Fort Bend County Libraries is commemorating its 75th Anniversary with a Diamond Jubilee on Saturday, October 8, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, at George Memorial Library in Richmond.
Founded in 1947 by 12 women in a Share-a-Book Club, the library system will salute the fabulous ‘40s with a day of good, old-fashioned fun!
An official welcome ceremony will kick off the event at 11:00 am, in the Jodie E. Stavinoha Amphitheater, but activities are planned throughout the day. Food and refreshments will be available at the fountain plaza of the library.
During the welcome ceremony, a time capsule containing memorabilia, current newspapers, and a copy of FBCL’s Hopes for the Future book will be sealed and stored in the library’s Genealogy and Local History Department for re-opening at Fort Bend County Libraries’ 100th anniversary in the year 2047! The Hopes for the Future book consists of drawings done by children of the county this fall, and it represents their hopes, dreams, and visions of the future of Fort Bend County.
Visitors can stroll through the vintage cars that will be on display in the parking lot and imagine what life was like when the founders of the library system dreamed of making books accessible to all residents of Fort Bend County.
Grandmas’ Boyfriends
Be serenaded by Grandmas’ Boyfriends, a barbershop quartet singing popular tunes reminiscent of the post-World War II era. Or tap a toe to the swing-band sounds of Second Street Brass! The Fred Astaire Dance Studies will be on hand for swing and jitterbug dance lessons, and Cookie Joe’s Dancin’ School will “wow” the audience with some moves of their own!
Actors from the Creative Learning Society will recreate a Radio Theater show with an interactive performance in the Meeting Room. Gather around the radio, folks, to hear the twists and turns of this week’s tale of mystery!
Children can stop by the Puppet Theater in the Youth Department to hear “75 Books for 75 Years” – an ongoing Story Time throughout the event – when youth librarians will read beloved stories from through the decades. Their parents and grandparents may even hear some long-ago tales from their childhood!
The Fort Bend History Association will be on hand by the amphitheater, with popular games from the 1940s. Players of all ages can also participate in a live-action game of Clue, with real-life actors and hidden clues throughout the library.
Take a walk down memory lane in the library’s Bohachevsky Gallery, where a timeline will be on display, showing the people, places, and events that have made significant impacts on the library system and on the communities being served over the past 75 years.
Visitors can also step back in time at FBCL’s 1940s Photo Booth and have their picture taken while recreating the spirit of the ‘40s!
A complete schedule of activities is available on Fort Bend County Libraries’ website (https://www.fortbend.lib.tx.us/celebrating-75-years).
To see a history of the Fort Bend County library system, visit https://bit.ly/FBCL_LibraryHistory.
The celebration is sponsored by the Friends of the George Memorial Library, who will also be having a book sale on the day of the event. The Friends will also be releasing a commemorative book bag for the library system’s 75th anniversary. These special-edition, reusable book bags will be available for $3.00. Proceeds from the book sales and annual membership dues help to underwrite the costs of special programming and various cultural events at the libraries.
All library events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library system’s Communications Office at 281-633-4723.
Fort Bend County Libraries’ George Memorial Library is located at 1001 Golfview in Richmond.
