Libraries are natural partners with museums

Libraries and museums are natural partners, particularly because the County of Prince Edward Public Library is home to the Archives (in Wellington).

Recently I had the opportunity to meet with Cassandra Waldon and Jessica Chase of the County Museums to discuss ways we could continue to work together. We have long partnered on the Reconciliation Reading Group, Flashback February and as members of the Ameliasburgh Heritage Hub – partnerships that have been valuable for each organization and the people we serve.

Out of our recent conversation, a new idea was born. We’re calling it “Read the Collection”. The library’s Manager of Collections and Customer Experience, Danielle Pilon, will be creating lists of books that align with the subject matter of upcoming exhibits at the museums.

If you have ever visited a museum and left inspired to learn more about the era, subjects, or topics highlighted in the exhibits, the list will be an invaluable resource. Additionally, if you read a book and would like to view actual artifacts from the era, you can visit the museums to explore more.

The first list is available now – a companion book list to the Wellington Museum exhibit Layered Landscape: Responding to Where We Live.” The list includes titles about the Prince Edward County landscape, crafting, and the love of nature. The Layered Landscape exhibit will be at the Wellington Heritage Museum from June 20 to Aug. 4 and hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. Four artists respond to the landscape through rughooking, knitting, ceramics and painting.

One of the books featured on our list, Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater by Peggy Oreinstein is a hilarious anecdote about what it takes to make a sweater. The author tries her hand at shearing sheep, processing wool and more in a funny and thoughtful book about this rural practice.

The list also includes local authors, specifically Wind, Water, Barley and Wine: The Nature of Prince Edward County by Orland French. As the book is described, “the peninsula that bravely marches into Lake Ontario has a varied and storied history. It is home to an ever-growing population and the opportunities of hopeful entrepreneurs seem endless.

Whether it was the rough wilderness that faced the earliest British settlers, the crop-filled fields or the now-famous wine industry, nature and its geography has played a major role in every aspect of development in Prince Edward County. Author Orland French helps to uncover little-known secrets and well-known facts.

If you are interested in experimenting with handcrafts and art, Modern Rog Hooking: 22 Punch Needle Projects for Crafting a Beautiful Home by Rose Pearlman, How to Start Knitting: All the Tips, Tricks and Techniques New Knitters Need to Know by Brenda Lam and Handmade Pottery at Home: simple Ceramics to Make On Your Kitchen Table by Frida Anthin Broberg might be good options.

You can view the complete book list at peclibrary.org, and reach Danielle directly by email at dpilon@peclibrary.org . Our thanks to our partners at the Prince Edward County Museums for their enthusiasm about including library book lists in their work.