Steve Gossard, curator of Circus Collections, Milner Library, will present the talk “When the Can-Can Came to Town” at 4:30 p.m. Friday, November 8, at the University Club in the Founders Suite of the Bone Student Center.

Illinois State University has one of the largest collections of circus memorabilia in the nation. Bloomington-Normal was an overwintering site for nationally renowned circuses during the first half of the 20th century. Gossard has a very extensive knowledge about circus culture and history. He will talk about how a few unidentified glass negatives in Milner’s circus collection led to a study of American dance and raised some intriguing questions about Bloomington’s history.

All faculty, staff, annuitants, and ISU community members are welcome to attend the University Club from 3:30-5:30 p.m. this Friday in the Founders Suite of the Bone Student Center. The campus community is invited.

Additional information about U-Club events and activities can be found at the U-Club website. Continued program support is provided by ISU’s Office of the Provost and the Office of the President.

Those who need special accommodations can contact the event organizer at http://uclub.illinoisstate.edu/.