Category Archives: Events

Keith Hurt and Paul Hatchett, musicians from Glasgow, KY thrilled the audience at Java City with their original music and their unique arrangements of familiar rock tunes.

Photo Album

This month’s Far Away Places series featured Angene Wilson, emeritus Professor of Education at University of Kentucky, and Jack Wilson, retired director of the Division of Water for the state of Kentucky on the evening of October 20, 2011 at Barnes & Noble in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The couple talked about their service as the first Peace Corps volunteers in the 60’s as well as the stories of other volunteers that they wrote into their book “Voices from the Peace Corps: Fifty Years of Kentucky Volunteers.” They signed their book at the end of the event.

Photo Album | Audio | Podcast

Continue reading →

St. Augustine, FL resident and retired Kentucky lawyer Robert Dickey was this month’s WKU Libraries’ Kentucky Live lecture series speaker. Dickey talked about his latest book Greyhound to Vegas, the Odyssey of Hilda Reynolds Krause at Barnes & Noble, Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Photo Album | Audio | Podcast

Continue reading →

Nashville songwriter and performer Sarah Lou Richards performed for the lunch crowd yesterday at Java City.  Ms Richards, who takes her inspiration from Ryan Adams, Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin, and David Wilcox, delivered songs of love, longing and loss with an energy and emotion that drew a large crowd by the end of her concert.

Sean Kinder, WKU Associate Professor, was recognized with the Outstanding Academic Librarian Award by the Kentucky Library Association at their awards luncheon Thursday, September 29 in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I was extremely moved and very grateful for the nomination and honor,” said Kinder. “Knowing it came from my friends and colleagues in the library profession made it all the more meaningful, and I hope they know how thankful and appreciative I am of their support.”

Mr. Sean Kinder is an Associate Professor in the Department of Library Public Services at Western Kentucky University Libraries, where he has served as the Humanities/Social Sciences librarian since January of 2001. In addition to reference responsibilities, Mr. Kinder is the library’s liaison to the international students, the honor’s program, and is responsible for collection development and research instruction for modern languages, sociology, journalism & broadcasting, folk studies, anthropology, archaeology, pop culture, and other select departments. He chairs the committee for the Evelyn Thurman Young Readers Book Award which has honored authors and illustrators from across the globe who have completed Kentucky-related books for youth. Kinder is currently working on a book documenting the life of 1930s Hollywood celebrity Una Merkel.

“We were very excited to hear of Sean’s recent honor,” said Brian Coutts, Department Head for WKU Library Public Services, “He’s an outstanding librarian and the recognition is very well deserved.”

This is the sixth time in 16 years that a WKU Librarian has received the Outstanding Librarian of the Year recognition from the Kentucky Library Association. For more information about the Kentucky Library Association, go to kylibasn.org.

Clay Monument Association Fundraising Chain Letter

Manuscripts Technician Donna Lile came across an unusual piece of undated correspondence while processing the Fennell Papers which document a prominent Cynthiana, Kentucky family. The undated letter’s first sentence is slightly unnerving. It reads:  “The Clay Monument Fund Association proposes to take subscriptions to accumulate a fund to place the head on the monument of Henry Clay.”

Henry Clay died in Washington, D.C. on June 29, 1852. A group of his Lexington friends resolved “that a NATIONAL MONUMENT OF COLOSSAL PROPORTIONS” be erected to commemorate “the virtuous deeds of his long and glorious life.” Eleven days later, Clay’s funeral service was conducted in front of his beloved Ashland before 30,000 people. From there, the body was moved with great fanfare and respect to Lexington Cemetery. The monument was completed on July 4, 1861 and featured a large marble statue of Clay carved by William Struthers of Philadelphia atop a 130 foot column. Clay’s remains were not moved inside the monument until his wife’s death in 1864.

On July 21, 1903 a terrible storm hit Lexington and the local paper reported that “not even the sacred effigy of Henry Clay could escape its malignant fury.” After being hit by lightning, the 350-pound sculpted marble head of the Clay staute fell and embedded intself in six inches of earth. The statue remained embarrassingly headless for several years. The Monument Fund Association sent out a “chain system” letter, such as the one found in the Fennell Collection, soliciting funds to replace the head. The letter entreated recipients to “mail ten cents, or any amount over ten cents, with this letter…to the Secretary and Treasurer…and write three distinct copies of this letter, signing your name and send them to three of your friends who will be interested in this movement.” Their efforts were largely unsuccessful, and the head was not replaced until the General Assembly appropriated $10,000 for the work.

Sculptor Charles J. Mulligan of Chicago was commissioned to replace the older Clay statue with a sturdier specimen. The new statue was hoisted into place in May 1910. Only a few months later, lightning again hit the Clay statue causing considerable damage. The General Assembly came to the rescue with $10,000 for repairs. The Mulligan piece was restored most recently in 1975, and rededication speeches were made on July 29, 1976. To see the Fennell Family finding aid click here.