Tag: special collections

Letterpress Library Christmas Card

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June 29, 2012

2:27 pm

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Digital Collections, Friends

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It may be 90 degrees outside today, but we’re too excited to wait until December to share our latest project – letterpress printing our Library Christmas card!

Back in 2010, the Zaner-Bloser Company donated a rich collection of 19th and early 20th century penmanship materials to the University of Scranton Weinberg Memorial Library’s Special Collections.  In addition to original artwork by the masters of the Golden Age of Penmanship, the collection also includes some of the printing blocks used to publish their work.

We’ve partnered with Samantha Urbanick of Clarks Summit-based letterpress studio Hand Deliver Press to put some of those printing blocks back in action.

Our first project, the Library’s 2012 Christmas card, uses a Zaner-Bloser printing block from Christmas 1912. The block is based on a pen and ink drawing by master penman E. L. Brown and was used in the publication of the December 1912 issue of the professional penmanship journal The Business Educator.

Check out our photo set and video to see Hand Deliver Press and our Zaner-Bloser block in action!

Samantha Urbanick of Hand Deliver Press, with the Weinberg Memorial Library's first letterpress printed Christmas card

There’s Still Time to Visit the Exhibit of Alphabets

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March 23, 2012

11:30 am

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Digital Collections, Exhibits, News

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Michael Knies, Special Collections Librarian at the University of Scranton’s Weinberg Memorial Library, oversees the exhibition of alphabet and penmanship samples. Image courtesy of The Times Leader.

The exhibit of alphabets from the Library’s Zaner-Bloser Penmanship Collection is currently on display through April 5th in the 5th Floor Heritage Room of the Library.

Want to learn more about the exhibit? Mary Therese Biebel from The Times Leader recently wrote an article about her visit to explore the alphabets, If you’d grown up in the late 1800s with a steady hand, artistic skill and perhaps the ability to not upset your inkwell too often, those attributes might have led you to a career.

About 70 alphabets are on display, and they provide a rare look at the art of American ornamental penmanship from the 19th and early 20th centuries, which very few people continue to pursue.  In fact, during her visit Bielbel interviewed Special Collections Librarian Michael Knies who noted that “some college students did not learn cursive, and they’re unable to read correspondence from the 19th and 20th century.”

So stop by the exhibit and brush up on your ABC’s! You can also browse through the alphabets online in the Library’s digital collection of alphabets from the Zaner-Bloser Collection.

Preserving Your Family Memories – Workshop

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March 9, 2012

3:29 pm

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Events, News

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Next week is our spring break, and even though our students will be gone, the rest of the University will still be open and working. This year, we decided to take advantage of the  break as a good time to host one of our Technology on Your Own Terms series workshops.  While we usually focus on forward-looking emerging technologies and how we can create and explore new information, we thought it would be interesting to take a different view this time and learn about how we can preserve existing information.   In a two-part workshop, we’ll examine how to preserve physical records (Part I) and digital records (Part II) of your personal and family history.

Preserving Your Family Memories: Part I (Physical)
Tuesday, March 13 from 12:00pm – 1:00pm in WML305

Special Collections Librarian Michael Knies will discuss the basic preservation problems relating to personal collections of books, photographs, negatives, personal papers, audio/visual recordings, and other paper-based collectibles.  Limited attention will be paid to three dimensional objects. Proper storage and handling will be emphasized. A light lunch will be provided. (Taught by Michael Knies, Weinberg Memorial Library)

All faculty and staff members are welcome, but seats are limited, so please register for sessions you plan to attend at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration (under Technology On Your Own Terms).

Exhibit of ABC’s: Alphabets from the Zaner-Bloser Collection

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February 3, 2012

2:34 pm

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Digital Collections, Events, Exhibits, News

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The Heritage Room is currently featuring an eye-catching exhibit of Alphabets from the Zaner-Bloser Collection.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Zaner-Bloser was a leader in penmanship and calligraphy instruction.  The Company produced manuals providing examples of elaborate Roman, Medieval, Decorative, and Shaded or Spencerian alphabets.  The Company also retained the original large format penwork for the manuals and the exhibit will present approximately 70 examples of this original pen artwork.  The exhibit will emphasize the work done by Charles Paxton Zaner (The Zanerian Manual of Alphabets), Daniel Ames (Ames Compendium of Practical and Ornamental Penmanship), Henry Flickinger (Practical Alphabets), and S.C. Malone along with other scribes.

For a sample of some of the alphabets found in our exhibit, please check out our Pinterest Board of Zaner-Bloser Alphabets.

The exhibit opened January 30 and will run through April 5, during normal Library hours.

Please contact Michael Knies Michael.Knies@Scranton.edu 570-941-6341 for more information.

Happy Holidays…Zaner-Bloser Style!

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December 1, 2011

12:00 am

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Digital Collections, News

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New Year’s flourish, dated 1896, by C. F. Johnston.

It’s December 1st, temperatures are dropping, and the holiday season is in full swing!  Take a (brief) break from working on those final projects and browse a few images of festive holiday themed penmanship from our Zaner-Bloser Penmanship Collection.

Happy Halloween! Vote for your Favorite!

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October 28, 2011

3:45 pm

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Haven’t quite decided on a Halloween costume yet?  Maybe these archived photos of past U of S theater students will provide inspiration.

Before the U of S became co-ed in 1972, the female roles in University plays were filled by male students.

Cast from "What Happened to Jones" during the mid 1920's. Frank O’Hara ’25, the late administrator who served the University for 53 years and for whom the O’Hara Awards are named, is seated third from the right.
Scene from "What Happened to Jones" during mid 1920's

Vote for your favorite “lady.” Who do you think was prettiest?

1. Leonard Fagan, Esq. ’25 as the lovely Amy Spettigue in “Charlie’s Aunt,” mid 1920’s

2. Frank O’Hara ’25 as the leading lady in “The Man from Mexico,” 1923

3. Thomas Knight ’26 as the enchanting Ella Delahay in “Charlie’s Aunt,” mid 1920’s

4. Joseph McGowan ’25 in “The Man from Mexico,” 1923

5. Rev. William Giroux as Donna Lucia D’Alvadorez in “Charlie’s Aunt,” mid 1920’s

[polldaddy poll=5619116]

Exhibit Program: “The Genre and Its Place in the History of American Music”

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October 10, 2011

12:34 pm

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Events, Exhibits, News

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Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Courtesy of Photofest.
The partnership of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart lasted for 24 years and produced “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,” “Where or When,” and “My Heart Stood Still,” among other jazz and cabaret standards. Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Courtesy of Photofest.

Ricky Ritzel, internationally renowned raconteur and cabaret artist, will tell tales of “The Genre and its Place in the History of American Music” from his perch at the keyboard.  His focus will be on the songwriters featured in the library’s current exhibit, “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs, 1910-1965.”

Tuesday, October 11, 6-7:30 P.M.

Heritage Room– 5th floor of the library

The event is free and open to the public.


Visit Current Exhibits at the Library to find out more.

To RSVP and for further information, contact Michael Knies at 570-941-6341 or kniesm2@scranton.edu

 

 

 

 

 

“A Fine Romance” is visiting 55 sites throughout the U.S. in 2011-2012.  It was curated by David Lehman and developed by Nextbook, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Jewish literature, culture, and ideas, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office.  The national tour of the exhibit has been made possible by the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation, the David Berg Foundation, an anonymous donor, and Tablet: A New Read on Jewish Life.  A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs  is also a book by David Lehman, published by Nextbook/Schocken.

The Swing Set, a New York-Based Trio, is Set to Perform Thursday Evening

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September 20, 2011

10:07 am

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Events, Exhibits, News

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Benny Goodman and his Band. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Benny Goodman’s band popularized many tunes from the “American Songbook,” including Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies,” and “I Got Rhythm” by George and Ira Gershwin. Goodman integrated the big band era when he invited black musicians to join his group starting in 1936. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

The Swing Set, a New York-based trio, will perform selected favorites by songwriters featured in the library’s current exhibit, “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs, 1910-1965.”

Thursday, September 22, 6-7:30 P.M.

Heritage Room– 5th floor of the library

The event is free and open to the public.


Visit Current Exhibits at the Library to find out more.

To RSVP and for further information, contact Michael Knies at 570-941-6341 or kniesm2@scranton.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A Fine Romance” is visiting 55 sites throughout the U.S. in 2011-2012.  It was curated by David Lehman and developed by Nextbook, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Jewish literature, culture, and ideas, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office.  The national tour of the exhibit has been made possible by the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation, the David Berg Foundation, an anonymous donor, and Tablet: A New Read on Jewish Life.  A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs  is also a book by David Lehman, published by Nextbook/Schocken.

“A Fine Romance” Exhibit on Display

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September 9, 2011

2:44 pm

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Events, Exhibits, News

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The library invites you to view the traveling exhibit “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs” on display in the Heritage Room until October 21st.  “A Fine Romance” tells the story of the many Jewish composers, such as Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, and George Gershwin, who helped create the great American songbook from 1910-1965.

The best composers of this period combined a genius for melody, a talent for finding the perfect words, and an ability to connect with a wide audience. A large number of them were Jewish—from families that had immigrated to America in the 1800s or had fled persecution in Europe. “A Fine Romance” tells their story.

The exhibit was developed by Nextbook, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Jewish literature, culture, and ideas, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The national tour of the exhibit has been made possible by grants from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation, the David Berg Foundation, and an anonymous donor, with additional support from Tablet Magazine: A New Read on Jewish Life.

Poster for Swing Time. Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures Inc./Photofest ©RKO Radio Pictures Inc. Photographer: John Miehle

Two programs/receptions will be free and open to the public:

Thursday, September 22, 6 to 7:30 pm

The Swing Set, a New York-based trio, will perform selected favorites by songwriters in the exhibit

Heritage Room —Weinberg Memorial Library

Tuesday, October 11, 6 to 7:30 pm

Ricky Ritzel, internationally renowned raconteur and cabaret artist will tell tales of the songwriters from his perch at the keyboard

Heritage Room —Weinberg Memorial Library

To RSVP or for further information, please contact Michael Knies at 570-941-6341 or visit http://matrix.scranton.edu/academics/wml/spcollections/exhibits.shtml for details.

  

Special Collections in the News

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August 17, 2011

12:53 pm

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Events, Exhibits, News, Schemel Forum

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The Handwriting on the Wall by Nate Pedersen

The Library’s Special Collections department has been featured in the news twice this summer.

One of last spring’s Schemel Forum courses, The Bible As a Book, taught by Special Collections Librarian Michael Knies, explored the physical development of the Bible from Hebrew Scroll through Victorian Family Bible.  The course was positively reviewed in an article about upcoming Schemel Forum programming in the June issue of the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal.

A photograph of the Zaner-Bloser Penmanship Collection exhibit, images from the collection, and information about the collection were included in an article on penmanship titled “The Handwriting on the Wall” by Nate Pedersen in the summer issue of the magazine, Fine Books & Collections.  Pedersen mentions the variety of materials within collection, which includes “examples of astonishing large-form penmanship, handwriting manuals, professional journals, teaching materials for schools, and printing blocks made from original engrossings.”