In August of 2014 I visited Portland, ME to see the Circus Conservatory of America and to present a proposal about the Library of the Circus Conservatory of America to a group of librarians. Those in attendance included librarians from University of Southern Maine, Maine College of Art, Portland Public Library, University of New England, Bates College, and Colby. The presentation consisted of a brief overview of circus arts, what types of materials the Library of the Circus Conservatory of America would collect, and a discussion about how the Circus Conservatory of America and the libraries at the presentation could collaborate to create a regional performing arts collection.

1. LIBRARY OF THE CIRCUS
CONSERVATORY OF
AMERICA
Rainie Themer

2. ABOUT ME
 Education
• Master of Library and Information Science May 2015
Certificate in Special Collections and Rare Books
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
• Bachelor of Arts, English Dec. 2010
Illinois State University

3.  Milner Library
• Student Intern, Special
Collections (2009-2010)
• Periodicals Assistant (2011-
2014)
• Standing Orders Clerk (2014-
Present)
 Circus Now
• Online Director (2013-
Present)
EXPERIENCE

4. OTHER EXPERIENCE
 American Youth Circus Organization
• Online Research and Journalism Intern (2012-2013)
• Wrote feature article for Vol. 2, Issue 3 of Pyramid: The Journal of the American
Youth Circus (Fall 2012)
 Research Assistant (2011-2013)
• “The Strobridge Lithographing Company, the Ringling Brothers, and Their
Circuses” by Fred D. Pfening, III in The Amazing Circus Poster (2011)
• The Ordinary Acrobat: A Journey into the Wondrous World of the Circus, Past and Present
by Duncan Wall (2013)
• The Bloomington-Normal Circus Legacy: The Golden Age of Aerialists by Maureen
Brunsdale and Mark Schmitt (2013)
 Bandwagon
• Freelance Editor, edited ‘The Life and Times of William P. Hall” (2011)

5. TRADITIONAL VS.
CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS
Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey: Barnum
Funundrum
Photo: RBBB FB
The Ricochet Project: Smoke and Mirrors
Photo: Nancy Behall

6.  What most people think of when you
say “circus”
• Ringling Brothers and Barnum &
Bailey
• Within a ring
• Animal and human performances
• Spectacle
 Multiple acts performed within a ring
 Travelling
 Family run/taught
 In the US this form of circus is
considered entertainment
TRADITIONAL CIRCUS
Kelly Miller Circus
Photo: Kelly Miller Circus FB

7.  Multidisciplinary
• Combines traditional circus arts
with dance, theater, music,
visual arts, digital arts
 Incorporates a narrative that is
conveyed throughout performance
 Can happen anywhere
 Taught in schools and
conservatories around the world
 Is starting to be recognized as art
CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS
Ilmatila’s Muualla
Photo: Chris Nash

8. THE LIBRARY OF THE CIRCUS
CONSERVATORY OF AMERICA
 Working Mission Statement: “The Library of the Circus Conservatory
of America’s foremost objective is to acquire, preserve, organize, and
make available information on the circus arts throughout time and to
develop an academic collection that will both support and contribute to
the educational mission of the Circus Conservatory of America. The
Library of the Circus Conservatory of America also strives to aid and
respond to the research needs of the greater circus arts community as a
whole.”

9.  Books
 Periodicals
 Digital Resources
 Audio Visual Materials
 Posters, Handbills, Programs
 Soundtracks
 Circus Arts
 Dance
 Theater
 Visual Arts
 Music
 Literature
COLLECTION
Possible Formats Possible Subjects

10.  Environment of learning
 Space for students to
stimulate their minds instead of
bodies
 Collaborative space
 Place of inspiration
LIBRARY SPACE
Ecole Nationale de Cirque Library
Photo: Rainie Themer

11. LIBRARY AS A WHOLE
 Through its resources, both historical and current, and by
providing an environment of learning, inspiration, and collaboration,
the library strives to help aid students in enhancing their artistic and
professional development as well as the development of their general
education.

12. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
 How can we build a partnership and a regional performing arts
collection that benefits all of our patrons?
 What strengths exist in each library’s current collections?
 What are the needs of each library? Where are there gaps in the
collection?