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McDaniel completes Oak Ridge oral history project

Posted at 2:07 pm July 15, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Keith McDaniel interviews Oak Ridge Historian Ray Smith at the Oak Ridge History Museum for the Center for Oak Ridge Oral History. (Submitted photo)

Filmmaker Keith McDaniel has completed a nine-year project to document the oral histories of about 400 current and former Oak Ridge residents, including those connected to the Manhattan Project during World War II.

The life stories were used to build a digital collection for the Oak Ridge Public Library’s Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, or COROH. McDaniel was part of the group that made plans for the COROH and, following the city’s receipt of an annual grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, took the contract for the documentary work.

“A lot of original Oak Ridgers were dying and getting older,” McDaniel said in a press release from Carson-Newman University. “We felt it was really important to collect their memories, to collect their stories.”

The one-on-one filmed interviews gave those connected to the Manhattan Project, and later to the city at large, the opportunity to share their life stories, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Front Page News, Government, History, History, Movies, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: atomic weapons, Carson Newman University, Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, film, Keith McDaniel, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Public Library, oral histories, oral history, Ray Smith, U.S. Department of Energy, World War II

Center for Oak Ridge Oral History seeks new interviews

Posted at 9:39 am August 30, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Public Library

The Oak Ridge Public Library is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Public Library is seeking new interviews as part of the Center for Oak Ridge Oral History project. More than 800 oral history entries have already been logged, but additional stories are needed from those who experienced Oak Ridge as children.

COROH’s main focus has been the Manhattan Project era of Oak Ridge’s history, from late 1942 to the end of World War II in August 1945. Interviewees are asked about what it was like to live in the “Secret City.” As the project continues, staff and volunteers will be looking to the second generation of Oak Ridgers in order to record their memories as well. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, Museums, Oak Ridge Tagged With: Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, interviews, Jordan Reed, Julie Forkner, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Public Library, oral history, U.S. Department of Energy, World War II

McNeilly retiring after 19 years as library director

Posted at 12:55 pm June 20, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge City Council members Jim Dodson, left, and Kelly Callison, second from left, read a proclamation for Kathy McNeilly, right, during her retirement celebration at Oak Ridge Public Library on Friday, June 15, 2018. Also pictured is Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

Oak Ridge City Council members Jim Dodson, left, and Kelly Callison, second from left, read a proclamation for Kathy McNeilly, right, during her retirement celebration at Oak Ridge Public Library on Friday, June 15, 2018. Also pictured is Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Kathy McNeilly is retiring after serving as director of the Oak Ridge Public Library for 19 years—and working for the City of Oak Ridge for more than 47 years.

Friends, family, and City of Oak Ridge staff celebrated McNeilly’s “amazing career” in a ceremony in the library auditorium on Friday, June 15, a city press release said.

McNeilly received a master’s degree in library science from the University of Tennessee. She was hired by the City of Oak Ridge in 1971 as a reference assistant, just a few months after the library’s new location opened its doors in the Oak Ridge Civic Center, the press release said. Since then, she has served as head of the Reference Department, head of Technical Services, and as assistant library director before taking on her role as director nearly 20 years ago.

“In her time with the library, McNeilly has watched services change from print-based to computer, and she was instrumental in guiding the library through many technological changes,” the press release said. “Most recently, she helmed the library’s inclusion of e-books and streaming video. McNeilly is perhaps most proud, however, of the library’s work with COROH (Center for Oak Ridge Oral History). Under her guidance, the library has been able to collect, bind, and make available online the oral histories of more than 800 Oak Ridgers whose lives and work helped create the Oak Ridge of today.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, City of Oak Ridge, Jim Dodson, Julie Forkner, Kathy McNeilly, Kelly Callison, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Public Library

Friends of Oak Ridge Library has book sale through Sunday

Posted at 9:00 am February 2, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Friends of the Oak Ridge Library (FOL) is having its Winter 2018 Book Sale from Thursday, Feb. 1, to Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium. (Submitted photo)

Friends of the Oak Ridge Library (FOL) is having its Winter 2018 Book Sale from Thursday, Feb. 1, to Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium. (Submitted photo)

 

Friends of the Oak Ridge Library is having its Winter 2018 Book Sale from Thursday, February 1, to Sunday, February 4, in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium.

The sale includes fiction and nonfiction books, magazines, audiovisual materials, and other publications covering almost every subject. Most titles are 50 cents or $1 each, a press release said. Titles withdrawn from the Library are half-price Thursday through Saturday.

There was a Thursday evening preview sale for members, and memberships were available at the door ($5/individual; $10 family). (Please contact Friends of the Library for more information about memberships.)

The Silent Auction began on Thursday evening, and it ends at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Friends of the Oak Ridge Library can now accept Visa and MasterCard during its sales, the press release said.

The sale opens to the general public on Friday, February 2, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday’s sale (February 3) is from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with all non-auction titles selling for half price. Sunday (February 4) is the Buy-A-Bag-of-Books sale from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. with each bag (provided by Friends of the Oak Ridge Library) costing $3. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: book sale, Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, Friends of the Oak Ridge Library, Nancy Hardin, Oak Ridge Public Library, Winter 2018 Book Sale

Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool open for Memorial Day weekend

Posted at 10:04 am May 17, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

 

The Oak Ridge Outdoor Swimming Pool will be open to the public over Memorial Day weekend this year, Saturday, May 27, through Monday, May 29, from noon to 6 p.m. each day.

This will be a “soft opening” over the holiday weekend, with the pool being closed for the three days following Memorial Day, from Tuesday, May 30, to Thursday, June 1, a press release said. The outdoor pool will then open for normal summer hours starting Friday, June 2. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Recreation, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, City of Oak Ridge, Memorial Day, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department, outdoor pool

Friends of Oak Ridge Library have book sale May 11-14

Posted at 5:05 pm May 4, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Friends of the Oak Ridge Public Library will have its Spring 2017 Book Sale May 11-14 in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium.

The sale will include fiction and nonfiction books, magazines, audiovisual materials, and other publications covering almost every subject, a press release said. A few non-publication items will also be available. Most titles are 50 cents or $1 each. Titles withdrawn from the Library are half-price Thursday through Saturday. The Silent Auction begins on Thursday evening and ends at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Thursday evening from 5 to 7:30 p.m. is a preview sale for members. Memberships will be available at the door ($5 per individual, and $10 per family). (Scanning devices cannot be used during the preview sale on Thursday.) [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Writing Tagged With: book sale, Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, Children's Summer Program, Friends of the Oak Ridge Public Library, Nancy Hardin, Oak Ridge Public Library, Spring 2017 Book Sale

Friends of Oak Ridge Library have Fall Book Sale this week

Posted at 2:34 pm October 25, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Friends of the Oak Ridge Library, or FOL, will have its Fall 2016 Book Sale October 27 through 30 in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium.

The sale will include fiction and nonfiction books, magazines, audiovisual materials, and other publications covering almost every subject, a press release said. Most titles are 50 cents or $1 each.

Titles withdrawn from the Library are half price Thursday through Saturday. Although most sale items are books, there are always a few non-book items.

Thursday evening from 5 to 7:30 p.m. is a preview sale for members, the press release said. Memberships will be available at the door ($5 per person and $10 per family). Scanning devices cannot be used during the preview sale on Thursday. The Silent Auction begins on Thursday evening and ends at 5 p.m. on Saturday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, Nonprofits, Oak Ridge Tagged With: book sale, Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, COROH, Fall 2016 Book Sale, FOL, Friends of the Oak Ridge Library, Nancy Hardin, Oak Ridge Public Library

City officials meet with NPS, DOE, other communities to discuss Manhattan Project park

Posted at 12:44 pm August 14, 2015
By City of Oak Ridge Leave a Comment

Chuck Hope

Chuck Hope

A delegation from the City of Oak Ridge recently traveled to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to participate in a meeting with officials from the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Energy, and from Los Alamos and the Hanford communities to discuss the newly designated Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The meeting was sponsored by the Energy Communities Alliance, or ECA, which supported attendance at the meeting with travel grants to the participants.

The three-day event, with more than 50 in attendance, began with a tour of the cultural resources and Manhattan Project era sites at Los Alamos National Laboratory. David Klaus, deputy under secretary of management and performance with DOE, was the keynote speaker. He emphasized the importance of preserving the history of the Manhattan Project, and pointed to the important scientific and technological advancements that originated from that era.

Victor Knox, associate director for park planning, facilities, and lands for the National Park Service, then briefed attendees on the status of a memorandum of agreement, or MOA, currently under development by DOE and NPS. The draft MOA, which has been released for public comment, will govern the respective roles of the secretary of interior and secretary of energy in administering the park and its facilities. Completion of the MOA is the first major milestone required by the enacting legislation, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama last December. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: AMSE, Amy Fitzgerald, Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, children's museum, Chuck Hope, City Council, Colin Colverson, Congress, David Klaus, DOE, draft MOA, ECA, Energy Communities Alliance, Hanford, heritage tourism, Jordan Reed, Kathryn Baldwin, Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Marc DeRose, memorandum of agreement, MOA, national park, National Park Service, NPS, Pam May, President Obama, Ron Woody, U.S. Department of Energy

Secret City Festival features ‘something for everyone’

Posted at 9:42 am June 21, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 5 Comments

Homemade Wine Band

The Homemade Wine Band played after the Friday morning opening ceremony at the Secret City Festival.

The annual Secret City Festival started today, and it features Manhattan Project bus tours and history displays, World War II living history activities and demonstrations, arts and crafts and antiques dealers, food vendors and exhibitors, a children’s festival area and youth events, and a car show and concerts.

“Join more than 20,000 visitors and residents to celebrate the end of World War II and the heritage of Oak Ridge from 1945 to the present,” a press release said.

Oak Ridge was built during World War II as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, a federal program to build the world’s atomic bombs, and the festival celebrates the city’s heritage.

Festival organizers have provided an overview of some of the many activities and events taking place at this year’s festival:
 [Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Community, Music, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, AMSE, antiques, arts, Arts Council of Oak Ridge, BMX Bike Show, bus tours, car show, Casey Abrams, Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, children's area, Children's Festival Area, City of Oak Ridge, Clinton Region AACA, concerts, Cornhole Tournament, crafts, exhibitors, food, Graphite Reactor, heritage, history displays, living history, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Civic Center, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORHPA, Playful City Kid Circuit, Rick Springfield, Secret City Cruise-in Car Show, Secret City Festival, Secret City Scenic, Soul Candy and the Traffic Jam, The Dirty Guv'nahs, TN Creates, Toddler's Area, U.S. Department of Energy, World War II, WWII, Y-12 National Security Complex

Oak Ridge oral histories available online

Posted at 1:13 pm May 21, 2012
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

More than 150 oral histories of residents who played roles in Oak Ridge before, during, and after the top-secret Manhattan Project are now available online.

The histories are available through the Oak Ridge Public Library’s website, and there will be a May 29 ceremony to celebrate the launch of the online collection. Hosted by the Center for Oak Ridge Oral History (COROH), the reception will be in Oak Ridge Public Library auditorium from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, Oak Ridge oral histories, Oak Ridge Public Library

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

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