The Works of the Right Reverend George Bull

George Bull was a theologian and a defender of the doctrine of the Trinity who lived from 1634 to 1710. He was born in Wells, Somerset, UK and educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon and then at Oxford University. He was ordained in 1655 and rose successfully to become the Bishop of St. David's in 1705.

After his death, his writings were published in the book The Works of the Right Reverend George Bull, D.D., Late Bishop of St. David's: translated into English by F. Holland, M.A. It was a multi-volume work published in London in 1730. The USF Library Archives has a copy of Volume II on display in our Rare Books Collection.

If you would like to view the Rare Book Displays or other historical materials in the USF Library Archives, please visit us on the 2nd floor of the USF Library.

John Drinkwater in the JLR Collection

Born in London in 1882, John Drinkwater was an English poet and dramatist during the early 20th century until his death in 1937. He was also an actor and a promoter of repertory theatre in England. During his career he published several volumes of verse, critical studies, and historical plays.

The John L. Raymond Special Collection in the USF Library Archives has 21 books by Drinkwater including his first full-length play Rebellion (1914). 4 of the books in the collection are signed by the author [American Vignettes (1931), From an Unknown Isle (1924), Poems of Love and Earth (1912), and Swords and Ploughshares (1915)], and 3 of those 4 are first editions [From an Unknown Isle (1924), Poems of Love and Earth (1912), and Swords and Ploughshares (1915)].


If you would like to view these books and other rare and exciting editions from the John L. Raymond Special Collection please visit the USF Library Archives on the 2nd floor of the USF Library.

IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf Award

The USF Library Archives has been awarded the Connecting to Connections Bookshelf Award from IMLS (The Institute of Museum and Library Services) and AASLH (American Association for State and Local History).

The IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf is a set of resources selected by conservation and preservation experts throughout the country. It contains informative, practical materials to help institutions sustain the country's heritage by improving the care of their collections. The USF Library Archives will be receiving books, DVDs, and other resources that address such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues.

The Bookshelf was awarded through a competitive, expert reviewed, on-line application process where applicants demonstrated an urgent need for this permanent resource. The USF Library Archives is excited to add these materials to our resource collection and to use them to continue to improve the handling and care of the USF Archival Collections.

For a list of the June 2009 recipients, click here, and for more information about the Bookshelf, click here.

Sharing Our Past - Digital Imaging Grant

The USF Library Archives has been awarded a 2009 LSTA grant to complete the project titled "Sharing Our Past: Digitally Archiving the History of the University of St. Francis". We received word of our acceptance (and our giant check) in 2008 and have been steadily working on finishing the project.We are about 3/4 done and as we near the end, we have prepared a small article that describes the project and gives a quick overview of the history of USF.

“Sharing Our Past: Digitally Archiving the History of the University of St. Francis” is a project that will create an online collection of digitized photographs, brochures, newspapers, posters, and other materials related to the history of the University of St. Francis, the City of Joliet, and Will County. This collection will provide access to information and materials that are an important part of the history of higher education in Illinois. It will also greatly increase the USF Library Archives’ current outreach efforts, providing a taste of the Archives’ materials in a central location.

The Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate have been serving in Joliet since the congregation was founded by Mother Alfred Moes in 1865. Their ministries included taking in orphans and boarding students, staffing parish schools, and serving various ethnic groups during their adjustment to American life. Their desire to serve the people in their community led them to study and master every academic area in order to provide a well-rounded education through their schools. As their education skills grew, so did their schools, culminating with the establishing of the College of St. Francis, now the University of St. Francis, in 1920.

Initially using only the Motherhouse convent and the newly constructed Tower Hall, by the late 1950s it was apparent that the college was outgrowing their buildings and the Sisters began to make plans to expand. A new Residence Wing was added to Tower Hall in 1955 and the St. Albert Science Building became the third main building on campus in 1959. These new additions were quickly followed by Marian Hall, a large dedicated Residence Hall, in 1966 and a separate Library Building in 1968.

The College of St. Francis welcomed their first lay president in 1969 and after a failed merger with Lewis College in Romeoville, began to welcome male students. The now co-educational school continued to thrive amidst the many changes. They added award-winning athletic teams, building a new Recreation Center in 1986; they increased the amount of lay faculty, updating scholastic programs and adding more options of study; and after successfully creating Master’s Degree programs, the school gained the title of University of St. Francis in 1998.

The Sisters of St. Francis and the University of St. Francis are deeply rooted in Joliet. The history of the school provides insight into the daily and scholastic life of college students in the area, showing the changes over time in educational and social norms. This online collection will provide a visual representation of that history and will create opportunities for learning and growth for the people of Illinois, genealogy researchers, historians, and the USF family.

John Masefield in the JLR Collection

John Masefield (1878-1967) was the author of the children's books The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights, approximately 35 other novels (including Sard Harker, Gallipoli, and A Tale of Troy), and numerous memorable poems and poetry anthologies (including Salt Water Poems and Ballads, Midsummer Night and Other Tales in Verse). He was the Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1930 until his death in 1967.
The John L. Raymond Special Collection has 77 of John Masefield's books, a large portion of his complete works. A number of the books are first editions while others are limited editions. Two books in particular are very rare. A copy of Minnie Maylow's Story and Other Tales and Scenes is a limited edition (#203 of 350) and is signed by the author. The JLR Collection also has a copy of Philip the King and Other Poems which is a limited edition (#287 of 375) and is signed by both the author, John Masefield, and the illustrator, Laurence Irving.
If you would like to view these books and other rare and exciting editions from the John L. Raymond Special Collection please visit the USF Library Archives on the 2nd floor of the USF Library.

Magnificat

The Magnificat, or Song of Mary, can be found in Luke 1: 46-55. It is a song sung by Mary in response to her cousin Elizabeth's praise of her faith.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:

for, behold, from henceforth

all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him

from generation to generation.

He hath shewed strength with his arm;

he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats,

and exalted them of low degree.

He hath filled the hungry with good things;

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy;

As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham,

and to his seed for ever.

We have a statue of Mary on display in the USF Library Archives. It was a gift to Sister Mary Rose Agnes for the Religion Department, and as seen in the photograph below, was a part of the religious life of the school.

Newly Opened Collections!

There are several small collections that have recently been processed and opened. Each collection is less than 0.5 linear feet in size, but the USF Library Archives is working to expand the holdings in each collection. If you are interested in a particular collection, please let us know and we will move it to the top of our list.

Psychology Department (20-187)
Freshman Core Curriculum (20-130)
Liberal Arts Education (20-165)
Political Science Department (20-185)
Computer Science Department (20-105)

The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday, 9-4.