Among THE NEWSLETTER OF THEFriends FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY VOLUME 21 NUMBER 1 • SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Internationalism ½ New VP of International Affairs Lays Out His Vision ½ Reenergizing Brown’s Latin American Collections ½ A Campus Landmark Reaches Triple Digits Jeffrey Schreck ’73 From the University Librarian’s Office Chair Linda Aro ’81, MA ’83 Vice-Chair Harriette Hemmasi Joukowsky Family University Librarian Honorary Directors Maurice Glicksman ScD ’97, P ’78 Internationalism Martha S. Joukowsky ’58, P ’87 Chair Emerita and the Library Fraser Lang ’67, P ’04 Chair Emeritus nternationalism is a buzz word there is no substitute for foreign John F. Mastroianni, Jr. ’71 on every college campus and travel, it is important that students Barbara Mosbacher ’45 I Brown is no exception. Cognizant learn about the history of different Henry D. Sharpe, Jr. ’45, LLD ’70 Hon., of the fact that our graduates must cultures throughout different ages P ’77, P ’88, P ’MAT ’86 thrive in a globalized world, Brown as well as the current challenges that Chair Emeritus has embarked on a series of initiatives face our world. Here, the Library is President Ruth Simmons to strengthen its international instrumental in facilitating these Directors standing. This issue of Among Friends discussions and debates. Board ofBoard Directors examines the role that the University I often describe the Brown Constance Andrews ’48, P ’78 Library plays in supporting the study Library as the nexus of scholarly life Prof. Thomas Banchoff, P ’91 of foreign cultures. Behind the on campus, but we are equally in the Alice H. R. H. Beckwith ’69 Library’s walls and across its wires “experience” business. This is evident John Berylson ’75 are seminal works from around the in the rapt appreciation of students Sophie Blistein ’41 world. From postage stamps to on seeing a note from the hand of Thomas Bryson ’72 portraiture, biographies to broad George Bernard Shaw, the hushed Seth Dorsky ’03 swords, our materials are breathtaking reverence of visitors when they walk Mary Ann Ehrlich P ’85 in their global scope. into the John Hay’s Reading Room, Gary Enos ’83 The advent of the internet means and the perceptible wave of nostalgia Herbert Iselin ’42, P ’79, P ’81 that the Library’s reach transcends that passes over alums as they S.T. (Sunand Tryambak) Joshi ’80, MA ’82 the borders of state, nation and pos- recount an afternoon spent looking Jon Land ’79 sibility. We subscribe to online data- at the Audubon folios. Pulitzer Prize Brent Lang ’04 bases, create wikis that enable classes winning novelist Marilynne Robinson Christy Law-Blanchard to add their own scholarship to digi- ’66 writes “Experience is something Bernicestine McLeod ’68, P ’99, P ’03 tal collections, and produce web that’s given to you to interpret ... and Ryan Roth ’05 resources on topics such as the the authenticity of your thought Daniel Siegel ’57 Kanto Earthquake and theatre in depends on how scrupulously you are Fredi Solod ’50, P ’78 ancient Rome. Technological in fact responding to what you have Dennis Stark advances are the impetus for many been given to experience.”At Brown Andrew Wendel ’85 of these developments, but none of this is rarely a problem. Brown Leslie Wendel ’55, P ’85 this would be possible without people students are always thirsty for new Robert Wigod ’54, P ’84, P ’88 power. Great libraries are built on experiences. Their adventures provide Hon. Frank Williams the perseverance and shared vision the spark that enables them to craft Richard Williamson ’65, P ’03 of countless individuals. Librarian works that dazzle you with their Prof. Emeritus Don Wilmeth Patricia Figueroa’s passion for Latin intellectual daring. Constance Worthington ’68 American Studies, Jean Rainwater’s Be they Babylonian clay tablets Member Ex-Officio skill at creating online tools, and the or the latest census data from Africa, Edward Widmer generosity of staunch advocates like I am confident that we will continue Director and Librarian, Maurice Glicksman are all essential to to offer resources that inspire our John Carter Brown Library what makes us a leader in the field. patrons to broaden their sense of the Staff In considering the Library’s world around them, experience the role in supporting a focus on human past in all its complexity, and Jane Cabral Friends of the Library and Events internationalism, I return to chart the scientific and social future. Coordinator something that David Kennedy, Vice Brent Lang President for International Affairs, Communications Specialist articulates beautifully. Professor Kennedy reminds us that being well Harriette Hemmasi Cover: Edwin Lord Weeks,“Crossing the Joukowsky Family University Librarian Desert,” ca. 1881, currently on display at the traveled is not the same thing as Annmary Brown Memorial. being worldly. He is correct. Though 2 Among Friends Spring/Summer 2008 The Politics of Poetry: View from the Chair Walt Whitman and the Public Memory of Abraham Lincoln John D. Rockefeller Library April 1 – June 15 Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln never met in life, but Whitman has played an instrumental role in the way Americans think about Lincoln. This exhibition, drawn from the McLellan Lincoln Collection and the Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays at the John Hay Library, explores Whitman’s memorials to Lincoln and hen I applied for admis- many Americans winning Nobel their influence on generations of sion to Brown, I had only prizes are foreign-born. Approxi- Americans. W a superficial understand- mately one-third of Silicon Valley ing of the admission process. As I companies were started by individuals Looking at Jazz understood it, Brown sought to admit born in India and China (Economist, Orwig Music Library the “best students” who applied. At Jan. 5, 2008). April 14 – May 9 the time I did not know what con- Education is a global business. Recordings, books and scores for Benny sideration was given to social issues The number of students studying Exhibits Calendar Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie and Billie or sports or anything else. As a mid- outside their home countries has Holiday. This exhibit coincides with the dle class, partial scholarship student grown exponentially. The United ALA/NEW sponsored discussion/film from Long Island, I knew only of States competes for students with series “Looking at Jazz” co-sponsored by the Brown University Library and grades, SAT scores, school activities Australia, Europe, and increasingly, the Music Department. and recommendations. I did under- India, South Korea and China, a stand that it would be better if I were process that forces our universities Machado de Assis: Reading the a star athlete, not a mathlete. to improve in order to remain Brazilian Master, Then and Now I have been a Brown School competitive. In that respect, Brown John Hay Library Alumni Committee interviewer for provides benefits to prospective April 15 – June 5 many years, and I now understand students, including world class Machado de Assis is a name that stands the admission process better than I collections and resources available in alone in 19th century Latin American did as a student. I am pleased to see its library. These collections reflect fiction. During his prolific career, more diversity among admitted the global sources of information Machado explored nearly every medi- students, by which I include race, that are important to the education um, but it was as a novelist and a short country of origin and state (for US process, including collections that story writer that he forged a narrative students). There still appears to be focus on East Asian studies, 15th voice that would forever impact the lit- a lack of economic diversity, some- century European painting, and the erary topography of his nation. Brown University Library commemorates the thing that I trust will be addressed. papers of Sergei Khruschev. 100th anniversary of Machado’s death One of the most significant It is important that Brown con- with a display of early criticism of changes from 1969 to 2008 is the tinue to develop the library resources Machado’s works, donated by Professor greater presence of students at Brown that give Brown an important role William Leonard Grossman. from outside the United States. This in the global exchange of ideas. But is a change that reflects the global- it is important that Brown be more Child’s Play: Abraham Lincoln ization process in education and than a “winner” in the competition in Games, Toys and Stories world economics. As much as I to attract foreign students. Brown John Hay Library applaud Brown’s role in admitting should assess its role in the process August 4 – October 31 international students, and as happy and communicate how and to what For more than a century, Abraham as I am that talented foreign students extent the University’s success is a Lincoln has been employed by authors, come to Brown, I believe it is worth- benefit for all concerned. toymakers and educators to present a while to examine how admission model of honesty and probity for chil- dren. This exhibition will display some decisions affect Brown, foreign of the more unusual items from the students, the United States and the McLellan Lincoln collection, docu- countries from which foreign menting the didactic use of Lincoln’s students come. image while promoting childhood fun. Foreign students are very successful, suggesting that the benefit Jeffrey Schreck ’73 For library hours and updated to the United States is substantial. Chair information on library exhibits visit: They earn a significant percentage http://dl.lib.brown.edu/libweb/hours.php of American PhDs, especially in http://dl.lib.brown.edu/libweb/exhibits engineering and the sciences, and Spring/Summer 2008 Among Friends 3 Brown University Library Treasures of the Hidden Chest Reclaiming the Konrad Tuchscherer, Associate Professor of African History and Director of Africana Studies John Hay at St.