faculty who are interested in OER, and working with really wonderful colleagues that help amplify this message across campus.

What keeps you motivated?

Students are definitely my biggest motivation since they are the entire reason why my career has been in higher education. Especially during this remote learning period, I empathize with students who are learning online for the very first time and are struggling to make ends meet financially. I believe that the pandemic has only increased the need to focus on textbook affordability because many students are out of work right now, which translates into a significant financial impact. The faculty I talk to often think that books make up such a small part of the overall student cost, but lots of times students choose not to purchase them in order to meet other basic needs like food and rent. Choosing not to purchase a text can have a disproportionate effect on a students education, so I am motivated to ensure that they have the best possible learning experience at the UO through equitable access to course materials.

I am also constantly inspired by the students I have interacted with in ASUO. They are such amazing leaders and have made textbook affordability and OER a priority this year. Thats been really cool to see, and I feel really grateful that I get to partner with them on that.

What is something people may not know about you?

When I came to Oregon five years ago, it was actually for a job at Oregon State University as an instructional designer and instructional design manager. My husband is also a professor of history at Oregon State, so were kind of a divided house. I started out as a Beaver and then later became a Duck, so that might make me a platypus!

Rayne Vieger is part of UO Libraries.

Do you know someone who should be Duck of the Week?Nominate a UO employee.

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Raising awareness about access to affordable textbooks | Around the O - AroundtheO

Euclid Public Library already has a full roster of virtual programming on its calendar, but most recently launched access to Tutor.com, a virtual tutoring service that provides assistance to learners of all ages on a one-to-one basis.

Euclid Public Library cardholders have free access to Tutor.com's services, which include academic assistance across almost every subject such as help with ACT and SAT tests, writing coaches and various practice quizzes.

The library's Marketing and Communications Manager Ashley Gowens said she is excited about launching their partnership with Tutor.com and for students to see what a great resource it can be.

"As soon as you click in your information from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, they have over 30,000 tutors that have been vetted that are available for patrons during that period of time to assist with anything that they need," Gowens said.

"The fact that you can [virtually] drop off a paper and someone can review it and provide you with feedback for free. Those are resources that are priceless, especially in the schools right now," she added.

Gowens said that Tutor.com also offers services for adults looking for career coaching, resume reviews and other similar resources.

Prior to the pandemic, library staff used to offer students homework help but since the library is now running with limited services in the building itself to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Gowens said she was concerned about all the students who regularly utilized that program.

"As soon as our doors closed, we knew that was going to be a barrier that we had to find a solution to fix," she said.

One of the ongoing virtual discussions the library offers on its YouTube channel is "Graphic Novel Friday."

She said the partnership with Tutor.com, which officially launched Dec. 1, came right on time amid many schools operating their classes entirely remotely.

More information on how to access the platform with a Euclid Public Library card can be found at http://www.euclidlibrary.org/content/tutorcom-available-now.

While tutoring access is the newest addition to the library's online services, staff has transitioned many other classes and programs to be available virtually.

Book discussions, arts and crafts classes and yoga sessions are just a few on the library's calendar.

"We're excited because we were able basically to take all of those programs that we offered in the library and do them all virtually and our staff really took to it. Our patrons were also excited to connect with our staff," Gowens said.

She explained that the library had never offered virtual programs in the past, so transitioning to a fully online format was a major undertaking. Gowens said she has been impressed with their staff's ability to adapt and the overall success of the programs.

"We realized really early in the pandemic that we had to pivot, and the best opportunity we had was online," she said.

The full calendar of virtual events and instructions on how to register for them can be found on the library's website.

See the article here:
Euclid Public Library adds access to virtual tutoring to its online services - News-Herald.com

So, we had to revamp how we do things and take the service to the community, Tolman added.

The first thing they developed was curbside pick-up, where customers could go online, look at the librarys catalog, make their selections and then pick up the items they checked out at the front doorsafe and effective. Patrons could also call into the library and staff would help them place a hold on an item. All library locations continue to be closed to in-person browsing in order to combat the pandemic. Therefore, these remote services remain key for customers until the library locations reopen for in-person service. The library has also begun offering computer reservation slots for those without computer access.

Customers check out e-books and audiobooks online, especially after the library launched Hoopla, which is an online service that also provides movies, comics, TV shows and more. With Hoopla, several customers can check out the same item at the same time; they dont have to wait for the item to be returned to the library before they can check it out.

Each year the library would hold its annual Summer Reading Challenge, to encourage youth to read each year during the summer, Tolman said. But this year, the library has experienced some of the highest numbers of youth participants in the program. The library is also experiencing more attendance in Childrens Story Time, which has gone online. Book club meetings have gone online via videoconferencing, too, and the approach has led to more participation than in-person meetings.

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Flagstaff Public Library finds new ways to reach communities during the pandemic - Arizona Daily Sun

Rockland Public Library will offer a Zoom presentation for adults and teens called Creating Calm in a Chaotic World: Stress-Reduction Tips and Techniques via Zoom on Thursday, December 17, at 2 p.m. The interactive session, led by librarians Patty King (shown, left) and Jessie Blanchard (right), will feature strategies for addressing stress, including mindfulness, movement and self-care. They will also share resources that can serve as a stress reduction toolkit. To register, email pking@rocklandmaine.gov by noon on the day of the event. Beginning on Monday, December 14, adults and teens are invited to pick up a Stress Less Bag at the library, filled with items that may help reduce anxiety. Supplies are limited; participation in the Thursday program is not required to obtain a bag. For more information, call 594-0310.

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Stress Reduction Tips Offered in Rockland Library Presentation - Freepress Online

Installation views, Poetry and Patronage: The Laubespine-Villeroy Library Rediscovered, October 16 through May 16, 2021, Thaw Gallery. Graham S. Haber photo

By Rick Russack,

NEW YORK CITY From now through May 16, the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City presents Poetry and Patronage: The Laubespine-Villeroy Library Rediscovered. The exhibition brings together, for the first time in almost 450 years, some of the most spectacular bindings from the library of Claude III de Laubespine, one of the great but little-known bibliophiles of the French Renaissance.

During the Renaissance, manuscript and printed books and their fine bindings were symbols of the wealthy and cultured. Claude III de Laubespine (1545-1570) met all the criteria. He was a member of an influential family, many of whom held high offices during the reigns of French kings Henry II and Charles IX. His father, Claude II, played an important role in both domestic and foreign policy and was a chief advisor to Catherine de Medici, mother of Charles IX. Claude II, a secretary of state, married into a rich and cultivated family, thus acquiring several homes. Other members of his family were also holders of important posts.

Claude III de Laubespine grew up at the royal court and, with just a three-year difference in age, was close to the future king Charles IX. At the age of 16, following in his fathers footsteps, he also became a secretary of state, a position about equivalent to a cabinet secretary in the United States government, and rose high enough in the royal entourage of Charles IX to be entrusted with missions abroad. As his father had done, he also married a wealthy heiress, Marie Clutin, and his wifes wealth allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle. He was one of Charles IXs most trusted advisors and clearly a member of the jet set of his day. Among the extravagant dinner services and long dining tables where the aristocracy came to gather in his many homes, Laubespine had shelves to fill, and he did so with books.

Saint Albertus Magnus (1193?-1280) Postillatio in Apocalypsim (Commentary on the Book of Revelation), Basel: Jacob von Pfortzheim, 1506. The Morgan Library & Museum, purchased in 1912. Graham S. Haber photo

Claude III de Laubespine was passionate about poetry and praise. Several of the outstanding poets of the era, such as Pierre de Ronsard and Philippe Desportes, seeking patronage from Claude IIIs family, composed elegant tributes in verse praising him; his father, Claude II; his sister, Madeleine, and her husband, Nicolas de Villeroy.

Claude III de Laubespine built an extensive library, of which poetry was only one facet, and he patronized the leading bookbinders of the Renaissance, whose workshops were creating the finest bindings in France. Some of those shops had also worked for Jean Grolier (1479-1565), the famed Treasurer-General of France whose library has gained international renown. Laubespines great credibility in the bibliosphere, although rivalling that of Grolier, has not been recognized until now.

A simple explanation for the disparity is that Groliers books were clearly identified with his name and crest, but Laubespines were not. Identifying his books and tracing their fate was difficult and not finally resolved until this exhibition.

In 1993, Isabelle de Conihout, guest curator for this exhibition, became intrigued and began her quest to establish the scope and fate of the dispersed collection as she located as many books as possible. She invested years of research and travel to numerous libraries in Europe and around the United States to first understand the scope of his collection, research the material, and then gather it for this exhibit. She has contributed a major essay to the catalog that accompanies the exhibition.

Circle of Jean Decourt (circa 1530-after 1585), Portrait of Madeleine de Laubespine, dame de Villeroy, Sixteenth Century, oil on panel. Collection of William Kopelman.

She determined that Claude III de Laubespine and his sister, Madeleine were close in age and apparently fond of one another. Madeleine was also a talented poet and patron of literature and author of at least 59 sonnets as well as some erotic poems. She also married well, choosing Nicolas de Neufville, sieur de Villeroy, who would also become a secretary of state, serving four successive kings of France until his death in 1617. Claude III had no children, leaving his estate to be divided between his sister Madeleine and a younger brother. The division of that estate was contorted but it eventually became clear to de Conihout that Claude IIIs library passed to Madelaine and then to her husband. Following his death, and after the sale of the family home that contained the library in 1640, dispersal followed and most of the books went to leading Parisian book collectors.

In a 2015 interview, when de Conihout joined Christies as a specialist in Parisian books, she was asked about the most memorable moment of her career. Her reply was my discovery of the Renaissance library of Claude de Laubespine. She described a moment at the Bibliothque nationale de France where she found two circa 1560 beautifully bound books on architecture, each with a distinctive shelf mark in a Sixteenth Century hand, but no further identification as to whom they had belonged. In her words, I went on searching and finally found in the BnF 40 volumes in extraordinary bindings, all bearing the same shelf-marks, which I called the cotes brunes. I continued my search in other Parisian libraries where I found about 40 additional volumes, still revealing nothing about their original owner. In British and American libraries, and in a few private collections, I eventually had discovered more, about 120 altogether, but still with no clue as to original ownership.

It was in a literary manuscript that I finally picked up the trail. The finely bound manuscript, with a double C repeated, was believed to have belonged to King Charles IX. Upon opening it I was surprised to find my cote brune written on the fly-leaf. The volume was an early luxurious calligraphic edition of the love poems of the French court poet Philippe Desportes, and it contained a final sonnet from about the year 1570. In it Desportes mourns his wise, happy, and perfect friend, Claude de Laubespine. That was the clue I needed and I was finally able to solve the mystery. This exhibit, and the accompanying catalog, are the result of her search.

Francesco Colonna (d 1527) Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (The Strife of Love in a Dream by the Lover of Polia), Venice: Aldus Manutius [for Leonardus Crassus], December, 1499. The Morgan Library & Museum, purchased with the Irwin collection, Graham S. Haber photo

The organizing curator, John Bidwell, Astor curator of printed books and bindings at the Morgan, said, Isabelles research in the history of the Laubespine-Villeroy library has greatly enhanced our understanding of book collecting during the French Renaissance. The fine bindings were works of art in their own right, reflecting the knowledge, wealth and taste of the collectors who commissioned them. The Morgans director, Colin B. Bailey concurred, This is an exhibition that revisits the central role of bindings in our collection and, at the same time, one of the most splendid libraries of the French Renaissance. The exhibition takes a close look at the art of connoisseurship through the detailed task of reuniting an exquisite set of bindings that have been separated for over four centuries. Isabelle de Conihouts scholarship allows us to see that fine bindings were works of art in their own right, reflecting the knowledge, wealth and taste of the connoisseurs who commissioned them and the artisans who created them.

The exhibition includes a copy of Jacopo Vignolas Regola delli cinque ordini darchitettura of 1564 as well as Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (1499) by Francesco Colonna, the latter which curators called one of the greatest illustrated books of all time.

Theyre all lovely books, but in my opinion, the most spectacular are bound by Atelier au Vase, said Bidwell. Remember that very few of these bindings can be attributed to a person. Sometimes you know about a royal binder, there are documents that will give you that name, but otherwise youre dealing with eponymous workshops. In the exhibit, youre seeing the work of different workshops of that time.

Both of the above titles were produced by Atelier au Vase and are of a large size.

Vitruvius Pollio (active First Century BCE) I dieci libri dellarchitettura (On the Art of Building in Ten Books), translated with a commentary by Daniele Barbaro, Venice: Francesco Marcolini, 1556. The Morgan Library & Museum, gift of Paul Mellon, 1979. Janny Chiu photo

The size gave the binder a greater canvas to work with, Bidwell said.

One of the outstanding features of what we call primitive or empty fanfare binding is that you get this exquisite ornamental design with these perfectly spaced comparments everything just falls into place.

The ornamentation does nothing to mute the subtle glow and quality feel of the Moroccan leather.

In Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, this is brought one step further by treating that leather with powdered gold, an extra luxurious touch, which is rare. You can tell Laubespine the collector regarded this one book as special.

Not much is known of Atelier au Vase, Bidwell said, with only recent research revealing the bookbinders existence.

There are generations of bookbinding scholars who have worked on the French Renaissance, which is a high point in the whole history of binding, Bidwell said. Like many fields of art history, there is a constant attribution and reattribution of books. The Atelier au Vase is an example of these recent attributions.

Sperone Speroni (1500-1588) Dialoghi (Dialogues) Venice: Sons of Aldus Manutius, 1546. Barbier-Mueller Foundation for the Study of Italian Renaissance Poetry (University of Geneva) / e-codices Virtual Manuscript Library of Switzerland.

The Morgan Library & Museum began as the private library of financier Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), one of the preeminent collectors and cultural benefactors in the United States. As early as 1890 Morgan had begun to assemble his collections, which included more than books. Mr Morgans library, as it was known in his lifetime, was built between 1902 and 1906 adjacent to his New York residence at Madison Avenue and 36th Street. The library was designed by Charles McKim of the firm of McKim, Mead and White and cost $1.2 million. It was made a public institution in 1924 by Morgans son John Pierpont Morgan Jr, in accordance with his fathers will.

Pierpont Morgans immense holdings ranged from Egyptian art to Renaissance paintings to Chinese porcelains. For his library, Morgan acquired illuminated, literary and historical manuscripts, early printed books and Old Master drawings and prints. To this core collection, he added the earliest evidence of writing as manifested in ancient seals, tablets, and papyrus fragments from Egypt and the Near East. Morgan also collected manuscripts and printed materials significant to American history. The institution has continued to acquire rare materials, but the bindings collection, which comprises about a thousand volumes, is outstanding. They also have three copies of the Gutenberg bible, one of which is complete.

For information, http://www.themorgan.org or 212-685-0008.

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Poetry and Patronage: The Laubespine-Villeroy Library Rediscovered - Antiques and the Arts Online

Alexander Citys Adelia M. Russell Library will be updating its computer lab with a new federal grant money from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), library director Amy Huff announced Tuesday.

Funding will go towards updating computers in the main library and Mamies Place Childrens Library. At present, the majority of the computers are 2013 models which makes it difficult to run software updates, Huff said.

Adelia M. Russell library applied for the IMLS grant in December 2019. Factored into the consideration process is the number of patrons without broadband, making them more reliant on library technology and Wi-Fi. Only 70.4% of Alex City households have broadband internet subscription, 10% below the national average, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates, while 81.6% of Alex City households own a computer.

Before the pandemic, approximately 100 patrons enter the main computer lab each day; at least one-third of which use the public access computers, Huff said. This includes 19 public access desktops, 10 computers used for computer classes and one for proctored online tests. Mamies Place has eight public access computers for children, used for schoolwork, games and access to learning resources.

With the new technology and equipment provided by this grant patrons will have the advantage

whether they are checking an email, taking a test, researching family history, job searching, or

catching up on the latest news, Huff said.

Other patrons rely on computer access for job searches, personal admin like insurance and social security and medical appointments, many of which are now online.

As pillars of the community, libraries and museums bring people together by providing

important programs, services, and collections, IMLS director Crosby Kemper said. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow. IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through grants as they educate and enhance communities.

The library has just received the funding and will be making purchases every the next several months. Patrons can expect all updates to be implemented by June, Huff said.

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Adelia M. Russell Library awarded technology grant for nearly one-third of residents without broadband - The Alexander City Outlook