University of Scranton Faculty Scholarship Exhibit

 

Faculty Scholarship Exhibit

This month the Weinberg Memorial Library is hosting its annual Faculty Scholarship Exhibit in the Library’s 5th floor Heritage Room. The exhibit features books, journal articles, and presentations produced by University of Scranton faculty members since 2015. The exhibit, organized by academic department, provides an overview of the diversity and quality of scholarly accomplishments by the University’s faculty.

Please take a few minutes to explore the exhibit and learn about the variety of interests that University of Scranton faculty have studied and written about over the past year.  Congratulations to the University faculty members on all of their recent scholarly successes!

For further information please contact Michael Knies, Special Collections Librarian, michael.knies@scranton.edu, (570) 941-6341

Celebrate Scranton’s Charter Day with Coloring Pages!

This Saturday is Charter Day, Scranton’s celebration of the 150th anniversary of its incorporation as a city. There will be lots of events going on all day, but here’s another festive option for creative Scrantonians: Charter Day Coloring Pages!

These Coloring Pages were a collaborative effort between the Lackawanna Historical Society, the Lackawanna Valley Digital Archives, the Leadership Lackawanna #HistoricScranton team, and the University of Scranton Weinberg Memorial Library (we had way too much fun working on our Local History Coloring Book back in February and couldn’t resist coming back for more!).

scranton150-horiz_2016-04-18

The pages feature images of the city and its past. Leadership Lackawanna’s #HistoricScranton coloring pages, created as part of a current class project with the Historical Architectural Review Board, highlight historic buildings and architecture. The remaining pages hold digitized drawings from local history collections housed at LHS, the Scranton Public Library, and our own University Archives and Helen Gallagher McHugh Special Collections. (We also included a few images from books digitized by other libraries that are now in the public domain.) Each digitized image is accompanied by a citation describing the image and its source.

LHS will be printing out pages for coloring contests to be held throughout this week, but you can also download a digital copy and print out your own. Happy coloring, and happy birthday Scranton!

Many thanks to all our partners, and extra special thanks to our Weinberg Memorial Library students and staffers who helped with selecting images and making them coloring-friendly!

Color Our Collections: Local History

The library, archives, and museum world is abuzz this week with #ColorOurCollections, a weeklong cultural heritage coloring fest dreamed up by the New York Academy of Medicine and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

As coloring fans ourselves, we couldn’t help but toss our hat into the ring. We’ve already shared a University Archives coloring book this week, but today we turn our gaze outward to our beloved city of Scranton.

Local History Coloring Book

Local History Coloring Book (PDF)

All of the pages in the book were created using images from the Library’s digital collections, most of which were digitized from original drawings, photographs, and publications from our University Archives and Helen Gallagher McHugh Special Collections.

We hope you enjoy our book, and we can’t wait to see what colors you bring to our collections!

Color Our Collections: University of Scranton Archives

The library, archives, and museum world is abuzz this week with #ColorOurCollections, a weeklong cultural heritage coloring fest dreamed up by the New York Academy of Medicine and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

As coloring fans ourselves, we couldn’t help but toss our hat into the ring. We have a few small coloring books headed your way this week, and here’s the first!

University Archives Coloring Book

University of Scranton University Archives Coloring Book (PDF)

All of the pages in the book were created using images from the Library’s digital collections, most of which were digitized from original drawings, photographs, and publications from our University Archives.

We hope you enjoy our book, and we can’t wait to see what colors you bring to our collections!

Spotlight on Student Worker Farishta Abdullahi

Farishta- Special Collections-3The Library is proud to spotlight one of its hardworking student workers, Farishta Abdullahi. This is Farishta’s fourth year in the McHugh Special Collections & University Archives, and her primary work includes processing negatives from the Terry and Paula Connors Photograph Collection and accessioning records from the Office of the Provost into the University Archives.  Every spring Farishta also volunteers at the Friends of the Weinberg Library Annual Book Sale.

Although much of Farishta’s work takes place behind the scenes, she always maintains a high work ethic, and she says that she enjoys the quiet satisfaction of processing and organizing the archival records. She says that she even finds it relaxing!

Farishta is an Accounting major with a minor in Arabic, and she is actually fluent in four languages, including Urdu and Hindi! She plans to graduate in May 2016 and become a Certified Public Accountant.

This past summer Farishta was a marketing intern in the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center and Small Business Development Center at the University of Scranton. Throughout the summer she promoted the Center’s activities and provided individual assistance to women who were interested in exploring the possibility of starting their own business. She also wrote informational blog posts on a variety of business topics, including Sustainable Product Ideas, Challenges of Owning a Seasonal Business, and Improving Credit When Starting a Small Business.

This semester, along with balancing her course work and work-study hours, she is interning at Tatulli & Associates, an accounting, tax, and financial consulting firm in Dunmore.

When Farishta finally has some down time, she enjoys watching Asian dramas and playing with her 6 month old niece.

Farishta’s advice to other University of Scranton students is that the Library has a lot to offer – take advantage of it!

Thank you, Farishta, for all of your support to the Library!

University of Scranton Alumni Authors Exhibit

Alumni Authors Exhibit

Throughout the month of June, The University of Scranton Alumni Authors Exhibit is on display in the Library’s 5th floor Heritage Room. The exhibit showcases books by more than a hundred alumni authors and includes many signed copies.

The range of subjects varies greatly, encompassing alumni who became authors in their academic fields, nonfiction writers, novelists, children’s literature writers, and historians. The earliest alumnus featured is Clarence Walton, ’37, 10th president of The Catholic University of America and the first layman to hold the position. The youngest graduate featured in the exhibit is Sarah M. Piccini, ’07, G’10, whose local history book, Framing Faith, provides a pictorial history of former churches in the Diocese of Scranton.

Also included in the exhibit is Jason Miller, ’61, H’73, who received the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play That Championship Season.  Two of our very own librarians, Bonnie Strohl, G’90, and Kristen Yarmey, G’12, are also alumnae and have books on display in the exhibit.

We also have numerous books by alumna and children’s literature writer, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, G’82, who has written a Newberry Honor Book and a Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal winner.  She is also the recipient of 2013 Friends of the Weinberg Library Royden B. Davis, S.J., Distinguished Author Award.

A recent addition to the collection is a book by retired NASA engineer, Glynn Lunney, ’55, H’71.  Lunney was an employee of NASA from its creation in 1958 until 1985 and was the flight director during the Gemini and Apollo programs. He was on duty during historic events such as the ascent of Apollo 11 and the pivotal hours of the Apollo 13 crisis.

We encourage you to explore this wonderful exhibit and celebrate our alumni and their important contributions in the publishing world. The exhibit is on display during normal library hours.  For a full list of books by alumni authors that are available at the Weinberg Memorial Library visit Scranton.edu/alumniauthors.

For more information about the exhibit, please contact Michael Knies, Special Collections Librarian, (570) 941-6341.

If you an alum with a published book and would like to donate a copy to the library for display in its annual exhibit, please mail a copy to The Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510.

A Mind of Its Own: Healing the Mind and Heart of the Parasite of Child Abuse by John J. Lemoncelli, Ed.D. ’71 Avventura Press 2008

Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850 by Susan Campbell Bartoletti G’82, HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition 2005

*Winner of the Robert F. Sibert Medal

New Women of the Old Faith: Gender and American Catholicism in the Progressive Era by Kathleen Sprows Cummings ’93 The University of North Carolina Press 2009

Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels and the Birth of Nascar by Neal Thompson ’87, Broadway Books; Reprint edition 2007

Framing Faith: A Pictorial History of Communities of Faith by Sarah Piccini ’07, G’10 Tribute Books 2011

The President’s Ladies: Jane Wyman and Nancy Davis by Bernard F. Dick ’57 University Press of Mississippi 2014

The Seven Deadly Sins of American Democracy: The Legacy of Slavery by John J. Fendrock ’48 Xlibris, Corp. 2007

The Press and the Suburbs: The Daily Newspapers of New Jersey by David Sachsman and Warren Sloat ’57 CUPR/Transaction 2013

Muzzle Thyself Poems by Lauren Fairbanks ’81 Dalkey Archive Press; First edition 1991

Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night by Barbara J. Taylor ’85, G’87, Kaylie Jones Books 2014

Italians of Northeastern Pennsylvania by Stephanie Longo ’03, G’06 Arcadia Publishing 2004

Pick up the Pennies In Every Season of Life by Michael T. Goskowski ’50 Tate Publishing 2009

University of Scranton Faculty Scholarship Exhibit

Faculty Scholarship Exhibit

This month the Weinberg Memorial Library is hosting its annual Faculty Scholarship Exhibit in the Library’s 5th floor Heritage Room. The exhibit features books, journal articles, and presentations produced by University of Scranton faculty members since 2012. The exhibit, organized by academic department, provides an overview of the diversity and quality of scholarly accomplishments by the University’s faculty.

Please take a few minutes to explore the exhibit and learn about the variety of interests that University of Scranton faculty have studied and written about in the past few years.  Congratulations to the University faculty members on all of their recent scholarly successes!

For further information please contact Michael Knies, Special Collections Librarian, michael.knies@scranton.edu, (570) 941-6341.

 

Happy Birthday, Scranton: Kickoff to the 150th Anniversary Celebration

Scranton150Tomorrow morning at 9:15 am, the City of Scranton will kick off its year-long Sesquicentennial Anniversary Celebration. Scranton was incorporated as a city on April 23, 1866, so next spring (April 23, 2016) will be the city’s 150th birthday.

While the University of Scranton itself wasn’t around back at the very beginning (founded in 1888, we just celebrated our 125th anniversary in 2013-2014), we’re proud of the close ‘town and gown’ relationship we’ve had with the city of Scranton throughout our shared history.

Here at the Weinberg Memorial Library, we’re looking forward to joining in the fun throughout the anniversary year. Beginning in May, each month of the City celebration will highlight a decade (or two) in the city’s history, and here on our Library blog we’ll be highlighting how the University grew alongside the city during that time.

Our University Archives and Helen Gallagher McHugh Special Collections include many rare and unique resources related to the history of the City of Scranton, its residents, and its major institutions.  For example, the Library holds the records of the International Correspondence Schools of Scranton – and in the fall, we’ll be exhibiting materials from this collection in celebration of the 125th anniversary of ICS (now known as Penn Foster), which was founded in 1891.

We’ve been working on digitizing archival and special collections materials and making them publicly available for searching and browsing in our digital collections, but there’s always more to do. We’re currently tossing around new ideas for increasing public, digital access to local history materials with some of our friends on campus (the History and Communication Departments, Royals’ Historical Society, Hope Horn Gallery, and Community Relations) and in the community (the Lackawanna Historical Society, the Everhart Museum, Scranton Public Library/Lackawanna Valley Digital Archives, and Marywood University). More to come on this as our plans develop!

At the state level, we’re collaborating with other academic and public libraries on a broad initiative to establish a Pennsylvania service hub for the Digital Public Library of America, which will make Pennsylvania history and cultural heritage more accessible and discoverable to students, teachers, genealogists, historians, scholars, and others in our communities and around the world.

So happy birthday, Scranton! Let’s get this party started.

Spotlight on Student Workers: Rebecca Edwards

BeccaWe can hardly believe that it has been two and a half years since Rebecca Edwards began working in the University Archives and McHugh Special Collections department! Time has flown by, and we will miss Becca greatly after she graduates this spring!  Before she leaves us, we would like to recognize all of her hard work and leadership in the department.

Becca began in the Library in the fall of 2012 and has worked on several ongoing projects, including accessioning files from the Office of the Provost into the University Archives.  She has also spent a great deal of time processing and accessioning negatives from the Terry and Paula Connors Collection.  A crucial role that she has filled this semester is helping to train three freshman student workers who are new to the department.  What Becca enjoys most about her Library position is working with the other student workers, and it certainly shows! She always maintains a friendly and articulate demeanor while collaborating on projects with other students and library staff.  Becca has been an asset to the department, and it has always been a pleasure to work with her.

Becca, who hails from Long Valley, New Jersey, is a senior Biology major and is currently on the hunt for a job for after graduation. Wherever she may find herself in the future, we know she will thrive and develop into a positive and confident leader! Throughout her time at Scranton, she enjoyed competing for the University’s equestrian team. Her favorite books and movies are the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series, and a little known fact about Becca is that she was originally born in Brazil.

Thank you, Becca! And congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

Exhibit: Cornerstone of Victory

Cornerstone of Victory Exhibit

Millions of young Americans served in the armed forces from 1941 to 1945, including many students and alumni of The University of Scranton.  To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the formal conclusion of World War II, the Heritage Room is featuring an exhibit as a tribute to all of the men and women, particularly our veteran alumni, who went into harm’s way to serve their nation.  The exhibit will be based on materials from the Helen Gallagher McHugh Special Collections and the University Archives. Although the McHugh Special Collections does not specifically collect material on World War II, a number of collections have relevant material that highlight the impact that this tragic event had on the University, our nation, and the world.

The Abe L. Plotkin Collection is focused on the end of World War II and immediately thereafter. Plotkin, a 1935 graduate, served in the United States military and was a witness to the liberation of the Ohdruf concentration camp. After the war ended, Plotkin assisted survivors of the concentration camp in getting in touch with American relatives. The exhibit will feature photographs and correspondence from his collection.

The recently acquired Passionist Congregation Archives contains Military Chaplain Reports. The Passionists, like other Catholic Church orders and congregations, provided chaplains to perform sacraments and provide counseling to soldiers. The collection contains photographs and reports from the chaplains detailing their day-to-day life and activities.

Gold Star Veterans of WWII
A memorial to alumni and students who were Gold Star Veterans of World War II, which is permanently on display in the foyer of Madonna della Strada Chapel. There is also a second plaque commemorating those who died in Vietnam

The Joseph Polakoff Collection primarily features his editorial writing on Middle Eastern affairs; however, during the 1940s Polakoff, a 1932 graduate, worked for the United States Information Agency, and some of his correspondence relates to World War II activities.

The exhibit will also feature assorted publications collected over the years that relate to the war. The University of Scranton underwent a transition from Christian brothers to Jesuit stewardship in 1942. Besides the change from the Christian brothers to the Jesuits, the University was significantly affected by the war, as were all other institutions of higher learning as young men went to war instead of University.

This exhibit reflects a period of great transition for The University of Scranton and an experience that shaped the character of many of our alumni, the institution, our nation, and the world. Seventy years ago, America rejoiced in the hope for enduring world peace. Through this exhibit, we aim to honor the bravery, honor, strength, and sacrifices of all veterans and those impacted by war.

This exhibit will be on display in the Heritage Room until Sunday, April 26, 2015. For more information, please contact Special Collections Librarian Michael Knies, Michael.Knies@Scranton.edu (570) 941-6341.