The Many Faces of Holmes

For a fictional character with a singular origin point that dates back centuries, Sherlock Holmes has left an outsized impression on our world today, having made his way into almost every pop culture medium in every era, in one or another of his countless incarnations. We may eliminate as impossible the task of collecting under one roof every single appearance of Sherlock in action, but taking into account the scope and detail of the Russell Mann Sherlock Holmes Research Collection, Holmes fans in the Louisiana area may consider themselves improbably lucky indeed.

The Hill Memorial Library at LSU houses the Mann Collection, one of the largest assemblages of “Sherlockiana” in the South. The collection encompasses an extraordinary variety of fiction, scholarship, and memorabilia—concrete artifacts that reveal the sprawling multiverse contained in the collective imagination of Holmes fans through the ages. From information on Arthur Conan Doyle's original publications to modern day film and TV adaptation, this archive contains plenty to delight Sherlock scholars and casual readers alike.

On March 24, Dr. Kris Mecholsky will give a presentation on “The Many Faces of Holmes,” drawing on the Mann Collection to navigate a history of Holmes, his scope of roles in pop culture, and the different ways audiences are drawn back into his world again and again. Dr. Mecholsky, a crime fiction scholar, said the collection contains “roads to exploring the vast horizon that is Sherlock fandom;” his talk highlights signposts along those roads via various items in the exhibit as well as pointing out Sherlockian destinations beyond for interested listeners.

Mecholsky's presentation is a great opportunity for educators, scholars, and mystery fans to dive into Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's life, as well as the extended life (or lives?) of his most famous character. For participants of the One Book One Community, it's also a perfect invitation to begin exploring the question posed alongside this year's The Hound of the Baskervilles program: “Who's Your Holmes?”

East Baton Rouge Public Library also provides various other educational resources for teachers bringing the program into their classrooms, as well as a roster of events throughout the season to engage students and lifelong learners of all ages in the world of Sherlock Holmes. Investigate the program's helpful online InfoGuide for ideas to inspire discussion, writing prompts, and exercises in observation and critical thinking. Then draw your own conclusion about the character of Sherlock Holmes! For a complete list of One Book, One Community programs and events, visit ReadOneBook.org.