University of St. Francis Library Archives

The USF Library Archives is very appreciative of all the donations that have been received for the collections over the years. In recent history the largest one has been The Barbara A. Cooke Musical Theatre Special Collection , a donation from Ms. Cooke that consists of sheet music, books and other materials related to musical theater. In addition to this generous donation, the Archives has received smaller gifts of materials that both enhance the Archives' materials and increase our knowledge of the history of USF. A recent donation from Mr. James Sczepaniak included materials that his late wife, Mrs. Mary Clare (Gordon) Sczepaniak ('57), collected while she was a student and an alum. Some of the items pictured below will be used in this year's Founder's Day displays in the Moser Performing Arts Center gallery space. If you or someone you know has materials related to the University of St. Francis or its history please feel free to contact the USF Library Archives.

In 1997 the St. Joseph College of Nursing joined the College of St. Francis and on January 1, 1998 became the College of Nursing and Allied Health at the newly renamed University of St. Francis. But before this storied nursing school joined USF they had been training nurses in Joliet for almost eight decades. Here's an abbreviated timeline about the history of St. Joseph School of Nursing. 1866 - 4 women form the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Seelback, Germany 1876 - Those 4 Sisters arrive in Avilla, Indiana 1881 - The Sisters traveled to Joliet to care for those affected by an epidemic of typhoid fever 1882 - Joliet donates $600 towards the creation of a hospital to be run by the Sisters 1882 - The Sisters of the Sacred Heart purchase the Motherhouse on Broadway from the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate to use as the St. Joseph Hospital *** So begins the relationship between the two congregations. The Sisters of St. Francis provided education for the Si