Collins Unbound

Events/Exhibits in Collins Library – Fall Semester 2017

Posted on May 30, 2017 by jmkyoung

EXHIBITS: We are pleased to host the following exhibit in the Collins Link:
Maremade: August 17 – January 19, 2018.
Full list of library exhibits (past, present and future)

SEPTEMBER

Tuesday, September 5: Behind the Archives Door: A Conversation with Clarissa Sligh.
Join us for a conversation with visual artist and social activist Clarissa Sligh. For over 30 years, Sligh has woven together the cultural, historical, personal and political to explore concepts of memory and transmutation, and perceptions of boundaries and identity: themes that have roots in her own experiences. Her photo-text images, artists’ books and installations have been exhibited in places such as The Museum of Modern Art and the Jewish Museum, New York, NY, Walker Art Center and the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis, MN, The National Gallery of Art and Corcoran Gallery of Art and the National African American Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. The Archives & Special Collections holds six of Sligh’s artists’ books, which will be available for viewing.
Clarissa is joined by Kim Purser, an artist, poet and teacher she met while at the Penland School of Crafts in the mid-nineties. Kim is a photographer and book artist and has worked with Clarissa on many projects. She is currently employed as a clinical director working with young people and professionals at Eliada Homes in Asheville. In 2005, she taught Clarissa how to fold cranes and has been helping her fold cranes ever since. Her academic degrees include the BA, BFA, MA, and MSW. 5:30–7:00 p.m. (Reception outside the Archives & Special Collections, 5:30–6:00 p.m.) Talk and questions 6:00–7:00 p.m., in the Archives & Special Collections Seminar Room, Collins Library.
Thursday, September 7: Behind the Archives Door: Collecting Incunabula. David Wertheimer, an avid collector of early printed books and a Director at the Gates Foundation, will share his story of collecting. Many of the books that he owns, all printed before 1502, will be available for viewing. 4:00–5:00 p.m. light refreshments and an informal lecture. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.
Monday, September 11: Behind the Archives Door: Artists’ Books from the Abecedarian Gallery.
Denver based curator and artists’ book dealer Alicia Bailey (abecedarian Gallery) will be giving an informal Artists Books on the Road presentation. The presentation will provide a unique opportunity to learn more about this engaging and intimate approach to art making through hands on interaction and Q & A. 4:00–5:00 p.m. light refreshments and an informal lecture. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.
Wednesday, September 13: Behind the Archives Door: Debut of the “Refashioning Identity” Collection.
Contributors to the campus and community embroidery project “Refashioning Identity” will gather to view the collection and share remarks about their work. Artist and stitcher Diana Weymar will join this event to share updates on her own work and exciting information about exhibitions organized that will include our pages. This is an open event, so all are welcome. 4:00–5:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.
Thursday, September 14: Mare Made Artist Reception.
August 21, 2017 – January 19, 2018.
Mare Made, spans over 4 decades of the work of local artist Mare Blocker. Teacher, mentor, writer, illustrator, printer and book artist, Mare Blocker’s work incorporates wit, humor, personal reflection and commentary about our world using a variety of techniques, formats and materials. In her own words:”In 1979, I made my first trip to the Special Collections Library at the University of Washington, which literally, changed the pathway of my life. I realized that one form, the book, could encompass my interdisciplinary passions. This was my epiphany, and I have been a book artist since. I purchased my first printing press, a Vandercook 219 and founded the MKimberly Press in 1984. Teaching affords me the opportunity to print with my students, while teaching them to print. Our exchanges have informed my work, and added another layer to my interdisciplinary practice. I like to think of the lab as a contemporary medieval workshop. When everyone is working, and the presses are running, there is a feeling of community that is magical. Nothing can prepare you for that first proof, that alchemical moment of turning lead into words on a finely printed page. I feel honored to be able to pass this tradition on.”Collins Library is honored to showcase the career of Mare Blocker in this retrospective exhibition that runs through January showcasing her early work as well as the most recent project My Beloved Community Dictionary Project. For this project Mare invited 200 of her closet friends to contribute a 6 x 8 linoleum block of a single word that will be woven together to form a community quilt of words. According to Mare, “I have always been drawn to illustrated dictionaries. I love their little pictures, charts and lists of cities and places. I’ve been contemplating a dictionary project for years, and now that I have my power press up and running smoothly, it’s time to jump into it.”Mare received her M.F.A., University of Idaho, 2006 and her B.F.A, in Ceramic Sculpture, University of Washington, 1982. She is a member of the faculty of Pacific Lutheran University and serves as an Assistant Professor of Art and Design. She teaches classes in the art of the book and printmaking and was instrumental in established the Thornily Printing Center at PLU last spring. She is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades and you can read more about her work by visiting her blog site: 4:30–6:30 p.m., Informal Remarks by Mare at 5:30 p.m., Collins Library.
Thursday, September 21: Dr. Safiya Noble – Challenging the Algorithms of Oppression: Race, Gender and Representation in the Age of Digital Information.
Noble’s academic research focuses on the design of digital media platforms on the internet and their impact on society. Her work is both sociological and interdisciplinary, marking the ways that digital media impacts and intersects with issues of race, gender, culture, and technology design. A presentation not to be missed! Sponsored by the Collins Memorial Library, Gender and Queer Studies, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, School of Education. Meet & Greet with Safiya: 4:30 to 5:00. Presentation with Q&A: 5:00–6:00 p.m. Tahoma Room, Thomas Hall.
Monday, September 25: Behind the Archives Door: Treasures from the Archives & Special Collections.
Join our new Archivist & Special Collections Librarian Adriana Flores and Assistant Archivist Laura Edgar as they share a few of their favorite things from our collections. 4:00–5:00 p.m. light refreshments and an informal lecture. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.

OCTOBER

Sunday, October 1 : Riding the Rails: A Panel on the Life and Art of Abby Williams Hill
An adventurer and nature enthusiast, Hill traveled across the country by rail to paint promotional images for the Northern Pacific railroad. A scholar, an archivist, a historian, and a curator share their insights on the life and artistic practice of 19th century painter Abby Hill. Panelists provide an exclusive look at incredible artifacts from the artist, courtesy of the University of Puget Sound. Hear stories about Hill’s family, art, activism, and the many ways that she challenged historical expectations of women. 2:00–3:00 p.m., Tacoma Art Museum.
Tuesday, October 3: Exploring Text & Image: A Conversation About Artists’ Books
We are delighted to welcome back Bill and Vicky Stewart. Bill and Vicky own Vamp & Tramp, a unique business representing over 400 fine press and book artists from around the world. They will share examples from their collection. Those attending their presentation will learn more about the unique world of artists’ books. 1:00–2:30 p.m. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.
Thursday, October 5: Behind the Archives Door: Zines and More!
Katy Curtis, Humanities Librarian, will showcase our growing collection of zines and discuss how they can be used for teaching and learning.
The Collins Library Zine Collection is a unique addition to our collections that came to Puget Sound from a generous donation through the Zine Pavilion at the American Library Association Annual Conference in June 2016 and has been growing since last summer. Currently, the Zine Collection contains around 175 zines on a variety of topics, both personal and political, including several authored by Puget Sound students. The wide breadth of topics include zines on local and national issues, politics, activism and social justice, environmental justice, queer identities, trans experiences, feminism, body image, fat embodiment, mental health, sexual assault, reproductive rights, race, whiteness, and more. 4:00–5:00 p.m. light refreshments and an informal lecture. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.
Thursday, October 19: Behind the Archives Door: The African American Communist Party Pamphlets.
Lori Ricigliano, Reference and Learning Commons Coordinator and Associate Director for User Services, will showcase our unique collection of African American Communist Party pamphlets, as well as other new acquisitions related to African American history. 4:00–5:00 p.m. light refreshments and an informal lecture. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.
Monday, October 30: Behind the Archives Door: Open House!
Have you ever wondered exactly what an archivist does all day? Join us for an open house. Tour our spaces for a behind the scenes look at the Archives & Special Collections and learn how we process archival materials and get them ready for use by our researchers. 4:00–5:00 p.m. light refreshments and an informal lecture. Archives & Special Collections Seminar room, Collins Library.

Past events blog: Fall 2017 | Summer 2017 | Spring 2017 | Spring 2018 | Summer/Fall 2018 | Fall 2018

Posted in Events | Leave a comment

Shereen LaPlantz Collection of Artists’ Books Donated to Collins Library – Reception August 9 at 2 p.m., Archives & Special Collections

Posted on May 16, 2017 by jmkyoung

Donation made by Rochelle and Ken Monner of Tacoma. Books will be a teaching tool and public resource.

Join us for an informal reception to honor Rochelle and Ken Monner for their generous gift of the LaPlantz Collection.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
(Brief remarks 2:30 p.m.)
Archives & Special Collections, Collins Library

Read the Oly Arts article!

TACOMA, Wash. – A collection of works by Shereen LaPlantz, internationally recognized artist, author, and teacher who helped bring handmade artists’ books to the attention of the public, is being donated to Collins Memorial Library at University of Puget Sound.

The more than 100 artists’ books, generously donated by Rochelle and Ken Monner of Tacoma, Wash., showcases the myriad of book structures developed by LaPlantz throughout her career.

LaPlantz’s recognition that book structures could be a combination of two- and three-dimensional formats and that they could tell their own story, as well as provide information, inspired her to write Cover To Cover: Creative Techniques for Making Beautiful Books, Journals & Albums in 1998. She also is known for her 2001 book, The Art and Craft of Handmade Books.

An art educator and personal friend of Rochelle Monner, LaPlantz taught hundreds of workshops on the art of the book and exhibited her work in galleries and museums throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Europe, and Africa.

LaPlantz’s basketry and artists’ books are represented in numerous permanent collections, including the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. Until her death from cancer in 2003, the inventive and resilient artist worked from her studio in California. She was particularly inspired by the work of two other prominent book artists, Heidi Kyle and Kevin Smith.

The book techniques and structures made by LaPlantz and her students include pamphlet stitch, basic codex, stab binding, and fold books. The donated collection also includes examples of various forms of concertina and tunnel books. Many of these directly relate to examples depicted in LaPlantz’s instructive books about the art.

LaPlantz passed on the book collection to Rochelle Monner, who has used it as a foundation for many book art classes. Monner is one of the founding members of Puget Sound Book Artists, which won the City of Tacoma AMOCAT Art Award for community outreach by an organization. Monner is credited with establishing the organization’s first “play days,” which introduce book structures and formats to the community.

Collins Memorial Library Director Jane Carlin said the new collection greatly enhances the existing artists’ book collection and will serve as a tremendous teaching resource for Puget Sound students and the local community.

“Book structures are complicated, and these books will serve as models and inspire, as well as challenge, artists to engage in new ways to construct and design books,” she said.

Jessica Spring, a Tacoma educator and printer who owns Springtide Press, commented on the legacy of Shereen LaPlantz:

“So many book artists launched their careers through workshops and books offered by LaPlantz. It is fantastic to have this resource here in Tacoma, available for study and inspiration.”

The collection will be on display in Collins Memorial Library this fall. A reception is planned for October 2017.

For directions and a map of the University of Puget Sound campus: pugetsound.edu/directions

For accessibility information please contact accessibility@pugetsound.edu or 253.879.3931, or visit pugetsound.edu/accessibility.

Tweet: #artistsbooks by Shereen LaPlantz donated to @collinsunbound library @univpugetsound. On display Fall 2017 #Tacoma http://bit.ly/2qZwQqx

Follow us on Twitter! twitter.com/univpugetsound

Posted in Announcements | Leave a comment

99 Elephants Coffee & Conversation

Posted on May 16, 2017 by jmkyoung

Suzanne in her studio. Source: http://www.goggleworks.org/events/free-lecture-suzanne-fellows-art-activism/

Suzanne in her studio. http://www.goggleworks.org/events/free-lecture-suzanne-fellows-art-activism/

January – March 20, 2017
Collins Library exhibit room

99 Elephants A Day
Check out the new front “gallery/study” space in Collins Library. Currently this space is featuring an exhibit titled 99 Elephants a Day. This exhibit features the work of Pennsylvania artist Suzanne Fellows. She made 99 elephants a day for 365 days to equal the number slain by ivory poachers in 2013: 36,000. Each one is a one of a kind mixed media print on paper with gouache and ink – 2 ½” x 3 ½”. She painted the backgrounds with a variety of water based paints and inks and printed the elephants with gouache. Some are also ‘embellished’ with markers before being stamped on the back and numbered. Collins has about 300 of the elephants on display. The exhibit also features the photographs and research of Professor Rachel DeMotts whose work focuses on aspects of conservation and wildlife. In addition, the exhibit showcases the personal collection of elephant figurines of Ken McGill as well as one of Collins artists’ books by local artist Mari Gower which address the plight of the elephant.

This room has been reconfigured to include great lounge seating and is a wonderful space to study or just hang out!

On March 22nd, a presentation titled Chasing Elephants: Conservationists, Politician, Farmers and the Problem of Ivory by Professor Rachel DeMotts and Parakh Hoon, Professor of Political Science will be offered in conjunction with this exhibit.

Artist’s Links:
http://99elephantsaday.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/99-Elephants-a-Day/411328062303168

Posted in Exhibits | Leave a comment

In praise of Librarians!

Posted on May 12, 2017 by jpelger

In praise of Librarians!
Jane Carlin, Director, Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound. May 2017

It’s that time of year when academic libraries across the country see a startling increase in the number of users. Students who might never have ventured into the building are drawn to the library like bears to honey no doubt hoping the knowledge contained within the hallowed space will seep into their pores like the Red Bull they are consuming to get through final exams.

As a college librarian, it is gratifying to see the library filled more than ever with students. This time of year, the chairs, sofas, and tables, and even the floor are all filled; the white boards are covered in formulae and writing; and laptops, phones and tablets are plugged in and powered up.

Like many libraries, writing centers, and other academic support services across the country, we offer extended hours during final exams. Our library is open 24/7, and while this may result in a few end-of-the-year shenanigans, as evidenced by the discovery of used condoms (yes, this really happens) or champagne bottles in the mixed recycling, our dedicated library staff keep their doors wide open to help students during this critical and often stressful time.

Reflecting on exam week, after a lifelong career in libraries, I wonder, can’t we do better? Students come to us with panic written all over their faces. They often have three to four final research papers to complete, and they worry about how to approach this.

I know a lot of recent discussions in higher education have centered on “executive function” skills and the need for students to learn time management and to plan. But, let’s be realistic. How easy is that to do when you are juggling a job (sometimes more than one job), you are involved in co-curricular activities, and you’re making arrangements to move out of your residence hall?

Just the other day, one of our most seasoned librarians mentioned that she had spent close to an hour with a student who had not even managed to come up with a thesis statement for her research paper— due in three days. Another student employee, who was struggling to complete coursework, refused time off from the job, simply because, in her own words, “I need the money.”

Librarians are used to this end-of-the-year panic, and we are good at dealing with it. We don’t judge a student or chastise them. What good would that do? We work with them to help complete the project, the paper, the thesis statement. We direct them to useful sources and help them map out a plan.

We breathe a sigh of relief when the couches are no longer covered in bare feet and the keyboards are cleaned of the grime. But with the end to the panic, to the grueling push to finish an assignment, and to the sheer frustration we see students suffer, we ask ourselves: “Can’t we do better?” College faculty and staff everywhere could start by asking these questions:

Are final papers and exams truly beneficial? Can courses and assignments be scaffolded over time to decrease the stress at the end of the semester? In fact, do students truly benefit from the end of the semester exams or papers, as there is no time to reflect and discuss? Is there value in considering reducing the sheer volume of work placed on students during a critical period? And how many faculty members engage their academic librarians to help develop assignments that build progressively toward a final project or paper? ( Just think about having to meet a deadline for more than one scholarly article at a time.)

These are important questions that through dialogue and reflection may yield some new approaches for reducing end-of-the-year stress. In the meantime, I am proud to be part of a profession that rolls up its sleeves, takes on extra hours, and works patiently with the anxious student, without judgment, to get the job done. Though, just to be clear, we might need a few Red Bulls as well.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

From the Archives & Special Collections: Congratulations Class of 2017!

Posted on May 3, 2017 by jmkyoung

Commencement Summer 1949

With another academic year coming to a close, another class is moving on to bigger and better things. Hey Loggers – take pride in what you’ve accomplished during your time here! And in 30 years when you come back for a reunion, make sure you stop by the archives to look back at the legacy that you’re leaving behind. Once a Logger, always a Logger!

The Archives & Special Collections is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00-3:00 p.m. or by appointment (subject to change by 2047).

By Morgan Ford

Posted in From the Archives | Leave a comment

The Rain in Portugal

Posted on April 28, 2017 by jmkyoung

Subjects ranging from travel and art to cats and dogs to beauty and death; tones range from the imaginative—“the dogs of Minneapolis . . . / have no idea they’re in Minneapolis”—to the nostalgia in a reaction to the death of Seamus Heaney. The Rain in Portugal brings an array of poems from one of the most respected and familiar voices in the world of American poetry.

Check it out in the Popular Reading Collection today!

Posted in Popular Reading Collection | Leave a comment

Something New and Something Borrowed: Designing the Collins Bookmark

Posted on April 26, 2017 by jmkyoung

This year I had the pleasure of designing the Collins Library bookmark for the worldwide program called Bookmarks XV Infiltrating the Library System, sponsored by the University of the West of England Book Arts program. The project is aimed to encourage appreciation and awareness of artists working in the book format. Participating artists each produce an edition of 100 signed and numbered bookmarks which are divided into 100 sets; one full set being sent to each of the contributing artists and the rest divided and sent in distribution boxes to participating host venues around the world, for visitors to enjoy.

The annual series is in its fourteenth year, and has had 544 artists contribute 54,700 bookmarks to date. This year, entries are being taken from libraries all around the world and Collins Library has the honor to be one of them. Our participation this year could not be more serendipitous as this past summer we received a generous donation of vintage bookmarks, postcards, and paper dolls from local Tacoma resident Sylvia Schar.

Drawing inspiration from Schar’s collection, our bookmark design combines the old with the new. On the front is the original image found from a bookmark from Schar’s collection. The illustration depicts a chivalrous hero holding his fainting damsel, about to defend her from a diabolical villain. Beneath the illustration is a charming limerick that reads: The heroine is fainting, the villain pants with rage, and the hero’s life hangs on a thread until you turn the page!

On the back of the bookmark, is a similar illustration, but with a more contemporary twist. The hero is shown fainting in to the maiden’s arms, who looks quite exasperated by the whole melodramatic scene. Beneath the illustration there is also a clever limerick: The hero has fallen and at the most troubling of times! But thanks to his fair Maiden, all will turn out fine.

With this design we hoped to capture the ways in which we learn from the past and in turn, improve upon it. (And not without a touch of humor of course!)

If you’re interested in learning more about vintage bookmarks, drop by the Collins Library Joys of Ephemera event, (Monday, May 1^st from 4:00p.m-5:00p.m. in the Second Floor Archives Seminar Room) for a chance to look at some amazing pieces of Schar’s collection and to receive your very own copy of the Collins Library bookmark!

Posted in From the Stacks: blogs from Collins Library student employees | Leave a comment

From the Archives & Special Collections: Adventures in Washington

Posted on April 26, 2017 by jmkyoung

Spring has finally sprung! With the sun shining a little more than usual, we need to take full advantage of the warmer weather. The book “Adventures in Washington” by Archie Satterfield will give you plenty of outdoor activities to try. The book is broken up into regions of Washington such as the coast, the Cascades, the Sound, and Seattle with different areas in each on places to camp, fish, hike, or swim. Along with descriptions of each place, there are pictures of the wildlife and scenery of that area. Rather than doing an easy Google search, check out this book in the Archives & Special Collections and see what Washington has to offer through the point of view of someone who experienced all of the state’s many wonders.

The Archives & Special Collections is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00-3:00 p.m. or by appointment.

By Sierra Scott

Posted in From the Archives | Leave a comment

Laura Russell – “Trunk Show” on the current exhibition of Artists’ books: BUILT, May 17th, 11am, Collins Library

Posted on April 25, 2017 by jmkyoung

May 17th, 11:00am – 12:00pm
Collins Library, 2nd Floor Archives, University of Puget Sound
Toast to Laura, 11:30am

After years of supporting the Book Arts community with the wonderful 23 Sandy Gallery Exhibits and events, as well as supporting and representing many artists, Laura is starting a new chapter in her creative life. Join us for her final trunk show, featuring the exhibit, Built.

This international juried exhibition of book and paper art aims to examine the relationship between contemporary book art practices and architecture, engineering, landscape and construction as form, function, and structure. Let’s re-image the ways we as designers, of either books or buildings can inhabit and shape the world around us. Our disciplines have a natural synergy. Taken a step further, book art can provide a framework for topics like urbanism, town planning, buildings, and space. Let’s examine the relationship between the built and the book.

Posted in Events | Leave a comment

The Lioness is the Hunter

Posted on April 21, 2017 by jmkyoung

When the body count rises to two, one of which was employing you, where would you turn?

Detroit entrepreneur Carl Fannon hires Walker to trace Emil Haas, his partner, who has suddenly disappeared. Almost immediately, the missing man shows up and asks the detective to meet him in the empty Sentinel to discuss a top-secret concern. Walker finds not Haas, but Fannon’s suffocated corpse locked in a basement vault.

When Gwendolyn Haas, the partner’s adult daughter, enters the picture, the client number rises to three, including one missing and one murdered. But the worst is yet to come: Emil Haas’ “concern” is that Fannon has been buying up depressed real estate on behalf of Madam Sing– believed to have been executed in Asia for capital crimes without number…

Check it out in the Popular Reading Collection today!

Posted in Popular Reading Collection | Leave a comment

Events/Exhibits in Collins Library – Fall Semester 2017

Past events blog: Fall 2017 | Summer 2017 | Spring 2017 | Spring 2018 | Summer/Fall 2018 | Fall 2018

Shereen LaPlantz Collection of Artists’ Books Donated to Collins Library – Reception August 9 at 2 p.m., Archives & Special Collections

99 Elephants Coffee & Conversation

In praise of Librarians!

In praise of Librarians!
Jane Carlin, Director, Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound. May 2017

As a college librarian, it is gratifying to see the library filled more than ever with students. This time of year, the chairs, sofas, and tables, and even the floor are all filled; the white boards are covered in formulae and writing; and laptops, phones and tablets are plugged in and powered up.

Reflecting on exam week, after a lifelong career in libraries, I wonder, can’t we do better? Students come to us with panic written all over their faces. They often have three to four final research papers to complete, and they worry about how to approach this.

Librarians are used to this end-of-the-year panic, and we are good at dealing with it. We don’t judge a student or chastise them. What good would that do? We work with them to help complete the project, the paper, the thesis statement. We direct them to useful sources and help them map out a plan.

From the Archives & Special Collections: Congratulations Class of 2017!

The Rain in Portugal

Something New and Something Borrowed: Designing the Collins Bookmark

From the Archives & Special Collections: Adventures in Washington

Laura Russell – “Trunk Show” on the current exhibition of Artists’ books: BUILT, May 17th, 11am, Collins Library

The Lioness is the Hunter

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Meta

Past events blog: Fall 2017 | Summer 2017 | Spring 2017 | Spring 2018 | Summer/Fall 2018 | Fall 2018

In praise of Librarians! Jane Carlin, Director, Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound. May 2017

As a college librarian, it is gratifying to see the library filled more than ever with students. This time of year, the chairs, sofas, and tables, and even the floor are all filled; the white boards are covered in formulae and writing; and laptops, phones and tablets are plugged in and powered up.

Reflecting on exam week, after a lifelong career in libraries, I wonder, can’t we do better? Students come to us with panic written all over their faces. They often have three to four final research papers to complete, and they worry about how to approach this.

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Meta

In praise of Librarians!
Jane Carlin, Director, Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound. May 2017