Community voices sealed in San Marco Library time capsule
At a special ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 15, the San Marco Library sealed messages, memories and mementos in a time capsule that will not be opened for another 25 years.
The Time Capsule event was the conclusion of the branch’s year-long celebrations commemorating its 75th anniversary. Civic leader E. Zimmermann Boulos kicked off the day’s festivities with a special lecture about some of San Marco’s most recognizable public art – its sculptures. He shared insights and stories about several community art installations, from San Marco Square’s iconic Lion Fountain to “Transform,” the latest addition to the community’s sculpture collection, installed in Landon Park earlier this year.
Following Boulos’ presentation, community members were invited to contribute to the time capsule before it was sealed.
Cynthia Richardson wrote down her own memory of the library and placed it in the capsule. She said the library is one of her favorite places.
“I’m 55 years old and I still love the library,” Richardson said. “…Learning is free, and I’m still learning at 55 years young; every day, I try to learn something new, and the library is free…You can travel the whole world right from the neighborhood, so I just love it.”
Jacksonville Public Library Chief Librarian and Library Director Tim Rogers said the event’s turnout demonstrated just how much the library means to the community.
“When we had the first event [for the 75th anniversary] back in January, I was blown away by the number of people that came – the ages of the people that were there,” Rogers said. “But this, as the closing event, really is a perfect capstone. This shows the importance of the library to the community: people from all walks of life – their one commonality is they really care about the neighborhood and the community, and they see that the library represents that for them.”
The time capsule will remain locked and on display in the San Marco Library until its centennial anniversary in 2050.
