Monthly Archives: May 2011

2011 Ohio Sunshine Laws Manual Available

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By Janice Schulz

Cover Ohio Sunshine LawsAs a State of Ohio public entity, the University of Cincinnati is required to adhere to Ohio’s public records laws. The laws can be found in Ohio Revised Code 149.43, but interpretation can be tricky. To assist Ohio agencies and citizens with understanding and applying both the public records laws and the open meeting laws, collectively known as “sunshine laws,” the Ohio Attorney General and the Ohio Auditor of State have jointly published the Ohio Sunshine Laws Manual. In plain language, the manual describes what a public record is, how to request records, exceptions to the law, enforcement of the law, and obligations of public offices. Like many state laws, interpretation of the public records laws happens during actual court cases, and the manual is updated annually to include new and/or different interpretations that affect how we need to comply. The 2011 Sunshine Manual can be viewed and downloaded free of charge and hard copies, also free of charge, can be requested on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.

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T. M. Berry Project: Alpha Phi Alpha Continued

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By Laura Laugle

26th Anniversary Convention

Close up of Theodore M. Berry with Alpha Brothers from the group photo below at the 26th Anniversary Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, 1933

The photos that I took to preservation a couple of weeks ago (see my blog post T. M. Berry Project: Alpha Phi Alpha) came back last week and are looking lovely! They really did a great job, especially with the photos featured in today’s blog which had been tightly rolled and were incredibly stiff and brittle. They are now nice and flat and beautiful. So here’s a big “thank you” to the preservation department in Langsam Library!

I know that the panoramic photographs below seem small on a computer screen; in fact it’s difficult for me to even make out faces, but in real life they are pretty large. The three original photos we have range from 27” to 36” in length and are well big enough to see each individual clearly which is especially important with these photos. Continue reading →

Researching Student Life at the Archives & Rare Books Library

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1955 Cincinnatian yearbook

From the 1955 Cincinnatian

By Janice Schulz

While students enter college with the goal of gaining a formal education, a good bit of learning also occurs outside of the classroom. A university campus is in many ways like a self-contained community, providing students a place to live, study, work and socialize. Much of this lifestyle is student-driven, allowing students to build leadership, organizational, social and even political skills for use in life after university. At the same time, students react to and are affected by the wider world outside of the university.

The Archives and Rare Books Library has compiled a guide to its holdings that can be used to research student life at the University of Cincinnati. Research ideas are endless, but can include topics such as: Continue reading →

The Albert B. Sabin Digitization Project: Sabin Sundays

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Just last year, the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital came together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of April 24, 1960. Why was this date so important? Sunday, April 24, 1960, is also known as “Sabin Sunday,” which was the first public distribution of the Sabin oral polio vaccine in the United States. This took place right here in Hamilton County, Ohio!

Advertisement for Sabin Sundays in the Cincinnati Enquirer, 1960

One document I found (of many) referring to this massive undertaking was a copy of an advertisement from the Cincinnati Enquirer, which was published on Sabin Sunday. Called the “Children’s Crusade,” from April 24-May 11, children could receive a free oral polio vaccine from doctors and clinics around Cincinnati and the surrounding area. This effort was sponsored by the Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Pediatrics Society, the Southwestern Ohio Society of General Physicians and the Cincinnati Board of Health. I love the photograph of Dr. Sabin administering the vaccine because this is the way many of that generation remember receiving the vaccine. Continue reading →

New Summon Tutorial Now Available

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summon basics image

The Summon Basics tutorial provides a brief overview of the library’s powerful new search tool, Summon. Learn how to quickly and easily discover information from the UC Libraries collections on any topic. It is the place to start research for journal and newspaper articles, books, government documents, maps, music recordings, videos, digital collections, and more.

Click here to get started or visit:
rwc.uc.edu/library/tutorial/summon-basic/summon-basic.htm

City of Cincinnati Annexation Records

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By Janice Schulz

Map of Cincinnati 1819

Cincinnati in 1819 from “Centennial History of Cincinnati,” 1904

The Archives & Rare Books Library holds a unique collection of local government records vital to the understanding of Cincinnati’s growth from a small walking city into the expansive metropolitan area that exists today. Acquired in 1996 from the Cincinnati Clerk of Council and through the Ohio Network of American History Research Centers program, the Cincinnati Annexation Collection includes annexation records generated by the City and the villages from 1869 to 1939 as well as former village records acquired by Cincinnati at the time of annexation, some dating back to 1829. These records are an excellent resource for researching the history of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods.

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The Albert B. Sabin Digitization Project

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Polio is a devastating disease that is currently found in four countries in the world – Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. However, this wasn’t always the case. Throughout the 20th century, polio was a disease that caused much anxiety and fear among parents all over the world. This disease was most likely to affect young children and caused paralysis, which could lead to death.

Dr. Sabin in his military uniform

During the mid-20th century, several researchers were trying to find a way to prevent more children from being affected by polio. One of the front runners, Albert B. Sabin, developed the oral polio vaccine for this purpose. Much of the research for this vaccine was done here in Cincinnati, and one of the first trials for the oral polio vaccine in the United States was held in Hamilton County. Continue reading →