University Libraries

As part of the International Year of Astronomy, participants from around the world are hosting astronomy-related events in celebration of 100 Hours of Astronomy, April 3-5.

The University Libraries is joining in by providing a look at some of our history of astronomy materials. See rare books by Galileo and Brahe, celestial atlases and star charts, and explore the history of astronomy at the University of Iowa, including films featuring Dr. James Van Allen. 

Friday, April 3rd at 11:30 am
Main Library, Room 2032 

Presentations will be by Greg Prickman, Assistant Head of Special Collections, Wendy Robertson, Digital Resources Librarian, and Kari Kozak, Science Education & Outreach Librarian.

Photos, personal papers, oral histories, manuscripts, military records, original legal documents, maps and artifacts that chronicle lives, historical events and social movements are the kinds of material that make up archival collections. These resources are not only preserved for the historical record, but are collected for discovery and use. Technology has significantly increased the accessibility of these collections through databases that are free to the public.

Federal Documents Librarians at the UI Libraries are hosting a workshop on the use of archival materials. Speakers include: Lori Cox-Paul, Kansas City Regional Office, National Archives and Records Administration; Matt Schaefer , Hoover Presidential Library; Mary Bennett, State Historical Society of Iowa; as well as David McCartney, University Archivist; Karen Mason, Curator of the Iowa Women’s Archives; and Gary Frost, University Conservator all from the University of Iowa Libraries.

For more information, please check http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/govpubs/us/archives_wkshop.html

The workshop is currently full, but you are welcome to add your name to the Wait List.

When was the last time you really devoured a good book? This year, the University of Iowa’s Center for the Book invites faculty, staff and students to join us in celebrating the annual International Edible Books Festival by creating a delicious book to share with your fellow literary and food enthusiasts.

To celebrate this international event, the Book Arts Club is organizing an exhibition of edible books to be on display on April 1st (no joke!) in the North Lobby of the University of Iowa Main Library. There are only two rules; entries must be edible and they must have something to do with books as shapes and/or content. An entry fee of $5 goes to support the Book Arts Club.

Edible books will be on display from 10am – 12 noon, followed by a reception and book tasting from 12 – 2pm. The awards ceremony starts at 12:30 pm, with prizes awarded based on Best Book Structure, Most Creative Literary Reference, and Best In Show. Also, all entries are automatically entered into a raffle for free sketchbooks from Blick Art Materials.

* The International Edible Book Festival is a yearly event held on April 1st throughout the world. This event unites bibliophiles, book artists, and food lovers to celebrate the ingestion of culture and its fulfilling nourishment. Participants create edible books that are exhibited, documented, and then consumed. Information and inspiration can be found on the Festival’s home page at www.Books2Eat.com.

http://www.uiowa.edu/~ctrbook/events/index.shtml#edible_books

With the fall of Rome, Europe turned its back on the marvelous contributions of Classical civilization. But the legacy of Greek thought was not completely lost. It lived on and developed elsewhere: in the Arab world. Supported by expert commentary and enhanced by footage of historic Arab architecture and period works of art, this comprehensive series (in twelve parts, shown over six evenings) documents the remarkable history and the most significant cultural, scientific and technical achievements of the Arab empire, which came to prominence between the 7th and 13th centuries.

Dates: April 1, 8, 15, 22; May 6, 20
Time: 7pm
Venue: Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A

The first showing will be WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 7PM, ICPL, Meeting Rm. A

“The Arabs Make Their Entrance: Islam and Empire” (26 min.)
As the shadow of the Dark Ages fell across Europe, the scene for the advancement of Western civilization shifted to the Near East. This program charts the rise of the Arab empire, from its roots in the long-standing rivalry between the Byzantines and the Sassanids.

“Once Upon a Time: Baghdad During the Abbasid Dynasty” (26 min.)
The victory of the Abbasids over the Umayyads signified much more than the replacement of one dynasty with another. With it, Islam saw the birth of a multiethnic concept of power, in which both Arab and non-Arab Muslims could share authority.

The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City Public Library, UI Middle East and Muslim World Studies Program, African Studies Program, and Medieval Studies Program are sponsors of this film series.

All films will be introduced by Edward Miner, International Studies Bibliographer, University of Iowa Libraries, with discussion to follow. This film series will be shown in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name in the north foyer of the University of Iowa Main Library. For more information, contact Edward Miner at (319)335-5883 or edward-miner@uiowa.edu.

One of the most controversial episodes in the history of public health was the late 19th and early 20th century eugenics movement. Relying on faulty science and nationalist bigotry, eugenicists sought to identify and retain “superior” human genetic stocks while restraining the spread of “inferiors.”

Kathryn Gaskill, Honors Candidate the Department of History, will provide insight into this dubious movement in her presentation to the UI History of Medicine Society,  “A ‘More Perfect’ Nation; The Midwest’s Role in the Eugenics Campaign to Eradicate Degeneracy.”

Tuesday, March 24
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Main Library, Room 2032
Light refreshments served.

Midwestern states, including Iowa, acted to limit reproduction of their population’s “degenerate” elements by legislating involuntary sexual sterilization of the “feeble-minded” and habitual criminals. These states also attempted to retain the “favorable” members of society through the Country Life Movement, which sought to prevent urban migration by making farm life more attractive to rural young people.

The session is open to the public. For additional information, contact Edwin Holtum at 319-335-9154.