Milan Jackson's Memorial

Remembering Milan

Friends and colleagues, BHS 1963 Classmates of the late Museum volunteer Milan Jackson made a generous memorial gift in his name. The Museum is now moving forward with remembering Milan, who meant so much to so many who loved local history. Accordingly, we have purchased several dozen clamshell-like boxes to protect fragile / rare monographs and serials in the Library Stacks. Each box will be affixed with the memorial label shown above. In addition, memorial funds have been used to digitize the mammoth five-volume Home Town In the Corn Belt set published by Bloomington Public Library (then known as Withers) in 1950. It will soon be available via the Internet Archives. When this is complete it will be included in our communication updates.

Home Town in the Corn Belt.

Remembering Milan

The McLean County Museum of History and Bloomington Public Library are proud to announce the digitization of the five-volume, 1,740-page Home Town in the Corn Belt, an incredible resource for the study of local history compiled by librarian Clara Louise Kessler of Withers (now Bloomington) Public Library back in 1950.

Digitizing this set was on the McLean County Museum of History’s “wish list” for several years running. Why? Not only does Home Town in the Corn Belt offer a wealth of primary and secondary source material to support local historical research, but since its release 71 years ago, there have been only two sets of this work—one at BPL, and the other at the McLean County Museum of History. 

This digitization project was made possible through a memorial gift in the name of late Museum Library /Archives volunteer Milan Jackson, who passed away in 2019. Milan took great pleasure in conducting research at the request of Museum staff and Library/Archive patrons. Upon receiving a memorial gift in Milan’s name, we could think of no better way to honor his legacy than digitizing some of the sources he made use of during his years as a volunteer. 

Attached are a couple of photos of the genealogical five volume set of a collection of manuscripts with a history of Bloomington-Normal and McLean County. This collection is used by genealogical researchers. Milan worked with this series along with directories and other related resources in the archives and library. This is only one of two sets of this five volume set.

Our goal to honor Milan through the generosity of the BHS Class of 1963 is to use $500 to digitize this series along with $500 spent for rebinding and repair of directories and $500 for phase boxes to store delicate books in the archives.

We will further recognize Milan by including a special sticker in his memory on the rebound books and boxes. Later in the summer, when this all comes together, I will send additional pictures of a sticker.

Please let me know if I can provide any additional details at this time. We are very appreciative of your generosity to remember Milan. The Museum works hard to be resource for the community, and Milan was one of our volunteers that found joy in helping others and helping us to achieve our mission.

 

Norris