History of Library
Research opportunities & field trip options
Working with documents / thinking historically
Library Tour
Ideas for using materials in teaching history

Presenter: Jeffrey Urbin,

Background:
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Library is the first of the presidential libraries. It was conceived and built under President Roosevelt's direction during 1939-40 on 16 acres of land in Hyde Park, New York.

In erecting his library, Roosevelt created an institution to preserve intact all his papers. These included papers from all his political offices, New York state senator (1910-13), assistant secretary of the Navy (1913-19), governor of New York (1929-32), and President of the United States (1933-45) and his private collections of papers, books, and memorabilia on the history of the U.S. Navy and Dutchess County, New York.

The Library reflects the vision that its founder displayed when he spoke at the dedication of the library on June 30, 1941. To maintain archival facilities and records, he argued that a "Nation must believe in three things. It must believe in the past. It must believe in the future. It must, above all, believe in the capacity of its own people so to learn from the past that they can gain in judgment in creating their own future." The library that bears his name has carried forward Roosevelt's message and has stimulated productive scholarship on his life and times in the same spirit.

Handouts: All participants were provided with:

• Brochures about our nation’s presidential libraries and museums including the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum,
• A information sheet titled “Using Historic Records as Tools in the Classroom”, and another titled “So You Want to be a Researcher”.
• Activity sheets on the different roles of presidents: Head of State, Initiator of Legislation, Political Party Leader, Foreign Policy Maker, Commander in Chief.
  

Project participants wanting a copy of this information should contact Anne Raymond, or (860) 524-4018.

Recommended Resources: a list of books, DVDs and websites providing additional sources of information on Franklin Delano Roosevelt and related subjects prepared by:

Stephen Armstrong, TAH Master Teacher
Social Studies Chair, Manchester High School

Steve McGrath, TAH Master Teacher
Social Studies Chair, Conard High School