GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — Of all the libraries in the United States, only 50 can say they've played host to a special traveling exhibit from the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
“We applied and thought, ‘There’s no chance for this relatively small library to get it,' but we did,” said Melissa Gibson, adult services manager at the Scott County Public Library.
According to Gibson, the Scott County Public Library applied to the American Library Association to host the traveling exhibit. Not only did the library earn a spot, it is the only library in Kentucky to do so.
The application included background on the community, population size, ethnic makeup, nearby universities, and more.
“It was a very involved process. They wanted to know all about our community,” said Gibson.
Ultimately, Gibson is unsure why the Scott County Public Library topped the list, but she and her team are grateful for the opportunity.
Making space for the exhibit, planning two months of special programming, and hosting field trips have all been worth it, according to Gibson.
“What a privilege to be able to reach out to the larger community and bring a message here that is pertinent at all times."
The exhibit, Americans and the Holocaust, highlights critical moments in American history, including Americans’ response to Nazism, war, and genocide.
According to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum site, “This exhibition will challenge the commonly held assumptions that Americans knew little and did nothing about the Nazi persecution and murder of Jews as the Holocaust unfolded.”
“The real point is to make people think about what was happening in the US in the 30s and 40s,” said Gibson. “The real question is, 'What did we know about the Holocaust? When did we know it, and what did we do, how did we handle that information?'”
The exhibit will be open until January 4, 2024, when the library is open.
“If you love history, come, if you're just curious, you should come, and if you care about the world and how we treat our fellow human beings, you need to come,” said Gibson.
