MPL Float, "Thinking Outside the Book," in 2010 Old Settlers Parade

It has been many years since Mooresville Public Library entered a float in the annual Old Settlers Parade, which was held this year on Sunday, August 8, 2010 immediately prior to the opening of the Old Settlers Fair & Picnic (Aug. 8-10, 2010) held at Pioneer Park. The library's float was entitled Thinking Outside the Book, and it featured a central display of an opened book with CD-ROMs, music, and a computer keyboard and monitor (complete with human operator). In the pickup truck pulling the float, there was a nostalgic image of libraries--a person reading a book in a rocking chair--which was followed, of course, by the float and its "outside the book" motif.

The float design team was spearheaded by Beth Hensley, MPL display and decoration designer, and Bill Cornwell, MPL construction supervisor emeritus. The float assembly crew consisted of various library staff and volunteers, including (alphabetically): Meghan Adams, Lori Becker, Bill Buckley, Bill and Sherry Cornwell, Beth Hensley, Kathleen Holling, Diane Huerkamp, Virginia Jensen, Sally Knitter, Shirley and Ron Martin, Donna Miller, and Judy and Taylor Morehouse. Ron Martin drove the truck in the parade; Diane Huerkamp and Lori Becker were "living bookends" marching in front of the float; Kathleen Holling was the "rocking chair reader"; and Virginia, Anastacia, and Luke Jensen joined several assembly teammates to toss out candy to children along the parade route. Volunteer Sherry Cornwell and MPL staffers Jaymi Edwards and Bill Buckley photographed the float.

Pictures 1-13: Assembling the Float (photographs by Sherry Cornwell)

Pictures 14-22: 2010 Old Settlers Parade: MPL Float, "Thinking Outside the Book" (photographs by Jaymi Edwards & Bill Buckley)