Our collections continue to grow through the generosity of our donors, who have made it possible for impressive new resources to become available to our community.  Recently acquired is an extra-illustrated copy of The Life of Napoleon Bonapart by William Sloane, which joins an extra-illustrated set of the same biography that has been part of ourContinue reading “Life of Napoleon Extra-Illustrated and Vincent Fitzgerald & Co. Acquisitions”

The University Archives recently received an unusual object from donor Emil Rinderspacher, a UI alumnus: A human head-shaped plastic form, created by students in the UI School of Art and Art History as part of an anti-war protest over 40 years ago. Students created hundreds of these “heads,” which were placed on trees on theContinue reading “New Aquisitions from The University Archives”

Special Collections announces a new and valuable addition to its growing collections of zines and of science fiction fandom-related materials: the Debbie Hoover Fanzine Collection.  Hoover is a longtime SF fan based in Salem, Oregon who has graciously donated her collection of fan fiction, which spans from the 1970s through the early 2000s. Fan fictionContinue reading “Hoover Collection of Science Fiction Fanzines”

Special Collections has recently acquired a new letter to add to the Brewer-Leigh Hunt Collection.  This letter, written by Leigh Hunt to Vincent Novello in 1816, highlights Hunt’s close relationship with the noted composer and serves as a primary example of Hunt’s early correspondence.  In it, Hunt talks of visiting Novello and of the giftsContinue reading ““It is a dangerous thing to make presents to poets””

There are many Civil War diaries throughout Special Collections. Some are part of a collection of papers, while others are bound. There is a guide available that provides some details, and increasing numbers of Civil War diaries and documents are being digitized. Our goal is to have full digital access to all of our CivilContinue reading “Corkhill Civil War Diary”

Special Collections has purchased additional materials to add to the John Gawsworth Papers. Gawsworth was a poet and leader of the neo-Georgian movement in Britain.  He was also the second king of Redonda. As a poet he peaked early and at the age of 26 was the youngest member of the Royal Society.  He fellContinue reading “John Gawsworth Notebooks”

During the summer of 1922, a group of University of Iowa faculty and graduate students with interests in the natural sciences embarked upon a four-month expedition to the South Pacific. Under the leadership of Prof. Charles C. Nutting of the Department of Zoology, the group visited the island nations of Fiji and New Zealand, gatheringContinue reading “The 1922 Fiji-New Zealand Expedition: A Tale of Two Journal Entries”

Special Collections is pleased to accept a donation from Margaret L. Zimansky. It is an addition of two pieces to the papers of William B. Allison, a collection she donated in 1968. Allison was a senator from Iowa during Theodore Roosevelt’s administration, and this new donation consists of a letter and a postcard from RooseveltContinue reading “Letters from Theodore Roosevelt”