Auxiliary Program, June 5th
Tom Milligan performs the program, “The Not So Quiet Librarian”
Buchanan County Health Center Auxiliary is pleased to announce that Tom Milligan will perform the program, “The Not So Quiet Librarian”, on Thursday, June 5, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church, Independence. Prior to this program, the Auxiliary will salute its six $1,000 scholarship winners at an annual Scholarship Dinner, catered by Steve Flaucher, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the church. The cost of the dinner is $10. For more dinner information, call Colette Greenley at 334-4381.
“The Not So Quiet Librarian”, a one-man play based on the life of Des Moines librarian, Forrest Spaulding, has been funded by Humanities, Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa brings humanities programs to the heart of Iowa communities. Everyone is welcome to attend the 7:00 p.m. performance and admission is free.
In 1938, Forrest Spaulding wrote the Library Bill of Rights, which was adopted by the American Library Council in 1938, and in Spaulding’s own words “means as much today as it did yesterday and will tomorrow.” Spaulding served as director of the Des Moines Public Library from 1917 to 1919 and again from 1927 to 1952. His story, however, is bigger than Des Moines, bigger even than Iowa. A recognized leader in the library world, Spaulding’s words and his life touched everyone who loves not just books, but freedom of expression. This one man play about Spaulding, written by Cynthia Mercati, nationally known playwright, and performed by Tom Milligan, runs about 30 minutes and portrays Spaulding with the gentle, good humor, he was known for, as well as his devotion to the library and to civil rights. Spaulding was a very unquiet librarian and the play shows what good one man can do in the world.
Tom Milligan an award winning professional actor, is a familiar face to Auxilians, having performed at the Scholarship Dinner last year. He has appeared in literally hundreds of plays across the state, and for ten years, appeared at Charlie’s Showplace, Iowa’s first dinner theater. Tom also offers workshops on acting throughout Iowa, and also appears on Iowa Public Television.
Please join us for this free performance on Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church.