Kalamazoo Public Library at 150

In celebration of the Kalamazoo Public Library’s 150th anniversary, Local History Librarian Ryan Gage will reveal the deep history between the library and the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, during a two-decade span from the late 1920s to 1947, when the library, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, and the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts all operated under the Kalamazoo Public Schools system. Discover the history between these two distinguished civic organizations during a tumultuous time period that included the Great Depression and World War II, when community growth and expanded use of the public library’s collections and the Art Institute’s activities challenged both to meet the community’s information needs and cultural interests. From its how-to instruction books about artistic techniques to its documentary films profiling the lives of fascinating artists, from the public works hung upon the walls of the library building to the library’s participation in monthly Art Hops, learn about the library’s rich history of promoting awareness of the arts.