"The Star Spangled Banner" is penned.
On September 13 of 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote a poem to commemorate the sight of a lone U.S. flag he witnessed flying over Fort McHenry while it was under attack by the British during the War of 1812. Francis Scott Key had a high personal stake in the successful defense of Fort McHenry. He had been able to negotiate the release of his friend Dr. William Beanes from British captivity in nearby Baltimore. However, they were not allowed to leave until after the attack on Fort McHenry had failed. The resulting poem was originally called "The Defence of Fort McHenry" and it was later set to the music of a popular English drinking tune called "To Anacreon in Heaven" by composer John Stafford Smith. It was printed in newspapers and eventually people began to refer to it as "The Star Spangled Banner." It was adopted as the U.S. national anthem in 1931.
Hurricane season is here. While weather reports follow the path of Earl, we remember five years ago when Katrina wreaked havoc in the Atlantic region, costing at least 1,836 people their lives as well as resulting in property damage estimated at $81 billion.
I have found 
The whole idea behind library systems is that through working together and sharing services and materials all of the libraries that are part of the system can better serve their users. For example, if you are a resident of Milwaukee you have access to materials and services of 
A couple of years ago, on a road trip to Washington D.C., my husband, son and I more or less stumbled upon the site of the Civil War's Battle of Antietam and found ourselves spending several memorable hours walking the grounds. September 17th marks the anniversary of that battle, the bloodiest in American history, during which there were over 20,000 casualties. This serendipitous sidetrip was quite stirring, and while I don't necessarily see myself embarking on a Civil "Wargasm" tour of battlefields as described in Tony Horowitz's 
On September 22, 1776, Revolutionary War patriot Nathan Hale was hanged by the British as an American spy. He was just 21 years old. This teacher turned soldier volunteered when General George Washington asked for a man to pass through British lines to obtain information on the Red Coats' position. Hale was captured and sentenced to die. Tradition has it that his stirring final words were "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." These words and his conduct have made him one of America's most memorable heroes. To learn more about him, check out 
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, considered the preminent writer in Spanish literature and one of the greatest authors in any language, was born on or about September 29, 1547. His life experiences, which ranged from being an avid reader and a devoted soldier to being captured and enslaved by pirates, influenced his literary works, including his masterpiece, 
If you're over the age of 18 and enjoy reading comic books and graphic novels from publishers like Vertigo and Fantagraphics, come to a meeting of Not Just for Kids Anymore, The Washington Park Comic Book & Graphic Novel Book Club. Books that will be read in this group are the equivalent of "Rated R" movies and are not appropriate for children. Intended for mature readers (18+).
This week the MacArthur Foundation announced its