CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY

25 Vintage Photos Of Librarians Being Awesome

via Flavorwire

Librarians, in case you hadn’t heard, are essential members of society — likely to expand minds wherever they go — and, as such, are fully worthy of hero worship (whether they’re among the coolest librarians alive or just pretty cool). That’s at least part of the impetus behind My Daguerreotype Librarian, ”[a] tumblr dedicated to literally or figuratively hunky and babely librarians from the past.” Inspired by the website, here’s a little extra literary goodness: 25 awesome vintage photos of librarians from ages past.

Click here to see 24 more librarians being awesome!

Happy Earth Day From The CPL!

In honor of one of our favorite days of the year, we found a fun way to for you to breathe new life, literally, into your old books!

Click here to learn how to make a planter out of old books!

Elvis Presley’s Signed Library Check-Out Card

A library card bearing the signature of a 13-year-old Elvis Presley was sold at auction for $7,500, doubling estimates. The autograph is believed to be the earliest signature of the King of Rock and Roll.

The auctioneers did not expect much from the library card signed to borrow a copy of “The Courageous Heart: A Life of Andrew Jackson for Young Readers” from Humes High School in Memphis in 1948.

The card was discovered during a library inventory in the book about US President Andrew Jackson, one of the founders of the Democratic Party. The book was sold at auction along with the autograph.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid - Buenos Aires, Argentina

El Ateneo Grand Splendid in downtown Buenos Aires is a spectacular bookstore that retains all the glamour of its former life as a 1920s movie palace, with a original balconies, painted ceiling, ornate carvings and crimson stage curtains.

Click here for more stunning photos of El Ateneo!