Coe Bibliophile •^College

Winter, 2001 A newsletter for members of the Library Association

Medora Added to the Conger Metcalf Collection

A young teenage girl with red hair, green eyes The loan brings Coe's Metcalf collection to and a gentle, unwavering gaze, is the subject of 43, adding to a quality collection with broad the latest painting to be installed in the Stewart range. Memorial Library's gallery space. The painting Metcalf studied art with Marvin Cone and is titled "Medora," and the artist who painted it . But in contrast to their in 1974, in oil and graphite on clay, is Conger themes, Metcalf s work shows a preoccupation Metcalf '36. "Medora" was Metcalf s mother. with Italy, particularly in his use of earthy col• The painting is a long-term loan from the ors and in the choice of subject matters - land• Jonathan Clark Conger House, which is the scapes, still lifes, flowers and street urchins. museum of the Washington County Historical Metcalf was a former associate professor of art Society and was the home of Metcalf s great• at Boston University's School of Fine Arts and grandfather. The Historical Society loaned the his work was exhibited widely in the United painting to Coe because of the lack of climate States, particularly on the East Coast. control systems at Conger House. The Library galleries, which also exhibit 13 The painting was becoming slightly wavey in works by Grant Wood, 60 by Marvin Cone, the upper right hand corner, said Evelyn and various other artists, were spruced up a bit, Lukavsky, Washington County Historical So• prompted by the loan of "Medora." Walls were ciety board president, and needed to be in a painted and the Metcalfs were rearranged. setting where it would be preserved. On June 27 a public reception was held to The Historical Society was aware of welcome the painting. Speakers included Metcalf s ties to Coe, Lukavasky said. "And we Lukavsky, Marguerite Gurekian, a dear friend were aware of what a lovely library you have at of Conger's, and Bob Kocher, art professor Coe." emeritus and gallery curator. On Oct. 8 members of the Washington County Historical Society came to Coe for a private tour of the permanent art collection. They were impressed with the location of the Medora, said Rich Doyle, director of li• brary services. The painting is located on the library's second floor, prominently displayed between the two galleries that hold the major• ity of the Metcalf collection. By being displayed at Coe, more people will be able to see "Medora," Lukavsky said. "I'm sure that Conger Metcalf would be very, very pleased."

Robert Kocher, Coe art professor emeritus, accepted the Conger Metcalf painting "Medora" from the Washington County Historical Society on behalf of the college June 27, 2000. The painting of Metcalf s mother has hung in Washington County's Conger House for years, (photo courtesy of The Cedar Rapids Gazette) Bibliophile

Rare and Beautiful Book Given to Coe

One of the most attractively illustrated production without sex (by budding), to Johns Hopkins, and the third he gave scientific books of the 18th century, and etc. in November to the University of Cali• one of just 60 such books purported to Howard Lenhoff, who has a Ph.D. in fornia, Irvine, where he is a Professor be available in libraries, is now part of the Biological Sciences from The Johns Emeritus. the Stewart Memorial Library collec- Hopkins University, has close ties to Randy Roeder, head of technical ser• vices and college archivist, describes "Memoires" as "in stunning condition, beautifully preserved." The book is printed on rag paper, which will last "forever," Roeder said. It is revered as well for its illustrations, and for details that show the great craftsmanship be• hind the printing. For instance, the im• print of the copper plates used to print the illustrations can be seen and felt on the pages. Because of the book's rarity, it is now housed in the climate controlled vault of the Henry Archives. The rare book joins about two dozen other rare books in the Library's collection. The Lenhoffs published a translation of the Trembley text in 1986, called "Hydra and the Birth of Experimental Biology." They translated the book from French, adding commentary and infor• mation about Trembley. Sylvia's role in This summer, Howard Lenhoff '50 (left) and his wife, Sylvia, donated an original French putting Trembley's work in context with monograph, dating back to 1774- They are pictured here with Randy Roeder, head of technical the history of science fit with her profes• services and college archivist. sion as well — She is a historian (photo by George Henr>) (Harvard MA). The couple donated a

tion, courtesy of a gift from Dr. Howard Trembley's work. In Howard Lenhoff s copy of their translation to Coe in 1986. Maer Lenhoff'50, and his wife, Sylvia. first post-doctoral research appointment Randy Roeder describes the transla• Abraham Trembley's "Memoires pour he helped develop the means for cultur- tion as "a first-class reproduction." The servir a l'histoire d'un genre de polypes ing hydra so the animal would be more Lenhoffs went to great lengths to pro• d'eau douce" is a 1774, original French amenable for research scientists. He duce a book that stayed true to the qual• monograph, beautifully engraved with studied the animal for nearly 25 years ity of the original book, down to repro• fold-out plates illustrating Trembley's and published over 100 research papers ductions of the fold-out plates. pioneering research. Trembley's on it and edited about six books in the "This was a labor of love," Roeder groundbreaking work offered outstand• field, with his first coming out in 1961. said. "In a way, this translation is valu• ing discoveries with hydra — or as he Howard Lenhoff got his first copy of able in and of itself." called them, "polyps of fresh water with the Trembley volume in the late 1950s. Howard wanted to give the book to arms shaped like horns." "I got the book because Trembley was a his Alma Mater because, "Coe has al• Trembley is considered by some to be great scientist whose approach I was fol• ways been good to me, and I wanted its the "father of experimental zoology." He lowing: an experimental approach to the library to have a copy of this rare and is known for making the first experiments life history of the animal." important book. I also hope it, through of regeneration of whole animals, grafting He eventually collected three of the the translation, might stimulate more of animal tissue, positive phototaxis, re- rare books. One he gave to Coe, another students to enter experimental biology." Senior Praise Lands Library a National Ranking

The group of patrons that spends the most the service categories measured, "indicating time deep in thought in the Stewart Memo• just how unusual it is for students to have this rial Library has given high marks for the much regard for their library," said Randy "It shows that we are far library's offerings and, as a result, an impres• Roeder, head of technical services and col• sive national ranking. lege archivist. and away more popular In a survey of seniors at 79 four-year col• Other categories in the survey included with our graduating seniors leges in the U.S., 88 percent of Coe seniors class size, recreational facilities and student ('00) rated Stewart Memorial Library's ser• housing. No other school in the survey had a than the typical school," vices as very satisfactory or satisfactory. ranking as high as Coe's library in the library While those adjectives may not seem overtly category, or any category. said Randy Roeder, flattering, it's the numbers that show an in• "It shows that we are far and away more head of technical services credibly impressive round of praise. The av• popular with our graduating seniors than the erage library rating of other participating typical school," Roeder said. and college archivist. schools was just 55 percent. Why? The ranking came from the Senior Survey, "One of the main reasons we have such a a component of the 2000 College Student high satisfaction rate with students is because Doyle, director of library services and direc• Survey developed by the Higher Education of the quality of the library collections. The tor of technology. Research Institute at the Graduate School of Coe College Library Association has pro• Other participating schools include Education & Information Studies at UCLA. vided thousands of dollars since its inception Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Penn.; The 33 percent spread between Coe and to support library acquisitions. We would not Knox College in Galesburg, 111.; Pepperdine other schools is even more significant be• have had such an outstanding satisfaction University in Malibu, Calif.; and Sarah cause it was far and away the largest in any of level without CCLA members," said Rich Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.

Archival Scholarly Journals Now Available

Scholarly journals that may not be the titles are not in the library or we do to subscribe. readily available to library patrons in not own the complete sets." Other new services and upgrades: hard copy are now easily accessible elec• JSTOR enables faculty, staff and stu• THE NEW FIRSTSEARCH — an all new, tronically through a new service at the dents to read and print articles using updated interface to FirstSearch databases. Stewart Memorial Library. The Library standard personal computer equipment It has an easier to use interface and will offer has recently signed a license agreement at any time and from any networked Electronic Collection Online, to further with a service called "JSTOR" to pro• location (library, department, office or enhance journal literature. vide remote access to archival scholarly dorm). JSTOR specializes in nearly journals. The service became available complete runs of scholarly journals, SPECIALIZED REFERENCE for the start of this school year via on- many of which date from the 1800's. RESOURCES campus computers. The digital archive does not contain the ATLA Religion bibliographic index Over 4 million pages are available current issues within the past three to through JSTOR (short for "journal five years. Women Writers Online, Medieval and storage") which provides remote access The value of developing and main• Renaissance original manuscripts to digitally archived scholarly journals. taining a database of the back issues of Oxford English Dictionary Stewart Memorial Library has sub• scholarship journals has two primary scribed to the Arts and Sciences components: It creates and maintains a Access Science (McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia Collection and the General Science trusted archival repository and offers of Science and Technology) Collection, which gives access to the enhanced and convenient access to Grove Dictionary of Art Online 123 journals that are available online. older journal materials. JSTOR is also BAS Online (Bibliography of Asian "The acquisition of JSTOR is a major committed to adding new titles. So far, Studies) enhancement of serial resources," said 739 institutions have signed up for the Rich Doyle, director of library services services provided. Coe College is one of ...and coming in 2001, The New Grove and director of technology. "Many of four Iowa higher education institutions Dictionary of Music II Bibliophile

Virtual Exhibits Let You Peer Into Coe's Colorful Past

Any archivist would be appalled at the thought viously displayed due to their delicate condi• of mice in their treasured collections. But at tion or to a lack of exhibit space, said Randy Coe, a click of a computer mouse gives you a Roeder, head of technical services and college peek into the dim corners of the school's ex• archivist. Then too, contemporary technology ME tensive collection of archival material. allows the library to reach an audience far Sa "From the Henry Archives... " is a series of larger and more geographically dispersed than

SSaaagsagpTi-T virtual exhibits highlighting a few of the many was once possible. items housed within the vault and reading While there isn't really a substitute for an room of the George W.Henry College Ar• actual examination of original documents and chives. The virtual exhibits are part of Coe's artifacts, there are some advantages to the vir• online Sesquicentennial information, featured tual exhibits. For instance, developments in at www.coe.edu. Access the Sesquicentennial imaging capabilities allow the presentation of content and the virtual exhibits through the li• visual information in ways that the original brary home page or the Sesquicentennial item can not be displayed. home page. Illustrations and photos, for instance, can be So far three exhibits have been mounted, displayed larger than they actually are, which featuring photos and ads from the Circuit in turn shows more detail. Chautauqua, which employed many Coe stu• Rather than an academic endeavor, "From dents early in the last century, the history of the Henry Archives..." is a celebration of the Coe's Ditty Book and Game Day football pro• 150 years of Coe College. Images are freely grams from the 20s through today. New vir• re-sized and enhanced without notice of alter• tual exhibits will be added to the series every ations or reference to the size of the original. six to eight weeks over the course of Coe's No attempt has been made to present a sys• Sesquicentennial celebration, which ends in tematic treatment of the history of the school. December 2001. For the most part, exhibit topics were chosen Why mount a series of virtual exhibits? for visual interest. Most of the items featured have not been pre•

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