Special Collections Weekly Update 5/6/2016

Important Announcements:

The Iowa Women’s Archives will be closed May 16-27th for painting.

Newsfeed:

Talk of Iowa: Brinton Films Make Second Debut in 100 Years at World’s Longest Running Movie Theater featuring Greg Prickman, Head of Special Collections in an interview with Charity Nebbe.
Kalona Times: More than a century later, silent film collection again shown in State Theater By Dan Ehl
The Discovery of “Manly Health and Training”: Walt Whitman’s Long-Lost Guide to Getting the Body You’ve Always Wanted by Stephanie Blalock from the Digital Scholarship and Publishing Studio.

Congratulations to our Graduates!

Kelly Grogg, Laurel Rhame, Ella von Holtum and Amanda Rasmussen, graduate student employees from Special Collections and the Iowa Women’s Archives, presented their posters last week as part of their Masters in Library Science. Both Amanda and Ella received ‘distinguished poster’ awards. Congratulations to Kelly, Laura, Ella, Amanda, and to all of the students graduating this month from the School of Library and Information Science.

Congratulations also to Heather Wacha who successfully defended her doctoral dissertation in history this morning.

Upcoming Events:

1. Iowa Bibliophiles Book Club Meeting

Wednesday, May 11th, Snacks at 6:30pm, Discussion from 7-8pm in the Special Collections Reading Room, 3rd Floor Main Library.

Find a copy of “The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folger’s Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare’s First Folio” and join us for a book club.

RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/597571477057785/

2. Stong Minded Men Make Music For Strong Minded Women: A Fundraiser for the Iowa Women’s Archives

Thursday, May 12, 6:30PM at The Mill

Music performances featuring Tom Mason and Homebrewed.
Suggested donation: $10 a the door, $20 with a “Strong Minded” t-shirt
Students $5 (or $15 with “Strong Minded” t-shirt)

Proceeds will go to the Iowa Women’s Archives
Donations can also be made at: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa/giving

RSVP on Facebook or the University Calendar.

3. Nicholas Meyer

Friday, May 20 at 6:30pm to 8:00pmUniversity of Iowa Main Library, Shambaugh Auditorium 125 West Washington St. Iowa City

Meyer will deliver a brief talk, titled The Last Man To Understand Anything.

There will be a Q&A session afterward.

Free and Open to the Public

More details on the University Calendar.

Event Recap:

1. Making Tribbles at “Break from Busyness” in the UI Main Library Learning Commons:

The Break From Busyness was an event in the Learning Commons everyday giving students a chance to do something creative to take a break from studying for final exams. Colleen Theisen was there with tribbles the students could stuff and stitch to add to the 50 Years of Star Trek exhibition. Students making a tribble received an “I’m a tribble maker” button and an entry to win the life size Captain Kirk cutout that is slowly being overcome by tribbles in the front case of the exhibition. Watch for more tribble making opportunities throughout the summer months!

2. Peter Balestrieri’s Report from the DemiCon Science Fiction Convention:

It was my pleasure to attend the 27th DemiCon Science Fiction Convention in Des Moines last week. The UI Libraries had a table in the hotel lobby that was seen by everyone in attendance. I gave out our coveted retro robot and rocket ship squeeze toys and dozens of our self-made zines that advertise our Star Trek and Doctor Who collections, along with a zine explaining the Hevelin Fanzine Digitization Project. I also spoke on a panel (one that fans called the “best panel in years”) on Victorian Horror with Artist Guest of Honor, Alan M. Clark. Finally, I delivered our annual, “State of the Hevelin Collection,” presentation to people who knew Rusty Hevelin and loved him. All the news regarding digitization of fanzines and the progress made cataloging pulp magazines and books from the collection was very well-received. All in all, it was another great opportunity to reach out to the people of Iowa to let them know what we do in Special Collections (and have some fun).

Special Collections' Table at Demicon — Special Collections’ table

Zombie costumes from Demicon — Zombie cosplay

Social Media & Online Community:

New Acquisition Vine Videos Pass 1.5 Million Views

Acquisitions & Collections Management Librarian Margaret Gamm’s 6 second Vine videos opening new acquisitions have been viewed over 1.5 million times total. Congratulations to Margaret Gamm and Colleen Theisen on their continuing work to deliver information about our holdings in online communities.

Seen below is Deep in the Yellow Woods from 2015. It is a carousel format book hand sewn by the artist, Lois Morrison, and featuring a fantasy poem also written by the artist and is one of 20 copies.

https://vine.co/v/iUYlxuOj7hq