Cincinnati Birth and Death Record Availability

One of the many filing cabinets filled with birth and death records.

One of the many filing cabinets filled with birth and death records.

Digitization has begun on the City of Cincinnati’s birth and death records prior to 1909.  For the next several months, portions of the records will be unavailable for research while they are being digitized.  If you wish to view any of the birth and death records, please contact the Archives and Rare Books Library by phone at 513-556-1959 or by email at archives@ucmail.uc.edu to ensure that the records are available.  Also, please be aware that replies to research requests may be delayed while certain records are inaccessible.  Further information on these records and guidelines for submitting a research request can be found on the Archives and Rare Books Library website.  Full web access to the digitized records should be available by Summer 2010.

OhioLINK Notice Update

UPDATE – all systems are working now.

OhioLINK reports: “Unfortunately we are experiencing a SAN network failure that is preventing access to multiple OhioLINK services including the Electronic Journal Center, some OSearch databases, the Digital Media Center and other services. Systems engineers are working to resolve the problem and we hope to resume service as soon as possible. We apologize for the interruption in service at this very busy time of the year.”

Student-made snow globes on exhibit at DAAP Library

On Wednesday, November 25, 2009, a DAAP fine art student, Jennifer Morgan gave a critique of her snow globe project in the DAAP Library. Created for her class (Installation Art), Jennifer’s snow globes are constructed from figurines and other found objects, which are housed in jars filled with baby oil.

Though snow globes are generally considered “kitsch” objects and are associated with vacationers and leisure, this student’s project challenges this view by placing elements of destruction, such as a canary in a coal mine, a cowboy surrounded by real tobacco, and a black widow spider, inside a snow globe.

Jennifer first saw the DAAP Library snow globe collection her sophomore year during a graphic design class. Now a senior, she was inspired for this project after the snow globes were placed more visibly on the library shelves. She recalls that DAAP’s snow globes had been displayed in cases before this year, and is glad they are out in the library for more people to see. Jennifer’s globes are displayed among the DAAP Library’s collection to surprise and delight daap students and visitors alike.

Other DAAP student art exhibitions are currently being installed in the DAAP Library. Watch the blog for more details.

Blog entry co-written by:

Sara Mastbaum, Graduate Assistant (DAAP School of Art MA Candidate), DAAP Library

Jennifer Pollock, Head of the DAAP Library