Ringing in freedom at Gail Borden

Gail Borden Public Library officials want to know what freedom means to you.

The library district was awarded a nearly $64,000 grant from the Illinois State Library to host "A Tapestry of Freedom" program next year.

The event, which will run from February through May, will focus on the history of freedom and the people and feelings that along go with it.

"The overall goal is to promote respect, harmony and unity in our community," library spokeswoman Denise Raleigh said.

The program will incorporate digital storytelling, hands-on activities, lectures, re-enactments and more to examine freedom both locally and nationally.

It will commence with the Black History Festival in February and include women's history month in March, cultural diversity in April and preservation month in May.

One of the highlights of the program, library officials say, will be the traveling exhibit "Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation."

The exhibit, supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, includes reproductions of rare historical documents, photographs and other materials to tell the story of Lincoln's efforts to abolish slavery.

Of course, library officials want to talk about freedom in Elgin, too.

And that's where you come in.

"We want local stories, personal stories, artifacts," said Miriam Lytle, the library's project grant writer and coordinator. "We want freedom as it relates to Elgin."

If you have historic artifacts for display, or are interested in getting involved, call Lytle at (847) 608-5027 or e-mail her at mlytle@gailborden.info.

If you are a combat veteran of World War II or the Korean War, call Sara Sabo at (847) 429-5984.

Or if you would like to volunteer for the program, call Jennifer Ford at (847) 429-4668 or e-mail her at jford@gailborden.info.