Do you remember Show & Tell days from elementary school? I remember going home from school the night before, looking around my room, and thinking about what I could take that would seem super cool. My second grade year, I took a picture of me and my dad in the backyard with our dog, Ben, and cat, Molly. I loved my pets — and my dad, of coarse. And I couldn’t wait to show my classmates.
As adults, we often don’t have the opportunity to showcase the things we cherish — until now. Lexington Main Library is bringing back Show & Tell for adults, and we’re calling this new series of programs Community Conversations: The Things We Keep. We based our program on the book What We Keep by Bill Shapiro and Naomi Wax.
Everyone has that one object that holds deep meaning — some relic that speaks to their past, that carries a remarkable story. What We Keep is a collection of interviews with people about the single object in their life that has the most emotional significance — those objects we often don’t talk about, but that make us who we are. The objects and stories revealed in this collection belong to people from all walks of life — from business leaders like Mark Cuban and Melinda Gates to celebrated authors like Ta-Nehisi Coates and James Patterson, from astronauts to autoworkers, from former counterfeiters to cloistered nuns.
What is it that you keep? Is it a collection that you’ve been working on for years? A picture of the first car you ever bought? A trinket from a faraway place given to you by your favorite uncle? Or are you simply interested in what others in your community have to share? Whatever it is, we want you to come and share it with us. Whether you bring the item, a photo or a brief slideshow presentation, you’re invited to share your story.
Event Topic
All
African American History
Art
Author Talk
Business & Careers
Closings
Community Conversations
Education
Fandom
Festivals & Holidays
Food Lab
Games
Health
History
Crafts & Hobbies
Holidays
Legal Clinic
Lego
Library Services
Lifestyle & Life Skills
Mobile Library
Music
Nature
South Carolina
STEAM
Tech Talk
Virtual Program
Writing Skills
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All
Preschool
Youth
Tweens
Teens
Adults
Families
Event Type
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Author Talk
Bilingual
Blood Drive
Book Club
Closing
Discussion
DIY
Evening
Exercise
Festival
Fun & Play
Interactive
Lecture
Mobile Library
Movie
Performance
Storytime
Summer Reading
Virtual Program
Event Location
All
Batesburg-Leesville Branch
Cayce-West Columbia Branch
Chapin Branch Library
Gaston Branch Library
Gilbert-Summit Branch
Icehouse Amphitheater
Irmo Branch Library
Lexington Main Library
Pelion Branch Library
South Congaree Branch
Swansea Branch Library
Branch
All
Batesburg-Leesville Branch Library
Cayce-West Columbia Branch
Chapin Branch Library
Gilbert-Summit Branch Library
Irmo Branch Library
Lexington Main Library
Mobile Library
Pelion Branch Library
South Congaree-Pine Ridge Branch
Event Tag
All
music
african american history
black history
resume
crochet
knit
needlepoint
blood drive
community conversation
summer reading
adult programs
recipes
cookbooks
children
teens
community
community events
read a book
reading challenge
activities for kids
author talk
technology
exercise
health
career
job skills
interview skills
game
photography
diy
featured
book clubs
adult readers
books
read
Oh, the What We Keep project is ongoing. Shapiro and Wax are still talking to people, still collecting unique stories. You can read them for inspiration or submit your own.
If you’re looking for inspiration or want to get into a new hobby, check out the Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center for ideas and instructions. For example, you can find information about …
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