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This Week In History, Library Style! Nov. 24: Crime

chemical engineers in laboratory
Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com

Libraries are places where we connect people to information that may be useful or interesting to them. Looking at some history, and connecting it to the materials we may have in our libraries, can be a good way to convince patrons to use and enjoy all the things we provide!

This week we are looking at November 24. Of course a lot of things have happened on this date – news and the big stories are the unusual things that are going on around us. One interesting thing that has happened today in 1932: The FBI’s Crime Lab officially opened.

“Created in 1932, the FBI Laboratory is today one of the largest and most comprehensive crime labs in the world. Operating out of a state-of-the-art facility in Quantico, Virginia, the Lab’s scientific experts and special agents travel the world on assignment, using science and technology to protect the nation and support law enforcement, intelligence, military, and forensic science partners.

Whether it’s examining DNA or fingerprints left at a crime scene or linking exploded bomb fragments to terrorists, the men and women of the FBI Laboratory are dedicated to using the rigors of science to solve cases and prevent acts of crime and terror.”

Bring this historical fact to your library! You can do this with a variety of program and display ideas. We will help you to get started with a few ideas: set up a display of books on true crime and law enforcement, bring in a local officer to talk about crime prevention, bring in chemistry tools to do experiments, read mystery books, set up puzzles to solve in the library, distribute magnifying glasses and let students/patrons examine items around the library.

Here are a few books you might add to your collection or share with your patrons – or just enjoy yourself!