Cumberland Times-News

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February 4, 2010

Feldstein joins regional library in creating online repository for local political history

CUMBERLAND — The Western Maryland Regional Library and its historical division often referred to as WHILBR, in collaboration with Albert Feldstein, have just launched a new Web site titled “Allegany County Campaign Buttons.”

The Web site consists of more than 200 campaign buttons and other small campaign items such as matchbook covers, fingernail files, campaign cards and combs.

Among the local political offices included within the Web site are Allegany County commissioners, members of the board of education, mayors and city council members from Cumberland and Frostburg, candidates for the office of sheriff of Allegany County, clerk of the court, state’s attorney, register of wills, judge of the orphans court, Republican and Democratic Party State Central Committee aspirants, members of the Maryland House of Delegates, state Senate and more.

Feldstein said that to the extent possible he simply attempted to identify both the individual, and the year that the person sought, or served in office. There are, however, gaps and missing pieces of information pertaining to several of the candidates depicted on the site, specifically the year of the campaign and in some cases if they were victorious or not. The data exists in several different locations, and requires time to sift through and organize. He is also quick to note, that as with the other websites, this is a work in progress with corrections and additions being made as needed.

To visit the Allegany County Campaign Button Web site, simply do a search for “WHILBR”, and locate the site under the Allegany County heading. Or go directly to www.whilbr.org, and again, look under the Allegany County tab.

In addition to the brand new Web site, Feldstein has also revised, enhanced, and added to his existing Allegany County African-American History, Presidential Campaign Buttons, Allegany County Women’s History, and Maryland Gubernatorial, Senatorial, and 6th Congressional District Campaign Button Web sites. All these can be accessed the same way as above through WHILBR.

The Western Maryland Regional Library supports the public libraries of Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties.

Feldstein has since 1980 successfully published more than 30 books, prints, and videotapes depicting the history of all three Western Maryland counties as well as nearby West Virginia.

In 2005 his political poster entitled, “Buttons of the Cause, 1960-2003” was accepted for exhibit and sale at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History in Washington where it continues to be a popular item. It can be viewed at www.buttonsofthecause.com.

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