Check Out the Mississippi State University Libraries!
Sometimes excellence is right under our nose, but due to familiarity, we fail to fully recognize and appreciate it. Such is the case with the Mississippi State University Libraries, which is run by the indefatigable and visionary Dean Frances Coleman and her very capable staff.
If you want to know where the action is, it’s at Mitchell Memorial Library. I get winded just watching those people work.
Currently, in the John Grisham Room, you can visit “African American Treasures from The Kinsey Collection,” a national touring exhibit of authentic and rare art, artifacts, books, documents and manuscripts that tell the often untold story of African American achievement and contribution. This exhibit, which has been featured on all major news networks and hosted at the Smithsonian Institution among other places, is the most prestigious exhibit in the history of MSU.
What is equally impressive is to hear the praise from the owners of the collection, Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, and their son Khalil Kinsey who curates the collection. All of them have publicly complimented MSU not just on their hospitality, but on their professionalism and excellence. This distinguished and renowned family will henceforth go to other locations throughout the nation telling others to perform up to the standard of the MSU Libraries, which is a point of pride for all Mississippians.
The MSU Libraries also hosted the ninth annual Charles Templeton Ragtime Jazz Festival last month. The festival featured a gala, a fashion show by MSU students, tours of the Templeton Music Museum, concerts, seminars and more. This event brings in attendees from around the nation to Starkville.
In addition, the library organized the annual John F. and Jeanne A. Marszalek Library Lecture Series. The 2015 speaker was Victoria Bynum, an award-winning historian who is considered the academic authority on the legendary rebellion-within-a-rebellion that took place in Civil War-era Jones County, Mississippi. She is a technical adviser on the movie being filmed now called “The Free State of Jones” starring Matthew McConaughey. And thanks to the library, Civil War buffs like me got the scoop straight from the source.
To quote a famous commercial, “But wait, there’s more!” This week Starkville native author and artist Laurie Parker presented her collection of writings and art to the MSU Libraries. She became famous for children’s books such as “Everywhere in Mississippi” and now writes novels for adults.
Still not enough? Later this month the MSU Libraries will show “The Toughest Job: William Winter’s Mississippi,” a documentary chronicling his achievements during the rise of the Civil Rights Movement and the creation of Mississippi’s public kindergartens. Sid Salter will moderate a panel discussion on the topic with former Winter staff members David Crews and Andy Mullins and MPB Executive Director Ronnie Agnew. The target audience is students, who of course were born after all of this history was made.
Anyone who thinks a library is just a place to check out books has not been paying attention to the activities at the MSU Libraries. Mississippi is known for its music, the Civil War and civil rights. You can find all three at the MSU Libraries, which is a jewel in our local university, our city, our region and our state. Check it out!
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News and works for the Stennis Center for Public Service.
If you want to know where the action is, it’s at Mitchell Memorial Library. I get winded just watching those people work.
Currently, in the John Grisham Room, you can visit “African American Treasures from The Kinsey Collection,” a national touring exhibit of authentic and rare art, artifacts, books, documents and manuscripts that tell the often untold story of African American achievement and contribution. This exhibit, which has been featured on all major news networks and hosted at the Smithsonian Institution among other places, is the most prestigious exhibit in the history of MSU.
What is equally impressive is to hear the praise from the owners of the collection, Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, and their son Khalil Kinsey who curates the collection. All of them have publicly complimented MSU not just on their hospitality, but on their professionalism and excellence. This distinguished and renowned family will henceforth go to other locations throughout the nation telling others to perform up to the standard of the MSU Libraries, which is a point of pride for all Mississippians.
The MSU Libraries also hosted the ninth annual Charles Templeton Ragtime Jazz Festival last month. The festival featured a gala, a fashion show by MSU students, tours of the Templeton Music Museum, concerts, seminars and more. This event brings in attendees from around the nation to Starkville.
In addition, the library organized the annual John F. and Jeanne A. Marszalek Library Lecture Series. The 2015 speaker was Victoria Bynum, an award-winning historian who is considered the academic authority on the legendary rebellion-within-a-rebellion that took place in Civil War-era Jones County, Mississippi. She is a technical adviser on the movie being filmed now called “The Free State of Jones” starring Matthew McConaughey. And thanks to the library, Civil War buffs like me got the scoop straight from the source.
To quote a famous commercial, “But wait, there’s more!” This week Starkville native author and artist Laurie Parker presented her collection of writings and art to the MSU Libraries. She became famous for children’s books such as “Everywhere in Mississippi” and now writes novels for adults.
Still not enough? Later this month the MSU Libraries will show “The Toughest Job: William Winter’s Mississippi,” a documentary chronicling his achievements during the rise of the Civil Rights Movement and the creation of Mississippi’s public kindergartens. Sid Salter will moderate a panel discussion on the topic with former Winter staff members David Crews and Andy Mullins and MPB Executive Director Ronnie Agnew. The target audience is students, who of course were born after all of this history was made.
Anyone who thinks a library is just a place to check out books has not been paying attention to the activities at the MSU Libraries. Mississippi is known for its music, the Civil War and civil rights. You can find all three at the MSU Libraries, which is a jewel in our local university, our city, our region and our state. Check it out!
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News and works for the Stennis Center for Public Service.