UC Libraries Names Ratio Architects, Inc. for Creation of Facilities Master Plan

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The University of Cincinnati Libraries have contracted with the outside firm RATIO Architects, Inc., on the creation of the Libraries Master Plan. An international architectural firm, Ratio has extensive experience designing for academic libraries including the University of Illinois-Urbana, Purdue University, and Saint Louis University among others. For more on Ratio, visit their website at http://www.ratiodesign.com/.

In creating a long-term vision for library spaces, Ratio Architects will conduct a comprehensive look and needs assessment for library facilities as expressed by employees, users, and other invested parties. The Master Planning process takes 12-18 months, and the final suggestions will span the next 5-15 years. Continue reading →

Ancient Greek Pottery from Southern Italy and Sicily on Display in the Classics Library

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vases

“From Greece to Magna Graecia” narrates in pottery the colonization by Greeks of parts of Southern Italy and Sicily beginning with the Euboeans founding the colony of Pithekoussai on the island of Ischia in the 8th c. BCE and the Corinthians Syracuse on Sicily in 733 BCE.

The exhibition, on display in the Classics Library Reading Room, features Corinthian miniature vessels, Attic black and red-figure vases as trading commodities, and Campanian red-figure. There is also an accompanying book exhibition highlighting literary sources on Magna Graecia as well as Greek temples, theaters, tomb paintings, etc., from Southern Italy and Sicily from the 8th to the 3rd centuries BCE.

In addition, there is a display featuring models of Linear B tablets discovered by UC professor Carl Blegen at “the Palace of Nestor” in Pylos. UC alumnus Emmett L. Bennett, together with Alice Kober, published the first definitive list of Linear B signs that formed the basis for Michael Ventris’ identification of the script as an early form of Greek.

Rebecka Lindau, Head, John Miller Burnam Classics Library

pottery exhibit

Cecil Striker Lecture and Exhibit a Success

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We had to take a few days to recoup but now that we have here are a few images of last Thursday’s Cecil Striker Lecture, “African American Physicians in Cincinnati: Past, Present & Future.”
A multi-generational panel of physicians was moderated by Dr. Elbert Nelson and included Drs. Chester Pryor, Charles Dillard, Camille Graham, and Christopher Lewis. Each panelist discussed a bit of their personal stories, including obstacles and successes as African American physicians, their early mentors, and heroes, etc. After the discussion, attendees were invited to a reception and an exhibit opening of the same name in the Winkler Center’s Lucas Room. For now, these are the only images we have from the event, but more will follow. Stay tuned. And thank you to everyone who helped make the evening a huge success.

Staff of the Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions

L to R, Drs. Philip Diller, Chester Pryor, Charles Dillard, Elbert Nelson, Camille Graham, Christoper Lewis

 

Panelist Bios

Exhibit Panels

Exhibit Panel

Continue reading →

Shakespeare and Cincinnati’s Dramatic Festival

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By: Sydney M. Vollmer, ARB Intern

In the spring of 1883, Cincinnati held its first Dramatic Festival at Music Hall, performing for a consecutive six days.  The show had a lineup of performances of all sorts of dramatic works, with many of them holding Shakespearian titles.   The festival was such a big deal that even the Chicago Tribune sent someone over to see what it was all about but unfortunately, the Tribune was less than impressed with Cincinnati’s efforts, claiming that the largeness of Music Hall drowned out the performances of almost all the actors.  However, the critics did have some kind words for the orchestra as well as the performances of Hamlet and Julius Caesar. Apparently, these were the only two plays that were “great” enough to be worthy of performance while simultaneously using the space effectively. It certainly helped that in the role of Hamlet was the famous thespian James E. Murdoch.

Dramatic Festival Continue reading →

Two Chemical Slide Rules : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 44, May/June 2017

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Closeup of part of the Ch scale for the circa 1960 Hemmi 257 chemical slide rule.

Closeup of part of the Ch scale for the circa 1960 Hemmi 257 chemical slide rule.

Issue 44 gives a glimpse of two classic chemical slide rules found in the Oesper Collections, one dating from 1814 and the other from 1960.

Click here for all other issues of Notes from the Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Librarians Recognized for Excellence

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Each year, The Office of the Provost and the Office of Research collaborate to present the Dean’s Award for Faculty Excellence, which recognizes faculty members who represent excellence in all its forms. Each Dean nominates faculty from their respective units whom they deem worthy of this honor. This year, Dean Xuemao Wang recognized the work of Elna Saxton, head of Content Services in the Walter C. Langsam Library, and Tiffany Grant, interim assistant director for research and informatics at the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library. Below is more about their awards. Congratulations, Elna and Tiffany!

elna saxton

(l to r) Dr. Patrick A. Limbach, VP for Research; Elna Saxton; and Peter E. Landgren, Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

Excellence Award for Faculty-to-Faculty Research Mentoring 2016-2017 – Elna Saxton

Elna has a long history of mentoring faculty members who work as part of her team.  She encourages them to develop their positions and skill sets and provides encouragement and other support to them.  Elna’s support of faculty in her unit is unconditional, even if that means they need to leave her team to move on to other career objectives within University of Cincinnati Libraries or elsewhere.

“Receiving this award is an honor and reflects on the many successful colleagues that I’ve had the good fortune to work with.  It is very rewarding to work with new faculty and engage with their professional and career development,” said Elna.

Tiffany Grant

(l to r) Dr. Patrick A. Limbach, VP for Research; Tiffany Grant; and Peter E. Landgren, Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

Award for Faculty Excellence 2016-2017 – Tiffany Grant

Tiffany has served as co-PI on the NIH Informationist Supplement grant “The Relationship Between Vortices, Acoustics, and Vibration in Vocal Fold Asymmetries”, working collaboratively with Dr. Khosla and his team.  Dr. Grant also coordinated the writing of and now implementation of the Faculty Development Grant UC Libraries received this year for the pilot of Electronic Lab Notebooks at the University of Cincinnati.  Last fall, Dr. Grant also invited the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) to come to the University for a series of workshops for UC faculty and staff.

“I am profoundly grateful to have been considered for such an honor. I truly enjoy the work that I do and those that I work with. My work in the Libraries has been tremendously rewarding, and I’m thankful for the continued support of my Health Sciences Library and University of Cincinnati colleagues. Any “excellence” that I may have achieved has largely been due to your example and support,” said Tiffany.

History of the Philomathic Society of Cincinnati College

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By Leah Wickett

ARB and Ohio Valley History Intern

Cincinnati College, 1819

Founded in 1819, Cincinnati College was home to two literary societies, the Philomathic Society and the Erophoebic Society (which had a bit of a rivalry between them).[1] Students of the College formed the Philomathic Society prior to the opening of the College, on January 18, 1818.[2] The Society’s aim was “for mutual literary improvement” and its first members were John Hough James, Junius James, George Mackey Wilson, Lemuel D. Howells, Robert T. Lytle, and Edward L. Drake.[3] Soon after its creation, the student members created a separate branch of the Philomathic Society for elected members consisting of William Henry Harrison, Thomas Peirce, Daniel Drake, Benjamin Drake, Peyton Short Symmes, as well as “other gentlemen, well known at that day… interested in literary affairs.”[4] On April 3, 1821, Daniel Drake invited the members of the Philomathic Society to join the public commencement of the Medical College being held the following day at Cincinnati College’s Chapel.[5] In the early part of 1821, the Society created a semi-monthly paper called The Olio, which featured local literature and was “the first effort on the part of a literary society, in the West, for development of poetic ability.”[6] The publication contained historical essays, articles, poetry, and the occasional “humorous essay.”[7] The Olio, published and edited by John H. Wood and Samuel S. Brooks, ended after just one year of publication.[8] Continue reading →