Category: History of Russell Library
-
A Cool Public Servant
What? I can’t hear you… It’s pretty loud here, and we don’t get a lot of visitors to this part of the basement. What? You’ve never heard of me? I’m Will, the chiller for the HVAC system at the library. I’ve been here since 1994. I submitted my retirement paperwork in 2016, but they must…
Kim S.
1993, AggressiveDuctwork, AirHandlerUnit, AXEBodySpray, BasementAirHandlingUnit, Bats, BlowingHotAir, Chiller, CoolingTower, DanDePaolo, EmilyMiller, Facilities, FootballField, HVAC, KimberlySpachman, LibraryGrant, MechanicalRoom, Offerings, OfferingToChillyWilly, OfferingToTheGods, OfferingToWilly, PublicServant, PublicService, TheEngineeringMindset, TheHartfordCourant, TheMiddletownPress, TimTurner -
In Defense of “Aggressive Ductwork”
A Totally Tubular Story from 1981 Woah … Hold up. I’m not aggressive. I’m a connector, man. I know how to listen, and I like to just hang out. I’ve been doing that for over 40 years now. I’m the ductwork in the Russell Library, and I’ve come to correct the record. The architects who…
-
Che Sara Sara… a Window Reflects
Dear Lord … are we all expected to do one of these now? How tedious. Oh, very well. The radiator insists it is important for posterity. He has been repeating that argument since my installation, and after 150 years I have learned that it is often easier to let him have his way. Since you…
Kim S.
1940s, AggressiveDuctwork, AHistoryOfTheGothicRevival, BroadStreet, CheSeraSera, ChristChurch, EdnaWilder, FrancesRussell, HardyHolzmanPfeiffer, HEParsons, JaneAusten, JCPenney, LordByron, MainStreet, MiddleOak, MiddlesexMutualAssuranceCompany, MrClitonOsborne, MrsAliceOsborne, NationalTrustForHistoricPresevation, PoeticalWorks, PrideAndPrejudice, Radiator, ReadingRoom, RussellFamilyMotto, RussellLibraryHall, StickyCorner, TheChildrensCorner, WhateverWillBeWillBe -
More’s the “Pit”-y
as narrated to Ramona Burkey The year was 1983. Michael Jackson performed the “Moonwalk” for the first time, Sally Ride became the first American woman to travel to space … and Middletown was expanding its public library. Up until then, the Russell Library had consisted of an old converted church, a 1930 addition, and a…
-
A Rainbow Remembers…
Like … Wow. Where am I? Right … Middletown… Broad Street in Middletown. I’ve been here in front of the Russell Library since, like… 1973? You’ve probably seen me. I’m Rainey … the Rainbow, and I’ve been spreading good vibes at the library for over 50 years. I became part of the scene when they…
Kim S.
1970s, 1980s, 1980sRenovation, BroadStreet, BroadStreetMiddletown, ChildrensLibrary, FirstFederalSavingsAndLoanOfMeriden, HistoryOfTheRainbow, NewBuilding, NewLibrary, RaineyTheRainbow, RefractionNumber3, RonaldWCross, RonCross, ROYGBIV, RussellChildrensDepartment, RussellChildrensLibrary, RussellLibrary, RussellLibraryRainbow, WesleyanUniversity
The Library Vault 