What would life be like without teachers, doctors or firefighters? Every day Americans are hard at work on farms, factories, in homes or at desks keeping our communities thriving. The W. T. Bland Public Library, in cooperation with the Florida Humanities Council will explore the professions and the people that sustain American society when it hosts “The Way We Worked”, a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. “The Way We Worked” will be on view July 18 through August 29. On Friday, July 17 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, there will be a special preview reception underwritten by the Mount Dora Library Association.
The W. T. Bland Public Library (Mount Dora) and the surrounding community have been expressly chosen by the Florida Humanities Council to host “The Way we Worked” as part of the Museum on Main Street project – a national/state/local partnerships to bring exhibitions and programs to smaller communities and cultural organizations.
“The Way We Worked”, adapted from an original exhibition developed by the national Archives and Records Administration, explores how work has become a central element in American culture. It traces the many changes that have affected the workforce and work environments over the past 150 years, including the growth of manufacturing and increasing use of technology. The exhibition draws from the Archives’ rich collections, including historical photographs, archival accounts of workers, fil, audio and interactives, to tell the compelling story of how work impacts our individual lives and the historical and cultural fabric of our communities.
“The Way We Worked” is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation and local host institutions. To learn more about “The Way We Worked” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org.
Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.
SITES connects millions of Americans with their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of art, science and history exhibitions. State humanities councils, located in each state and U. S. territory, support community-based humanities programs that highlight such topics as local history, literature and cultural traditions. The W. T. Bland Public Library serves not only Mount Dora citizens but all of Lake County as a member of the Lake County Library System. To learn more, visit www.sites.si.edu, www.floridahumanities.org and www.cityofmountdora.com.
The Smithsonian “The Way We Worked” Exhibition and special preview reception will be held at the W. T. Bland Public Library located at 1995 N. Donnelly Street in Mount Dora. All Library programs are free and open to the public. For additional information, call (352) 735-7180 option 5.