Link love, Feb. 22

I’ve been distracted by the Winter Olympics lately, if only to figure out the rules for all the new sports. Still, there was time to read a few genealogy-related stories — two heartwarming, one irate (although understandably so).

This is the kind of thing I love – Ordinary citizen suddenly gets curious about old buildings, uncovers fascinating pieces of history. Here’s the story of a North Carolina woman’s quest to uncover the legacy of the forgotten Rosenwald Schools and their impact on the African American community.

• And here is a beautiful story about a father, a daughter, and a priceless legacy of letters and documents dating back more than a century: “It was a great gift to me. … My sense is that it was meant for me to do this. It was meant for me to free all these voices.”

• Last but not least: It is frustrating when quiet rooms in libraries aren’t quiet, and sad to see that it’s a global phenomenon, as a Melbourne, Australia writer reports. Silence-seeking patrons at the State Library of Victoria have my sympathy.

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