A Look at How One Group Uses Our Meeting Rooms

The Campbell County Civil War Roundtable has met in the Cold Spring Branch’s meeting rooms since around 2005—nearly two decades. Ken Hoffman has been there from the start. His passion for Civil War history is clear; but so, too, is his love for the library.

Hoffman started the club with the late Larry Hannigan after the two became connected by a former reference desk employee. 

“She mentioned to me, ‘There’s another older gentleman I know from Fort Thomas; he’s a Civil War enthusiast and would probably like to talk to you,’” recalls Hoffman. From there, they talked over the phone and went on to form the organization. 

How does the club work? Every month—usually the second Tuesday at 7 pm—Hoffman says they either have a speaker or discussion about various Civil War-related people, places or topics. Speakers range from authors to curators to professors and people with personal connections. One recent example is Battle of Richmond Curator Phillip Seyfrit, who discussed Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith. Hoffman is hoping to have Northern Kentucky University’s Dr. Jonathan T. Reynolds back in October and November for a two-part series about the Mid-Atlantic Slave Trade. 

When asked about the importance of preserving such history, Hoffman calls back to an old saying: You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’re coming from.

“One of the things that’s really interesting about history is you find out that there’s really no such thing as the good old days,” says Hoffman. “When you hear people say the good old days, well—first of all—they weren’t being good. And secondly, what they were doing probably wasn’t in the daytime [but in the nighttime]… it really wasn’t the good old days; it was the bad young nights.”

When it comes to Civil War history, Hoffman goes on to point out that there’s interest around the country. There are hundreds of roundtables, both formal and casual; the first was founded in 1940 Chicago. (Hoffman previously lived in the Windy City and attended the roundtable there, too.)

The group averages 12-15 attendees, though some speakers draw more (like, Hoffman says, when author Peter Bronson spoke to the group). Unlike other roundtables, there are no dues; the Campbell County Civil War Roundtable is casual and easy to join—just show up!

“The library is a central facility,” says Hoffman. “Most people that have any education or culture about them will use the library; even if they don’t use it themselves, they bring their kids here for books or programs. They look upon [the roundtable] and are, like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know that group was there.’ They all of a sudden come and start enjoying our speakers and the group. It has helped us develop.”

Every branch has meeting rooms that outside groups are welcome to reserve while not in use for regularly scheduled library programs. All meetings must be open to the public. View availability and make a request at cc-pl.org/services/meeting-study-rooms. 

“It’s a great place to be; it’s easy to get here; we always have great speakers,” says Marty Neltner, a roundtable regular who has known Hoffman since their high school days at Newport Catholic. “We’re learning about things that we didn’t learn about before.”

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