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Category: Art Library

Main Library Stacks
Jan 17 2023

Meet the 9 Student Library Workers Awarded Scholarships for 2022-2023

Posted on January 17, 2023January 20, 2023 by Natalee Dawson

We’re grateful every day for our student workers, whose contributions are foundational to the University of Iowa Libraries. They’re the vital engine behind everything we do, from the front desk at the Lichtenberger Engineering Library to the stacks at the Main Library. These dedicated students make time alongside their classes to create friendly, helpful environments where library users can focus and explore.

For the 2022-2023 academic year, nine student employees have been awarded scholarships in recognition of their work in the UI Libraries. We’re proud to celebrate each of them, as they share how their time in the UI Libraries has impacted their studies, their confidence, and their plans for the future.

Elizabeth (Lizzi) Ayers has been awarded the Judy and Mike Greer Scholarship in Memory of Mary E. Greer. She is an English major and French minor from Iowa City, Iowa. Through a summer project maintaining 18th-century Belgian political pamphlets in Conservation & Collections Care, Lizzi discovered a love of antique materials—and found the inspiration to begin her own career in librarianship.

“Working at the Libraries has helped me strengthen my professional communication skills (both verbal and written), as well as giving me a chance to pick up a variety of collections care/management-specific skills such as database navigation and caring for fragile items. [There is] variety in my work, day to day. Working in Collections Care has reassured me that libraries are anything but boring.”

Skylar Halley, a mechanical engineering student from Fairfield, Iowa, was awarded the Dale M. and Mary Gail Bentz Libraries Student Employee Scholarship. Skylar works in the Lichtenberger Engineering Library, where his encounters with visitors and library co-workers exposed him to new fields of study within engineering. Meaningful discussions with one PhD student even encouraged him to reincorporate music into his life. 

“I have learned both how to think on my feet, as well as the right questions and people to ask when I am not sure what to do. Working at the Libraries has provided me with the opportunity to interact with many fellow engineering students, which has shown me the range of people in the field with a multitude of different personalities and approaches towards engineering.”

Emiline Heimos was awarded a UI Libraries Student Employee Scholarship for her work at in the bookstacks at the Main Library. Originally from Labadie, Missouri, Emiline studies linguistics (teaching English as a second language) and translation for global literacy. She has come to love the quiet and calm of the stacks, finding a meditative sense of wellbeing among the books. This tranquility has served her in the classroom, where she’s noted a sense of increased confidence.

“Working at the library had helped me in many aspects, and developing professional skills is definitely one of them. I have learned patience, how to be organized and precise with my work, and how to think critically when going about my organization. I hope to be an ESL teacher in the near future, and I believe that all of these skills will apply there… as a library patron, you see a cart of books being shelved, and that might be all. Working here, I realized that there is so much more to accomplish, and I am happy to be a part of that.”

Cara Heuer is a third-year student from Ames, Iowa studying human physiology. She received a UI Libraries Student Employee Scholarship for her work at the Sciences Library. During her time at the library, Cara has come to appreciate the sense of connection and shared motivation that naturally grows within the space. She loves to help “set the tone” for each person’s library visit by making sure to greet them with positivity and enthusiasm.

 “I have had the chance to interact with so many students and professors that I may not have otherwise met. During my time here I have been able to share so many small moments with those in the library and a part of the university community. These experiences have given me confidence in my ability to connect with others and communicate to solve problems. I hope to translate these skills into my connections with my patients and colleagues as a future healthcare provider!”

Adam Holmes is studying mechanical engineering with minors in art and mathematics. An Iowa City native, Adam was awarded a UI Libraries Student Employee Scholarship in connection with his work at the Lichtenberger Engineering Library. He was surprised to discover that library users often recognize him from the front desk when they cross paths elsewhere on campus; this made him realize that his work has an impact on each person’s experience.

“In the Engineering Library alone, it’s been fascinating to learn about our extensive tool collection, which has things that I hadn’t even heard of before this job. I also frequently have students working on research papers that come to me looking for books on a certain topic. I love seeing their surprised reaction when I show them our catalog, which usually has dozens of books, journals, and other media on their topic.”

Abigail Kellis is studying English & Creative Writing and History, with a Certificate in Museum Studies. She was awarded a Dale M. and Mary Gail Bentz Scholarship for her work in Circulation Services at the Main Library. The spirit of collaboration and mentorship she feels with her fellow library workers has inspired Abigail to seek a future career in libraries, museums, and archives.

“The library has helped strengthen my ability to adapt and solve many different types of problems. All jobs and careers have issues that arise that need to be solved, and being able to solve them or contact the people with more expertise who can solve them is an important skill to have.”

Ana Koch was selected for a Dale M. and Mary Gail Bentz Scholarship. Ana is a nursing student with a minor in music and works at the Pomerantz Business Library, where her experience at the main desk has bolstered her skill in communicating with patrons. Ana believes that her time spent in a people-oriented role will strengthen her interpersonal skills in her future career as a healthcare provider.

“Working at the Business Library has helped me improve my time management and communication skills. Having a concise working schedule helps me to remain organized. An organized schedule encourages me to stay on top of my assignments while properly managing my time. I also communicate with people on a regular basis as I work. I help them with directions, solving problems, and checking out materials. Communicating with people in a respectful fashion is a huge part of nursing.”

Alyssa Lemay, a statistics and mathematics major from Sussex, Wisconsin, has been awarded a UI Libraries Student Employee Scholarship in connection with her work in Circulation Services at the Main Library. Alyssa says that helping library users locate resources and navigate a vast collection has made her a flexible communicator and revealed her love of customer service—traits she looks forward to using in the future.

“
Working at the library, I have learned to communicate with people of all backgrounds effectively. Interacting with coworkers and patrons can sometimes be interesting or difficult because of these backgrounds! Learning to navigate these obstacles will for sure be helpful in my future career path. Part of being a statistician is working with groups of people, all of which have different educational backgrounds, to come to a conclusion. I need to be able to effectively communicate my ideas in order to achieve this goal.”

LilliAnna Scott is majoring in environmental policy and planning, with a certificate in sustainability. Lilli received a Dale M. and Mary Gail Bentz Scholarship in recognition for her three years of work at the UI Libraries, in both the Main Library and the Art Library. As a first-generation student, Lilli found that working at the Libraries gave her an immediate chance to familiarize herself with the academic resources available at a large research university.

 “I have been surprised by the deep connections that the Libraries have with the community of Iowa City outside of campus and beyond. In my time working at the Art Library, I have had the pleasure of assisting many different patrons with a range of interests. I love to see the variety of topics of books that the graduate students check out for research or the many books we send and receive through the Interlibrary Loan. This has truly shown me the powerful connections of libraries and how they enrich our communities.”

You can learn more about UI Libraries student scholarships here.

Posted in Art Library, Business, Employment, Main Library, Music, Special Collections, Uncategorized
Nov 07 2022

UI Libraries recognizes first-generation staff and student workers

Posted on November 7, 2022November 7, 2022 by Anne Bassett

The University of Iowa Libraries is celebrating its student workers and staff who identify as first-generation students with opportunities to enjoy snacks, coffee, and other refreshments at the Main Library.

It’s part of the university’s National First-Generation College Celebration held from Monday, Nov. 7 through Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. At Iowa, first-generation college students are students who do not have a parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who completed a four-year degree. Approximately one in five UI students identify as first-generation.

The campus community is welcome to stop by and grab a snack or drink in the Main Library (125 W. Washington St.) to recognize first-generation college students and staff at Iowa and the UI Libraires.

Monday, Nov. 7 – Hot chocolate and donuts in the Learning Commons
Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 9 a.m. – Breakfast and coffee in the Learning Commons near the Food for Thought Café
Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Cookies in the Learning Commons
Thursday, Nov. 10 – Assorted snacks in the Learning Commons
Friday, Nov. 11 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Popcorn in Learning Commons, Group Area D

Monday, Nov. 7 – Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 5 to 9 p.m. – Game night in The SEAM (room 2013)

Meet some of our student workers and staff who shared they identify as a first-generation student:

Kai Ayala
Jessi Beck
Cassidy Hibbert
Ryan Kangali
María Leonor Márquez Ponce
Lilli Scott
Ali Slowiak
Tim Arnold, information literacy librarian
John Culshaw
John Culshaw, Jack B. King university librarian
Eric Ensley, curator of rare books and maps in Special Collections and Archives
Heather Healy, clinical education librarian
Rita Soenksen, interim director of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion and English and American Literature librarian

Learn more about Iowa’s many initiatives to support first-gen students at https://firstgen.uiowa.edu.

Posted in Art Library, Business, Did You Know, Learning Commons, Main Library, News, Sciences, Special Collections, University Librarian, What's new
Open Access
Oct 24 2022

Celebrating Open Access Week and a new resource for UI scholars

Posted on October 24, 2022October 24, 2022 by Anne Bassett

Happy Open Access Week! We’re celebrating this year’s theme “Open for Climate Justice” with an Iowa Research Online featured collection of recent University of Iowa scholar-authored open access journal articles related to climate change.

We’re also officially launching our Open Scholarship Toolkit, which is a resource for UI scholars in every discipline to share the results of their research freely and openly with the public and the academic community.

Read on for more information about how we can help you or contact your liaison librarian for assistance. The UI Libraries supports models of open access publishing that are equitable for scholars and the general public, both at our institution and around the world. Our statement of Open Access Support provides more information about the resources and services we provide to make more UI scholarship open access. We also celebrate Open Access year-round by making it easier for scholars to make their work available Open Access.

Read on for more information about how we can help you or contact your liaison librarian for assistance.

Open Scholarship Roadshow 

Want to learn more about Open Scholarship and all its forms? It’s easy. Request an Open Scholarship Roadshow presentation or discussion for your department or group by contacting Sara Scheib, director of Scholarly Impact, UI Libraries.

Transformative Agreements 

You can publish Open Access for free! The UI Libraries has entered into several “transformative agreements” (also known as “read & publish agreements”) with publishers like the American Chemical Society, Cambridge University Press, Wiley, and others. Through these agreements, the library pays publishers for access to a journal’s full content, as well as the right to make their researchers’ work open access, under a single contract and fee. This allows authors to publish Open Access without paying for it themselves. Contact lib-impact@uiowa.edu or your liaison librarian for assistance.

Transformative Agreements 

If you can’t publish in an Open Access journal, you can still make your work freely available by depositing your accepted manuscripts, pre-prints, research data and other work in the university’s institutional repository, Iowa Research Online. Publisher restrictions on versions and embargoes may apply, so please contact lib-ir@uiowa.edu or your liaison librarian for more information.

 

Posted in Art Library, Business, Did You Know, Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio, Engineering, Faculty News, Hardin, Iowa Digital Library, Main Library, Music, News, Scholarly Communication, Scholarly Impact, Sciences
Aug 16 2022

We have books and so much more… 10 ways your Libraries can help you

Posted on August 16, 2022August 22, 2022 by Anne Bassett

The University of Iowa Libraries are here to help. We provide vital opportunities for engaging in critical learning, research, creative work, and clinical care through staff expertise and exceptional collections.

Here are 10 convenient services we provide to support your success. Students working together in the Main Library We look forward to assisting you!

1) There are seven University Libraries on campus.* 

  • Art Library 
  • Hardin Library for the Health Sciences
  • Litchenberger Engineering Library
  • Main Library 
  • Marvin A. Pomerantz Business Library 
  • Rita Benton Music Library 
  • Sciences Library 
  • *Law Library (a separate entity from the University Libraries) 

2) Specialist librarians for every major and subject.    

3) Access 1000+ research databases with a HawkID. 

4) Get quick answers from librarians through the library chat website and text a librarian for help at 319-313-2395.  

5) Have library materials delivered and receive scans of articles and chapters via email.  You can also borrow items not owned  by the Libraries through Interlibrary Loan.  

6) Four rare book rooms and five archives provide access to unique resources. 

  Rare Book Rooms 

  • Arthur and Miriam Canter Rare Book Room 
  • DeCaso Room 
  • John Martin Rare Book Room 
  • Special Collections and Archives 

  Archives 

  • International Dada Archive 
  • Iowa Women’s Archives 
  • Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry 
  • Special Collections 
  • University Archives 

7) Receive evening research and library help online and in person Sunday – Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. at The SEAM (Student Assistance at Main).  

8) There are many places to study in every library, including 24 group spaces in the Main Library’s Learning Commons (which also has the Food for Thought café).  

  • https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/commons/  
  • https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/biz/group-rooms/  
  • https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/eng/group-study-rooms/  
  • https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/information/spaces-at-hardin/ 

9) Need a calculator, caliper, or colorimeter? 275+ tools are available at the Lichtenberger Engineering Library.

10) Laptops, chargers, and more are on hand to check out. Just ask. 

LEARN MORE

lib.uiowa.edu 

Posted in Art Library, Business, Did You Know, Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio, Engineering, Hardin, IWA, Main Library, Music, News, Sciences, Special Collections
Sep 22 2020

Call for Nominations for Libraries’ Excellence Award

Posted on September 22, 2020January 8, 2021 by The University of Iowa Libraries

Award

The University Libraries is seeking nominations for the Arthur Benton University Librarian’s Award for Excellence. Funded by a generous endowment, this award acknowledges a library staff member’s professional contributions in the practice of librarianship, service to the profession, scholarship, or leadership which has had a significant impact or innovation to the operations of the Libraries or the University of Iowa. The library staff member will receive $2,000 to be used for professional development activities.

Criteria for the award and the nomination form are available at:   http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/admin/bentonaward/  Nominations are due by Wednesday, October 28.

*The University Libraries includes the Main Library, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, and the Art, Business, Engineering, Music, and Science libraries. (Professional staff in the Law Library and other campus departmental library staff are not eligible.)

Posted in Art Library, Business, Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio, Faculty News, Hardin, Main Library, Music, Sciences, Uncategorized
Aug 05 2020

Changes in Libraries’ services and hours

Posted on August 5, 2020August 17, 2020 by The University of Iowa Libraries

When campus libraries reopen on Aug. 17, services will resume in phases. To begin the semester, the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, the Main Library, and the Sciences Library will allow building access only to University of Iowa members with a valid Iowa One Card or UI Health Care Badge. Also, all campus libraries will have shorter hours, closed book stacks, and some study areas will be unavailable.

These measures allow for appropriate quarantine of returned materials, reduce concerns about cleaning, and support social distancing due to COVID-19. Access will vary by location. For example, the Music Library and Art Library will limit occupancy by restricting access to service desks only. At the Main Library, access to the fourth and fifth floors will be limited to staff only, thus reducing impact on custodians.

“The Libraries staff understand users will be disappointed that they will be unable to browse the book stacks and fully utilize library study areas,” says John Culshaw, university librarian. “We hope conditions will shift soon, enabling us to restore access and hours. In the meantime, our plan reflects those at other libraries, including our Big Ten peers.”

In addition to limiting the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the facility, closed stacks keep the Libraries in compliance with copyright agreements with HathiTrust Emergency Access Service (ETAS), which supplies emergency online access to a large portion of our collection. The ETAS service gives the Libraries access to nearly 50% of its print volumes. Find step-by-step access instructions for HathiTrust here. The ETAS service can remain available only while our stacks are closed.

Users can still borrow books by requesting book retrieval from the stacks at any campus library. Users are encouraged to request books in advance through Infohawk+. After requesting a book, users can choose from several ways to get the book. Faculty and staff can opt for delivery to campus offices. All borrowers, including community members, can request delivery by mail. Books borrowed from the Main Library’s collections can be picked up through a contactless service at the south entrance of the Main Library. Procedures vary by location; please check with your campus library for instructions.

As the semester unfolds, the Libraries will continue to monitor the situation. When deemed safe, the Libraries will consider extending hours and opening stacks for browsing. 

Thank you for your patience as we navigate changing circumstances. Please contact us at any of our campus locations with questions regarding book access. Visit our fall 2020 FAQ for complete information about changes in library services.

Posted in Art Library, Business, Engineering, Faculty News, Hardin, Main Library, Music, News, Sciences, University Librarian, What's new
BookReturn-Text-3
May 05 2020

How to return materials to the UI Libraries

Posted on May 5, 2020August 24, 2021 by The University of Iowa Libraries

This program has been discontinued

(redirect link coming)

Book return map
University of Iowa Libraries’ regional book return map. Find a location near you to return your UI Libraries books and DVDs. The UI Libraries plans to continue this service while it’s needed.


University of Iowa students can return items to the UI Libraries from afar by dropping off items at one of 47 participating libraries across the state and region. See a map of these locations or the list of locations at the end of this article.

The UI Libraries has spearheaded this special service to help students living far from campus due to the pandemic. With the aid of partnering public and academic libraries, the UI Libraries will continue to offer this service while it’s needed.

This network of libraries is participating in an unprecedented cooperative project to assist library users who are sheltering far from the library from which they borrowed items. Each library in this network will accept items from the other participating libraries and return those items at no cost to the borrower.

Students who have University of Iowa library books to return can check the UI Libraries’ book return map for drop-off locations in the state and region. Students without access to a drop-off library and those living further than 30 miles from Iowa City can request a UPS shipping label.

Students living near campus are encouraged to return books at the Main Library drop box (125 W. Washington Street, return slots available at both the south and north entrances) or the Hardin Library drop box (600 Newton Road, next to the entrance that faces University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics). Students with tools or electronic equipment should schedule a drop off to ensure the security and safety of the items.   

    • Art Library: Please use the library drop box.
    • Business Library: Please use the drop box for books and DVDs. Please return non-book items to the service desk or schedule a time by emailing lib-bus@uiowa.edu
    • Engineering Library: Please use the drop box for books and DVDs. Please return non-book items to the service desk.
    • Hardin Library: Please use the drop box for books and DVDs. Please return non-book items to the service desk.
    • Main Library: Please use the drop box for books and DVDs. Please return non-book items to the service desk.
    • Music Library: Please use the hallway book drop on the first floor of the Voxman Music Building.
    • Sciences Library: Please return items to the service desk.

Before returning library items, please observe the following safe-handling practices:

  • Do not clean, disinfect, or microwave library materials before returning them. For example, do not use water, Lysol, or any other cleaner on materials.
  • If you or your family members are sick or have been sick, seal materials in a zip-lock style bag if possible before returning.
  • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before handling library materials for return and again after you have completed the return.

List of locations for materials return

  • Iowa State University Parks Library, 701 Morrill Road, Ames, IA
  • DMACC Ankeny campus Library Bldg 6, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA
  • Scott Community College Library, 500 Belmont Rd, Bettendorf, IA
  • DMACC Boone campus Library, 1125 Hancock Drive, Boone, IA
  • Northeast Iowa Community College Library Student Center, 1625 Hwy 150 S., Calmar, IA
  • DMACC Carroll campus Library, 906 North Grant Rd., Carroll, IA
  • University of Northern Iowa Rod Library, 1227 W 27th Street, Cedar Falls, IA
  • Mount Mercy University Busse Library, 1330 Elmhurst Drive NE, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Kirkwood Community College Library Benton Hall, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Clinton Community College Library, 1000 Lincoln Blvd, Clinton, IA
  • Coralville Public Library, 1401 5th Street, Coralville, IA
  • Southwestern Community College Library, 1501 W. Townline Street, Creston, IA
  • Saint Ambrose University Library, 518 W. Locust Street, Davenport, IA
  • DMACC Urban/Des Moines campus Library Bldg 1, 1100 7th Street, Des Moines, IA
  • Drake University Cowles Library, 2725 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA
  • Grand View University Library, 1350 Morton Avenue, Des Moines, IA
  • Mercy College of Health Sciences Library Sullivan Center, 928 6th Avenue, Des Moines, IA
  • Loras College Library, 1450 Alta Vista, Dubuque, IA
  • University of Dubuque Charles C. Myers Library, 2195 Grace Street, Dubuque, IA
  • Grinnell College Library, 1111 6th Ave, Grinnell, IA
  • Simpson College Dunn Library, 508 N C Street, Indianola, IA
  • Kirkwood Community College Library, 1816 Lower Muscatine Rd, Iowa City, IA
  • Iowa City Public Library, Iowa City, IA
  • University of Iowa Hardin Library, 600 Newtown Road, Iowa City, IA
  • University of Iowa Main Library, 125 W. Washington Street, Iowa City, IA
  • Southeastern Community College Fred Karre Memorial Library, 335 Messenger Rd, Keokuk, IA
  • Cornell College Cole Library, 320 3rd Street SW, Mount Vernon, IA
  • Muscatine Community College Library, 152 Colorado Street, Muscatine, IA
  • North Liberty Public Library, 520 W. Cherry Street, North Liberty, IA
  • Northwestern College DeWitt Library, 101 7th Street SW, Orange City, IA
  • William Penn University Wilcox Library, 201 Trueblood Avenue, Oskaloosa, IA
  • Indian Hills Community College Library, 525 Grandview Avenue, Ottumwa, IA
  • Northeast Iowa Community College Library, 8342 NICC Drive, Peosta, IA
  • Dordt University Hulst Library, 700 7th Street NE, Sioux Center, IA
  • Briar Cliff University Bishop Mueller Library, 3303 Rebecca Street, Sioux City, IA
  • Morningside College Library, 1501 Morningside Avenue, Sioux City, IA
  • Hawkeye Community College Library Main Campus, 1501 East Orange Road, Waterloo, IA
  • Wartburg College Vogel Library, 100 Wartburg Blvd, Waverly, IA
  • University of Illinois Main Library, 1408 W Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL
  • Indiana University Wells Library, 1320 E. Tenth Street, Bloomington, IN
  • Purdue University Library, West State Street, West Lafayette, IN
  • University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library, 913 S. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI
  • Michigan State University Main Library, 366 W. Circle Drive, East Lansing, MI
  • University of Minnesota Wilson Library, 309 19th Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN
  • University of Nebraska Love Library, 13th & R Street, Lincoln, NE
  • University of Wisconsin Memorial Library, 728 State Street, Madison, WI
Posted in Art Library, Business, Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio, Engineering, Faculty News, Hardin, Main Library, Music, News, Sciences, Uncategorized, University Librarian
Apr 03 2020

Emergency access to copyrighted books

Posted on April 3, 2020April 3, 2020 by The University of Iowa Libraries

Effective immediately and until normal access to physical collections resumes, students, faculty, and staff at the University of Iowa have online access to a large portion of the University Libraries’ print collection—volumes that would have been difficult to access from library facilities that are closed due to COVID-19.

Reading access to digitized copies of print volumes has been granted to the UI by HathiTrust, a not-for-profit, collaborative digital library that holds over 17 million volumes digitized from academic and research libraries. The UI Libraries, in collaboration with the Big Ten Academic Alliance, is a founding member of HathiTrust.

This means that any books available through HathiTrust that are also in the UI Libraries’ collections will be available online without the additional step of requesting a digital scan. HathiTrust’s online collection contains nearly half of the UI Libraries’ book collection for an additional 1.6 million volumes now available online for our campus community.

To take advantage of this resource:

  1. Visit HathiTrust and click the yellow “LOG IN” button.
  2. Select “University of Iowa” and log with your HawkID.
  3. Use the site to locate the item you wish to view.
  4. Click on the Temporary Access link at the bottom of the record to check out the item through the Emergency Temporary Access Service.
  5. You will have 60 minutes of access to the book during any session. If you remain active in the book during any session, access time will be extended.
  6. Please note that it is not possible to download books from HathiTrust. This is to protect authors’ rights.

HathiTrust has provided detailed instructions, including how to use the service on a phone or tablet.

For help with access to these and other digital resources at the UI Libraries, please contact us.

Posted in Art Library, Business, Collection Connection, Did You Know, Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio, Engineering, Faculty News, Hardin, Iowa Digital Library, IWA, Main Library, Music, News, Sciences, Uncategorized, University Librarian
Mar 23 2020

Virtual Hours for UI Libraries

Posted on March 23, 2020March 31, 2020 by The University of Iowa Libraries

UI Libraries open online & ready to help

Click here to see our VIRTUAL HOURS during the time of COVID-19.

Posted in Art Library, Business, Engineering, Faculty News, Hardin, Main Library, Music, News, Sciences, Special Collections, Uncategorized, University Librarian
Tom Phillips' A Humument
May 31 2019

Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry moves to the University of Iowa Libraries

Posted on May 31, 2019December 16, 2019 by The University of Iowa Libraries
Tom Phillips' A Humument
A Humument Fourth Revision Page 366 by Tom Phillips, 1997. The drawing depicts a varicolored stone mosaic, which, based on the content of the poem on this page, may be an abstraction of the facade of Morro Castle that opens James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” The poem adapts Molly Bloom’s closing soliloquy that ends the book: “Oh, Ah, And I said — yes yes – I will yes – end.”

The University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections is the new home of the renowned Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry. Founded by Ruth and Marvin Sackner in 1979 in Miami Beach, Florida, the Sackner Archive currently holds the largest collection of concrete and visual poetry in the world.

The archive includes over 75,000 items that document the concrete poetry movement. Annotated books, periodicals, typewritings, drawings, letters, print portfolios, ephemera, and rare and out-of-print artists’ books and manuscripts represent 20th-century art movements such as Italian Futurism, Russian and Eastern European Avant Garde, Dada, Surrealism, Bauhaus, De Stijl, Ultra, Tabu-Dada, Lettrisme, and Ultra-Lettrisme.

Among many notable items, the collection includes materials by and about the founders of the contemporary concrete poetry movement, such as Haroldo de Campos, Augusto de Campos, Eugen Gomringer, Öyvind Fahlström, Décio Pignatari, and Ian Hamilton Finlay. Also among the richly varied cross section of artists and poets represented in the archive are Dom Sylvester Houédard, Henri Chopin, John Cage, Johanna Drucker, Yoko Ono, and Nam June Paik.

“It’s a great honor for the UI Libraries to become the new home for the Sackner Archive, which will enrich scholarship, inspire generations of students, and draw visitors from around the world,” says John Culshaw, the Jack B. King university librarian at the UI.

Margaret Gamm, head of UI Libraries Special Collections, says the Sackners’ extensive work with item descriptions makes the archive of even greater value to scholars.

“We will soon be able to make a truly remarkable assortment of materials available, thanks to the dedication of Ruth and Marvin Sackner, their love of collecting, and their determination to create a complete archive by creating descriptive item records for each piece,” Gamm says. “I cannot wait to see how our students, faculty, and community use these materials in their research and classes.”

The entire archive has been moved to the UI Libraries, where it will be housed and maintained. The Sackner family has arranged for a scheduled donation of materials to be transferred to the UI Libraries’ ownership. The archive will be open by appointment to students, scholars, and the general public starting January 2020.

The Sackner family chose the University of Iowa Libraries as the new home for the archive due to the Libraries’ reputation as a center for the study of Dadaism, with its substantial holdings in the International Dada Archive. In addition, the Libraries’ world-class conservation program, the UI’s nationally recognized Center for the Book and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, collections in the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art, and location in Iowa City (a UNESCO City of Literature) were also factors influencing their decision. The Sackners’ first encounter with Iowa was to loan work for the 1983 UI exhibition Lettrisme: Into the Present, not knowing that those items would eventually find their way back to the Midwest.

“My beloved wife, Ruth, and I had a dream that one day our efforts to build our collection into one that would reside in a world-class educational institution like the University of Iowa would come true,” Dr. Marvin Sackner says. “Our dream has finally become a reality. I am just sorry that Ruth is no longer with us to witness this monumental moment.”

In addition to housing the archive in Special Collections, the UI Libraries will maintain the condition of archive items, including fragile materials and rare or one-of-a-kind items. The Libraries Preservation and Conservation department has begun repairs on items damaged during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

In its new home, the Sackner Archive will continue to function as a living record of the concrete poetry movement, as new works are accepted into the collections. The UI Libraries will house new items as they come in and work to make the material available to all.

“It’s a pleasure to collaborate with the University of Iowa Libraries staff to ensure the safety of the collection during the move and into the future,” says Amanda Keeley, who has served as associate curator of the Sackner Archive for three years. “Margaret [Gamm] has been a particularly helpful partner, allowing a smooth process for moving this substantial archive to Iowa City.”

The University of Iowa Libraries plans to host a celebration of the Sackner Archive in the near future. At a later date, UI Libraries staff will mount an exhibition of select archive items in the Main Library Gallery. The exhibition dates will be announced at lib.uiowa.edu/gallery.

Contact

Margaret Gamm, head, Special Collections, University of Iowa Libraries margaret-gamm@uiowa.edu

Tim Shipe, curator, International Dada Archive, University of Iowa Libraries timothy-shipe@uiowa.edu

 

Images from the collection

The Sackner Archive of Visual and Concrete Poetry includes items created in a wide variety of styles and media. Initially, the Sackners collected examples of artists who started the concrete poetry movement, but the archive has since expanded in scope and now includes a broad array of works that integrate text and image. Examples include experimental typography, experimental calligraphy, correspondence art, stamp art, sound poetry, performance poetry, micrography, ‘zines,’ graphic design, and artist magazines.

The images below show a variety of materials and techniques such as calligraphy on an ostrich egg, a “handmade” leather book cover, pressed leaves, lithograph, embossed paper, tea bags encased in paper, one-of-a-kind artist’s book in a round box, carved/painted wood, and an altered book page on which poetry was created through a technique called “erasure.”

 

Couve le Feu, part of a series published by Atelier des Grames, 2000. The egg is engraved with the title and embellished with an original engraving enclosed with a text by Michael Gluck. This book object was delivered with rolled, uncrumpled pages within the shell. Their removal caused them to crumple. The texts are egg-shaped and printed on Tibetan paper with a gilded initial on each page.

 

Couve le Feu, part of a series published by Atelier des Grames, 2000.
Couve le Feu, part of a series published by Atelier des Grames, 2000.

 

Kyoto Grids by Margaret Ahrens Sahlstrand, 1984. Unique artist’s book, which captures the grids of Kyoto’s streets in original drawings contained within an unusual circular shape.

 

Les Clés de la Tombe
Les Clés de la Tombe, conceived and realized by Émile Bernard Souchière for Christian Gabriel/le Guez-Ricord. Atelier des Grames, 1987.

 

Guez Ricord by Christian Gabrielle, a series by Atelier des Grames, 1982.

 

Print by Albert Dupont
Engraving by Albert Dupont, from Isidore Isou’s Concerto pour œil et oreille (Paris: Atelier Dupont-Visat, 1984).
Posted in Art Library, Faculty News, History, Main Library, News, Special Collections, Uncategorized, What's new

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