University of St. Francis Library Archives

From September 27th through October 4th, 2008, libraries all across the country will be celebrating Banned Books Week . This is a week in which we recognize our freedom to read and we remind Americans not to take this freedom for granted. "Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met." -American Library Association The USF Library Archives' John L. Raymond Special Collection and Rare Books Collection both include a number of books that have been banned or challenged throughout history: Stories from the Arabian Nights - retold by Laurence Housman (398 A658h) -Banned, along with Aristophenes' Lysistrata , Chaucer's Canterbury Tale

An item from the USF Catalog Covers digital collection was featured on the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries of Illinois (CARLI) blog today. There's also very insightful information about the graphic design of the cover related to the time period. Click here to head on over and take a look.

For the 2008 Founder's Day Display in Tower Hall (see informational post below), a video was created that shows the images that are on display. There is no sound, but it's full of great photographs both old and new. Please watch and enjoy.

Founder's Day at the University of St. Francis is the day when we celebrate the Sisters of St. Francis who founded our school. The USF Library Archives was honored to be asked to create a display in Tower Hall for the day. The theme of Founder's Day and of the display is "From Our Past, We Pave Our Future". The display includes photographs and other memorabilia contrasting the past and the present. I hope you're able to stop by Tower Hall to take a look at the display, but if not here is a picture.

Did you know that the USF Art Department has created numerous brochures, invitations and programs that have been used throughout the years at USF events, like concerts, art shows and theater productions? You can find some examples of our talented students' work in the Art Department Collection , newly opened in the USF Library Archives. Come and take a look through the collection to see the artwork and photographs that are included, and to observe the trends as they change throughout the years. The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday, 9-4.

These two weeks have brought some changes to the staff in the USF Library Archives. Our summer student worker is leaving at the end of next week. We have been very fortunate to have had Jessica Horn as a student worker this summer. Jess was able to finish processing three collections for the archives and was a wonderful, responsible and talented worker. We wish her luck in her career here at USF and beyond and hope she'll come back to visit. We've been able to find a replacement for Jess in James Green. James has been with us for a week, and he's been quickly learning what it means to work in the Archives. We look forward to seeing him progress as time goes on. Please feel free to visit and see how the students' hard work has added to the USF Library Archives. We are open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm.

Two small collections have been processed and added to the "open" list. The History Department Collection is one box (0.5 linear feet) that includes a few administrative reports and miscellaneous information about the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society. The Recreation Administration Department Collection is slightly larger with 3 boxes (1.5 linear feet) that includes information on the development and changes within the department. It also includes promotional brochures and photographs. The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.

This is a link to a great post on the blog of The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in Little Rock, Arkansas. A Day in the Life of an Archivist...or...I read your mail It's very much like what we do in the USF Library Archives.

Two more collections are open. The Annual Reports Collection contains reports from the university's main departments, including the President, the Registrar, the Dean of Students, and the Librarian, from 1934-1970. The Registrar Reports Collection includes the Registrar's Annual Reports from 1936-1968 as well as numerous other reports, studies and information pertaining to enrollment and scholarship at USF. A small portion of the Registrar Reports Collection is closed due to the inclusion of private information. The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.

The University of St. Francis Library Archives has moved to a new, larger location. We are still on the second floor of the library, and our contact information remains the same, but we are now in the front corner at the top of the stairs. This is the area of the library that was originally designed to display the JLR Special Collection and the rare books. It lay dormant for a number of years and most recently was used as office space. The Facilities Department did an amazing job updating and converting the space so that it is now back to it's original purpose. The new USF Library Archives space now has room to display both the books and donated artifacts from the JLR Special Collection, the collection of rare books, donated artwork and other donated artifacts from the Archives. There is also plenty of space for patrons who wish to peruse the special collections displays or do research using materials from the general collections. Please feel free to visit. We are open Monday-

The John L. Raymond Special Collection houses over 1,500 volumes donated by Mr. Raymond, an ardent book collector who showed a remarkable ability in his choice of titles. Many of these books are first editions, limited copies, early printings, autographed copies and books with fine bindings. The books in this special collection can be viewed and read in the Archives Reading Room. Newly added to this collection is the JLR Administrative Papers Collection . This collection is 1.5 linear feet and contains correspondence between JLR and the Sisters of St. Francis. It is a fascinating set of letters covering the years 1950-1974 and detailing the relationship between JLR and USF, shedding light on the man who was one of USF's largest literary benefactors. The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.

The student workers here in the USF Library Archives have been busy. Jackie and Jessica have recently completed the processing of three new collections. The Education Department Collection is a small collection of 1.5 linear feet that includes five-year reviews, adult education and student teaching information and more. The Student Publications Collection and the University Publication Collection are related collections that between them contain newspapers, newsletters, books and other publications of USF students, faculty and staff. The Student Publications Collection includes copies of Loquitur , The Interlude , Encounter (of which we have several copies available digitally here ), and other student written and student edited publications. The University Publications Collection includes copies of St. Francis Chimes , College of St. Francis Magazine and NOW Magazine all put out by the University. The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm.

The Mass Communication (MCom) Department Collection is now processed and open. This is a small collection that contains the MCom Program Reviews from 1988-1995 and 1998-2004, and the MCom Revision of Major 2005 report. The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm.

Did you ever wonder what the dress code was for the College of St. Francis students in 1939? Or were you ever curious about what classes were offered in 1978? Well you can find this information and more in the newly opened Student Resources Collection . This collection is three boxes (4.5 linear feet) of materials pertaining to student life, programs and activities at USF from 1933 to 2007. It includes information about the CSF Three-Year Program which ran from 1972 to 1982, USF's chapter of the National Federation of Catholic College Students, ca. 1940-1966, and even the CSF Radiological Defense Training Programs of 1952 and 1956. There are also Student Directories, Student Handbooks, and other brochures, pamphlets, fliers and correspondence. The USF Library Archives is open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.

The USF Library Archives has added a second digital collection to the CARLI Digital Collections online. CARLI , the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois, hosts this online repository for digital materials licensed or created by CARLI members. The USF Library Archives already has one collection online titled USF Library History . It contains digital images pertaining to the evolution of the USF Library and the construction of the current building. To view this collection click here . We have now added the USF Catalog Covers collection. This new digital collection contains images of the covers of the University's catalogs from 1925-2008. To view this collection click here . The full catalogs can be viewed by visiting the Reading Room of the USF Library Archives during our normal business hours. In addition to these collections hosted by CARLI, the USF Library Archives has two other digital collections, the Encounter Archive, the digital archive of USF'

The USF Library Archives' collections are approximately 70% processed.  For those that are complete, Finding Aids are available in print copy in the Archives Reading Room and online on the USF Library Archives Finding Aids page . The collection materials can be viewed in the Reading Room during open hours (M-F, 9-4). If you think there are materials in the archives that you would like to view and you don't see them on this open collection list please contact the archives at libraryarchives@stfrancis.edu . University Records Advisory Board / Trustees (10-125) Alumni / University Development (10-170) Annual Reports (10-110) Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) (10-240) Campus Ministry (10-255) Catalogs (10-200) Commencement (10-180) Ephemera / Newspaper Clippings (10-160) Faculty Handbooks / Manuals (10-225) Faculty Committees (10-230) Faculty Salary Studies (10-150) Federal Express Program (10-215) Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities (

Welcome to the new blog of the University of St. Francis Library Archives. We are excited to have this space to post news and updates about the happenings in the archives. Please continue to check back and feel free to leave comments.