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.