To the Editor:

Perhaps the best kept secret in all of town lies under the Concord Public Library: The Special Collections and its current shepherd Leslie Wilson.

The Special Collections department of the library contains the most comprehensive and amazing collection of books, ephemera, photographs, etc. relating to Concord, anywhere in the world. There are writings by Thoreau, letters from Lincoln, and on and on. It was quite a number of years after I moved here that I became aware of the Special Collections. It’s a true hidden gem that I wish more people were aware of.

Leslie has been the doyenne of the department for 23 years. Unfortunately, she is getting set to retire. I think it is really imperative that Concord proceed to institute a serious search to find a qualified replacement for Leslie.

If you have not visited the Special Collections, I highly recommend you do. Look for some history about your house, or your neighborhood or take a look at the margin notes in the manuscript of one of your favorite transcendentalists. While you’re there, you can thank Leslie Wilson for her incredible curation of these priceless archives.

Beau Ryan