Top of page
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
Our guest author today is Ellen Terrell, Business Reference Specialist. According to the U.S. Census in their report Americans with Disabilities: 2005, there are roughly 54 million Americans with a disability. 11 million people age 6 and older need personal assistance with everyday activities and 46% of the people ages 21 to 64 having some …
Posted in: Business, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History, Labor
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
Disneyland opened in Anaheim, CA on this date in 1955. Having worked for The Walt Disney Company at various points in my career, I have a special fondness for all things Disney. A recent vacation took me to Germany where I was able to visit Neuschwanstein, a castle that was “a tremendous inspiration to Walt …
Posted in: Business, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
On today’s date in 1785 the Continental Congress set the dollar as the official currency of the new United States. Also on this date it was Resolved “That the several pieces shall increase in a decimal ratio.” As a side note Thomas Jefferson wrote on this very topic in “Notes on the establisment[!] of a …
Posted in: Business, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History, Money
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
234 years ago the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain. It has been estimated that there were approximately 2.5 million people in this new nation at that time. [1] Today a celebration of our independence takes place every year on the anniversary of the signing of …
Posted in: Business, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
Some history and resource on child labor.
Posted in: Business, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
Masking tape, transparent (cellophane) tape, duct (or duck) tape… we use tape when we paint, wrap gifts, mend things, and create clothing. Yes clothing! My daughter made a dress from duck tape for her junior prom – it is quite the competition. Where did it all begin? An engineer by the name of Richard Drew …
Posted in: Business, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History, Inventions
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
The 2010 calendar in my office is from The Economist. It is quite colorful and full of little tidbits of information and has, on more than one occasion, provided me with ideas for this blog. The entry on the calendar for today is “1st McDonald’s Opens, San Bernardino, California, 1940.” Those of you who may …
Posted in: Business, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
Our guest author today is Gulnar Nagashybayeva, Business Reference Specialist, with another “Favorite from the Fifth Floor.” May 10, 1876 was the opening date of the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia where industrial exhibits of 37 nations were displayed in over 250 pavilions for six months until its formal closure on November 10, 1876. It was …
Posted in: Favorites From the Fifth Floor, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History
Posted by: Donna Scanlon
Today the Library of Congress is 210 years old. It was on this date in 1800 when our building name sake and President, John Adams, approved the appropriation of $5,000 for the purchase of “such books as may be necessary for the use of congress.”