Nearly 100 people gathered around the smell of bread pudding and macaroons on the fourth floor of Alden Library on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Ohio University Libraries.
Beginning the festivities was the Founder’s Day Symposium, titled, Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature and the Shaping of the American Nation.
The food, provided by University Catering, was made to be reminiscent of an older era, a main theme throughout the event.
The event was funded by the Provost’s Office. The event featured three speakers and took place from 1:30 to 4:00 pm.
The keynote speaker was Andrea Wulf, a New York Times best-selling author who presented her book, also titled, Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature and the Shaping of the American Nation.
David Holben, an OU professor of nutrition, and Lauren Cohen, a senior studying nutrition, also spoke at the event.
Holben spoke on the course he offers, “Thomas Jefferson: Gardener and Gastronome.” This course was called one of the weirdest courses to take by Athens News.
He discussed not only Thomas Jefferson, but gardening as well.
“For me, it is an honor to speak alongside both Ms. Wulf and Ms. Cohen. I think that the library has planned an innovative and informative event to celebrate their 200th anniversary,” Holben said.
Scott Seamen, dean of OU libraries, introduced Wulf and rang in the several anniversaries that the symposium celebrated.
Cohen showed a documentary that she helped produce with other students to examine the “locavore” culture in Athens. Those who commit to dining in a “locavore” style eat food only coming from a certain radius of where they live, Holben said.
Cohen’s video showed how simple it is for people to help the environment, with little change to what they are already doing.
“Eating local helps the economy,” said Cohen. “Having a local food system builds a sense of community.”
Cohen also suggested that those who wish to try and eat locally grown food visit the Athens Farmers Market, grow their own food or even simply eat at uptown businesses.
In addition to the anniversary of the library here at OU, the event also promoted the 50th year of the OU Press, the African Studies program and the Center for International Studies.
“Anniversaries speak to all of us and to our impulse of things that endure,” said Seamen. The library, he said, was the perfect place to hold the symposium, because it is a “gateway for teaching, discovery and learning.”
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This article originally appeared in print under the headline "Alden celebrates 200 years."
