Allen Kurzwell invites on his personal conquest to find his childhood nemesis, Cesar Augustus, over a span of forty years. This tale travels across the country, from a Swiss boarding school to the world’s largest law firm to federal prison in Southern California. This tale of life, loss, karma, mourning, and peace illustrates a breathtaking act of personal courage.
Check out this combination of a childhood memoir and literary thriller in the Popular Reading Collection!
And how better to celebrate than by giving you some behind-the-scenes tours?
Let’s say there’s a class coming in tomorrow. The lesson plan was drawn up, the material was chosen, and the students were already notified that they’re going to paying us a visit. What do we do from here? The first order of business is always pulling that material and getting it ready to be set up into groups.
Depending on the subject, our material can either come from the archives or special collections (or both). Special collections is always a bit easier to find for me, since most of our collections are books with call numbers, but the archives is a bit more complicated. Everything comes out of its own collections, whether that’s the President’s Papers, the Photo Collections, the Office of the Dean, the Trail, Ephemera, Alumni Archives, Department Records, the Board of Trustees Minutes… there’s a lot of information stuffed into a single room up here.
For example, we do a session for STS 202 (Science, Technology, and Society II: Since 1800) that discusses women in science at the university. This session is entirely based on archival material. Among the material we use for this class, there’s a “letter to Dr. Vinnie Pease, 1938.” This isn’t enough information to find the letter, and though we do have a searchable database, it’s not quite like Primo.
So in this case, we have a list of documents and each has a note on where it can be found. The letter to Dr. Vinnie Pease can be found in the Alumni Association collection, Box 1, Folder 15, and there’s an extra note saying that it’s the last document in that folder. Once we’ve found the document, we put a marker in that specific folder, exactly where the document was, and label it with an identifier so that when we have to put the letter back, it’s really easy to find its place again. Wash, rinse, repeat for anything else that’s a letter.
Things that aren’t necessarily single documents but instead are bound volumes are pulled in their entirety. Bound volumes of the Trail usually span an entire academic year, so they’ll get a bookmark for the appropriate edition. Tamanawas (the yearbook) and bulletins are pulled, but they don’t get bookmarks. Students usually have a good idea of what to look for in these.
After everything has been collected and divided into their respective groups (we typically have anywhere from three to six groups), the next day we’ll set them all out on the tables, arrange them in an aesthetically pleasing manner, set out handouts if needed, and wait for the class to arrive! If your class has ever been to the archives, you’ll know what to expect from there.
N.B.: These pictures aren’t of our new space, as we haven’t taken any pictures of class set up in our new space, and our storage room is still a bit cluttered.
The Archives & Special Collections is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12:00-3:00 p.m. or by appointment.
By: Morgan Ford
Showing October 15 – December 16, 2016
Opening Reception: October 20, 2016, 5-6:30pm
The Collins Memorial Library presents an exhibit from the Burke Museum, Salish Bounty: Traditional Native American Food of Puget Sound. Focusing on the revival of traditional Native foods, Salish Bounty is co-curated by Burke Museum archaeologists and Coast Salish advisors, with additional artifacts and specimens supplied by the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound.
Salish Bounty – comprised of historic photo images, map and informative text reminds us that food isn’t solitary; cooking and eating are things we do with other people and express our cultural history and values. Knowledge of the Coast Salish cuisine has been passed down from the elders and supplemented by archaeological and historical research. More than 280 kinds of plants and animals have been identified as ingredients in this cuisine. Contemporary Coast Salish cooks incorporate both traditional and newly introduced ingredients, sharing traditions to create healthy alternatives for families and communities still struggling with loss of lands and waters, drastically changed lifestyles, and imposed industrial foods. Salish Bounty provides a local perspective on a myriad of 21st century food issues and how, as in many places around the world, the revival of Coast Salish food traditions embodies the reestablishment of more healthful and sustainable practices that honor land and community.
In addition, the exhibit also features a number of baskets from the private collection of Kenneth McGill. The Coast Salish Indians wove a variety of baskets to serve many purposes including gathering, storing and preparing food. The baskets and the exhibit complement the existing permanent display of totem poles in the Collins Library as well as the paintings of Abby Williams Hill, who was a friend of the Flathead Indians.
Books to browse for recipes, history and cultural traditions, along with a number of recipes round out this unique exhibit.
Credits: Salish Bounty: traditional Native American Foods of Puget Sound has been organized by the Burke Museum, University of Washington, with co-curators Warren King George (Muckleshoot/Upper Skagit Indian tribe) and Elizabeth Swanaset (Nooksack/Cowichan/Laq’amel Tribes.) The Collins Library also thanks the Slater Museum of the University of Puget Sound and Kenneth McGill.
Since Lin-Manuel Miranda’s mesmerizing production Hamilton: An American Musical took to the stage in early 2015, it has been an undeniable hit, generated a wealth of public commentary, and brought renewed energy and enthusiasm to musical theater and the study of American history. Is it even possible at this point to have missed the story of the “ten dollar founding father” and his meteoric rise on Broadway? For anyone who has managed to miss the accolades and awards, the critics, or the social media bonanza, Miranda’s musical provides a (mostly) historically accurate account of the life and death of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and the founding of the American nation by combining traditional elements of a Broadway musical with the lyrically
dense, complex musical style of hip-hop and rap and a racially diverse cast. Put plainly, Hamilton is much more than a rote, oft-told story of long-dead, white guys; it’s clever, emotionally engaging, relevant to our current political and social climates, and now showing up in classrooms all over the country.
I haven’t always (ever?) been a serious history buff, but I love musicals, popular culture, critical analysis, and thorough research. When I first heard the Hamilton soundtrack in the fall of 2015, not only did I set about evangelizing the show to anyone in close range, I immediately started looking for opportunities to tap into its educational potential. What better way existed to fuel my obsession than connecting it to my work with undergraduates at the University of Puget Sound? The musical is remarkably well-researched, drawing heavily from historian Ron Chernow’s biography and primary source materials from Hamilton’s life and times, making it an obvious match for students of history; however, I’d like to suggest that Hamilton’s academic appeal stretches beyond its historical narrative to more varied disciplinary endeavors. As a librarian for the humanities, I frequently find myself supporting students as they examine (and sometimes grapple with) the personal, social, political, and structural contexts that shape creative work – most often in the realm of literature. When I discovered that my colleague, Alison Tracy Hale, Professor of English (and fellow Hamil-fan!), was interested in re-designing her early American literature course with an eye toward the musical, I knew I’d found my shot at a collaboration.
Designed to familiarize students with the history, literature, and culture of the eighteenth-century, Professor Hale’s current course uses Hamilton as a lens to explore Revolutionary America. Over the course of the semester, students immerse themselves in the raw materials that inform Miranda’s musical and undertake a variety of individual and group work, which hone skills in interpretation and research. As we prepared, Professor Hale and I found the richness of the source material combined with our own overwhelming enthusiasm for the musical to be a challenge when selecting just the right readings and assignments to shape the course (that said, we have plenty of ideas for further iterations!). Not wanting to stray too far away from intended learning outcomes or inadvertently teach a history lesson, we settled on a range of assignments that reflect the creative and interpretive work of scholars of literature. Assignments include ongoing annotations to the class compilation of the musical’s lyrics, using Annotation Studio; close readings and literary analyses of the musical; a research-based annotation assignment using primary documents; the revision or creation of a music number; and a final, researched and thesis-driven interpretive presentation. Through the course readings, assignments, and research opportunities, we hoped to enable students to make connections between the musical and its relevant historical and contemporary contexts, as they performed analytic work and made use of necessary resources and research methodologies used by scholars in the discipline. This is no small task, but it can be accomplished through thoughtful and intentional collaboration. What follows is a brief summary and assessment of how our ambitious endeavor to bring Hamilton to undergraduate literature students played out in one of their assignments.
For their first library-integrated assignment, students were placed into small working groups and tasked with conducting a close reading and analysis of a historical letter written by or to one of the figures from the musical. The letters were selected by Professor Hale and myself using the open-access correspondence collections of Founders Online. Because students were already reading so much of Hamilton’s own writing for the course, we attempted to offer additional voices and perspectives by selecting letters written by Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Maria Reynolds, and other individuals associated with Hamilton’s story.
In preparation for their library session, students spent class time discussing the functions of letters in the 18th century, tried their hands at transcribing a digitized manuscript letter from Alexander Hamilton to his wife, Elizabeth, and generated a list key elements to consider for further research when reading their letters. Implicit in these activities was an emphasis on the purpose and process of close reading – an essential skill for the study of literature. While the students did not have to work with manuscript letters for their assignment, the transcription exercise proved to be an engaging and successful introduction to the process of analyzing a primary source. In the library session, we were able to apply the knowledge gained in this experience and the students’ list of criteria to an example letter from Angelica Schuyler Church to Thomas Jefferson in order to showcase a variety of research strategies and resources for them to use in the assignment. This approach, we hoped, would enable students to add depth to their analysis by encouraging an examination and evaluation of the letters based on elements beyond the content of the document (e.g., date, author, recipient, style, or purpose).
Using background research from tertiary sources to provide contextual details, students then created a “scholarly edition” of their group’s letter, similar to the kind found in a literary anthology. The scholarly editions included a formal headnote providing biographical and historical information about the letter’s author, recipient, and any historical, political, or social context significant to the content. Additionally, students annotated the text to provide further background information, clarifications, vocabulary, or literary insights. Students were encouraged to use the annotations as a means for providing relevant information to aid readers in the comprehension, analysis, or evaluation of the letter. Finally, they summarized their work and process, explaining the choices they made in their edition and their importance to understanding the original letter.
This fall, students in ENGL 234: American Literature & Culture aren’t throwing away their shot to take an academic dive into all things Hamilton!
While designing the assignment and accompanying library session required a not insignificant amount of preparation and collaboration, I can honestly say that this has been one of the most enjoyable teaching experiences I’ve had at Puget Sound. Not only have students responded enthusiastically to the source material – both in Hamilton the musical and the historical and literary works they’ve encountered in class – they’ve contributed to this material in meaningful ways through creative, interpretative, and research-based disciplinary work. The semester isn’t over yet, but based on our first library session and assignment together, I have no doubt that these students will continue to blow us all away as they examine, enhance, and re-imagine Hamilton’s story.
More information, accompanying resources, and a reading list for popular media coverage on Hamilton can found on the companion guide to ENGL 234.
By Katy Curtis, Humanities Librarian
University of Puget Sound
Image: http://www.artsatl.com/decatur-book-festival-2/
On the third floor of the library is a beautiful, quiet, calm study area with panoramic windows that over look the university campus, and a catalogue of children’s books as well. If you explore to the left of the third floor there on the shelves are beautiful stories such as “The Talking Eggs”. Childhood classics such as Roald Dahl and Dr. Seuss are squeezed next to contemporary children’s books such as “Heather Has Two Mommies” and “Night Shift Daddy”.
Although it may have been years since many college students on this campus have opened up a children’s book, these stories still have much to offer us as growing individuals. Children’s books which include themes of race, sexuality, and inequality are becoming more popular and there is value in understanding how new generations are being exposed to these ideas. The story books are available to you at any time, and if you make your way upstairs then take a seat by the window, watch the rain drizzle down, and enjoy the nostalgia with a hot cup of tea (in a closed container of course).
By Janne Deng
Exhibit runs October 20, 2016 –
May 14, 2017.
Chandler O’Leary: Farm to Table
Opening Reception:
October 20, 2016, 5-6:30pm
Collins Library
This exhibit will feature a series of illustrations, lettering, patterning and paper installations that highlight organic farming and the sustainable food movement in the South Sound region. From original sketchbooks to cut-paper pieces, the body of work illustrates the agricultural importance of our region and highlights the struggle to preserve farmland amid rapid suburban and industrial development.
Please join us as Bill and Vicky provide the chance to see, read and touch dozens of exemplary books from the current Vamp and Tramp roadshow.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Collins Library, 2nd floor Angle room
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Vamp & Tramp Booksellers specializes in artists’ books and fine press editions. Proprietors Bill and Vicky Stewart represent over 250 contemporary fine presses and book artists, with works starting at under $10. For more information, visit their website at: vampandtramp.com.
October 2016
The “Open Report”
Ben Tucker, Business and Economics Librarian, is spearheading our efforts to promote Open Access. Contact Ben for more information on this important initiative: btucker@pugetsound.edu
Sound Ideas:
Did you know that in the past 30 days more than ten thousand documents have been downloaded! That means individuals from all over the world are taking note of the scholarship Puget Sound is producing. If you haven’t looked at Sound Ideas for a while, click here. Check out the link to the top ten downloads and be sure to scroll down the page and view the map that shows where in the world individuals are accessing our scholarship.
Wednesday at 4
A Wednesday at 4 panel on OER is scheduled for October 5. Open Education Resources (OER) are playing an increasingly significant role in the higher education landscape. OER hold the promise of providing flexible, high quality, revisable, remixable, learning materials, and of reducing the financial burden to students. Please join Rob Beezer (Math), Rob Hutchinson (Music), John Hanson (Chemistry), and Ben Tucker (Library) for a conversation about their experiences with OER.
Learn More About OER from Nicole Allen from SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition)
We are hosting a discussion of Open Education Resources with Nicole Allen, Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) Director of Open Education Oct. 7, 2-3 pm, Library 020. Ms.. Allen is an internationally recognized expert and leading voice in the movement for open education. Starting during her own days as a student at the University of Puget Sound, she has worked tirelessly to elevate the issue of college textbook costs and access to education into the public spotlight and to advance openness as a solution in both policy and practice.
Congratulations to Rob Beezer: Rob received a grant to support OER textbook platforms and informs us that about twenty textbooks using his authoring system are under development.
Lever Press: http://www.pugetsound.edu/news-and-events/campus-news/details/1497/
Don’t forget the Library is a founding member of the Lever Press. Think about submitting proposals to this innovative new press that supports Open Access.
Interesting Reading:
Open Access:
Fair Use & Image Rights:
Need Information? Don’t forget the Collins Memorial Library – Library Guides
Questions? Contact your liaison librarian
Comments: Contact Jane Carlin, library director
Remember – Your best search engine is a librarian!
Just a reminder that this Saturday, October 8th from 10:00 – 11:00 am in the Pacific Northwest Room is the first session of our Rocking Chair Reading Room series.
Please welcome Karen Robbins, local author and artist (and Puget Sound graduate) who will read from her book Care For Our World. This is a wonderful opportunity for children of all ages.
Care For Our World has received the following prestigious awards:
We will also have a fun craft activity for all young readers. Puget Sound students will be on hand to join in the fun and share the schedule for the rest of our Reading Room sessions.
We hope to have a room full of young readers!
Questions: Jane Carlin, jcarlin@pugetsound.edu
Do you have something to say about the library? A suggestion or request to make? Or perhaps you just want to voice your appreciation for a specific service we provide? You can do all of the above through the new Collins Memorial Library Comment Board! Located in the Library’s Learning Commons, just go ahead and fill out a comment card and see our response within in a few days posted on the Comment Board!
Many students have already begun taking advantage of this new interactive display by contributing comments. Here are few of our comments and answers!
Here at Collins Library, value your opinion and wish to do whatever possible in order to make your library experience the best that it can be! In order to achieve that goal, however, we need your guidance. Come on over to Collin’s Library and tell us how we’re doing!
