If you hadn’t noticed, it’s a presidential election year.

Draping the Springfield-Greene County Libraries in red, white and blue next Saturday [March 15] is not an option, but inside the four city branches and the Republic Branch, you’ll find all kinds of ways to exercise one of our most important rights and become knowledgeable about the candidates and the election process.

You can register to vote at any time at any Library location, but next Saturday, volunteers from the League of Women Voters will hold registration rallies:

• From 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Brentwood and Republic Branches and at the Library Center;
• From noon until 5 p.m. at the Library Station;
• From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Midtown Carnegie Branch.
  All you need is a valid form of identification with your signature to register.

While you’re in the election frame-of-mind, you might want to stop by the auditorium at the Library Center from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. where Springfield resident Keith Garrison will display his more than 12,000 presidential memorabilia from both sides of the aisle.

His collection of buttons, banners, posters, 3-D items, personally signed items, inaugural souvenirs and giveaways from the Republic and Democratic conventions date from 1896 to 2004.

“I began to get interested in politics and collecting when my mom took me to a rally for Reagan,” he said. “I was probably about eight years old.”

Garrison will give a presentation, “The Importance of Political Artifacts,” at 11 a.m. “Much of the political memorabilia comes with an agenda,” he says. “The purpose of all of it is to get a message across.

Books on politics are rife in this presidential year, and library shelves are packed with titles such as “Blue Grit: True Democrats Take Back Politics from the Politicians” by Laura Flanders and “Comeback: Conservatism That Can Win Again” by David Frum.

If you want to do your reading online, ask any librarian about databases available from the library’s computers.

WHAT TO READ IN AN ELECTION YEAR

• “The Faith Factor: How Religion Influences American Elections” by John C. Green
  
• “The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008” by Mark Halperin and John F. Harris
  
• “The Great Game of Politics: Why We Elect Whom We Elect” by Dick Stoken
  
• “The Courage of Our Convictions: A Manifesto for Democrats” by Gary Hart
  
• “Meet the Next President: What You Don’t Know About the Candidates” by Bill Sammon
  
• “Painting the Map Red: The Fight to Create a Permanent Republican Majority” by Hugh Hewitt
  
  

Jeanne C. Duffey, the community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Library District, can be reached at jeanned@thelibrary.org.