Powerful Discounts to your Favorite Stores with your Library Card!
What is Power of the Card? Grab your mask and cape! 🦸 Starting September 1st, libraries across the country celebrate the annual holiday of Library Card Sign Up Month, (or LCSUM) showcasing the power of books, digital resources, and programs available at your local library for free. ✨ At Saline County Library, we’ve celebrated LCSUM … Continued
The Aluminum Ball Gown
By: Cody Berry One of the weirdest things that Alcoa made during its heyday was their famous aluminum gown. This special dress was made in 1956 by French designer Jean Desses of Paris. Desses made his dress with “woven aluminum lame,” and 28 yards of “shimmering apricot gold fabric.”1 It was a full-length ball gown … Continued
Who was Benton named after?Â
By Cody Berry So, I get lots of questions about Saline County from our patrons and visitors from other states or countries around the world. One of them has to do with the town of Benton and how it got its name. So, who was Benton named after? Well, that would be Missouri Senator Thomas … Continued
Saline County’s First Movie TheaterÂ
By Cody Berry The Bauxite Theater was built in 1918 and wcould seat 1,000 people. It was run by the town’s “Amusement Commitee,” which had 20 members.1 During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Bauxite Theater was much more than a place to watch news reels and Hollywood movies. In November 1930, after the … Continued
Creating at the Library!
Paintings, keychains, hats, and more – creating just about anything you want at the library is possible with your imagination and the Saline County Library’s Makerspaces! Our Makerspaces are vibrant hubs of creativity, where patrons of all ages can explore hands-on tools and technology to bring their ideas to life. Whether you’re designing a custom … Continued
Saline County and the American RevolutionÂ
By Cody Berry Not too long ago I was walking around the Saline County Courthouse, and I took a few minutes to look at the many veterans’ memorials. One of them was placed in honor of Asher Bagley and Benjamin Bryant who had served in the American Revolution. I had heard of Benjamin Bryant before … Continued
The Bauxite HospitalÂ
By Cody Berry Since our exhibit at the Gann Museum is about Bauxite, I wanted to share some information about their hospital. Construction began on the Bauxite Hospital in 1910 by what became the Aluminum Company of America, also known as Alcoa. The reported cost was $11,000, and by 1944 it was considered one of … Continued
70 Years of Caring at Saline Memorial HospitalÂ
By Cody Berry On Friday, June 20, Kari Lapp and I went to a private event at Saline Memorial Hospital celebrating its 70 years of history. There was a very special ceremony led by Saline Health System CEO Char Boulch and County Judge Matt Brumley. During the ceremony we were taken on a walk down … Continued
Life of the USS Saline CountyÂ
By Cody Berry Did you know that the U.S. Navy had a ship named after Saline County? There was and it served in both World War II and the Korean War. The USS Saline County was a landing ship built in 1944, but it wasn’t given that name until July 1, 1955. The ship’s function … Continued
#LibraryMadeAtSCL
Did you make something cool at the library, or with materials checked out from the library? We’d like to see! Fill out the following form and tell us about your awesome project – you might just be featured on our social media!