News & Announcements – Page 27 – Special Collections and Archives at the University of Iowa

Remembering Earl Rogers, the University of Iowa’s Archivist from 1970 to 1998

EarlRogersJamesVanAllen1998 from Accession 2006-44001 — Photo: Earl Rogers (right) with James Van Allen, whose papers were processed under Earl’s supervision, at Earl’s retirement reception in the Dept. of Special Collections in May 1998. From UI Archives Accession 2006-44; gift of David Schoonover.

We are sorry to note that Earl Rogers, the University of Iowa’s archivist from 1970 to 1998, passed away early Wednesday morning at his home in Iowa City following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 77.

Earl was born May 2, 1938, in Moline, Illinois. He received the bachelor of science degree in history in 1961 at Iowa State University, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a history graduate student in 1962-1966, and completed his master of library science degree at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1967. After a three-year stint as a cataloguer in the University of Utah Library, he returned to Iowa, joining the UI Libraries’ Department of Special Collections in July 1970 to arrange and index the Henry A. Wallace Papers. Over time, he assumed the role of university archivist. He published numerous indexes and bibliographies pertaining to agricultural and UI history. Among his many noted acquisitions are the Papers of James A. Van Allen, which were processed under his supervision.

Although Earl retired in 1998, he continued to maintain two features on the UI Archives’ web site: our online bibliography of UI history-related materials, and a unique page titled ‘Fiction With an Iowa City Setting: An Updated Checklist.’ Earl would, from time to time, submit new entries or annotations for me to add to these sites.

I always looked forward to hearing from Earl, regardless of the nature of his dispatch, whether it was a new list of entries to upload, a report on his and Susan’s latest trips (Galapagos Islands, Turkey, and New Zealand, for starters), or a review of a new local restaurant. Earl often stopped by our department to drop off an obituary, a clipping, or an article for our vertical file. We appreciated his vigilance, not to mention his subscription to The New York Times.

Earl never second-guessed my decisions as his successor, though certainly on many occasions he had good reason to tap me on the shoulder. I would like to believe it was because he trusted me. More likely, however, it was because he and Susan were having a blast in Peru.

I feel a bit stranded right now. Because of Earl’s remarkable longevity as UI’s archivist – 28 years – and the fact that his position was vacant for over two years until I arrived in 2001, I now have no direct forebear from the archives to call on, no predecessor, whether retired or working elsewhere. Archivists value institutional memory, particularly when shared memory and experience pass from one generation to the next within their shop. Those links inevitably break as time passes.

One last round of web page updates from Earl awaits on my desk. I’ll get to them soon.

Thank you, Earl, and our condolences to Susan and family.

David McCartney, C.A.

University Archivist

The Detroit News Menu Cook Book

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In August of 1920, a radio station under the name “8MK” was launched for The Detroit Evening News. Later named “WWJ”, it was the first radio station with daily programs. Less than a year after the station was launched, the radio show “Hints to Housewives” was created and later, “Tonight’s Dinner by Radio”. The show aired every morning, except for Sundays and holidays, and included ideas for evening meals and table service. Recipes for the dishes on the show were then published in the Women’s Pages of The Detroit News. However, many listeners and readers wanted a more permanent form of the recipes, so in 1933, The Detroit News published The Detroit News Menu Cook Book.

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This cookbook includes four weeks of dinner ideas for each of the four seasons, as well as meal ideas for a few major holidays, like Christmas and Thanksgiving. There is a wide variety in the menus included, from “Meat Loaf with Scalloped Potatoes and Mashed Turnips”, to “Calf Hearts with Onions and Parsley Potatoes”. The book even includes a recipe for “Baby Porcupines”, which do not actually contain any porcupine, but appear to be meatballs rolled in rice. Everything from Brussel sprouts to apple soufflé can be found in this book. In the back of the book is a section titled “CleaningHints”, which includes suggestions for removing stains from clothes, removing mildew spots, and even how to clean oil paintings.
Even though it is over eighty years old, this adorable purple with white polka dot cookbook could be found useful today.

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-Emily

Lucy Hartmann

After working in Special Collections for a while, we meet many people who leave a lasting impression on us—collectors, donors of papers, students, and researchers, among others, who devote countless hours to their work in these collections. In the midst of comings and goings, some individuals stand out, and one of them deserves special recognition.

It is with heavy hearts, but also fond memories, that we remember the time we spent with Lucy Hartmann, who passed away on June 22. We got to know Lucy during the time she spent working in Special Collections through the UI REACH program. Lucy was dedicated to her tasks in Special Collections, helping us with filing, sorting, cleaning books, and other duties that helped us to tackle some things that we may not have otherwise been able to resolve. Her contributions to our activities were real and meaningful, and the focus she applied to her work impressed us all. We were able to share some of our favorite items in the collections with her, and were delighted to be able to throw a party for her to commemorate her graduation from UI REACH.

Lucy Hartmann at work in Special Collections.

I speak on behalf of the entire staff of Special Collections when I say that she will be missed, that her time with us will not be forgotten, and that her efforts are truly appreciated as we continue to go about our daily business. Her time in our department may have been relatively brief, but the impression she made on us is something that will endure with us for a long time to come.

Over the years that we have been involved with UI REACH, thanks to the efforts of our Department Manager Kathy Hodson, we have been fortunate to be able to work with, and learn from, people such as Lucy and former students Alex and Jeff. We look forward to continuing this relationship, and to remembering Lucy by extending opportunities to more students in the future.

Colleen Theisen honored as a “Mover and Shaker” by Library Journal

NEWS RELEASE : 03/15/2015

COLLEEN THEISEN, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS “MOVER AND SHAKER” AWARD FROM LIBRARY JOURNAL

(Iowa City) Colleen Theisen of The University of Iowa Libraries has been named a “Mover and Shaker” in the library industry by the national publication, Library Journal. In its March 15, 2015 issue, Library Journal named 50 outstanding individuals–and for the first time, one organization–whose efforts have not only expanded the services libraries provide but who are transforming libraries themselves in the 21st century. Colleen was selected because of her commitment to the profession and her efforts to transform how library outreach and how we learn about, and interact with, the unique primary source collections in academic libraries. Colleen currently serves The University of Iowa Libraries as Special Collections Outreach and Instruction Librarian as part of Special Collections & University Archives.

Library Journal honored Colleen because of her innovative work connecting communities on campus and online to rare books and historic documents through social media, online video, and in the classroom. “LJ’s newest class of Movers & Shakers proves once again that the library arena is rich with innovation driven by mission-focus,” said Rebecca T. Miller, Group Editor, Library Journal and School Library Journal. “Those identified come from across the library universe and beyond, and they are each transforming how libraries connect with and enrich their communities. We congratulate them, and look forward to seeing their ongoing contributions multiply.”

Colleen is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and graduated from Regis High School before completing her BA in Art History & Archaeology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She followed her degree with a teaching certificate for secondary art education at Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa, before completing her Masters of Science in Information specializing in Archives and Records Management at the University of Michigan in 2011. She has worked as Outreach and Instruction librarian at the University of Iowa for more than three years.

The 2015 Movers & Shakers were selected by the editors of Library Journal, the profession’s leading trade magazine. Each of the Movers & Shakers will be prominently featured in the March 15th issue of Library Journal and celebrated at a special luncheon in June during the American Library Association’s annual conference in San Francisco, CA. The print feature’s companion website is sponsored by OCLC and Boopsie, and it is available at www.libraryjournal.com/movers2015. The luncheon and awards ceremony is made possible by the support of sponsors, including Baker and Taylor, Demco, Mission Bell Media, OCLC, Plata Publishing, Rosen Publishing and Sage.

Read more about new inductees at www.libraryjournal.com/movers2015

About University of Iowa Libraries

The University of Iowa Libraries provides leadership in the creation, transmission, and preservation of knowledge to advance intellectual discovery and encourage lifelong learning. With print and digital collections that are richly diverse and deeply comprehensive, the Libraries also offers state-of-the-art resources that enhance teaching and learning on campus and beyond. In partnership with the teaching faculty, the Libraries offers a variety of information literacy and course-related instructional programs designed to develop these critical skills in students in all disciplines. The Libraries is the largest library system in Iowa and ranks 14th among materials expenditures among U.S. public research libraries. University Libraries is proud of its role as the foundation on which the University of Iowa’s academic and research programs rest.

ABOUT LIBRARY JOURNAL
Founded in 1876, Library Journal is one of the oldest and most respected publications covering the library field. Over 75,000 library directors, administrators, and staff in public, academic, and special libraries read LJ. Library Journal reviews over 8000 books, audiobooks, videos, databases, and web sites annually, and provides coverage of technology, management, policy, and other professional concerns. For more information, visit www.libraryjournal.com. Library Journal is a publication of Media Source Inc., which also owns School Library Journal, The Horn Book publications, and Junior Library Guild.

Stewart Stern, 1922-2015

Yesterday I walked into a meeting to discuss an upcoming exhibition we are putting together on World War II. On the book truck I pushed in front of me were several boxes from the papers of Stewart Stern. Stern was a World War II veteran, a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge, who went on to a long career as a Hollywood screenwriter (of films such as Rebel Without a Cause) and a teacher. My colleague who greeted me saw the boxes and said that Stewart had passed away, at the age of 92.

My heart immediately sank. Just this past summer Stewart had visited us from his home in Washington state, making the drive across the country with his wife. He came to visit us in the library where his papers are housed, to answer some lingering questions he had about his work that only his own papers could answer, and to see where his legacy was cared for. The visit with Stewart was the kind of occasion that makes this job among the most meaningful occupations a person could have—sitting with someone like Stewart, listening to his stories about Jimmy (James Dean), his days as an actor in theatrical productions at Iowa, about his friends from the war, experiences that still made him choke up so many decades later. He was thrilled to see his papers, and he was so full of life. When I asked if I could take his picture in the stacks as he surveyed his boxes, I thought I would get a nice shot of him smiling. Instead, as I pointed the camera, he sprang into action, sweeping his arms open to proudly display his life’s work. He laughed like a child.

After this meeting with Stewart, I thought about how enjoyable the experience was, and how much I looked forward to seeing him again. The sadness in knowing that will now not be possible is tempered by the knowledge that he entrusted us with his papers, and we have the ability, and the responsibility, to tell others of his accomplishments. This summer a piece or two from Stewart’s wartime papers will be on display in the University of Iowa’s Mobile Museum—please visit us if we are in your town, and help us remember the life of a fascinating man.

CAM00349 — Stewart Stern in the stacks at the University of Iowa Libraries, August 2014

Rebel-Without-A-Cause-first-readthrough-sm — The cast of Rebel Without a Cause at the first read through of the script, written by Stewart Stern, who is seated at the far left, next to Nick Ray.

telegram-sm — The telegram informing Stewart Stern’s parents that their son had been listed as Missing in Action during the Battle of the Bulge. Stern was later located safe in a hospital, suffering from frostbite.

Looking for Love in the Library

Have you been searching for a good book with which to spend Valentine’s Day? Want to use your card game skills to attract a mate? Looking for a rare book to discuss over dinner with that special someone? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should stop by the UI Main Library this week to check out some of our Valentine’s Day events!

Pants 4 U "My heart pants 4 U," August 1, 1907 — Pants 4 U
“My heart pants 4 U,” August 1, 1907

Play with Hearts–Tuesday, February 10^th

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Come to Group Area D (across from Food for Thought Café) to learn how to play the game, Hearts. You can also enjoy some vintage baked goods made from recipes from special collections’ historic recipe collection. There will even be recipes available for you to plan your own Valentine’s meal!

Blind Date with a Book–Wednesday, February 11^th

12:00pm-2:00pm

Stop by Group Area D to check out a book. But this time, there will be no judging by the cover. We’ll set you up with a blind date that you get to take home with you for some Valentine’s reading. A Spinster’s Tale or Love in the Time of Cholera: Which one will you take home tonight?

Love in the Stacks—Thursday, February 12^th

12:00pm-4:00pm

Drop into Group Area D and we’ll help you out with some Valentine’s gifts! View items from the University of Iowa Special Collections and University Archives while you make buttons from prints of our more romantic books, or send an e-card to your loved ones.

You never know where love will find you, but you do know where to find us. We’ll see you in Group Area D!

Aldus Manutius: A man with a plan, a printshop, and a pretty sweet colophon

Aldus Manutius was born in Italy during the Italian Renaissance. He became the leading printer of his time and is responsible for many literary accomplishments, including the invention of italic type for use in a printing press and the semicolon. Most importantly, Manutius was one of the first people to publish small, pocket editions of books that more people could actually afford. This month, we’ll be featuring a few of the books in our collection which were published by this incredible scholar on our Tumblr, so we thought we would give you all a little more background information.

Manutius’ goal was to preserve ancient Greek literature by printing personal, usable editions for everyone to own. He accomplished this by organizing the famous Aldine Press. Through the Aldine Press, Manutius was able to produce the first printed editions of many Greek and Latin classics. These included works such as The Odyssey, The Iliad, and The Divine Comedy. Aldus Manutius’ work is always recognizable by the colophon (or inscription, which gives details about the book, usually found at the end of a work), which pictures a dolphin wrapped around an anchor.

Here at the University of Iowa Special Collections and University Archives, we are honored to house such an incredible collection of his works. Keep an eye out for posts about Manutius on our Tumblr, as well as other social media. If you have any questions about these items, feel free to ask us on our social media, or email us at lib-spec@uiowa.edu.

-Kelly

*Photo of Manutius from www.aldussociety.com

**Photo of Colophon taken from the UI Special Collections and University Archives edition of The Odyssey

Video Series Visiting Bauman Rare Books

Over the summer members of the University of Iowa Special Collections team visited Las Vegas for the American Library Association and stopped by Bauman Rare Books to chat with Rebecca Romney, who you also might recognize as the rare book appraiser on the History Channel series “Pawn Stars.” While there they let the cameras roll as they chatted with Rebecca Romney about the rare book field, collecting rare books, and the types of research that rare book dealers do that ends up being incorporated into catalog records and supporting academic research, all while taking a look at some particularly delightful rare books that they had in the shop.

Here is the result of the trip: A five video series. Enjoy!

The first video: Down the Rabbit Hole. This one includes an edition of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” illustrated by Salvador Dalí.

The second video: The Game is Afoot. The team analyzes the lasting power of favorite characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Lizzie Bennet who continue to thrive through fan works and new interpretations.

The third video: It’s a First Edition Pride and Prejudice!

The fourth video: Et Tu Brute? Taking a close look at a Shakespeare quarto (a single play).

The fifth video: We Go West. A very rare surviving pamphlet, 1848 Latter-Day Saints’ Emigrants’ Guide.

First Edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit

First edition, first issue, privately printed in 1900, issued in 1901

July 28th marks the 148th birthday of Beatrix Potter: illustrator, natural scientist, conservationist, and, of course, world-famous author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Here at the University of Iowa, we are fortunate enough to have a copy of one of the first printings of this charming tale, which according to our acquisition papers, was previously owned by Potter’s niece. The provenance is not the only thing that makes this copy special, but the condition alone is enough to impress any Beatrix Potter collector. Children’s books were often avidly read and handled, hence, finding this famous piece of children’s literature in such good condition is quite remarkable. When placed next to a 1993 facsimile, only the size and slight difference in the color can distinguish the two.

IMG_5529 edit — The *Tale of Peter Rabbit* in it’s custom-made box which was likely made around 1948.

On the left is a privately printed, first edition, first issue of *The Tale of Peter Rabbit.* On the right is a facsimile of the privately printed, first edition, first issue, printed in 1993.

This particular book was one of 250 that were privately printed by Potter, as she was initially rejected by multiple publishers for commercial printing. Our copy’s acquisition papers shows a curious note that Potter’s records indicate it was privately printed in 1900, and then later issued in 1901. However, the privately printed edition was printed in 1901. Potter primarily gave out copies to family and friends, along with selling them for a small fee. [Linder, Leslie. A History of the Writings of Beatrix Potter. Frederick Warne & Co Ltd, 1971.]

Acquisition papers from 1948 stating this book was printed in 1900.

After a second printing of 200 first editions of The Tale of Peter Rabbit in February 1902, the story started to gain some popularity. Eventually, after some textual alterations and the addition of color images, Frederick Warne & Co. published 8000 copies of the first commercially sold edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit in October 1902. Some of the changes to later productions were to omit pages that were deemed “unsuitable for children”.

One set of these omitted pages show how Peter Rabbit’s father was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor (this made it into the first commercially sold edition).

Another set of omitted pages show a rabbit smoking a pipe of tobacco (which only appears in the privately printed editions).

Along with many related Peter Rabbit books, such as The Peter Rabbit Pop-Up Book, Peter Rabbit’s Cookery Book, and Yours Affectionately, Peter Rabbit (currently on display in our reading room), we also have a later edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which is undated, but is at least as old as 1918 based on the decorated endpapers inside the book.This cover style, which began with the first commercially printed edition in 1902, can be seen in contemporary publications.

IMG_5550 edit — ~1918 edition of *The Tale of Peter Rabbit*

Beatrix Potter has thirty-three titles to her name, twenty-three being similarly written tales to accompany The Tale of Peter Rabbit. We have many of these wonderful tales in our collections, and audiences of young and old are welcome to take a look!

Can’t make it to to the collections? Check out a fully digitized version of the first edition, first printing of The Tale of Peter Rabbit here!

Beatrix Potter aficionado, Lindsay Morecraft Moen

Please note that this blog was updated in 2021 to reflect new information

Spring Break Class Solving Research Mysteries

Today a team of librarians, archivists, and museum professionals from around campus including University Archivist David McCartney again begin teaching a week long Spring Break class, “The Continuing Role of Real Collections.” The students have been researching mystery items as part of the class and often come up with very surprising revelations! What follows is a post from a student from last year’s class, Lindsay Schroeder, and the surprising story she unearthed:

The Mystery Portait — The Mystery Portrait

During spring break of 2013 I took Topics in Museum Studies:The Continuing Role of Real Collections, taught by David McCartney with many prominent guest speakers within the museum and library fields. We were given a project to research artifacts within the University of Iowa that had little to no information connected to them so little is known about what they are. I chose a large painted portrait of a man with a wood, ornate frame and held only one clue, the artist’s signature. This mysterious artifact was found in the University of Iowa’s Museum of Natural History’s attic storage cabinet, hidden between large animal hides this spring.

The artist’s name was Marie Koupal, dated 1882. I researched her name and found an article within the Daily Iowan, dating November 19, 1920. It was about a man named Dr. Mark W. Ranney and his cherished book collection that stood in the Ranney Memorial Library at the University. The article concluded with a major clue, “Besides the books there are about twenty pictures on the walls that belong in the collection. Most of these are portraits…A portrait of Dr. Ranney stands on an easel in one corner of the room. This was done in 1882 by Marie Koupal and is framed in a fine hand made frame of several kinds of wood” (Daily Iowan). This was the same portrait, of Dr. Mark W. Ranney. This object’s original purpose had to be a memorial piece done by Koupal, because on January 13, 1882, Dr. Ranney died of acute pneumonia.

Special Collections has information in their collection guide pertaining to the Dr. Mark Ranney papers, with an additional link to a biographical report written by Margaret Schindler Bryant, in Books at Iowa, Issue 30, April 1979, about Dr. Ranney. This report gave me a lot of information regarding Dr. Ranney and his passion for collecting rare books along with other artifacts. Bryant’s report gave great insight to who this man was and why his portrait was originally located in the library during the 1920s, commemorated on an easel. Dr. Ranney’s wife bequeathed his entire collection to the University of Iowa after her death on July 18, 1907. She left a trust that created the “Mark Ranney Memorial Fund”. This established the Mark Ranney Memorial Library that was located in room 305, Schaeffer Hall.

The day before my report and presentation was due, I was searching the Iowa Digital Library within the time frame of 1920-1940. After endless searching for more concrete information, I came across the ultimate completion of this project, a photograph from the digital database of the Mark Ranney Memorial Library with the portrait of Dr. Ranney on the easel in the 1930s. It was truly amazing and reminded me of why I am in this field of work.

Photograph of Ranney Memorial Library with the portrait visible in the room — Ranney Memorial Library, Schaeffer Hall, University of Iowa, between 1902 and 1907.

Visit this photograph here:

Many thanks to Lindsay Schroeder for identifying this important portrait so it could be reunited with the Ranney Collections in Special Collections!