By Miriam Intrator, Special Collections Librarian
As a new semester and new academic year are once again upon us, there are many new events and opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and the broader OHIO and Athens communities. Below is an overview of some of what’s available this coming fall. We encourage you to reach out with any questions, for more information, or with your own ideas about how we can support your teaching or research.
Contents
Quick Links
- We are one of thirteen designated experiential learning spaces on campus!
- For Instructors
- Schedule an experiential learning session for your students
- Assign one of our asynchronous tutorials
- Learn about other ways we can partner to incorporate primary source literacy and hands-on learning with original materials into your teaching and research
- Orient your students to primary sources with our Research Guide
- Read and share our All About Mahn brochure
- Keep up with what’s happening on our blog!
- Many posts are by students working with our collections
- Browse our Digital Archives
- Digital Initiatives is always adding new material
- Explore our Digital Exhibits
- View recent exhibits highlighting some of our collections:
- Ohio University and The Post during World War II: Stories from the Digitized Student Newspaper Collection
- Figures of Modern Dance: Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis
- Persian Poetry Manuscripts: A Journey Through Time by 2023-2024 Graduate Assistant Mina Sadeghzadeh (also read Mina’s blog post about researching for and creating the exhibit).
- View recent exhibits highlighting some of our collections:
Fall Events
Alberto del Saz, Dance Lecture & Demonstration, “Alwin Nikolais: Then and Now, Around the World”
Friday, August 30, 3:30 – 4:30 PM, Shirley Wimmer Dance Theater, Putnam Hall
Join us for a dynamic lecture with demonstration by Director of the Nikolais/Louis Foundation for Dance, Alberto del Saz. Born in Bilbao, Spain, Mr. del Saz has been with the Nikolais/Louis Foundation for 40 years; now, he focuses on preserving the Nikolais/Louis technique, repertory, and legacy through his teaching and directing. The Mahn Center preserves the Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection.
Archives & Special Collections Discovery Space & Recent Acquisitions Showcase
Wednesday, September 11, 4:00 – 6:00 PM, 5th floor, Alden Library
The Archives & Special Collections Discovery Space and New Acquisitions Showcase welcomes friends, supporters, and first time guests to explore select newly acquired materials, hear from some of our interns and student employees about the materials they work with and the expertise they have developed, get hands-on and creative with coloring pages, buttonmaking, legos, and more, all while mingling and enjoying light refreshments.
The Division of Diversity & Inclusion Mix & Mingle has been scheduled at the same time. Since it is right across the road in Baker Center, we very much hope that people will attend both drop-in events! The event is free and all are welcome.
Ohio University Buildings in Wikimedia Commons Edit-a-Thon
Friday, September 27, 4:00 – 6:00 PM, 251, 2nd floor Alden Library
Whether you’re a seasoned Wikipedian or new to editing, this event is a great opportunity to learn, share knowledge, and improve public information about the architectural gems on our campus. Participants will learn about Wikimedia Commons, how to contribute images, and add categories to images. The event is free and open to the public.
Fall Exhibits
The Center of Attention: Elections
Opening Tuesday, September 10, 5th floor, Alden Library, anytime the 5th floor is open
The 2024 presidential election is sure to be a historic one. In honor of this and all historic elections the Libraries presents an exhibit of presidential campaign materials on the fifth floor of Alden Library. Explore the history of contentious elections and women’s roles in elections and see how past elections and issues connect to our present one. The exhibit is officially open Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
Curated by Hester Lambright, History ’26, Spring 2024 Archives Intern. Read her blog post about her internship experience researching and preparing this exhibit.
University Archives Annual Homecoming Display
Alden Library, 4th floor, September 23 – 28, whenever the 4th floor is open
Stop by to explore Ohio University history, hands-on, through yearbooks, student newspapers, posters, sports programs, memorabilia, student handbooks, dance cards, photographs, and many other interesting historical items representing 200+ years of OHIO history.
View past virtual Homecoming exhibits at the links below:
- 2022 Memories through Music
- 2021 It’s All Coming Back
- 2020 Mapping Memories
Still on display
Art & the Alphabet graphic design posters by students in the spring 2024 Typography class, on view fall semester, 2nd floor, Alden Library.
Eyeing the Everyday: Objects of the Ordinary created and curated by students in the spring 2024 University Professor course, Eyeing the Everyday. On view through October 20th, 4th floor Alden Library.
Coming soon!
Francine Childs: Life and Contributions at Ohio University & Beyond, 1974-2023 (digital exhibit, link coming soon). This exhibit explores the life, contributions, and legacy of Dr. Francine Childs, professor at Ohio University beginning in 1974 and active on campus, locally, and nationally over the course of her entire life. Highlighting digitized materials from University Archives, the exhibit was researched and written by Dr. Vibert Cambridge of the Athens, Ohio, Mt. Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society History Committee and Nigel Cambridge of the City University of New York.
New Resources
Virginia Woolf Author Collection, created by former Research Apprentice Cali Weber, is the first Rare Book Author Collection highlighting a woman author. Read about Cali Weber’s research process in her blog post.
ArchivesSpace searches across finding aids, which contain detailed descriptions and inventories of collections, for materials held in Ohio University Archives, Manuscript Collections, Documentary Photography Archive, and Rare Books Special Collections. Descriptions in ArchivesSpace are not complete but are being updated and added to frequently.
Appalachian Studies Research Guide provides an overview of Appalachian materials and resources primarily available in the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, as well as other relevant resources at Ohio University Libraries. These materials have a strong focus on Appalachia in Southeastern Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Read about intern Di Galbraith’s experience working on this guide in her blog post.
Athens Mental Health Center Research Guide will help you research the Athens Mental Health Center, locate patient records, and explore the history of mental health and treatment. Also includes information about disability history and mad liberation.
Thank you!
None of what we do would be possible without the amazing instructors, students, and staff who collaborate with and inspire us. We are grateful and look forward to hearing from and working with new people all the time. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Have a wonderful fall semester!