A Bit of Library Ephemera

A bit of library ephemera, this postcard-sized slip of paper was likely used in the late 1970s or early 1980s to promote Carnegie-Stout's expansion. The addition on the left opened on June 7, 1981, while the original building on the right dates to October 20, 1902. A major renovation of the entire library was completed by September 16, 2010.

1830s German Longcase Flötenuhr Clock

Carnegie-Stout Public Library's remarkable grandfather clock, a longcase Flötenuhr (flute or organ clock), was made in Germany circa 1832. The clock was donated to the library in 1919 by the estate of Alleen Langworthy Massey, a descendant of early settlers of Dubuque who prospered here in lead mining and business.

Rather than chimes, this grandfather clock has a barrel organ with bellows and wood pipes which produce delightful calliope-like music. The unique mechanism plays eight different songs, while the four animated figures at the top dance back and forth.

The grandfather clock is in working order and still keeps time, but to protect its fragile components it is not often wound or played. It was restored in 2014 by Behind The Times Clocks of Rockford, Illinois.

Watch and listen as the clock strikes twelve in this video:

The clock's wood pipes, pin barrel, and movement:

See more photos at Behind The Times Clocks' Facebook page.

Nutwood, Dubuque's Most Famous Horse

From Horse Education by Thomas J. Murray (1890) at HathiTrust:

On the adjoining page will be found a good likeness of the celebrated horse, Nutwood, of a still rising fame. The gentlemanly owners are Messers. H. L. and F. D. Stout, of the Highland Stock Farm, Dubuque, Iowa. Nutwood is of a chestnut color, 15.3 hands high; weighs 1,160 lbs., foaled May 1, 1870.

... Except to state bare recorded facts of what Nutwood is, little need be said. Individually he is excellent, of superior conformation, of good size, with remarkable substance combined with finish and quality. He has the best of legs, sound and clean, and good feet. He has an even, gentle temper, and is kind and intelligent in disposition.

Henry L. Stout (1814-1900) was a lumberman who made a large fortune on the Mississippi River in Dubuque. He raced and bred horses here with his son Frank D. Stout (1854-1927), who in 1901 donated the land, in memory of his father, where Carnegie-Stout Public Library was built.

Dubuque's Forgotten Gold

"There's gold in them thar' hills!"

Dubuque Iowa's Forgotten Gold by Peter Netzel is ready to check out from Carnegie-Stout Public Library.

What do you think? Is there any gold still buried on Kelly's Bluff?

Tax Forms and Free Tax Preparation in Dubuque in 2025

Updated: January 2, 2025

Tax Forms & Printing at Carnegie-Stout Public Library

The Iowa Department of Revenue is not distributing paper tax instruction booklets through Carnegie-Stout Public Library this year, and the selection from the IRS is very limited.

Library staff can help you find tax forms and instructions on the Internet and print them for 10 cents per side of a sheet. For more info call Carnegie-Stout Public Library at 563-589-4225 and ask for the Reference Desk.

Iowa Tax Forms

Iowa tax forms are available online at revenue.iowa.gov/forms.

Help with Iowa forms and tax questions is available by calling 515-281-3114 or 800-367-3388.

Federal Tax Forms

Federal tax forms and instructions are available online at www.irs.gov/forms-instructions.

You can order free forms to be delivered to you by mail at www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/forms-and-publications-by-us-mail or by calling 800-829-3676.

Tax help is available by calling 800-829-1040. According to the IRS, live phone assistance is extremely limited at this time.

Free Tax Preparation in Dubuque

HACAP (Hawkeye Area Community Action Program) at hacap.org/taxes provides free and confidential tax preparation for individuals with low to moderate incomes. For details, please call HACAP in Dubuque at 563-556-5130 or send an email to taxes@hacap.org.

Carnegie-Stout Public Library's Book Press

Carnegie-Stout Public Library's book press appears to be about 120 years old.

Screw presses are used for bookbinding. They help keep the covers of books flat and in place while the glue is drying. Cast iron presses like this one were made in the early 1900s.

When Carnegie-Stout opened on October 20, 1902, the Dubuque Cabinet Makers Association, a furniture company in business from 1867 to 1909, was located at 10th and Main Streets.

Whether donated or sold to the library, this press sure has been around for a long time! Do you think it will still be here in another 120 years?

Who Can Use the Telegraph Herald Digital Archive

Thanks to a gift from the Clive W. and Mona M. Lacy Trust and a partnership with the Telegraph Herald, the Library now hosts a digital archive of the Telegraph Herald newspaper. Browse and search over fifty-seven thousand editions of the Telegraph Herald spanning almost two-hundred years. You may not even need a library card!

Who Can Use the Telegraph Herald Digital Archive?

In-Person Visitors

All in-person visitors may use the Telegraph Herald Digital Archive inside Carnegie-Stout Public Library. No library card is needed. Printing is 10 cents per page, and help is available at the 2nd Floor Reference Desk.

Dubuque Residents

Dubuque city residents may use the Telegraph Herald Digital Archive online by clicking on Browse the Archive and then entering the full number on the back of your library card with no spaces, and your PIN, which should be the last four digits of your phone number. If these numbers do not work, or if you do not have a library card, please call us at 563-589-4225 and ask for the Cards Desk.

Iowa Residents

Other Iowa residents may be eligible for a free Open Access library card which should enable you to use the Telegraph Herald Digital Archive online. For details, please call us at 563-589-4225 and ask for the Cards Desk.

Non-Residents

If you live outside of Iowa, you can purchase a non-resident card to use the Telegraph Herald Digital Archive online. For costs and more details, see Get A Card, or call us at 563-589-4225 and ask for the Cards Desk.

Free, No-Card Option

Another option is to try the free Dubuque Newspapers in Google News Archive. While this option does not support keyword searches, it is very handy for browsing by date, and it does not require a library card. For tips and tricks, see How to Find Dubuque Obituaries Online.

Also, the State Historical Society of Iowa provides free access to Iowa and Dubuque newspapers in NewspaperARCHIVE.com. Go to Digital Resources and then click on "NewspaperArchives Iowa Database." At that page, use "Go to Advanced Search" to narrow searches to Dubuque.

Reference Help

If you cannot find what you are looking for, our reference librarians at yourlibrarian@carnegiestout.org may be able to provide further assistance, or call us at 563-589-4225 and ask for the Reference Desk.

FY21 Library Budget Presentation Video

Carnegie-Stout Public Library Director Susan Henricks gave a presentation to the Dubuque City Council last evening about the Library's Fiscal Year 2021 budget recommendations.

Here's a link to the video of Susan's presentation. For more information, see the City of Dubuque's Fiscal Year 2021 Budget page.

FY20 Library Budget Presentation Video

Carnegie-Stout Public Library Director Susan Henricks gave a presentation to the Dubuque City Council last evening about the Library's Fiscal Year 2020 budget recommendations.

Here's a link to the video of Susan's presentation. For more information, see the City of Dubuque's Fiscal Year 2020 Budget page.

FY19 Library Budget Presentation Video

Carnegie-Stout Public Library Director Susan Henricks gave a presentation to the Dubuque City Council last evening about the Library's Fiscal Year 2019 budget recommendations.

Here's a link to the video of Susan's presentation. For more information, see the City of Dubuque's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget.

FY18 Library Budget Presentation Video

Carnegie-Stout Public Library Director Susan Henricks gave a presentation to the Dubuque City Council last evening about the Library's Fiscal Year 2018 budget recommendations. Here's the video:


For more information, see the City of Dubuque's Fiscal Year 2018 Budget.

Victorian Survival is Just Weird

I enjoyed the article "125 years of a LEGACY: Local artists, aficionados celebrate Grant Wood" by Tia Carol Jones in yesterday’s Telegraph Herald. Here's some more info.

On February 18, 1942, a few days after Grant Wood died, the TH described how years earlier the Carnegie-Stout Public Library Board purchased The Appraisal for $350 and Victorian Survival for $800.

At that time in 1934, the article says, the library board also had the opportunity to purchase Wood's satirical painting, Daughters of Revolution, but they decided it was too controversial, and actor Edward G. Robinson ended up buying it.

While The Appraisal below doesn't seem controversial, the library board might not have known that the woman holding the chicken in the painting was actually a man, Cedar Rapids gallery director Ed Rowan.

The other painting, Victorian Survival, was one of Grant Wood's favorites. He would only sell it to the library board if they agreed in advance to lend it back to him for future exhibitions. Thankfully, they agreed.

There are different theories about Victorian Survival. The main one seems to be that the old-fashioned lady resents the new-fangled telephone. But could it be the other way around? Is she trying to hide her fondness for it?

Art professor R. Tripp Evans puts it this way in his 2010 biography of Grant Wood:

Lying in shadow behind Aunt Tillie, whose concealed right hand itself indicates a note of treachery, the telephone is more accomplice than opponent--an offstage voice, whispering something salacious (and apparently mortifying) into Aunt Tillie's overscaled ear.

I agree with Tim Olson's assessment, "Victorian Survival is just weird." Weird and cool! And we're so lucky to have it in Dubuque!

~Mike, Adult Services

---

Note:

Grant Wood visited Dubuque several times. Here's an announcement of one visit from the TH arts column, "'Mid Pallettes and Clefs," from March 6, 1932:

I wonder if this irregular column, which sometimes was signed by "Be-Be," might have been written by John Mulgrew, the original "Jazbo of Old Dubuque."

FY17 Library Budget Presentation Video

Carnegie-Stout Public Library Director Susan Henricks gave a presentation to the Dubuque City Council last evening about the Library's Fiscal Year 2017 budget recommendations. Here's the video:


For more information, see the City of Dubuque's Fiscal Year 2017 Budget.

Colorful, pocket-sized copies of Carnegie-Stout Public Library's Annual Report are available for free at the library.

Haunting Library Architecture

Andrew Carnegie is a very, very rarely seen ghost, what with his having over 2,500 libraries to haunt. So, his rotunda appearance is really quite exceptional.

• Dubuque's Haunted History by Richard A Barker
• Haunted Dubuque: chilling stories of the Key City's past and present by D.G. Roberts
• Spirits of Dubuque by Richard A. Barker
• The Iowa Road Guide to Haunted Locations by Chad Lewis & Terry Fisk
• Ghosts of the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to Dubuque by Bruce Carlson
• Ghosts of the Mississippi River from Dubuque to Keokuk by Bruce Carlson
• Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw
• The Carnegie Libraries of Iowa by John M. Witt
• Free to All : Carnegie Libraries & American Culture, 1890-1920 by Abigail Ayres Van Slyck

Happy Halloween from Carnegie-Stout Public Library!

ThrowbackThursday The Cholera

"The health of the city of Dubuque was never better. While neighboring cities have been visited by that enemy of our race, the Cholera, Dubuque, with the exception of two or three strangers who died of it, has thus far escaped unharmed."

Dubuque Weekly Observer

July 22, 1854

"The health of our city still continues excellent - with the exception of occasionally a case of Bilious derangement, our citizens are enjoying absolute immunity from sickness and pain."

Dubuque Weekly Observer

July 29.1854

"There have been a few cases of Cholera in Dubuque, confined principally, to the floating population - and some few have died. To our knowledge there has been no panic or excitement whatever in regard to it, and we have not heard of any of our citizens flying from it - if any have done so, we can assure them, that they can, with perfect safety, return to the bosoms of their anxious families, and expectant friends, as there has not been a case of Cholera in Dubuque for several days past. Our friends at Hazel Green, who have been thrown into such a state of excitement about the ravages of Cholera in Dubuque, may rely upon the truth of our statement as avoe given."

Dubuque Weekly Observer

August 18, 1854

Dubuque Weekly Observer, July 29, 1854

In 1854, 1424 people died of cholera in Chicago, and in fact, thousands would die across the nation during the nineteenth century cholera pandemics. Cholera is a bacterial infection that causes intestinal distress and can lead to death from dehydration or other complications. Over the centuries it has killed millions of people throughout the world, and is still a significant danger in many parts of the world today. Thousands have died from cholera infections in Haiti since the earthquake in 2010.

You can read more about the history of cholera and its impact on the world in The Ghost Map: the story of London's most terrifying epidemic--and how it changed science, cities, and the modern world by Steven Johnson. Johnson tells the story of Dr. John Snow whose research led to our modern understanding of how cholera and other diseases spread, and what we can do to help stop them from becoming devastating outbreaks.

Throwback Thursday "Our Dubuque is hard to beat in the picture line."

Dubuque Weekly Observer, October 27, 1854

We are happy to learn that our fellow townsman, McKinney, the Daguerreotypist took the first premium at the State Fair held last week at Fairfield. His specimens having been pronounced by the Judges the best they had ever seen. Our Dubuque is hard to beat.

Can't Be Beat
Dubuque Weekly Observer

November 3, 1854

Dubuque Daily Observer, November 3, 1854 

The first Iowa State Fair was in October of 1854 in Fairfield, Iowa. You can read more about the history of Iowa State Fair on the official website. The 161st Iowa State Fair begins today in Des Moines, and lasts until the 23rd. If you can't make it to Des Moines this year, check out some of our books on the State Fair for readers of all ages.

If you're interested in learning more about the history of photography and daguerreotypes, check out Capturing the Light: the birth of photography, a true story of genius and rivalry by Roger Watson and Helen Rappaport.

ThrowbackThursday Centennial Flood

“The Centennial will long be remembered in Dubuque, not for the magnificence of the daytime display, but for the dark tragic history of the night. The day was combatively pleasant, but coming on evening suspicious electricity laden clouds began to fleck the north western heaven, which gathered with mumbling and grumbling which was continued until after ten o’clock when the rain commenced to descend, apparently increasing in quantity with the passing hours.”

"The Great Flood of 1876"

Dubuque Daily Times

Dubuque, Iowa

Thursday Morning July 5, 1876

Read the whole article online

Our microfilm collection is missing the July 5th-7th issues of The Daily Herald, but the front page of the July 8th issue included this update on the Centennial Flood. Other breaking news on July 8, 1876: the defeat of General Custer at Little Bighorn or "Custer's Last Stand." The battle itself occurred on June 25th and 26th. click the article on the right to see a larger image.

Throwback Thursday: 1965 Dubuque County Fair

The Dubuque County Fair is happening right now at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds.  Here is the entertainment line-up from 50 years ago:

Lassie (needs no further introduction)
Tiu Troupe (from the Ginny Tiu Show)
Johnny Tolitson, recording star

See the full lineup from the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald newspaper.  August 1, 1965, page 5.

Do you love State and County fairs but just don't have time to attend?

In State Fair a small-town family travels to the State Fair.  The father is looking for the blue ribbon for his prize hog, Blue Boy, mom is looking for glory in her cooking, and the kids are looking for love. DVD includes the original 1945 version and the 1962 remake. 

NPR Road Trips takes you to fairs all across the country with Fairs and Festivals: Stories that take you away. (60 minute audio CD)

Butter is a dramedy starring Jennifer Garner and Ty Burrell.  When long-reigning champion butter sculptor Bob is forced to step down, his zealous wife Laura enters the competition herself, to fight for their status as butter royalty. A win seems guaranteed until a formidable contender emerges: a 10-year-old Destiny, an African-American foster child of local couple Julie and Ethan. Suddenly, it's anybody's game and Laura will do anything to win, even if it means resorting to sabotage and seducing her foolish ex-boyfriend Boyd as a co-conspirator.

FY16 Library Budget Presentation Video

Carnegie-Stout Public Library Director Susan Henricks gave a presentation to the Dubuque City Council this week about the Library's Fiscal Year 2016 budget recommendations. Here's the video:

For more information, see the City of Dubuque's Fiscal Year 2016 Budget.

Copies of Carnegie-Stout Public Library's Annual Report are available for free at the library. This year's report is in the form of an attractive calendar with historical photos, facts and figures, and upcoming library events.

Little Free Libraries in Dubuque Map

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE:

The map below is no longer maintained. Try the official Little Free Library World Map for current info.

Full-screen map

The Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and the AmeriCorps VISTA program recently set up Little Free Libraries at five of Dubuque's six fire stations. These join several other Little Free Libraries which already exist throughout Dubuque.

Carnegie-Stout Public Library supports these initiatives and will furnish books to the Little Free Libraries at the fire stations if inventory runs low.

What are Little Free Libraries?

From the City of Dubuque: "A Little Free Library, in its most basic form, is a small box that houses free books for anyone to take and exchange at any time. Returns and/or exchanges are not mandatory, but encouraged. Dubuque’s Little Free Libraries are open to everyone regardless of income level, age, or residence. Non-residents are welcome to participate." For more information, see Little Free Library, Ltd.

For additions or corrections to this map, please leave comments below.