An Unlikely Pair pictures
    27Sep, 2024
    “An Unlikely Pair” Exhibit

    The newest display at the Scottsdale Heritage Connection Gallery will run from October 16, 2024 to February 1, 2025. An Opening Reception will take place on October 29, and a special field tour and talk will take place on November 9, 2024.

    ‘An Unlikely Pair’ is an exhibit featuring Scottsdale Architect Douglas Sydnor, FAIA, and Brooklyn Public Artist, Vito Acconci, in a collaboration for the award-winning 1994-1997 Loloma Multimodal Transit Center.

    This exhibit includes a 100-year timeline from 1920s to date, and shows the historic evolution of the project site, the 1994 to 1997 project design process and construction, and recent developments such as the Museum of the West.

    This exhibit is funded by Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library, Scottsdale Arts, and Douglas Sydnor Architect and Associates, Inc.

    If you would like to register for the opening reception or field tour and talk, please send an email to [email protected].

    27Apr, 2021
    Friends Recognized in New Display Honoring Scottsdale History

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is proud to be recognized as one of 15 organizations selected for “Celebrate Scottsdale Organizations,” a display opening this summer to acknowledge non-profits bringing “a uniqueness to Scottsdale.”

    The permanent display will open at the end of June next to the Scottsdale Heritage Connection in Civic Center Library. This display will debut during the 70th anniversary of the incorporation of Scottsdale in 1951.

    Honored organizations will receive a 2 foot by 4 foot panel in the final display to showcase pictures, significant programs, and their mission statement. It will be available for public viewing during normal Library hours.

    An independent five member Selection Committee chose the honorees with criteria including:

    • Non-profit status
    • 30 years of longevity providing services to Scottsdale and special communities
    • A major event, fundraisers, and local citizens as members and volunteers

    Other chosen organizations include Scottsdale Boys and Girls Clubs, McDowell Sonoran Land Trust, Scottsdale Leadership, Scottsdale Arts, Scottsdale Community Partners, Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society, Scottsdale Sister Cities Association, Scottsdale Historical Society, HonorHealth Auxiliary, Scottsdale Charros, Scottsdale Rotary Cub, Scottsdale Jaycees, Arabian Horse Association, and Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce.

    There will also be approximately 45 additional organizations featured in the final display, but those names have not been announced. Stay tuned for pictures once construction is underway.

    1May, 2020
    Former Friends’ President Receives 2020 Governor’s Heritage Heritage Honor Preservation Award

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is proud to announce that former Board President Joan Fudala is receiving one of this year’s Governor’s Heritage Honor Preservation Awards, to be awarded virtually in June.

    The awards are given annually since 1982 by the Arizona Preservation Foundation and State Historic Preservation Office to recognize outstanding achievements in preserving Arizona’s historic resources. They are awarded at the Arizona Historic Preservation Conference, which n 2018 took place in Scottsdale.

    Fudala is also a member of the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame, and has authored numerous books on the history of Scottsdale. She served as President of the Friends’ Board from 2003 to 2004, and received a Spirit of Literacy Award from the Friends in 2014.

    Recently, Fudala was a pivotal member of the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC) campaign committee from 2017 to 2019. This group completed a $500,000 capital campaign to build the SHC space in Civic Center Library that permanently houses the written and visual history of Scottsdale for research and documentation purposes.

    You can learn more about the Governor’s Heritage Honor Preservation Awards and see a list of current and former winners at the Arizona Preservation Foundation website.

    9Oct, 2019
    Former Friends Board Members Receive Historic Preservation Recognition Awards

    Two former Presidents of the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library recently received Historic Preservation Recognition Awards from the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on October 5.

    Paul Messinger (left) and Douglas Sydnor (right) presented with Historic Preservation Awards

    Paul Messinger and Douglas Sydnor received the awards due to their efforts preserving the history of Scottsdale.

    In addition to their time serving on the Friends Board, both Messinger and Sydnor were committee members who helped raise funds for the Scottsdale Heritage Connection, the Friends’ major fundraising effort from 2017-19. They were also Gold and Silver donors, respectively, toward the new space.

    The SHC will officially open to the public on Saturday, October 19 within Civic Center Library. It will preserve the written and oral history of Scottsdale, offering research opportunities and historic lectures.

    “Paul Messinger is a walking encyclopedia on everything Scottsdale and very much deserves to be recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution for his contributions to preserving history,” wrote Marshall Trimble, Arizona’s Official State Historian, in his letter of recommendation.

    Sydnor has authored three books on Arizona Historic architecture, and in 2018 received the Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Award.

    The Friends congratulates Messinger and Sydnor on their recent honor, and thanks them for helping preserve the history of Scottsdale.

    27Aug, 2019
    Come Learn the History of Scottsdale Sports on Thursday, September 12

    The Scottsdale Public Library has announced its next free salon series events celebrating the history of sports in Scottsdale on Thursday, September 12 at 6pm.

    Historian Joan Fudala will present pictures and stories covering Scottsdale’s many ventures into sports, including Spring Training, golf events, and high school sports.

    Back by popular demand, additional salon series events will soon be announced to cover numerous historical topics. They are led by Fudala and Doug Sydnor, former members of the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library Board, in conjunction with the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC).

    The salon series originally began in February 2018, with continuations in fall 2018 and spring 2019. While they have traditionally rotated throughout Scottsdale Library branches, the hope is that they will soon be housed within the SHC space, scheduled to open to the public this fall.

    1Jul, 2019
    Scottsdale Heritage Connection Unveiled With Ribbon Cutting

    After over two years of fundraising, the Scottsdale Heritage Connection held its ribbon cutting ceremony with a private breakfast for donors on Tuesday, June 25 at Civic Center Library.

    SHC Ribbon Cutting
    Mayor Jim Lane and Paul Messinger cut the ribbon for the Scottsdale Heritage Connection

    Mayor Jim Lane was present to cut the ribbon, as were valued members of the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library and the SHC fundraising committee. Attendees were treated to a tour of the space and breakfast items catered by Creations in Cuisine Catering.

    The space is in the former home of Scottsdale Public Art next to the Knowasis Teen Center. It will be open to the public later this summer, as shelving still needs to be installed to house the historical documents. Once opened, the SHC will showcase over 10,000 documents celebrating the history of Scottsdale.

    For those unable to attend, here is a brief Project Narrative reviewed during the opening.

    Stay tuned for more details about free historical programming in the space beginning this fall. It’s also not too late to donate if you want to help us hit our goal of $500,000. The next stage of the project will be installing kiosks at the other Scottsdale Library branches to showcase the collection.

    17Jun, 2019
    Scottsdale Heritage Connection Featured in Several Local Publications

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library’s recent fundraising effort, the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC), was profiled in a recent articles in the Scottsdale Independent and Scottsdale Progress.

    SHC Construction
    Construction of the Scottsdale Heritage Connection in progress

    The Independent article interviewed Library staff as well as the Scottsdale Charros, one of the donors to the SHC project. It also highlighted additional fundraising efforts by the Friends, including the Books2Go micro libraries.

    The Progress article focused on the May City Council meeting where the Scottsdale Library approved of naming rights for the interior space for the Messinger Family.

    Both articles included construction images of the SHC space in Civic Center Library.

    If the links to the articles no longer work, you can also access screenshots from the Independent and Progress websites.

    13Dec, 2018
    Friends Donates Over $100K to Preserve Scottsdale History

    For Immediate Release

    Scottsdale, Ariz. (December 14, 2018) – The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library presented a $101,200 donation to the Scottsdale City Council at the December 12 Council meeting to be used for the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC), a 2,000 square foot modern research space to house a collection of the oral, written and visual history of Scottsdale.

    Scottsdale Heritage Connection Architect Doug Sydnor addresses Scottsdale City Council with a presentation on the SHC before the money was donated

    The money raised is through a public-private partnership including leaders of the Scottsdale community like Paul Messinger, Honorary SHC Committee Chair. Over 60 Library supporters and community citizens have donated, in addition to contributions from area corporations and foundations.

    This $101,200 is the first of several planned donations to the SHC project. It will provide supplemental funding to ensure that construction schedule will continue moving forward in the spring of 2019. The City of Scottsdale has planned for the project in its Capital Improvements Project budget for 2018-2019 fiscal year.

    The permanent 2,000 square foot glass walled area, set to open in 2019, is being branded as “a window to the past, a celebration of the present and a portal to the future.” It will be a newly built space next to the Knowasis Teen Center in the Civic Center Library. The archives will include:

    • Over 10,000 photographs and images of Scottsdale, its buildings, events and residents
    • More than 450 video and audio recordings highlighting the City’s rich history
    • 700 books, phone directories, local media and Scottsdale high school yearbooks
    • Local newspaper clippings from as early as the 1950s

    The Friends is grateful to the many donors of the Library’s Southwest Collection since 1973, which provided the framework for the current SHC collection. For example, in the 1980s, numerous donors honored the memory of the late Scottsdale Mayor B.L. “Bud” Tims through contributions to the Southwest Collection.

    The new SHC space will expand public access and research resources regarding Scottsdale’s diverse history. It will also provide artifact display opportunities, with computers to access the online collection, a private room to conduct research, and a designated area for lectures and community meetings related to local history.

    “We are so thankful for the generous donations thus far from advocates for Scottsdale history,” said Carol Damaso, SHC Campaign Committee Chair and former Director of the Scottsdale Public Library. “We look forward to the Friends making another donation soon to fund the completion of this project.”

    As the official 501(c)(3) campaign partner, the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is accepting tax-deductible donations of all levels to support the SHC. To learn more or to donate, please visit https://scottsdalelibraryfriends.org/shc. High-resolution images of the project design are available for media use.

    About the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library
    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library, founded in 1985, is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) all-volunteer organization whose members support Scottsdale’s Library system through public education, advocacy, and fundraising. The Friends provides funding for Scottsdale Public Library programming and resources to support lifelong learning.

    1Nov, 2018
    Scottsdale Library History Salon Series is Back in January

    Scottsdale Public Library has announced its next round of free salon series events celebrating the history of Scottsdale beginning in January.

    The first event on Thursday, January 10, 2019 will feature Golf in Scottsdale at Arabian Library at 6pm, just in time for the annual Phoenix Open golf tournament.

    Join us at Civic Center Library on Thursday, February 14, 2019 for History of Scottsdale Housing at 6pm.

    The March event will delve into How Scottsdale Evolved as a Health & Wellness Center. It will take place Thursday, March 14, 2019 at 6pm in Appaloosa Library, which will turn 10 years old in 2019.

    In April, we’ll explore Why Scottsdale Looks the Way It Does at Mustang Library Auditorium on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 6pm.

    Lastly, on May 2, 2019 we hope to celebrate the opening of the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC) with Preserving Scottsdale’s Stories: Publications and Oral Histories in the SHC Collection. This event will take place in Civic Center Library’s Copper Gallery at 6pm.

    All events are hosted by Scottsdale historians and authors Joan Fudala and Doug Sydnor. They will include photos, videos and other historic documents that will be featured in the SHC when it opens in 2019.

    The SHC is being funded through a capital campaign by the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library.

    For more information on the series or the City’s historical collection, please visit http://www.scottsdalelibrary.org/historical.

    7Sep, 2018
    Friends to Host Grand Opening Reception of Library’s Frank Lloyd Wright Exhibit

    Architecture lovers, be sure to attend the Scottsdale Library’s grand opening of Footprints on the Desert, an art exhibit celebrating the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, on Friday, September 21 from 6:30pm to 8pm at Civic Center Library.

    Footprints on the Desert will be on display for free at the Library from September 15 through December 31, but this one day only reception will feature special guest Vernon Swaback, who studied under Wright for two years. The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library will be providing appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages at this free event.

    Organized by the AZ Heritage Center and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in celebration of Wright’s 150th birthday, Footprints on the Desert includes images and artifacts from his past, as well as designs for structures that weren’t built.

    The reception and exhibit will take place in the gallery at Civic Center Library, which in 2019 will become the new home of the Scottsdale Heritage Collection. This will be the last exhibit provided in the gallery by Scottsdale Public Art.