Dear Friends,
Hurricane Sandy passed us by, and we are grateful. Thanks to so many of you who asked about the library in the wake of the storm! Fred Paddock is much on our minds and in our hearts these days; below, I'd like to share an appreciation of Fred. Warm Thanksgiving wishes!
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Remembering Fred Paddock
by Judith Soleil
Fred lived the Rudolf Steiner Library "officially" for 30 years, and carried it--and his many coworkers and patrons, past and present--in his heart and consciousness through 10 years of retirement. He built the national library of the Anthroposophical Society in America into a collection that represents, as he put it, "a broad, open-minded society in touch with the world," with books covering the spectrum of world spirituality and culture. It is tempting to call the library Fred's legacy, a monument to his vision, his magnum opus--and it is all of those--but the words are a bit heavy, a bit static. What Fred envisioned, created, nurtured, and treasured is really a living thing--a home for books and people--an invitation to dialogue and connection.
Fred prized dialogue--he fostered it in his choice of books for the library, and in the creative arrangement of the library's many subject areas. He described this in the wonderful history of the library he wrote when he retired: "When you apply the concept of 'life,' of 'livingness' to texts, what you are really referring to is 'conversation.' I began to see that within the different sections, a conversation was going on....It was almost as if when I walked into the library, if I could only listen with the ear of my soul, I could hear the thousand murmurings of the living texts conversing with each other.... In listening carefully to the different conversations...I felt I was part of a living process, caring for a living spiritual entity that, like all living entities, desired to continue living and flourishing. And like all living entities, it needed to be cared for and nurtured...to be loved--ultimately, as something alive."
Fred not only eavesdropped on (and also participated in) the world's great conversations, he initiated and sustained countless personal conversations. He corresponded widely and faithfully, and filled the library with his booming laughter and generous spirit. People turned to Fred for guidance in their studies, and received not only wise council, but great warmth, genuine interest, and often, enduring friendship. Those encountering anthroposophy for the first time were encouraged by Fred's conviction that anthroposophy's mission is to "grow together with the world."
And, Fred created a family of coworkers. Birthdays and Christmas were always celebrated with zest: Fred was the master of the well-chosen gift and beautiful (or very funny) cards inscribed with meaningful quotations and his own heartfelt observations.
I'll end with a poem by Emily Dickinson, one of the participants in the library's ongoing conversation, that speaks to the wonder that is Fred:
HE ate and drank the precious words,
His spirit grew robust;
He knew no more that he was poor,
Nor that his frame was dust.
He danced along the dingy days,
And this bequest of wings
Was but a book. What liberty
A loosened spirit brings!
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New Books & More
Our focus this month is on the winter festival season.
 The Story of Christmas: From the King James Bible, illus. by Pamela Dalton. Handprint Books, 2011, 24 pgs. This exquisite book is a wonder! Handpainted, impossibly intricate and lively papercuts depict the Nativity story. The artist is one of our Harlemville neighbors, Pamela Dalton. Christmas: An Introductory Reader. By Rudolf 
Steiner. Sophia Books, 2007, 160 pgs.
This book features excerpts from Steiner's many lectures and writings on the significance of Christmas, and includes an editorial introduction, afterword, commentary, and notes by Matthew Barton.
 Christmas Roses: Legends for Advent. Mimmi Zotterman, ed. Asnans Vorlag, 1991.
This lovely book, originally published in Sweden, includes tales and legends from many cultures, suitable for a range of ages.
 Traditions: Integrating the Days of Awe and Chanukah into the Waldorf Grades Curriculum. Erica Jayasuriya, AWSNA, 2012, 210 pgs.
From her rich background in Judaism, the author weaves traditional stories, poems, and songs into the Waldorf curriculum.  The Christmas Craft Book. Thomas Berger, Floris, 1990, 86 pgs.
Parents, children, and teachers will all find projects here to engage them: candles, lanterns, angels, Advent calendars, and a variety of Christmas tree decorations. Fully illustrated with diagrams and color photos.
For new items see the homepage of our online public access catalog. |
A New Year Approaches....
Your special gifts support innovation!
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Are there books, DVDs, or CDs you'd like to recommend?
Reviews you'd like to see in the newsletter?
Please let us know!
Warm greetings,
Judith Soleil, library director
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