Information Desk is not a replacement for Google...

First let me say that I love my job at the library. The people I work with are great.

It's the people that confuse information with all-knowing. We provide information on locating book, info on using the computers, signing up for classes, researching obituaries and local history...we are not walking encyclopedias. Some of us have worked there long enough to know more than others of us. However, we still don't know how many flags Elkhart has had, who the longest running Mayor was or even the total population without looking it up or double checking are facts.

So when you call asking for this information be prepared to be put on hold or asked for a number to call you back. Better yet, email us and we can get you better information.

When we give you answers, do not tell us you think we are wrong because you are thinking of all of the hispanic population that lives here. Population is registered by census, applies to only the city when you are asking about the sesquincentennial and does consider illegal immigrants who are not registered anywhere in the city. Goshen, is not Elkhart.

We provide information for the library and helping you research. We are not all knowing, nor do we claim to be. We are also not a phone book. If you want phone number information then call 411 not the library.

I am more than happy to help you research a topic, but understand that it will take time. Afterall, I want you to have the most accurate information possible.

Other that the few people that make being nice difficult, life at the library is great.

Thankfully, Times Have Changed...

For those of you who do not know, I started working at our public library. This has opened up a world of new stories for me to tell. I will try to keep up with them as best as I can.

Today's story...

One of my tasks at work is to look up obituaries or old articles on the microfilm. We have the Elkhart Truth going back to the early 1900's and the a couple Elkhart papers dated back into the 1800's. It's very interesting to see the types of things that were reported or printed in the newspaper back then. I decided today that I would do a little research for a friend of mine that involved the Elkhart Truth in 1926. Aside from the high class man marrying his mother's servant and nobody possibly being able to keep a secret in town because it was ALL printed. I came across an interesting section of the paper. The title of the section was "News from the Colored."

I guess I should be happy that there was even a section for them. However, it's only about 6 inches long and hidden away in part of the paper that I could see as being easily overlooked.

I would like to know who came up with the "names" for the different races. I mean seriously, colored? I know it was common back then and I am so glad that has changed. Last time I checked my dear friend Nicki was brown not rainbow. Reading the paper from that year, just reminded me that those things didn't just happen on television. It's not just stories told in history books or things people made up. It was real and in some places it still is. I am glad that I can go to work or to a restaraunt with my friend. I am glad that things have changed a great deal in that respect. However, I'm not naive enough to think that there isn't room or need for more change. United we stand doesn't apply to the the race or ethnicity you belong to. United we stand is ALL Americans, black, white, yellow, red, etc...

I would love to go back to the 20's and prior, just to see what life was like. To wear the outfits and experience life in a simpler form. But I am very glad that we have evolved as humans, even if it's just a few steps in the right direction.