Tag Archives: Davenport Public Library

In Memoriam: Mike Weir

Charles Michael “Mike” Weir was born December 8, 1947 in Ottumwa to Gerald and Catherine Roberts Weir. He was a 1966 graduate of Ottumwa High School. He married Janice Downing on December 31, 1970. Mike Weir was hired on January … Continue reading

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Come Tarry A While: Special Collections on Display at All Three Locations!

The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections staff members designed four displays highlighting materials from its collection. Displays are scheduled to be at each library location throughout the year on a quarterly rotation. Each of the displays discussed below will be at that … Continue reading

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Closed for Memorial Day, Open for New Hours

The Davenport Public Library will be closed on Memorial Day. Please join us in remembering those who gave their lives so that we could have the opportunity to live ours in freedom. We will open on Tuesday, May 30th—and remind … Continue reading

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Happy Retirement, Ann Hetzler!

On Saturday, March 4, 2023, Information Services Librarian Ann Hetzler is retiring after more than 34 years at the Davenport Public Library. Ann began working at the Davenport Public Library on July 18, 1988. She had previously worked as a … Continue reading

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Preserving Local History

For over 30 years, the Davenport Public Library has dedicated space and staff for the purpose of collecting, preserving, and accessing the history of Davenport, Scott County, and the surrounding areas. In 1999, The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center was made … Continue reading

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In Memoriam: Geraldine “Gerri” Bowers

On Christmas eve, we lost a dear friend, volunteer, colleague, and supporter, Gerri Bowers. We are deeply saddened by this loss, which will be felt by us at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center and across our community. She was involved … Continue reading

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A Look at Davenport in 1950

The 1950 Census is here! Release day went smoothly and the OCR/AR indexing works about as well as expected. The results of our searches are below! We searched for some Davenport Public Library staff, the Mayor in 1950, and some … Continue reading

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This Week We Say Goodbye to Our Director Amy Groskopf

This week we say goodbye to our director Amy Groskopf. Amy has been with the library for over 33 years and has held numerous positions in that time culminating in leading the library for the past 7 years. With a … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday, Bill of Rights!

The original 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. For its 200th birthday, the original copy of the Bill of Rights went on a tour of the United States, … Continue reading

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In Memoriam: Liz Finkenhoefer

The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center has lost another selfless volunteer and dear friend upon the death of Elizabeth Finkenhoefer. Liz was a steadfast volunteer from the Scott County Genealogical Society. She brought her sparkling eyes to SC every week to … Continue reading

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