If you are interested in history, learning or reading while vacationing or visiting Florida, you'll love what the Karpeles Manuscript Library in Jacksonville, FL has available to fulfill your thirst for knowledge and literature. They are located on 1st right off of Main Street and very easy to find. There aren't many people in Jacksonville that don't know how to get there. Karpeles is more than just a library filled with interesting books. They hold very old historical documents, manuscripts and books. They have, in fact, the largest collection of holdings of this type of material. The subject matters of these documents are a variety of medicine, music, science, literature and anthropology. They also have different locations throughout the country that rotate the items with them, so you will never see the same thing twice when you go there. Make it a point to get there though because they are only open Tuesday through Saturday for 5 hours each day.
Some of the original drafts the Karpeles Manuscript Library have are the United States Bill of Rights, "The Wedding March" and the Thanksgiving Proclamation that George Washington signed. You've probably heard of Albert Einstein's "Theory of Relativity", well you now have the chance to see it for yourself at Karpeles. The original Thesaurus by Roget and Webster's Dictionary are also part of their many displays that are available to the public.
Karpeles Library offers many lecture and educational programs to schools in any grade level. Two of their most important and popular programs are the Cultural Literacy Program and their School Outreach Program. The Outreach Program involves a school choosing a specific topic of interest for the students. The Library will then make an exhibit for that topic and either take it to the school or have it on display at the library as a way to increase the students' interest and understanding of the topic.
The Cultural Literacy Program works with students of all ages in teaching them how to set goals and understanding that everyone is different in their knowledge and learning ability. They stress how famous people were not born smart as we think of them now. Karpeles has had a lot of success with their programs.
