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Understanding 9/11tv Trenton Free Public Library CSPAN May 22, 2017 1:50am-2:01am EDT
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up next week as the free public library, one of the oldest libraries in the age. it is rumored to be the first library in the state of new jersey and the second oldest in the nation. march of 1752 it first became established in order to take items out of sight of the library. ben franklin actually played a huge role in that. both of them were from philadelphia pennsylvania and benjamin franklin collaborated with individuals from england to have 50 volumes and to trenton
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to establish the first connection. the library is open to the public regardless. any one can come in to do research as to physically take out a book and borrow it you have to pay a monthly fee and that is how we were able to maintain some of the volumes today because during the battle of trenton with the british annotations they actually burned the original library and the only way we were able to have any of the collection is if the individuals had to pay a subscription fee and had the books at home so a few years after the battle that was a pleo the individuals published in the newspaper please bring those volumes back. we have two copies today not in the best of shape tha but we are still searching our archives to see if there are any more of that excess.
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this is the room where the archivist's work. she has pulled out for me to lovofthe original collections te can actually locate that were miraculously saved because they missed the fire of 1776 when they came during the battle of trenton and burned down the original library. these were in the homes of the trenton residents and after the newspaper put out a request for the individuals that had any of the collections to return they were able to salvage at least these two. we know that there are rumored to be other copies from ben franklin to his foundation however the library is going through an inventory and we hope to be up to find as many as
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possible. this building was rebuilt in june of 1900 when the groundbreaking began and we didn't open until june of 1902. in 1976 a new addition was built so we could accommodate the public. this beautiful marble staircase begins of course in the atrium and leads up to the reading room that is located on the level. this room used to be used for research when it was first elected in 1915. the previous director following her research and looking at various pictures decided she wanted to convert it to a beautiful reading room to patrons with it to come and enjoy the room.
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what is exciting is on the balcony level there are some areas they look out to that portion of the city so you see all those windows in 1915. the previous director researched very long and hard to find the covers that would have replaced the room in 1915 which is how she decided on these particular colors. the most exciting thing about this as we were placed on the ballot by a referendum both sides of then mayor who placed us in a position we would never fall under the hands of the public again so by the referendum vote we are secure as a free public library. it didn't rely on whether or not there was money to subscribe or
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anything like that. we operate out of a budget appropriated by the city of trenton that we are secure enough we will always be a free public library. libraries are an amazing institution in our country. free public libraries are even greater. we have the ability to offer individuals things they cannot afford or have access to. here in the free public library everyone is equal. it doesn't matter if you are the richest person or don't have a penny to your name. you come through the door of a public library you are equal and everyone has access to everything.
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like many successful humans he knew he could win over the audience with this habit of self-mockery. he presents a strong sense of self-worth and took a joke at his own expense with the utmost innocent and good nature. he made jokes on his appearance conscious of his unusual proportions like his height and his unusually long legs and arms and people considered him an ugly man and he faced it head on. he later encountered with a
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stranger excuse me, sir but i have an article in my possession that belongs to you taking the jack knife from his pocket the man explains this was the injunction i was to keep this until i found a man uglier than myself. [inaudible] [laughter] suggesting it gave rise he found himself looking down the gun barrel of a passerby that explained he would shoot first and he met this uglier than himself getting a good look at the man's face he remarked having dared his chest if i am uglier than you then go away. he loved to be absurd and loved tall tales. he thought that the
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characteristic of american humor was the grotesqueness and extravagance. he loved a story with a lot of drunks. one got catastrophically intoxicated on a day of heavy rain stumbling down an alley falling asleep in the mud. he sought out the public pump to wash and there was another drunk against a post so he took a hold of this man [inaudible] [inaudible] he then made his way to the grocery. he replied you should have seen me before i was washed.
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here's the part that he celebrated for the craftsmanship energy, the humorous possibilities in the language. he discovered in particular the usages and meanings of words and he smiled at the expression of someone tidying his dogs loose. he took delight in puns when he told the operator is a good first day he had seen them working so fast. in the court proceedings he could use it to his advantage.
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