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Once Upon Two Hundred Years<br><br> A Gala Evening<br> Celebrating the Bicentennial Year of<br> The Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library<br> Saturday, 29th January 2000<br> Courthouse Building<br><br> [Row of 3 images: Quill pen & ink pot, open book, computer screen]<br><br> Symposium<br> Music by VanDongen Quartet<br><br> Welcome & Call to Victuals<br> David Eke, Chair, Board of Trustees<br><br> Menu<br> Quenelle of fine chicken liver mousse with herbed toasts<br> Slow roasted prime rib with Yorkshires<br> Roasted cellar vegetables & potatoes<br> Winter fruit cobbler with vanilla bean anglaise<br><br> Greetings<br> David Eke & distinguished guests<br><br> Re-enactment of Founding<br> Maja Bannerman, Joathan Earp & Jamie Mainprize<br><br> Forthcoming Events & Appreciations<br> David Eke<br><Br> History<br> "Sensible how much we are at a loss in this new and remote country for every kind of knowledge, and convinced that nothing would be of more use to diffuse knowledge amongst us and our offspring than a library supported by subscription in this town; we whose names are hereunto subscribed hereby associate ourselves together for that purpose . . ."<br><br> On June 8th, 1800, forty-one prominent residents of our community came together to form a subscription library. The Record Book opens with the above quotation. We owe a great debt to these founders whose leadership and foresight paved the way for the establishment of public libraries in Canada.<br><br> The remarkable history of Upper Canada's oldest public library makes it an integral part of a region rich in cultural tradition. When the Town was burned during the War of 1812, many library books were destroyed but the Library survived and became a free public library in 1938. Over the past two centuries, from many different locations, the Library has born witness to the events which shaped our contemporary world.<br><br> The state-of-the-art facility opening this autumn will enable the Library to continue to grow, prosper, "diffuse knowledge", and serve both present and future generations of our community.<br><br> For further details see http://vaxxine.com/fa/notlpl<br><br> For support this evening<br> The Library warmly thanks<br> Vintage Inns<br> Mackenzie Heritage Printery<br> Stonechurch Winery<br>