The Archives and Rare Books Library is excited to announce new University of Cincinnati collections that have finding aids published online, or accruals made to existing collections. These include:
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World Library Tours by UCBA Faculty and Staff
by Lauren Wahman
Whether it’s traveling to a library conference or other professional development opportunity or just exploring the world in our free time, we always love to scope out what’s going on in library land.
It was an easy walk to the Mackinac Island Public Library which has an incredible view of Lake Huron. It’s visiting the Library of Congress — the biggest library of them all! It’s time spent at the World War I Museum Library in Kansas City. Perhaps it’s exploring downtown Seattle and grabbing a picture of some cool architecture at the Seattle Public Library. Maybe it’s exploring history at the Boston Public Library or getting a strategy in place for the life-size chessboard at the Kansas City Public Library. And how about trekking halfway around the world to the beautiful Austrian National Library in Vienna!
We’ve seen some awesome libraries across the country and around the world, but there’s still so much to see! Where will Lauren, Michelle and Christian go next on their world library tour?
- This room houses George Vanderbilt’s personal collection of books and it takes up two floors! – Lauren
- More of George Vanderbilt’s personal library collection at Biltmore Estate. There were a ton of books! – Lauren
- Reading Room, Boston Public Library: I had to tiptoe while taking pictures so I didn’t disturb patrons using this reading room — very quiet! – Lauren
- Boston Public Library: Really cool architecture! – Lauren
- South County Regional Branch, Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library: One of 20 branches for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library located in Charlotte, NC. – Lauren
- Library of Congress: Amazing library containing books and so much more. – Lauren
- Reading Room, Library of Congress: During the tour, we were taken to a spot that overlooked this reading room. Wow! – Lauren
- Library of Congress Sign: If in Washington, D.C., you have to visit the LOC. Plus, they have a cool little shop where you can buy all your library must-haves! – Lauren
- Kimbel Library, Coastal Carolina University: CCU is located in Conway, SC which is less than 30 minutes from the North Atlantic ocean — nice! – Lauren
- Mackinac Island Public Library: This small library is right on Mackinac Island, MI. No cars on the island so you either walk to get to it or ride a horse! – Lauren
- Seattle University is located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. I made several trips to this library while attending the ACRL Immersion Program Track. – Lauren
- The Kansas City Public Library has a book themed parking garage. – Michelle
- Kansas City Public Library’s outdoor, life-sized chess game. – Michelle
- Kansas City Public Library’s Children’s room entrance. – Michelle
- A quick stop at the Santa Fe Public Library during a cross country trip from Ohio to California along old Rt 66. – Michelle
- The Garrey Carruthers State Library in Santa Fe, New Mexico. – Michelle
- At the Seattle Public Library during the 2013 American Library Association Midwinter Conference – Michelle
- Lauren captured a great photo of Seattle Public Library building. – Lauren
- Outside of the Howard Washington Library Center’s main entrance. – Michelle
- The view of Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center from across the street. – Michelle
- On a recent trip to Disneyland, I stumbled upon Mickey’s Toon Town Library! – Michelle
- The World War 1 Museum Library in Kansas City. The museums library has an amazing collection of WW1 literature as well as searchable databases where we could find war records of some relatives. – Christian
- Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library in Vienna). This is an example of a hand illuminated manuscript with gold leaf accents. – Christian
- Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library in Vienna). They had an amazing collection of rare books which, unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to get a closer look. – Christian
- Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library in Vienna). Located in the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. The paintings and sculptures are divided equally representing war and peace. The people are a mix of mythological and historical figures all to symbolize the power and reach of the Hapsburg empire. – Christian
Exploring the UC Libraries
by Kellie Tilton
As many may know, the University of Cincinnati contains 13 awesome libraries amongst the three campuses of Uptown, Clermont and Blue Ash. As a librarian at the UCBA Library on the Blue Ash campus, I’ve been to Langsam Library numerous times and have visited a few others due to various meetings. In the two and half years I’ve worked for UC, however, I hadn’t really had the opportunity to really explore many of these collections. Over spring break, I had the chance to get the behind-the-scenes tour in eight of the 13 libraries.
By walking ten minutes across (and up!) the Uptown campus, I went from delighting over the DAAP Library’s vast snowglobe collection to admiring one of the Archive and Rare Books Library’s pre-printing press manuscripts. The resources available to all UC students, faculty and staff in the UC collections are vast, fascinating and one of the many great things about the University of Cincinnati.
If you have a chance, be sure to go seek out the many gems in the UC Libraries! To see some of my adventure, check out the photos below!
- Seek and ye shall find the legend of the Holy Grail in the Archives and Rare Books Library!
- One of the Archives and Rare Books’ pre-printing press manuscripts. This one is titled “Spurious and Doubtful Works.” Sounds really uplifting.
- In the CCM Library, you will find thousands of scores. Tens of thousands. All the scores. Or, at least, a good number of them.
- Is vinyl more your style? Check out CCM’s vinyl collection!
- The CCM Library holds drawers and drawers of cast recordings, orchestras and symphonies. Hours upon hours of happiness.
- The Chemistry-Biology Library’s current display is a fascinating one about historic synthetic dyes. Don’t let the glare from the case fool you, this rainbow of thread and dye is both gorgeous and like something from Harry Potter.
- Deep in the basements of the Classics Library sit these gorgeously bound editions on the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
- The DAAP Library hosts a variety of unique items, including the snow globe collection and the Material Connexion collection.
- The DAAP Library has a number of sewing machines available to use, you just have to B.Y.O.T. (Bring your own thread.)
- This amazing Armstrong Collection display just went up at the Engineering and Applied Science Library.
- SCIENCE! The Geology-Mathematics-Physics Library’s redesigned space is filled with fascinating maps, globes and books.
- The Geological-Mathematics-Physics Library also has some crazy fascinating books. (See also the Geo-Math-Phys book “Magic at Home!”)
- The CECH Library is currently under construction, but the amazing resources (teaching kits! poster printing! ellison dye cuts!) are still available! (And are still awesome.)
- Classics Library
- The Engineering and Applied Science reading room isn’t only an amazing place to study, it also has absolutely gorgeous murals and a great view of the Uptown Campus.
- Books in the Oesper Collection are not only super old (the bottom book was written in the 17th century) but incredibly intriguing.
- The Oesper Collection also holds a number of historical Chemistry equipment and chemicals!
- Okay, this isn’t from inside a library. But it is from outside Blegen, which houses Classics, CCM and ARB. And who am I to deny you a squirrel eating pizza?!?
NATIONAL INFORMATION LITERACY AWARENESS MONTH, 2009
In his October 1 address President Barack Obama declared October 2009 as National Information Literacy Awareness Month. In his statement he said,
“In addition to the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic, it is equally important that our students are given the tools required to take advantage of the information available to them. The ability to seek, find, and decipher information can be applied to countless life decisions, whether financial, medical, educational, or technical.” See the complete text of the proclamation.
The University of Cincinnati recognizes information literacy as “an essential skill that supports each of the baccalaureate competencies and must permeate every component of the General Education Core.” Continue reading










































