Marguerite Holloway discusses her new book, The Measure of Manhattan (2013)

Marguerite Holloway, author of the new acclaimed book, The Measure of Manhattan, will present the fascinating history of John Randel, Jr., the surveyor who plotted the rectangular grid of modern-day Manhattan. Holloway's book is the first biography to be published on Randel and provides in-depth and illustrative information on how he transformed the hilly terrain of the island into the geometric metropolis it is today. Join the Friends of the New York State Library and Marguerite Holloway at the Friends annual meeting to learn more. Registration is recommended.

Location: Clark Auditorium, of the Cultural Education Center, Empire State Plaza in Albany

Sponsored by the Friends of the New York State Library, the New York State Writers Institute, and the New York Council for the Humanities

The Civil War and Baseball

Join us for this presentation by Dave Hubbard on how baseball affected and influenced the Civil War and how the Civil War helped baseball develop. Mr. Hubbard will use quotes from Civil War soldiers in the field regarding baseball. He will also include a brief history of baseball. Registration is required.

Location: 7th floor Librarians Room, New York State Library

State Capital Universe and Loislaw Online

Senior Librarian Stephanie Barrett will demonstrate search strategies and techniques for using State Capital Universe and Loislaw - two online databases available at the New York State Library. State Capital Universe contains information on bills, regulations and statutes for New York and other States. This online resource also has information about state legislators, issues and public policy, state newspapers of record and links to websites with related information. Loislaw is an online source for Federal and state case law, statutes and acts, administrative rules and regulations, court rules and more. Space is limited and registration is required.

Location: 7th floor Computer Classroom, New York State Library

Finding Industry Standards & Specifications at the New York State Library

Industry or government standards are a requirement in many contracts, laws, codes and regulations. Allan Raney, Senior Librarian at the NYS Library, will demonstrate how the New York State Library’s collection of Industry and Government standards & specifications can help you meet your business and government needs. Find out what standards are and why they exist. Learn how to trace standards over time and how to identify which editions or supplements that you need. Allan will also demonstrate how to find information on industry and government standards on the Internet. Space is limited and registration is required.

Location: 7th floor Computer Classroom, New York State Library

Big Online & FoundationSearch

Senior Librarian Allan Raney will demonstrate the BIG Online America - an online database that includes detailed information and profiles on 25,000 foundations, corporate donors, matching gift programs, in kind donations and government grant makers. The BIG Online also includes a step-by-step guide and award-winning templates for writing professional funding proposals and letters of inquiry. In addition, IRS Form 990s are available and keyword searchable. Allan will also demonstrate FoundationSearch - a companion product to the BIG Online. FoundationSearch is a leading source of fundraising information for non-profits and charities with information on more than 120,000 foundations and tools to locate grants by type, value, year, recipient, donor and historical giving trends, and much more. Allan will also give participants an introduction to the print resources available for grants/foundations. Seating is limited and registration is required.

Location: 7th floor Computer Classroom, New York State Library

Elmer Ellsworth: The Most Talked About Man in the Country

"Elmer Ellsworth - the most talked about man in the country." John Hay, Abraham Lincoln's private secretary, made this claim not about Lincoln but of Elmer Ellsworth. How did the son of a poor tailor from Malta become the hero whose "picture sold like wild fire in every city in the land" and school girls dreamed over the graceful wave of his curls? Paul Perreault presents the story of the glorious but short career of Col. Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union Officer killed in the Civil War. Registration is required.

Location: 7th floor Librarians Room, New York State Library