A new exhibit on display on the 4th floor of Blegen Library traces the development of student newspapers at the University of Cincinnati from the publication of the first paper in 1880 to today.
The exhibit features a timeline of events in the history of student newspaper production, highlighting the run dates, a short description, and the groups behind the various publications. Examples of each newspaper are displayed.
UC’s first student newspaper was given the unique title Belatrasco – a name created by the editors because it had a nice euphonic sound and rhythm to it. Although Belatrasco was only published from February 1880 to January 1881, it was a catalyst for a long and continuous string of student newspapers produced at the University right down to the current News Record, which has been published under that title since 1936. Beginning in the 1970s, UC’s regional campuses, UC-Blue Ash, and UC-Clermont also began to produce student newspapers.
The Archives & Rare Books Library has copies of the student newspapers available for research. The UC-Blue Ash and UC-Clermont libraries have copies of those campus papers. Thanks to the University of Cincinnati Alumni Association, in 2007 the University Libraries received funding through the MasterCard Grant program to digitize the UC student News Record from 1961 through 1970.
The exhibit was curated by Janice Schulz, University Records Manager and Archives Specialist, and designed and produced by Melissa Cox Norris, Directory of Library Communications.
