Nantucket Atheneum Podcast
42 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsThe Nantucket Atheneum Podcast covers stories and topics about our local library, Nantucket history and libraries in general.
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Episodes
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: Henry Clapp, Jr.: Part III
July 25, 2023 13:00 - 25 minutes - 17.4 MBIn this final episode of Season 5, James picks up where we left off in Henry Clapp Jr.'s story. He begins holding court at Pfaff's Beer Hall where aspiring arts and writers vie for a seat at his table. This period is short lived, but it will become a huge part of Clapp's legacy. Sources and references: CLICK HERE to read Henry Clapp Jr.’s Obituary as printed in the Inquirer & Mirror on April 17, 1875 Notes on Henry Clapp's epitaph written by his friends and colleagues: - The first lines ...
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: Henry Clapp, Jr.: Part II
July 18, 2023 12:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBIn this episode, James picks up where we left off with Henry Clapp's return to Paris where experience a person transformation that turns his world view on its head. With his new found lifestyle, he goes back to the use and eventually finds his way to New York City and rubs elbows with artists and actors and even advocates for the "free love" movement. Sources and references: CLICK HERE to read the full announcement for Clapp’s “Paris As It Is” lecture series the Nantucket Weekly Mirror on...
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: Henry Clapp, Jr.: Part I
July 11, 2023 04:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBThe last three episodes of this season are dedicated to Henry Clapp, Jr., who was a writer, publisher and activists that moved in circles with William Loyd Garrison, Walt Whitman and other historical figure. He lived large and made a big splash wherever he went but has been mostly lost to history...Until now. In part one, James explains Clapp's early life and his foray into political activism where impressed some and angered others. Sources and references: CLICK HERE to read the full rev...
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: Panoramas
July 04, 2023 12:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBIn this episode, James describes the mid-19th century crazy of panoramas that tours the country and wowed audiences for a while before fading into the background, so to speak. Notes and References: Read the special notice for the Mammoth Panorama in the Inquired and Mirror on Monday, March 26, 1849 HERE. See photos and more information about the Gettysburg Cyclorama HERE. More on John Banvard from Atlas Obscura can be found HERE. In 1918, the New Bedford Whaling Museum acquired the Gran...
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: Impresarios of the Stage
June 27, 2023 12:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBIn this episode, James and Janet discuss the impresarios who performed in Atheneum Hall and introduced islanders to the world of magic and illusion. Resources and additional information: Woodcut images from Yankee Hill's book Scenes from the Life of an Actor (1853). http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q6q8FgL3eAA/RrsXpR3WdxI/AAAAAAAAAG8/9TaIPNb2UOg/s1600-h/hiramdodgeyankeepeddler.gif http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q6q8FgL3eAA/RrsXph3WdyI/AAAAAAAAAHE/_83I2-tJdxY/s1600-h/jedidiahhomebredgreenmountainb...
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: The Lyceum Movement
June 20, 2023 12:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBJames talks about the Lyceum Movement that started with local speakers and then evolved into a speaking circuit that includes great orators including Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Notes and References: Announcement for the Lyceum in the Nantucket Weekly Mirror on Saturday, April 17, 1852 This has been a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was hosted and edited by Janet Forest. Special thanks to Reference Library Associate James Greider for his knowledge and ...
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: Family Singing Groups
June 13, 2023 12:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBJames tells Janet about the family singing groups that dazzled the Atheneum audiences will their close harmonies and impressive musical talents. These 19th century "rock stars" toured the country sharing their music and their political messages. Find out what made them such an attraction and what were the values they were promoting through song. References and Resources: Videos of Harp Singing/Shape Singing "Sacred Harp Singing," the musical background for American music "The Old Granite...
Tonight In Atheneum Hall: The Trailer
June 06, 2023 11:00 - 1 minute - 1.24 MBThe stage of the Great Hall has been a treasured feature of the Nantucket Atheneum since its founding nearly 200 years ago. In this season of the podcast, Reference Library Associate James Grieder introduces you to the lesser known performers, speakers and guests that took to the stage in "Atheneum Hall." Find out what drew them to the shores of Nantucket and how they were received by islanders.
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: Digging Deeper into the Science
February 07, 2023 13:00 - 30 minutes - 21.2 MBIn this Bonus Episode, Jim and Janet take closer look on the themes that run through the story of the Bonds and the Mitchells and dive a little deeper into topics that were just touched upon in the regular season, such as the history of solar noon and why longitude was such a tough nut to crack. Credits: This has been a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. Written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest Special thanks to the Atheneum’s Reference Library Associate Jim Borzilleri If you wa...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: The Legacies of The Bonds and The Mitchells
January 12, 2023 18:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MBIn this final episode of Season 4, we conclude our story with Maria Mitchell and Sarah Bond and how they navigated and overcame the expectations of their time. Jascin and Jim talk about the lasting impact their careers had and contemplate what has changed and what has not. Credits: This has been a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. Written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest Special thanks to the Atheneum’s Reference Library Associate Jim Borzilleri and Historian and Deputy Direct...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: Maria Takes On the World!
December 22, 2022 13:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBFollowing the furious writing campaign, Maria Mitchell is finally awarded the Gold Medal from the King of Denmark for discovering a comet. Now with the help of President Edward Everett of Harvard College and Alexander Dallas Bache of the US Coast Survey, the whole world is about to learn Maria’s name. In this episode, Jascin and Jim discuss what doors the comet discovery opens for Maria and the people she would meet along the way. Credits: This has been a production of the Nantucket Athe...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: Revisiting the Shelves of Yore
December 16, 2022 14:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBThis week we revisit Season 2, Episode 7 featuring Reference Library Associate Jim Borzilleri and Historian and Librarian Betsy Tyler, where they discuss the amazing feat of creating the 1900 card catalogue with a cutting edge device called a typewriter and the newly publish method called the Dewey Decimal System. They also discuss Maria Mitchell's and Sarah Bond's involvement in the library's collection. References and more information: If you want to know more about this topic, check ou...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: Three Black Swans
December 08, 2022 13:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBThe Mitchells and the Bonds are following a parallel track of discovery and success, but in the late 1850s, their fortunes diverge. As the Mitchells experience success and longevity, the Bonds face one upset after another. The term “Black Swan” refers to an event which was unexpected, previously unimaginable, and had lasting consequences. The Bonds would face three black swans inside a decade on top of a series of tragedies that were just a matter of life in the 1800s. The greatness of the...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: The Shocking Truth Behind Maria’s Discovery of the Comet
December 01, 2022 13:00 - 13 minutes - 9.31 MBIf you do a Google image search for Maria Mitchell, one of the top results will be a portrait of her elegantly dressed, seated, and looking though a telescope. This image romanticizes and perpetuates the story of Maria as a lone astronomer on a distant island discovering a comet and being the first woman awarded the gold medal from the King of Denmark. But like most success stories, it’s not nearly that simple. Credits: This has been a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. Written, edited...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: The Offspring Spring Off
November 10, 2022 13:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBWilliam Mitchell and William Bond were both part of a network of scientific minds, where they shared discoveries and innovation. For both men, this was a family endeavor. Both were teaching and training their children and bringing them into their astronomical and mechanical pursuits. In this episode, we hear about their remarkable children coming into their own on the world stage. Credits: This has been a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. Written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: The Dawn of Precise Time
November 03, 2022 15:00 - 28 minutes - 19.8 MBIn this season of the podcast, we are going to take a closer look at two families, the Bonds and the Mitchells, and the immeasurable impact they had on our world today. We’ll dive into their personal struggles, the politics and controversies that hindered and helped their work, and we’ll even do a bit of 19th century name dropping. But before we get into the juicy details, we need to rewind the clock back to the early 1800s when time was relative and relatively irrelevant. We’re going to ...
The Bonds, The Mitchells & The Dawn of Time: The Trailer
October 26, 2022 14:00 - 5 minutes - 4.13 MBIn season four of the Nantucket Atheneum Podcast, we take a closer look at two families that had immeasurable influence on how we understand the world around us. But to tell their story, we have to go way back to a time when the question "What time is it?" had a whole different meaning. It was a brief time when the door of opportunity was thrown open to women in science. In this limited series, Jim Borzillari Reference Library Associate at the Nantucket Atheneum and Jascin Finger Deputy Dir...
15th Annual Nantucket Dance Festival: What to expect this year!
July 08, 2022 12:00 - 16 minutes - 11 MBIn celebration of the 15-year milestone, I spoke with Artistic Director Tyler Angle about what it is like to adapt world-class performance for a smaller more intimate stage, and how the festival has evolved during his tenure and how this week-long event has woven itself into the fabric of our island community. In this episode, Tyler shares what to expect at this year’s festival. This is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was written narrated and edited by Janet Forest. Special than...
15th Annual Nantucket Dance Festival: Becoming part of the island community
July 06, 2022 12:00 - 8 minutes - 5.98 MBIn celebration of the 15-year milestone, I spoke with Artistic Director Tyler Angle about what to expect at this year’s festival, what it is like to adapt world-class performance for a smaller more intimate stage, and how the festival has evolved during his tenure. In this episode, Tyler talks about the different ways in which this week-long event has woven itself into the fabric of our island community. This is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was written narrated and edited by ...
15th Annual Nantucket Dance Festival: How the festival has evolved
June 28, 2022 12:00 - 7 minutes - 5.27 MBThis July, The Nantucket Atheneum will present its 15th Annual Nantucket Dance Festival, which brings world-class dancers and performers to the island and supports our mission to provide free year-round services and programs to our community. Artistic Director Tyler Angle took over as Artistic Director of the Dance Festival in 2013, and in this episode, he shares how the Festival has evolved during his tenure. This is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was written narrated and edit...
15th Annual Nantucket Dance Festival: Bringing world-class dancers to a local stage
June 21, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 7.02 MBThis July, The Nantucket Atheneum will present its 15th Annual Nantucket Dance Festival, which brings world-class dancers and performers to the island and supports our mission to provide free year-round services and programs to our community. Artistic Director Tyler Angle talks about what it is like for the dancers to make the transition from large prestigious venues to our comparatively small stage at Nantucket High School. This is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was written na...
The Shelves of Yore: What happened to Sarah and Helen?
May 23, 2022 16:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBIn this final episode of season two, Jim and Janet take a look at two authors, who were prolific writers and trail blazers for other women, but, like so many of their peers, have been all but lost of history. Sarah Woolsey and Helen Hunt Jackson moved in the same circles as Jane Austin and Emily Dickenson, and yet somehow they have been completely lost to popular memory? References and Resources: Read more about Sarah Chauncey Woolsey's life and career. Read more about Helen Hunt Jacks...
The Shelves of Yore: Annals and Idyls from the 1900s
May 16, 2022 12:00 - 20 minutes - 14.1 MBIn this episode, Janet and Jim flip through a book that documented the California Gold Rush in real time and was one of nearly 1000 books included in Frederick Sanford’s personal library, which was gifted to the Atheneum after his death. They also peruse a 19th century “beach read” by Edward Bellamy set on Nantucket that you may or may not want to add to your summer reading list. References and Resources: Watch Jim Borzilleri's virtual presentation on Frederick Sanford Check out a photo ...
The Shelves of Yore: Annals and Idyls from the 1900s
May 16, 2022 12:00 - 20 minutes - 14.1 MBIn this episode, Janet and Jim flip through a book that documented the California Gold Rush in real time and was one of nearly 1000 books included in Frederick Sanford’s personal library, which was gifted to the Atheneum after his death. They also peruse a 19th century “beach read” by Edward Bellamy set on Nantucket that you may or may not want to add to your summer reading list. References and Resources: Watch Jim Borzilleri's virtual presentation on Frederick Sanford Check out a photo ...
The Shelves of Yore: Atheneum's Cabinet of Curiousities
May 09, 2022 12:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MBIn this episode, Jim Borzilleri and I invite back Betsy Tyler author of The Nantucket Atheneum: A History to talk about the Atheneum Museum. What was in it, where the items came from, and where they are now. References and Resources: The Nantucket Atheneum: A History by Betsy Tyler "Online Conversation: Nantucket Native Frederick Coleman Sanford" with Jim Borzilleri The Shelves of Yore is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It is written, narrated, and edited by Janet Forest and res...
The Shelves of Yore: How "Dewey" catalogue these books?
April 12, 2022 21:00 - 14 minutes - 10.2 MBThis week Former Atheneum Librarian Betsy Tyler joins Janet and Jim to talk about the amazing feat of creating the 1900 card catalogue with a cutting edge device called a typewriter and the newly publish method called the Dewey Decimal System. References and more information: Check out Betsy's book The Nantucket Atheneum: A History, and her latest book A Thousand Leagues of Blue. The Shelves of Yore is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, narrated, and edited by Janet F...
The Shelves of Yore: The most famous woman you've never heard of
April 05, 2022 18:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBWhile reviewing the hundreds of books in the Atheneum's library catalogue from 1900, Jim noticed 19 volumes by a writer by the name of Harriet Martineau. In some cases, there was a record of more than one copy, indicating that her books must have been very popular among patrons at the time. Jim was surprised he had never heard of her before. So he went looking for more and discovered the extraordinary life of a woman that has all but been forgotten except by academics and historians. So who...
The Shelves of Yore: The most famous woman you've never heard of.
April 05, 2022 18:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBWhile reviewing the hundreds of books in the Atheneum's library catalogue from 1900, Reference Library Associate Jim Borzilleri notice 19 volumes by a writer by the name of Harriet Martineau. In some cases, there was a record of more than one copy, indicating that her books must have been very popular among patrons at the time. Jim was surprised he had never heard of her before. So he went looking for more and discovered the extraordinary life of a woman that has all but been forgotten excep...
The Shelves of Yore: 1841 - 1900 - 60 Years of change
March 29, 2022 01:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBIn this episode, Janet and Jim transition from the 1841 catalogue to the 1900 catalogue, but before they dive into what books were on the shelves, Jim points out some of the major events and transitions the Gray Lady experienced in those formative 60 years and how they impacted the story of the Nantucket Atheneum. References and more information: The Nantucket Historical Associate recently acquired a painting by Rebecca Coffin, who was born in Brooklyn but moved to Nantucket later in life. ...
The Shelves of Yore: Can you judge a book by its cover? Let's try!
March 14, 2022 12:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBIn this week's episode, Janet picks two volumes from the 1841 catalogue because of their curious titles and Ji dives into what these books are about and who are the people that wrote them. They discuss The History of Chivalry by George Payne Rainsford James published in 1833, and Dissertation on the Prophecies that have been fulfilled, are now fulfilling, or will hereafter be fulfilled, relative to the Great Period of 1260 years; the Papal and Mohammedan Apostacies; the tyrannical reign o...
The Shelves of Yore: A small island with global interests
March 07, 2022 13:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBIn this episode, Janet and Jim take a closer look at the voyages of Captain James Cook, Sir Frederick William Beechey and Baptist Minister Howard Malcolm and why the travels of these men would be of interest to the Atheneum patrons in 1841. Jim talks about why islanders at the time were keeping up with discoveries far beyond the shores of Nantucket and how it served them. The Shelves of Yore is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, narrated, and edited by Janet Forest ...
The Shelves of Yore: Health and science in the mid-1800's
February 28, 2022 13:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MBJanet and Jim return to the 1841 catalogue and peruse the “health & science” section. You’ll learn about the field of Phenology and why you probably have never heard of the field of Phrenology. Jim puts a few volumes and the authors in their historical context and draws parallels to the present day. The Shelves of Yore is a production of the Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, narrated, and edited by Janet Forest and researched by Jim Borzilleri. More on Phrenology courtesy of Ji...
The Shelves of Yore: What was going on in 1841?
February 21, 2022 13:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBIn the first episode of The Shelves of Yore, Adult Programs Coordinator Janet Forest and Reference Library Associate Jim Borzilleri take you back to the year 1841 when the Nantucket Atheneum was a members-only institution and the island was prospering at the height of the whaling industry. Jim explains the significance of the 1841 library catalogue created by the first head librarian Maria Mitchell, and Janet asks Jim about one of the items in the catalogue: Democracy in America by Alexis ...
The Shelves of Yore: Introducing "The Shelves of Yore"
February 14, 2022 13:00 - 1 minute - 995 KBAdult Programs Coordinator Janet Forest sits down with Reference Library Associate Jim Borzilleri to take a deep dive into Atheneum library catalogues from 1841 and 1900. The 1841 catalogue reflects the prosperity of the whaling industry and the affluent members privy to the Atheneum's collection, and it is one of the few records of what was lost in the Great Fire of 1846. The 1900 catalogue what created just as the Atheneum was transitioning into a public library. Be sure to rate, review ...
Behind the Shelves: The Amazing Amy Jenness
December 06, 2021 13:00 - 40 minutes - 27.9 MBJanet interviews Amy Jenness, who has been Head of Adult Programing for 16 years. Amy talks about how she fell into her position and what she has learned about what makes a great program. She shares funny stories and memories, and she and Janet talk about what it was like to transition to virtual programming during the pandemic. Behind the Shelves is a production The Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest Special thanks to Amy Jenness. The Nantucket Athene...
Behind the Shelves: What Makes the Atheneum Special?
November 29, 2021 13:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBIn this episode, Janet asks her colleagues what makes the Atheneum so special to the community. Is it the collections or the building or the staff or the patrons? A little bit of everything? Or something greater than the sum of its parts? You'll also find out the staff's favorite spots in the library and what it was like to reopen the building to the public have being closed for more than a year. Behind the Shelves is a production The Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, edited and narrated ...
Behind the Shelves: Will the real librarians please stand up?
November 08, 2021 13:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MBWhat's the difference between a librarian and someone who works at the library? What does it take to get a Masters in Library Science? In this episode, Janet asks Ann, Leslie, Lincoln and Liz about what it was like to study library science. She also interviews the rest of the staff about what role they play and what special gifts and talents they bring to the Atheneum Behind the Shelves is a production The Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest Special t...
Behind the Shelves: In Reference to What?
November 01, 2021 12:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBIn this episode, Janet tracks down Lincoln Thurber and Jim Borzilleri to find out what they are up to in the reference department and what goes on in the Great Hall on a daily basis. Plus she peaks inside the Atheneum's Vault and finds how the reference department decides what to keep and what to let go of. Here are links to a couple things that Janet references in the episode: Recordings of Technology Classes with Janie Hobson Dupont: Click here to visit the video library. More about the...
Behind the Shelves: Weezie - Where a Kid Can Be a Kid
October 25, 2021 12:00 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBThe Weezie Library for Children has the vision to make every child a library user. In this episode, Janet talks to Head of the Children's Department Leslie Malcolm and her team to find out what they do to support children from the their very first library card to their development into teen and adult material. She also explains her approach for reluctant readers. Behind the Shelves is a production The Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest Special thanks to...
Behind the Shelves: Protecting Your Privacy
October 18, 2021 12:00 - 25 minutes - 17.4 MBIn this episode of Behind the Shelves, the Atheneum staff talk about the lengths libraries go to in order to protect your privacy. They explain why it's important for public libraries to be a place where people feel safe to seek what every information or materials they need. Behind the Shelves is a production The Nantucket Atheneum. It was written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest. Special thanks to the Atheneum Staff featured in this episode: (In order of appearance.) Katy Dehart --Ch...
Behind the Shelves: Myths and Misperceptions of Libraries
October 11, 2021 12:00 - 27 minutes - 19.1 MBIn this episode, Janet and her colleagues address the misperceptions people have about libraries and librarians. They discuss how libraries have evolved from quiet sanctuaries to community hubs. They put to rest the fears people have about overdue books, late fees and shooshing librarians. Behind the Shelves is a production of The Nantucket Atheneum. It is written, edited and narrated by Janet Forest, Adult Programs Coordinator. Special thanks to the Atheneum Staff featured in this episode...
Behind the Shelves: Introducing "Behind the Shelves"
October 03, 2021 23:00 - 4 minutes - 3.4 MBJanet Forest, Adult Programs Coordinator at the Nantucket Atheneum interviews her colleagues and takes you on a behind the scenes tour of the island's only public library. Each episode tackles a different topic from misperceptions people have about libraries to understanding what it takes to be a "real" librarian.