Thursday, May 22, 2008

Pritzker Military Library Promotes Importance of the Citizen Soldier


Yesterday my husband Mitch came across a reference to the Pritzker Military Library in Chicago. Although Mitch is on several military-related online “lists,” he had never before heard of the library. He sent me an email and suggested I contact the library to offer to donate a copy of MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL.

I immediately forwarded my May 21st blog (Respecting the Commitment of Graduating ROTC College Seniors) to info@pritzkermilitarylibrary.net.

This morning I already had the following email from senior librarian Theresa A.R. Embrey:

Thank you for your recent donation inquiry. The Library would be happy to receive a copy of your new novel.

As you may know, the Pritzker Military Library was founded in 2003 by COL James N. Pritzker IL ARNG (ret.) as a non-profit (501c3) research library with a mission of acquiring and maintaining a collection and providing programs on the importance of the citizen soldier as an essential element of a democratic society.

The Library has a growing research collection of over 40,000 items of which 26,000 are books on military history and military fiction. The collection also consists of 6,000 historic photographs, 1,000 prints and posters --- many of which are original WWI and WWII recruiting posters, and artifacts like our collection of shoulder sleeve insignia. The oldest item in the collection is Strada’s The History of the Low Countrey Warres (London: 1650). The newest items were received from some of the leading publishers of military history in the past 2 weeks (i.e., Stackpole, University of Nebraska Press, Random House).

The Library also has an extensive programming schedule that features well-known and respected authors, historians, scholars, and veterans discussing the military, its history, and its importance to a democratic society. Past guests have included Joe Galloway, General Anthony Zinni USMC (ret.), Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Marc Bowden. To find out more about our programs, please visit this link: http://www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org/events/calendar.jsp

I would also like to invite you to check out the Library’s website: www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org. The library’s programs are webcast live and archived on the web for later viewing. Also, if you become a free online member you can browse the Library’s extensive online catalog.

I replied to Ms. Embrey that I would post a blog about the library. Then this afternoon, when I sat down to write this post, I realized that Ms. Embrey’s email was an excellent introduction to the Pritzer Military Library.

I’m looking forward to utilizing the resources of this library. And I hope that those of you who have an interest in military history will do the same.



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