Library News

A recent press release from Ancestry.com announced that their U.S. Military Collection has the only complete online collection of WWII United Newsreels from 1942-1946. These counter-propaganda films were produced by the Office of War Information and shown in U.S. theaters and abroad during WWII. 

Newsreels averaged 10 minutes in length and consisted of U.S. military footage depicting allied military operations and other events from the home front. Much of the footage was taken by military combat photographers and is in excellent condition.

This database contains all 267 issues of the "United News" newsreels. Some of the more well known WWII events depicted in these newsreels include: Marines Raise Flag Over Iwo Jima, D-Day, Japanese Sign Final Surrender, Invasion of Sicily, MacArthur Returns to the Phillipines.

Ancestry Library Edition is only available on-site at any of the Crawford County Library System libraries. To access Ancestry Library Edition, visit your local library, go to the library's webpage http://www.crawfordcountylib.org click on "Online Resources".  Under "Genealogy Databases and Websites", click on "AncestryLibrary Edition". At the bottom of the page you will see "More Collections", click on "all databases".  On the right side of the screen click on "Military". Scroll towards the bottom of this page and you have the option to "Search Individual Military Collections". Scroll to the very bottom of this list and you will see "WWII United News Newsreels, 1942-1946 - New! ". 

Have fun watching these important pieces of film and military history!

On Thursday, May 24th we are updating our library automation software on our computers. ALL Crawford County Library System libraries will be opening at 1 p.m. on this date. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Crawford County Friends of Genealogy is hosting their 2nd annual World War II Celebration of Veteran's on Sunday, May 20th from 2 - 4 p.m at Northridge Middle School off of Hwy 59 in Van Buren. They will be honoring our own who paid Freedom's price. Local veterans will be in attendance and the Hobbtown memorial quilt will be on display. Also in attendance will be: State Senator Ruth Whitaker; State Representatives Rick Green and Beverly Pyle; Edward B. David, author of The USS Charles Ausburne and its role in WWII; Waren G. Taylor, prisoner of war in Germany; Van Buren City Mayor Bob Freeman; and Crawford County Judge John Hall.

You don't want to miss out on this event celebrating local veterans! For more information call the Van Buren Public Library at 474-6045.

Can It Really Rain Frogs?: The World's Strangest Weather Events by Spencer Christian and Antonia Felix

Alma Public Library - Juvenile Non-Fiction 551.5 CHR

Down Came the Rain by Brooke Shields

Mulberry Public Library - Biography 92 SHIELDS

Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy

Alma,Cedarville, Mountainburg, Mulberry and Van Buren Public Libraries - Fiction BINCHY

The Rain on Macy's Parade: How Greed, Ambition and Folly Ruined America's Greatest Store by Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg

Van Buren Public Library - Non-Fiction 338.8 TRA

The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith

Alma, Mountainburg, Mulberry and Van Buren Public Libraries - Fiction MCCALL SMITH