Many Michigan communities had women's organizations, often called ladies' library associations, that formed for the purposes of sponsoring subscription-based libraries. More than 100 of these organizations existed in Michigan during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They were especially prevalent in the lower half of the lower peninsula of Michigan. There were two in Berrien County. This talk will focus on the role of ladies' library associations in the community and discuss how they evolved. While most were eventually replaced by public libraries, a few continue to exist today. 

Ladies’ Library Associations of Michigan will be presented by Sharon Carlson, a retired archivist and professor who headed the Zhang Legacy Collections Center at Western Michigan University.

This free program will be available both online and in person. The online program will be viewable through Facebook Live on the North Berrien Historical Museum’s Facebook page. No RSVP is required to attend in person. However, one person from each party will be asked to provide contact information upon arrival.