Digital Library Services

We’ve added a new viewer to the item interface for the Iowa Digital Library.  dmMonicle is an image viewer that makes it easier to see detailed pictures with its click-and-drag capability (think Google Maps).  Another significant change is how you zoom.  Rather than having defined zoom levels, zooming is handled with a sliderbar.  It doesn’t look a whole lot different from the previous toolbar, but the usability is much improved!

A shout out to the development staff at the UNLV Libraries for making this terrific viewer!

–Mark F. Anderson
Digital Initiatives Librarian

In 2000, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack declared Oct. 12 to be “Paul Engle Day,” in honor of the Iowa-born poet who served as head of the Writer’s Workshop from 1942 to 1977, helping to develop it from an obscure experimental program to an internationally renowned literary center. Featured here is an audio recording from the first annual Paul Engle Literary Festival, which includes tributes to Engle from International Writing Program Director Christopher Merrill and from novelist Arnost Lustig.

Audio recording: First Annual Paul Engle Literary Festival, The University of Iowa, 2000

The Libraries is currently preparing to play host to area junior high and high school student researchers participating in National History Day, a program that teaches critical thinking, research, and presentation skills through a nationwide contest.

Below are a few images from Iowa Digital Library related to this year’s theme, Innovation in History: Impact and Change.

 Diesel locomotive from the Rock Island Railroad, drawing, ca. 1937

James Van Allen in his laboratory, The University of Iowa, 1953

Evelyn Birkby driving a tractor, Shenandoah, Iowa, 1950s

Surgical instruments, engraving, 1655

Men driving automobile, Iowa City, Iowa, 1920s

“Preparing sweet corn for freezing…” by A.M. Wettach, ca. 1948

Carl Menzer broadcasting, The University of Iowa, ca. 1930

“The laugh is on  you,” postcard, 1917

Congratulations to former DLS student assistant and recent library school grad Sarah Dorpinghaus on accepting her first professional position. Sarah was instrumental in helping us put together our Lincoln Digital Collection, so it’s fitting that she’ll relocate to the Land of Lincoln, where she’ll be working as a Project Archivist at the Chicago History Museum. Good luck, Sarah!

“City of Chicago” card catalog collage by Emma Waight, 2005

The Shields Trio of Chicago talent brochure, 1920s

“How Chicago Killed the Bear” editorial cartoon by Ding Darling, 1931

“1970 Biennial Convention of the MENC, Chicago, Illinois” album by The University of Iowa Band, 1970

Billy Dancy and her mother, Chicago, Ill., photograph, 1940s

 Lincoln Monument, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Ill., postcard, 1940

From seven points of view, to be exact, as we feature these Fair-related images from the Iowa Digital Library.

“From another point of view” editorial cartoon by Ding Darling, 1927

“Hot Popcorn (Iowa State Fair)” oil painting by Bill Hamilton, 2004

State Fair 4-H demonstration, ca. 1928

President Gerald Ford at Iowa State Fair by Michael Lemberger, 1975

Iowa State Fair Women and Children’s Building postcard, 1910s

UI Assoc. booth at the Iowa State Fair by Frederick Kent, 1921

Iowa State Fair collage, 1904

In honor of the upcoming anniversary of the birth of children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (b. July 28, 1866), we’re featuring the Libraries’ digital flip-book version of our first-edition copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. (Be sure to turn on your speaker for page-flipping sound.)

To view more digitized books, please visit Iowa Digital Library and Iowa Research Online.

“With a fantastic and unknown power, the tape recording commanded my imagination to fly and run. That’s why the Peter Nazareth Collection brought back to my life — with all its intensity — one of the most remarkable experiences I’ve ever lived.”
– Venezuelan poet Mariela Arvelo, featured in the Peter Nazareth Collection of digitized audio recordings

The storied history of the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program is now available for the world to hear. “The Peter Nazareth Collection,” which consists of 30 years of audio interviews with IWP participants and guests, is digitally archived at http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/vwu.

Since 1967, more than 1,000 creative writers from 120 countries have visited the university to attend the IWP. In his interviews with writers connected to the program, Peter Nazareth, a UI faculty member and an advisor to the International Writing Program since 1974, captures the essence of what it means to be a writer at “The Writing University.”…

“Peter and his wife, Mary Nazareth, are the institutional memory of this program,” IWP Director Christopher Merrill said. “His memory is incredible and he has amazing stories to tell.

“His recordings not only are really intelligent and quite moving, but they get at the nitty-gritty of what it means to be a writer. What he does in these interviews is dive into what the writer is all about. Peter really makes an effort to connect with the writer. He tries to understand what motivates a writer to do what they do. That’s at the heart of what writing at Iowa is all about.”

Read the full press release here.

The University of Iowa Libraries has reached five million volumes! To celebrate this milestone, we helped give some special treatment to the lucky five-millionth title, The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa, edited by David Hudson, Marvin Bergman and Loren Horton and recently published by the University of Iowa Press to spotlight prominent Iowans throughout history. The impressive team of scholars and writers who contributed to the book includes The UI Libraries’ own Kären Mason, Curator of Iowa Women’s Archives, and David McCartney, University Archivist.

We in Digital Library Services, along with our colleagues in the Applications & Web Services department, created an online version of The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa.  It is now fully searchable and freely available to readers and researchers around the world, along with the fifty other titles in the University of Iowa Press Digital Editions. Both the print and online versions will be featured at the Iowa City Book Festival this Saturday, July 19.

–Joanna Lee
Digital Projects Librarian, Digital Library Services

This week, DLS bids farewell to Digital Projects Librarian Anne Shelley, who has accepted the position of assistant librarian with the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota.  Anne started her tenure just last June amid the rising waters of the Iowa River flood.  Listing all of her accomplishments would cause the blog server to crash, so just a couple of highlights…

 She led the Ignaz Pleyel digital collection to fruition, a one-of-a-kind collection of over 200 early editions of Pleyel music scores.  The project required a great deal of coordination and planning, which Anne carried out successfully.

Anne also recorded several tutorials on using the Iowa Digital Library, helping users to navigate the sometimes-tricky interface of IDL. 

Good luck Anne!  We’ll miss you.

–Mark F. Anderson
Digital Initiatives Librarian

In honor of Independence Day, please enjoy these patriotic artifacts, which are among the 250,000 digital objects viewable in the Iowa Digital Library.

 “Doodle Dandy of the U.S.A.” promotional brochure, 1920s

Vincent Paints July 4th Fireworks Over Manhattan by Greg Constantine, 1982

“Don’t burn your fingers…” postcard, 1908

“Six Miniatures: Fireworks” performed by Catherine Rowe, 1973 

“Barack Obama: 4th of July card game,” 2007