Meeting of the Coolidge Standing Committee of the Forbes Library Board of Trustees

This month will be a brief meeting in person in the Coolidge Museum following an event.  

Public welcome to observe and there is a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.  The agendas are posted by Thursday before the Monday meeting.  

Coolidge Standing Committee

Monday July 7, 2025  5:15 PM 

Coolidge Museum 

Agenda

1. Public Comments
2. Approve June minutes 
3. Subcommittee Reports
   1. Exhibits Committee (JoEllen & Rob) 
   2. Development Committee (Jay) 
   3. Nominating Committee (Bill)
   4. Programming and Education Committee (Bill)
   5. Marketing & Outreach Committee (Cynthia)
4. Archivist’s report (Julie)

Next meeting dates: August 4, September 8 (2nd Monday), October 6, November 3, December 8

This month's discussion will cover Virginia Hall and reading A Woman of No Importance:  The Untold Story of the American spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell .  This title is available in print, large print, eAudio and eBook formats.  

The Coolidge Museum at Forbes Library has started a new book group in 2024 to focus of reading women's history and social history.  

As her husband John met in Philadelphia to discuss forming a new nation, Abigail Adams wrote to implore him, 'I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.' Alas, it would be another 150 years before they even got the right to vote. But women were neither silent nor passive then or now.

To elevate the voices of women in American history, a new book club is being offered by the The Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum. The inspiration for the club, Herstory: Women in American History, came from some members of the museum's Presidential Book Club, who expressed a desire to read more about the context of historical figures, and to hear from and about the women involved in the building of our nation. 

Selections in the book club will include biographies of women interspersed with texts on significant periods in American history. This way, book club members can place the women they read about in context and gain a fuller understanding of their challenges and achievements.

This group meets on Zoom on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM 

This group is moderated by Coolidge Museum Committee members Leslie Skantz-Hodgson (Smith Vocational School Librarian) and Rob Weir (retired professor of history).  

To join the email list or for more information, email Coolidge@forbeslibrary.org

The Presidential Book Group is reading in chronological order and this month we are on Rutherford B. Hayes. 

There are no Hayes bios with a lot of copies in the interlibrary loan so we have to offer multiple options. 

Rutherford B. Hayes by Hans Trefousse: This is part of the American Presidents series

This is the only title that has a CD audiobook 

The Presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes by Ari Hoogenboom This is part of the University of Kansas series 

Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior & President by Ari Hoogenboom

Rutherford B. Hayes, and His America by Harry Banard

Fraud of the Century by Roy Morris Jr.: The focus on this is the 1876 election 

An audio option is the Washington Post Presidential Podcast episode 19 on Hayes

 In this group you will deepen your understanding of the American presidency as we trace the history of the presidency, beginning with George Washington, and watching how American democracy evolved in ways the Founders never anticipated. We'll follow how presidents, both celebrated and forgotten, grappled with slavery, economics, executive power and America's role in the world. In doing so, we'll broaden our knowledge of Coolidge and where his presidency fits in the American story. 

The group meets on the 4th Monday of the month at 6:30 PM EST, which you can attend in person in the Coolidge Museum or on Zoom. Discussions will be facilitated by Bill Scher, vice president of the museum’s Standing Committee.

Email Coolidge@forbeslibrary.org to join the email list or for more information.

Meeting of the Coolidge Standing Committee of the Forbes Library Board of Trustees

HYBRID with in person in the Community Room and remote via zoom.   Public welcome to observe and there is a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.  The agendas are posted by Thursday before the Monday meeting.