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The University’s “Diary” now online in Iowa Digital Library

It may be called the University of Iowa’s diary: magazines catering to its alumni. Starting with The Iowa Alumnus in 1903 and continuing today as Iowa Alumni Magazine, these publications chronicle the life and events of the University and its people on many fronts: research breakthroughs, innovations in teaching, graduates’ milestonetemps, political and social movements, and memorable football games.

This indispensable source of University of Iowa history, spanning over a century, is now available online as part of the Iowa Digital Library, managed by the University of Iowa Libraries. The University of Iowa Alumni Publications Collection, based on holdings in the University Archives, includes every issue of The Iowa Alumnus (1903-1925), Iowa Alumni Review (1947-1993), Iowa Alumni Quarterly (1993-1999), and Iowa Alumni Magazine (2000-2004). Except for a 22-year interruption from 1925 to 1947 when there was no alumni publication, these magazines tell the stories of faculty, staff, students, alumni and others associated with the University.

When it premiered on December 15, 1903, The Iowa Alumnus made a modest promise to its readers in the foreword: “[The Alumnus] will not be a mere news-gatherer, a gossip-monger, or a hobby-horse. It will, however, aim to be of interest to alumni and other friends of the University, and to the University itself; but by what precise process these two things are to be worked out, will be disclosed in successive numbers.” Since its first issue, the alumni magazine has been published by the University of Iowa Alumni Association.

The more than 80 volumes of alumni publications are full-text searchable or can be browsed by year. More recent issues – those published within the last five years – will be available exclusively to members of the University of Iowa Alumni Association as a benefit of membership.

To access the University of Iowa Alumni Publications Collection, go to http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/uap.