Volume 18 Fall 2013
A newsletter for faculty and the University of Chicago community published with support from the Libra Library Society
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CURATOR ‘A Different Way of Learning about History’
Ph.D. candidate he exhibition Race and the Design of American Life: African Americans in Twentieth-Century Commercial Art runs through January 4 in the Special Christopher Dingwall Collections Research Center. Rachel Rosenberg interviewed Christopher Dingwall, a Ph.D. candidate in History, to learn about his first experience as explores race and consumer Ta curator and the exhibition itself. Tell me a bit about the exhibition. culture as a curator Images of African Americans have appeared on a wide range of consumer goods throughout the twentieth century, from Aunt Jemima’s pancakes to the Air Jordan basketball shoe. But these images did more than sell things. The exhibit explores how commercial art capitalized on—and gave powerful form to—widely held racist attitudes among white Americans throughout the twentieth century. It also illustrates how many corporations and designers, white and black, used graphic design to envision the place of African Americans in American society—from the nadir of Jim Crow racial segregation
continued on page 4 f rom the d irector
THE 2013-14BOARD OF THE LIBRARY
Diane Sperling Lauderdale, Chair; Preparing for Crossroads Interim Department Chair and Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Health Studies By Judith Nadler, Director and University Librarian
Robert Bird, Associate Professor, Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and the College; Chair, Department of Cinema and Media Studies The historic mission of libraries—to build collections and projects tackling complex questions information from our user surveys Sydney Hans, Samuel Deutsch through cross-disciplinary collaboration and invest in flexible solutions that Professor, School of Social Service via the Neubauer Family Collegium meet the needs of our faculty and Administration make them available to users now and in the future—is just for Culture and Society. In one, faculty students. A generous gift from John
Richard Kron, Professor, Department and library staff are collaborating with Blew (see page 8) supports research of Astronomy and Astrophysics and one aspect of our Library’s mission today. technologists to explore how the methods and teaching with rare materials in the College; Fermilab: Experimental of “big science” might elucidate and a group study in the Special Astrophysics Group Libraries have successfully served built for easy discovery and access facilitate the humanistic understanding Collections Research Center while generations of users, making only in an increasingly complex resource Brian Prendergast, Professor, of music, speech, and other audio joint investment by the Library, incremental changes in an environment environment. Toward this goal, we Department of Psychology and the expressions via the Audio Cultures of College, and Computer Science College with stable expectations. Today, are currently working to develop a India project (see page 6). Department (see page 7) is enabling technology introduces change at a community source, interoperable library Mindy Schwartz, Professor, Department the creation of an enhanced pace that was infeasible before. New software system, Kuali OLE, with of Medicine How can we maximize the impact of library instructional laboratory in the John technologies, changing approaches to support from the Andrew W. Mellon spaces in support of user needs for study, Crerar Library that supports the Katherine Fischer Taylor, Associate learning and research, and dynamic user Foundation, that will allow flexibility in teaching, and research? needs of a growing program. Professor, Department of Art History expectations raise important questions the choice of discovery tools. and the College and call for informed decisions about the We must build a spatial How can we equip library staff to help Mauricio Tenorio, Professor, Department choices we make. How can we ensure long-term availability environment that users identify and locate information, of History and the College; Director, of our resources in their different forms Center for Latin American Studies provides seamless undertake research, and synthesize and How can we respond to the expectation and media? integration of create knowledge? Ruey Tsay, H.G.B. Alexander Professor of broad access to exponentially growing study, teaching, of Econometrics and Statistics, Booth physical and electronic collections when we In collaboration with peers, we must School of Business and research We must invest in the ongoing have limited budgets for acquisitions? invest in the development of shared with Library development of an excellent staff, solutions for a national preservation resources and conversant in emerging technologies EX OFFICIO We must explore ways to complement eco-system, much of which is still in the services. and creative in applying their our local collections with collections we exploratory stages. Partnering in these Robert J. Zimmer, President and We must transformational power in support of Trustee of the University; Professor, collaboratively build with trusted peers. developments in their early stages ensures mine the study, teaching, and research. Department of Mathematics and Achieving the proper balance between synergy and the ability to integrate local Physical Sciences Division local depth and collective breadth will be solutions into the eco-system. A generous We would like to keep you—our Thomas F. Rosenbaum, Provost of the crucial to our users’ present and future endowment established by Dr. Albert faculty, alumni, and friends— University; John T. Wilson Distinguished information needs. We must be prepared Somit (see page 9) supports a preservation Service Professor, Department of informed about these changes and to make these decisions wisely as options internship for young librarians. Physics, the James Franck Institute, and the role you can—and do—play in the College arise. With the support of a generous preparing us to navigate crossroads. donation from the Rhoades Foundation How can we harness the power of new Garrett Kiely, Director, University of Toward that end, we have redesigned through the cooperation of Julius Lewis technologies to support new approaches to Chicago Press and expanded our newsletter, Libra, (see page 8), we are exploring possibilities research employing a wide range of media? so that it not only provides news Klara Jelinkova, Associate Vice with our Ivy League colleagues through President and Chief Information about how the Library supports the Borrow Direct program. New approaches can be developed Technology Officer, IT Services research, teaching, and learning at through interdisciplinary and, the University but also thanks and Judith Nadler, Director and University How can we broker ubiquitous and sometimes, international collaborations Librarian recognizes those who join us in easy access to information that we do not among faculty, librarians, and making this investment. Diana Jergovic, Associate Provost for locally control? technologists. A generous gift from Academic and Budgetary Initiatives Joseph Neubauer, MBA’65, and Jeanette We must invest in the development of Lerman-Neubauer to the University is forward-looking, linked discovery tools now enabling eighteen ambitious research Judith Nadler Director and University Librarian
2 | LIBRA Fall 2013 Fall 2013 LIBRA | 3 Interview with curator Christopher Dingwall continued from page 1 Top left, Roger Lewis and Harry Olsen. Jazzin’ the Cotton Town Blues. Top center, Christopher Dingwall with album covers: to the advent of the Civil Rights how I’m going to try to explain them to graphic designers, corporations selling nineteenth century. Have you given special thought to how you King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Freddie Movement. audiences. It’s a way for me to explore a these images, the products they were but blackness could be abstracted want to address and analyze those images in Keppard, New Orleans Horns; and Kenny With racial imagery, American different kind of scholarly communication selling, and where the products were used in other ways to project different the exhibit? Burrell, Kenny Burrell. Top right, album advertisers and consumers gave social directed at a public audience rather than in the home. In the end, although each visions of African American life. Take, cover: Roscoe Mitchell Sextet. Sound. Yes, absolutely. That’s something I’ve been meaning to the mass produced things of scholarly, academic readers. part of the exhibit advances a history for instance, the albums produced by Bottom, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre. thinking a lot about. I don’t want to show modern consumer culture. Particularly that moves forward through time and African American entrepreneur Henry Humility in the Light of the Creator. All items these images gratuitously. They come held by the Special Collections Research for African American entrepreneurs and Did your ideas about the subject evolve shows changes, particularly in the role Pace for Black Swan Records in the from a dark time in American history Center, The University of Chicago Library. artists, the graphic design of race could much as you worked on it? of African Americans as consumers and 1920s. “Black Swan” was an allusion when this was a part of everyday life. But be used as a powerful tool to claim their designers, I decided that each section of to a nineteenth-century black opera Yes. Originally I thought that the I think to leave it at that would be a huge place as consumers and as citizens in the exhibit should focus on a different singer Elizabeth Greenfield, and the exhibition would focus on racial mistake because we are not yet over this American society. kind of relationship between the image, image of a swan on the records became So you have important educational objectives memorabilia and would present a narrative history. The blackface images are not just its makers, and its ultimate consumers. a sign that signified musical talent for visitors to this exhibition. Are there of how racial imagery evolved over the some bygone, antiquarian caricature; they What got you interested in this subject and heritage. A more modern example other ways you expect to use your curatorial twentieth century. The Special Collections were here at the heart of the birth of our originally? Can you tell me about some of the imagery would be the Nike Air Jordan jump experience in your teaching? staff was pretty keen on the idea, and modern mass culture, and we are still in the exhibit? man. A silhouette of Michael Jordan It comes out of my dissertation, Selling Dan Meyer, the Director of the Special dealing with that legacy. But these images Right now I’m a preceptor and supervise holds a basketball in mid-air. It coded Slavery: Memory, Culture, and the Renewal Collections Research Center, gave me One thing that fascinated me was how change. African Americans protested, history seniors as they write their BA blackness as physical prowess, but also of America, 1876-1920. There I explore other suggestions for collections to look at. the advertisements represented blackness revised, and transformed the imagery and essays, and I’ll be teaching a course of my transcendent flight, escape. how images of slavery get commodified, He pointed me to sheet music and record in abstract forms to different effects. changed the terms by which images of own in the spring. I hope to bring these mass produced and consumed. I’m asking albums, the archives of Chicago printing In blackface minstrelsy, white men Obviously, some of the images on display race could be figured in consumer culture. students to Special Collections to show why slavery became a way to sell movies, company R. R. Donnelley & Sons, and impersonated African Americans by here have been and continue to be i’m trying to show this material them the range of materials available there: postcards, food products, and very the Yoffee Ephemera Collection, which blacking their faces with burnt cork, especially painful for African Americans. in a way that provokes thought about books and printed material but also things modern cultural products. includes records, games, playing cards, which allowed them to turn blackness how race is still a big part of consumer that you wouldn’t expect a library to have, the exhibit came out of my curiosity and little figurines. into an object of hate and profit, but also culture. I hope that, after you see this albums and three-dimensional objects, about what happens next, after 1920. In So my focus expanded from racial to project onto it all kinds of fears and exhibit, you can go outside and see a sign consumer goods. They offer a different a way, it’s an epilogue to the dissertation memorabilia to how race works in anxieties facing white working men in or a billboard with an African American way of learning about history. I’m currently writing, but curating the consumer society more broadly. The the new industrial age. The blackface figure on it and ask yourself how it plays exhibit is a different sort of intellectual different collections I saw spoke to mask was so powerful that advertisers on the same kind of tropes, feelings, and challenge and involves different ways of different ways that race worked and adopted it as an image to sell modern associations that were used in earlier racial Visit the associated web exhibit at thinking about how I’m using objects and different kinds of dynamics between industrial products toward the end of the imagery in American design, as well as lib.uchicago.edu/e/webexhibits/raceanddesign how the imagery has changed.
4 | LIBRA Fall 2013 Fall 2013 LIBRA | 5 LEFT: Label from a recording of Bhairavi raga by the prominent vocalist Malka Jan of Chulbuli. A 78 rpm shellac gramophone record, released by Ajano Double-Face Record. Produced in Vienna? by A. Janowitzer, 1913?
Chicago; and David Nirenberg, who moderated. Speaking on “The Virtues of Bastardy: Mixed Metaphors and Collaborations in the Studio,” Kentridge B rn in the Library and Taylor discussed their experiences The Neubauer Collegium kicks off its first programming year with Library collaboration collaborating with artists ranging from puppeteers to writers to opera singers on projects such as Taylor’s play Ubu and the Truth Commission and Shostakovich’s opera The Nose. New Computer Science A Worldwide Literature: Ja¯m¯ı (1414-1492) in the Dar al-Islam Instructional Lab in Crerar he Neubauer Family Directed by Professors Philip and Beyond Collegium for Culture V. Bohlman and Kaley Mason of and Society opens its doors this the Department of Music and by This project is developing a research he new Computer Science Instructional Lab (CSIL, fall on the premises of its first Bibliographer for Southern Asia James agenda on intellectual trends in the post- pronounced see-sill) opened this fall on the first floor of the John Crerar classical Muslim tradition by studying TLibrary. Replacing the smaller Regenstein CSIL, also previously known home—the Joseph Regenstein Nye and Cataloger and Assistant Library. As scholars from Southern Asia Librarian Laura Ring of the reception of works by the luminary as the MacLab, the new CSIL offers expanded resources for teaching and around the world meet here to the Library, workshop participants from fifteenth-century ‘Abd al-Rahm¯an J¯am¯ı. student work to support a growing College computer science program. investigate complex questions the University and other institutions are The Library’s Southern Asia Department the construction and operation of CSIL at Crerar is the result of a Tthat transcend any single discipline gathering to investigate how the methods is assisting Professor Thibaut d’Hubert partnership between the Department of Computer Science, the College, and or methodology, they draw on the of big science might elucidate and in the preparation of a digital collection the John Crerar Library. “The College is pleased with a strong collaborative collections, spaces, and staff expertise of facilitate the humanistic understanding and searchable corpus of Unicode texts effort that will yield important resources for student learning and creative the University of Chicago Library. of music, speech, and other audio comprising J¯am¯ı’s works and the Indian engagement with technology,” said John W. Boyer, Dean of the College. “The Library has long been a expressions. They are exploring the commentaries published by Naval “Both the Library and CSIL are laboratories for study and teaching at the mecca for scholars,” said Judith Nadler, scientific analysis of sonic recordings, the Kishore in the nineteenth century. University,” said Judith Nadler, Director and University Librarian. “In its new Director and University Librarian. “We history of sound in South Asia, and the The project is benefiting from well- location, CSIL will maximize its affinities with collections and services at the are delighted to continue this tradition intersection of audio with such related established bonds between the Library John Crerar Library.” by working closely with the Neubauer material artifacts as texts and images. and colleagues in Lahore, Pakistan, CSIL in Crerar offers 92 computers—up from 74 in the lab in Collegium to enable the investigation Postcard titled “Bombay Dancing Girl.” The participants include computational who are undertaking digitization of Regenstein—and provides more suitable space for individual lab sessions. of big questions in the humanities and Courtesy of the Digital South Asia scientists, statisticians, and physicists the texts by J¯am¯ı and with the ARTFL “With 80 computers in four teaching areas and 12 additional small group Library, http://dsal.uchicago.edu. The humanistic social sciences.” as well as South Asian specialists Project (Project for American and French and general user workstations next to the labs, CSIL in Crerar is designed to Graham Shaw postcard collection is support a rapidly growing computer science program in the College,” said “Libraries have always been the forthcoming on that site late in 2013. in ethnomusicology, linguistics, Research on the Treasury of the French great laboratories of the humanities, so anthropology, literature, history, Language) on campus for presentation William Sterner, Director of CSIL. “Computer Science considers the live it is particularly fitting that we should geography, and libraries. of the texts in collaboration with the interactions between students and staff to be an essential component for the Audio Cultures of India: spend our infancy nourished by the Digital South Asia Library. best educational use of the facility.” Sound, Science, and History the Lab is located on the west side of Crerar’s first floor, with exterior generosity of the Regenstein,” said David Neubauer Collegium Launch on November 14 and 15, specialists Nirenberg, the Roman Family Director One of the first events on the Neubauer working with languages ranging from windows on one side and interior glass walls on the other. “It’s delightful to Panel Discussion: William see it up and running, with students engaged in their classes and work,” said of the Neubauer Collegium for Culture Collegium calendar, the “Audio Cultures Kentridge and Jane Taylor Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Arabic and Society. “And our relationship will of India” workshop brought project team to Malay, Chaghatay, Chinese, Sanskrit Barbara Kern, Co-Director of the Science Libraries. “The first floor of Crerar is always remain close, even after we move members and other interested scholars Following an opening lecture on and Bengali are scheduled to attend a a real hub of activity now, with students in CSIL on one side of the glass wall into our own building. After all, the together in Regenstein on September 16 October 3 in Mandel Hall delivered by conference at the University of Chicago and faculty, students, and researchers on the other side using library resources Library’s treasures are one of the greatest and 17. A second workshop will follow in internationally acclaimed South African Center and the College de France in and consulting with reference librarians. The upper floors remain the silent attractions that bring scholars from all New Delhi, India, immediately after the artist William Kentridge, Regenstein’s Paris. They will study comparatively, for study and research spaces that Crerar is well-known for providing.” over the world—including our Neubauer opening of the University’s India center at Room 122 was the site for a panel the first time, the variegated impact of “We’re very pleased to participate in a partnership that supports the Visiting Fellows—to Chicago.” the end of March 2014. The workshops discussion and reception featuring J¯am¯ı’s works on the post-classical Islamic growth of an important University program,” said Andrea Twiss-Brooks, Three events exemplify the are part of the larger Neubauer Collegium Kentridge; South African writer, curator intellectual traditions, and particularly Co-Director of the Science Libraries. “CSIL will support this growth of Computer Science now and in the future.” Neubauer Collegium’s collaboration funded project, Audio Cultures of India: and scholar Jane Taylor, a frequent on the formation of new vernacular “The Library, the Department of Computer Science, and the College will with the Library. New Approaches to the Performance Archive. visiting professor at the University of literary idioms. continue to work together to think about exciting possibilities for the future,” Kern said. “For now though, we are simply enjoying the view.”
6 | LIBRA Fall 2013 Fall 2013 LIBRA | 7 powered by gifts thank you
Cooperative Collection Building with the We wish to thank and recognize our donors of gifts Ivy League: Enabled by and grants who have pledged or contributed $250 or Julius Lewis more between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013, to the University of Chicago Library. Through their generosity, niversity of Chicago faculty, William Schlaack (right) exchanges ideas students, and staff are now these individuals and foundations have supported the on best preservation practices with Head of Uborrowing circulating materials on Conservation Ann Lindsey. Annual Fund, the Library Society, Library endowments, an expedited basis from the libraries of Ivy League universities and MIT as a result and special projects. of the University of Chicago Library’s participation in the Borrow Direct Internships that consortium, which began this summer. Preserve Collections: Gifts $100,000 and Above Gifts $1,000-4,999 Scott Sprinzen and Over time, Borrow Direct will facilitate The Korea Foundation Anonymous Lucy K. Marks Virginia and more than rapid collection sharing. “The Estate of George C. McElroy Andrew Abbott and A Gift from Albert Somit Stephen M. Stigler Students examine rare materials in the Special Collections group study now named for John Blew. Borrow Direct project provides a venue The Rhoades Foundation Susan Schlough with the cooperation of E.M. Bakwin James H. Stone to explore future models for shared s the 2013 Mary and Samuel Julius Lewis Mary Beth Beal Patricia Swanson collection building that include both Somit Preservation Intern at the John and Joan Blew The Buddy Taub Foundation print and digital forms,” explained Judith Interacting with Collections: AUniversity of Chicago Library, Gifts $50,000-99,999 William M. Card Charitable Michael Thompson Nadler, Director and University Librarian. Robert W. and William Schlaack spent six weeks this The British Library Trust The launch of Borrow Direct at the Barbara L. Thompson summer helping staff to prepare for a Trust Estate of Harvey M. and Preston M. Torbert A Gift from John Blew University of Chicago was made possible Robert W. Evans Marianna Tax Choldin broad range of potential challenges. James M. Wells by a generous gift from the Rhoades Trust Estate of Helen M. Nelson Hedy Sally Cohen Deliberating with Preservation Librarian Peter and Foundation with the cooperation of Julius Howard Zar Frank E.B. Conaway he renovated Special Collections Research Sherry Byrne and Head of Conservation Diana Churchill White Lewis, AB’50, AM’54. When asked why Teri J. Edelstein and Center, located in Regenstein on the pathway to Mansueto, cannot Ann Lindsey, Schlaack assisted in support for libraries is important, Lewis Gifts $25,000-49,999 neil Harris crafting a response and recovery plan Muriel and Maurice Fulton Gifts $500-999 be missed by passersby. The rare materials and welcoming spaces answered on a grand scale: “Libraries The Helen M. Harrison to ensure that the Library’s physical The Joseph B. Glossberg Anonymous visible through its glass doors beckon students, faculty, and visitors contain civilization.” A life member of Foundation Foundation Greta Myrrl Bever collections are protected and properly The John Crerar Foundation alike. Since its recent redesign, expansion, and upgrades, the Center is the Library Visiting Committee, which he Diane K. Gottlieb Donald J. Bogue treated in the event of an emergency. Albert Somit and also the perfect destination for interactive and collaborative study, joined in 1985, he has donated annually to Richard and Mary L. Gray Catherine and Thanks to the generous gift of Linda J. Corder the University of Chicago since 1971. where researchers work to discover, study, and analyze primary Dr. Albert Somit, AB’41, PhD’47, the Eric H. Halvorson Addison Braendel Announcement of Chicago’s Celia and David Hilliard Dorothy and David Crabb sources together. Somit Preservation Internship provides Gifts $10,000-24,999 participation in Borrow Direct was well Martha E. Jameson Alan M. and Lois K. Fern John Blew, an enthusiast of American history and a serious collector of a hands-on experience for students Thomas Kooyumjian Family T received on campus. “Both personally Alice Karl Jerome V. Frazel and Foundation Americana, is a longstanding friend of the Library and a champion of Special entering the fields of preservation, Charles A. Kelly Nancy H. Wilder and on behalf of the faculty and students Carolyn and Robert Nelson Collections. Through his generous support of Special Collections’ renovation digitization, and conservation, Neil and Diana Hunt King Susan Tax Freeman and of the art history department, I want to Carol Randel and Don Randel complementing the classroom education L. Randall Koenig Leslie Gordon Freeman* project, he has helped make possible the kind of group study space students and thank you and your staff for negotiating Trust Estate of they receive in academic programs. Julius Lewis Rebecca and Joseph Jarabak for Chicago to enter the Borrow Direct Jean P. Schoales faculty frequently requested. Throughout a long career as a professor, Linda Krueger MacLachlan Norman Jung program,” Professor Christine Mehring, “I was delighted to support the renovation and expansion of the Special Executive Vice-President of SUNY– Gail Pinc McClain Eben L. and Jeanne Kent Chair of the Department of Art History, Gifts $5,000-9,999 Collections Research Center, and I’m especially pleased that my contribution Buffalo, and eventually President of The Mollusca Fund Donald and Susan M. Levy wrote Nadler upon reading the news. Anonymous will enable it to host more groups of students—especially undergraduates—and Southern Illinois University, Dr. Somit Mary L. and Tai-Loi Ma “Having used it frequently while I was a Diane Adams William Michael Murphy Erin McKean and will allow them to work on projects together,” said Mr. Blew. “The experience of has believed firmly in providing growth faculty member at Yale, I know colleagues Julie and Roger Baskes Kenneth and Joseph P. Gerharz opportunities for students that have an viewing and handling rare books and manuscripts in one of the SCRC’s group and students will benefit from it greatly T. Kimball Brooker Jocelyn Spitz Nebenzahl Charles P. and immediate impact on the students as Lydia G. Cochrane study rooms adds a level of immediacy to a course that can be achieved in no and daily.” Ruth O'Brien and Monica McQuaid well as their host institutions. other way. The Gladys Krieble Delmas Stuart A. Rice George F. Nichols, Jr. By creating this endowed internship, Foundation John H. Peterson and Peter W. Parshall “Introducing students to the pleasure and, often, the excitement that comes Dr. Somit has helped the Library to Martha J. Fleischman Randy Lowe Holgate Victoria and from direct exposure to these materials in physical form is especially important, sustain its collections into the future and Hanna H. Gray Praxair Foundation, Inc. George Ranney, Jr. I believe, in this digital age, when so much learning centers on electronic sources,” has provided students like Schlaack with Danette Gentile Kauffman Robert J. and Nancy F. Seyfried Patricia and Michael Klowden an excellent opportunity to launch their Barbara A. Richards Carol J. and he added. Trust Estate of John F. Steiner careers. “I have learned an extraordinary Robert G. and Mary Schloerb Charles R. Sievers Mr. Blew’s gift is a contribution to scholarship, learning, and inquiry. In Trust Estate of Janice Trimble Brenda Shapiro Vernon T. and Julia Squires amount,” said Schlaack, “regarding not recognition of his generosity, the new group study within Special Collections has Wayne and Emily Tuan Louise K. Smith Kurt Steele only preservation administration but also been named for John Blew. James and Edith Spain how to be an effective and collaborative Foundation continued on page 10 librarian in a world-class institution.”
8 | LIBRA Fall 2013 Fall 2013 LIBRA | 9 The Library Society Desiderata Thanks to Library Gifts of Special Books Society members’ generosity last year, and Collections more than $38,000 was raised to acquire The Library gratefully accepts gifts of special books and essential titles for the collections. A highlight from 2013 was this unique collection Library. We are seeking from Alfred Willis. Join Us additional funding for
the following titles: Alfred Willis Collection By Stephen M. Stigler, Library Society Chairman and Ernest DeWitt Burton Kadharbatcha S. of African American Popular Fiction Distinguished Service Professor, Saleem. Combined MRI Alfred Willis, a 1986 graduate of the Graduate Library School Department of Statistics and the College, and Histology Atlas at the University of Chicago, presented a collection of over and Member, Committee on Conceptual and of the Rhesus Monkey 1,200 paperback volumes of African American popular Historical Studies of Science Brain in Stereotaxic Web Ex hibit fiction, chiefly romance novels. The collection includes a copy Coordinates. London: Building for a Long Future: of Entwined Destinies by Elsie Washington (writing under Elsevier Academic the pseudonym Rosalind Welles), published by Dell in 1980 hen you receive Press, 2012. — $250 The University of Chicago and Its Donors, 1889-1930 an invitation and described as the first mass-market paperback original Geoffrey Cantor, lib.uchicago.edu/e/webexhibits/building written by an African American to feature African American to “Visit Our Web editor. The Great characters. All the major writers, series, and imprints in this Page!” does your heart Exhibition: A The University of Chicago's remarkable and distinctive genre are very well represented. skip a beat in eager Documentary History. success in the world of higher education cannot be anticipation, and do London: Pickering & understood without recognizing the daring and vision you clear your weekend Chatto, 2013. Four of an extraordinary group of resolute donors whose schedule for the joys of volumes. — $625. generosity continues to sustain the University they made The Great Exhibition possible. Based on a 2001 gallery exhibition mounted at Wexploring every link? I thought not. Great of 1851 was the first the suggestion of Dean of the College John W. Boyer, this libraries are and will always be more than industrial exhibition web exhibit explores the numerous motivations of the early web pages—think of the ancient library of international scope. contributors to the University of Chicago. of Alexandria, with every learned scroll of This edition contains the era, or the fictional library of Borges, over 140 sources which held every work ever published as well as every conceivable work Upcoming including periodical that could be published. articles, sermons, the University of Chicago Library is closer to Alexandria and Borges Library Society poems, tracts, continued from page 9 cartoons, letters and Alice D. Schreyer and than to a web page, with its wonderfully deep and well-curated physical Anthony J. Batko* journal entries. Lorna P. and Francis H. Straus Alison Marie Scott collections and exhibits, and we are alone among major research libraries Speakers Encyclopedia of Sem Christian Sutter and J. Thomas Senko and in the U.S. in that we have taken action to keep our collections entirely Wednesday, Religion, e-version. John Q. Easton Patricia Carroll “on site” for the next two decades, including at the magnificent new March 12, 2014 David W. Tsai Donald F. Steiner Macmillan. — $2,550. Kathryn Walsh and Mansueto Library. The Library Society serves as a bridge between the Glenn Most Peggy Sullivan You may also want Wesley Romansky greater University community and the Library. Visiting Professor, John T. and Carrie M. Travers to choose among Committee on Social James and Deborah Vaughan We sponsor exhibits at the Special Collections Research Center to additional titles online Gifts $250-499 Hazel and Carl Vespa Thought, The University Visiting Committee Library Society bring highlights of the collections to attention, and we hold meetings to at lib.uchicago.edu/e/ Lindy Bergman Jacqueline Wallace of Chicago; Professor of to the Library Steering Committee bring this community of common interests together for discussion and alumnifriends/libsoc/ John L. Cella, Jr. and Kathleen and Willem Weijer Greek Philology, Scuola Desiderata.html. Laura Prail John Wiley and Sons Inc. Diana Hunt King John C. Kern Stephen M. Stigler celebration. The meetings’ speakers are drawn from our own faculty as Normale Superiore di Michael Klowden James H. Christian Ryuji Yamada Chair Chair well as from an international community of scholars with strong Library Pisa (Italy) To support the Fredric L. and Eleanor B. Coe Susan M. Levy Diane Adams Mary Beth Beal interests; they have included Nobel Prize winners and Assistant Professors, purchase of one of Rose B. Dyrud *Deceased Julius Lewis Spring date to be E.M. Bakwin Eileen Mackevich David M. Bevington always with a perspective that is fresh and new to the audience. Often the these titles, please Serpil A. Emre announced Roger Baskes Gail Pinc McClain Philip M. Burno send a check for the Hazel S. Fackler meeting is followed by a dinner with conversation with other members Catherine Braendel Carolyn Nelson Lydia G. Cochrane Robert Darnton Stanford and Ann Dudley Goldblatt We have followed forms of full cost, with the title T. Kimball Brooker Paul Ruxin Jerome V. Frazel and representatives of the Library. Carl H. Pforzheimer Ingrid E. Gould and Robert Hsiung names on previous records. in the comment field, Philip M. Burno Robert G. Schloerb Diane K. Gottlieb We also support faculty, staff, students, and visiting scholars who use University Professor Charles and Helen Hall We are eager to hear from to The Library Society, Marianna Tax Choldin Louise K. Smith Edward C. Hirschland the Library by enabling the acquisition of needed books and electronic and University Librarian, Robert and Margot Haselkorn individuals and couples who Lydia G. Cochrane Bradley Jonas 1100 East 57th Street, Albert Somit resources. In addition, our donations support the Library by funding Harvard University Robert and Janet Helman would prefer a different form Margaret E. Foorman Vernon T. Squires Charles A. Kelly Room 180, Chicago, IL J. Michael Homan in future donor listings. Maurice Fulton Stephen M. Stigler Gail Pinc McClain exhibition catalogues and this very publication—Libra. 60637. You may also For more information Adele Hoskin Muriel Fulton Virginia Stigler Louise K. Smith We invite you to join us; if you would like to come to our next call Barbara Palmer- Mary Louise Gorno Patrick Spain or to register, visit Bernard L. Krawczyk For information about James H. Stone Bostick at 773-702- Diane S. and Vance Lauderdale making a gift to the Library, Diane K. Gottlieb Virginia Stigler meeting to sample the community of members, we would welcome you lib.uchicago.edu/e/ Michael Thompson 7695. Thank you for Jack Anthony Licate please contact Yasmin Omer, Mary L. Gray Preston M. Torbert Lorna P. Straus to do that as well. To learn more, visit (sigh) our web page: lib.uchicago. alumnifriends/libsoc/ Anne M. Kern Peter White your generosity. William E. Merry Director of Development, Joel Wachs edu/e/alumnifriends/libsoc. Or contact Yasmin Omer, Director of events14.html. Charles and Melanie Payne at 773.834.3744 or Development, at [email protected]. Ann M. Rothschild [email protected].
10 | LIBRA Fall 2013 Fall 2013 LIBRA | 11 Indicia TBD
1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637
Libra can be found online at lib.uchicago.edu/e/libra.
Judith Nadler Director and University Librarian
Rachel Rosenberg Director of Communications
Contributors Joseph Scott Jennifer Hart Stephen Stigler Joan Bentley Hoffman Photographers Barbara Kern Michael Kenny Daniel Meyer Tom Rossiter James Nye Jason Smith Yasmin Omer Barbara Palmer-Bostick Design Alice Schreyer Boyle Design Associates exhibitions
Race and the Design From Sausage to Hot Dogs: Firmness, Commodity, of American Life: The Evolution of an Icon and Delight: African Americans The John Crerar Library, Atrium Architecture in October 29 – December 31, 2013 in Twentieth-Century Special Collections Commercial Art he hot dog is an American Web exhibit: lib.uchicago. Special Collections Research Center creation, and Chicago even has edu/e/webexhibits/ Exhibition Gallery its own style. But where did firmnesscommodityanddelight
this popular food come from October 14, 2013 – January 4, 2014 T rawn from the holdings and how did it develop? This exhibit of the Special Collections mages of African Americans looks to the hot dog’s origins in Research Center, this exhibition have outfitted myriad mass-produced sausage-making practices brought by suggests the diversity of the consumer goods in the twentieth European immigrants to the Midwest. D Library’s architectural rare books, century, joining the politics of race We consider techniques used in I manuscripts, and archives and to the stuff of everyday life. How has neighborhood butcher shops and the their rich potential for research graphic design shaped the relationship rise of industrial meat production. across a broad range of topics in between race and consumption? Homemade recipes and artisanal the arts of building and design. Drawing from collections of food makers past and present are also Included are theoretical works and packaging, print advertisements, examined. popular manuals, records of the children’s books, album covers, and University’s physical development, toys, this exhibit traces the vexed papers of urban planners, postcards history of racial design, from stark and ephemera, photographs, and racist caricature to the productions of architectural drawings and blueprints. black-owned advertising firms.