Towers Newsletter of the Library Associates of the University of Idaho Library Winter 2012
Carlton Watkins Mining Photograph Collection..............................3 Vandal Video Collection..................3 Fall Advisory Board meeting.............3 Dean’s Corner: Good to great........... 4 Ways to give............................... 4
Important Gift Processing Deadlines - Year End http://uidahofoundation.org/ uidahofoundation/giftadministration/ yearendgiftdeadlines
As the year draws to a close and we find in the thick of ourselves the holiday season, many of us are reflecting on the things that enrich our lives and the ways we want to give back. Our donors, who come from all corners of the University of Idaho community and range from recent and not-so-recent graduates to seasoned faculty members, Stephen and Samantha Parrott ‘12 support the University of Idaho Library for a variety of reasons. We recently talked to several of them about why they give. While each one has a personal library story, we also discovered some common themes.
Giving: different perspectives common themes..............................1-2
Giving: Different perspectives, common themes
Inside this issue:
Volume 15, Issue 4
The University Library shares Idaho’s story with the world Stephen and Samantha Perez Parrott’s (’12) experience with the University Library is still very fresh in their minds. Both recently served as ASUI presidents, and now they are out making their marks on the world. “As students, we remember spending long hours in the library studying for upcoming exams. It was always a clean and quiet place to clear your mind,” said Samantha. “The library was always our favorite place to study because of the options of having a private study space or a more open area near other people” Stephen agreed. “Samantha and I donate to help fund the addition of more study spaces, both private and collaborative.” Beyond the physical space, Stephen says, “I am especially interested in helping the library increase the holdings of its Special Collections. Those collections contain so many priceless historical resources about our state. We know our gifts to the library will go toward preserving the rich history of the university as well as the state of Idaho,” he said.
875 Perimeter Dr. 2350 Moscow, ID 83844-2350 Phone: (208) 885-6534 Email: librdean@uidaho.edu
“The University of Idaho Library is essential to our university,” echoed Samantha. Whether you know it or not the library touches each and every part of campus; and from there, it reaches out to the world.” continued on page 2
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Photographs of 1890 Anaconda Mines show early techniques
Giving: Different perspectives, continued
Information becomes knowledge at the library The library is an invaluable resource for faculty research, too. “As a faculty member and Library Advisory Board member, I can personally attest to the important work being conducted by our dedicated library administration and staff to support teaching and learning at the university,” said Dr. Gary Williams, Professor and Chair of the U-Idaho Department of English.”
Among the riches of the University of Idaho Library’s historical photograph collections is an oversize portfolio of 80 original Carleton Watkins photographs donated to the library by Cort Conley. Long considered lost - the collection was found in a basement in San Francisco after having survived the 1906 earthquake - these photographs, taken in 1890, depict the interiors of four Anaconda Mining Company mines in Butte, Montana. Dr. Gary Williams
Carleton Watkins is best known for his scenic, large-plate photographs of the West, but his more commercial photography, exemplified by the mining scenes, is increasing in value. These beautiful and historically important photographs can be browsed on the collection’s website by mine, map, or the depth below ground at which each photo was taken; in addition, users can flip through the photographs in the original order of Watkins’ portfolio.
“I rely on the library in so many ways,” he continued, “but if I had to highlight one, it would be the superb interlibrary loan system, without which it would be practically impossible for me to conduct my research. I study 19th-century American women’s writing and often need out-of-print books as well as photocopies of articles from journals from the 1850s and earlier,” he said. “Not once in nearly forty years have the splendid crews in that office been unable to find what I’ve needed. This service has been critical to my publishing record.”
The collection also includes contextual information about the photographs’ composition and use by George Hearst, the Rothschild family, and others. In a series of letters to his wife, Watkins details his challenges in Butte, which included howling winds, rain, snow, fires, personal health issues, and the terrible lighting and breathing conditions in the mine itself. Permission to use the transcripts of these eight letters was granted by the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley.
Support for the library is support for the university From within the library walls, Ben Hunter, associate librarian and head of cataloging and collections, concurs with Stephen and Samantha Parrott and Dr. Williams. “I invest in the library because it plays such a central role in University of Idaho’s teaching, learning, research, and outreach. Our services range from teaching students how to find, use, and evaluate information to providing faculty researchers with the latest research in their field to creating cutting-edge digital collections that make our special collections available to anyone in the world.”
For more information about the Carleton Watkins Mining Photographs Collection and to view the photographs and letters, visit www.lib.uidaho.edu/ digital/watkins/
“We’ll never be the biggest or the richest library,” said Hunter, “but our dedicated faculty and staff still make amazing things happen for our users every day. The library is part of what makes the University of Idaho great, and that is why I give to the library.” What is your personal library story? Perhaps it’s as simple as Shirley Strom’s (U-Idaho’48). “I donate my time and money to the library because Idaho’s flagship university deserves a flagship library, and I love books!” Whatever your reason for giving, your gifts truly make a difference in the future of the University and its mission and inspire the futures of generations of researchers to come.
Mountain Consolidated Mine 400 ft. level East sill floor
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New Vandal Video Collection revives old football and basketball footage Latest addition to the library’s Digital Collections features some of the most exciting games in U-Idaho history. The University of Idaho Library’s new Vandal Video Collection is now online. The videos span the years 1925 to 1997 and include footage of exciting victories over Boise State, Washington State, and other schools. One of the earliest videos shows amazing views of Moscow, from the University of Idaho Administration Building to Main Street, followed by the earliest football game in the collection, a Leather-Helmet football game in Neale Stadium between USC and the Vandals. The original versions of 160 historic Vandal football and basketball training and scouting films were transferred to the library by the Athletic Department and Vandal Boosters between 1984 and 2000, digitized and saved to DVDs by volunteer Graham Warger in 2010 and 2011. The digital videos were ripped from Warger’s DVD digitizations of the original 16mm film, assigned metadata according to location, outcome, date and other information pertinent to each contest. Non-professional cinematographers shot the footage; consequently, the
. University of Idaho vs. Boise State University, November 23,1991
digital videos are strictly video, as none of the original footage included audio. In some instances, only portions of a game, such as special team plays, were recorded. Browse the collection by date, location, and/or team at http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/vandalvideo/
Fall U-Idaho Library Advisory Board meeting includes member transitions When the University of Idaho Library Advisory Board convened for its Fall ‘12 meeting, the agenda included the usual reports, committee meetings, and work sessions; but it also included the introduction of two board members, Marty Peterson of Boise and Ellen Holm of McCall. Many Idahoans know Marty from his 20 years as special assistant to University of Idaho presidents and as State Budget Director under Governors Evans and Andrus. Marty also served on the staff of U.S. Senator Frank Church and as executive director of the Association of Idaho Cities. Now retired, Marty and his wife, Barb, live in Boise, where Marty participates in a number of community groups and has lectured as a noted Hemingway scholar. Ellen Weick Holm, a Boise native and University of Colorado Boulder graduate, lives in McCall with her husband, Rich. After a varied working career, Ellen remains active in the McCall community, where she serves on several boards. Ellen represents the parent’s voice on the Board; the Holms’ daughter, Catie, and son, Richard, are both graduates of the University of Idaho (’02 and ’05). Along with the addition of a new board member came the resignation of Shirley Longeteig Strom, one of the board’s original members. Shirley is stepping down after
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many years of volunteer service to the university, including involvement with the Alumni Association, the College of Letters and Science, and University of Idaho Foundation. She and her husband established the Shirley Longeteig Strom and Robert C. Strom Library Special Collections Endowment to fund cataloging and archiving of items donated to the Shirley Longeteig Strom library’s archives. The Stroms also donated a collection of historical and rare books that they had accumulated through their shared interest in the history of Idaho and the Northwest. Shirley’s presence on the board will be greatly missed. At the Spring 2013 meeting, Gary Strong will begin serving as board chair when Ruthie Nellis steps down after leading the board for the past two years. Strong, a native of the Palouse, has held the position of University Librarian at the UCLA Library since 2003 and plans to retire in early 2013. Library Advisory Board members come together twice each year to help move the library forward in three key areas: enhancing the library building, strengthening the Library Associates group, and marketing the library.
Dean’s Corner: Filling the gap from good to great From this issue of Towers, you’ve heard stories from people who have invested in the library. Though their perspectives were different, a common thread wove them together: the quality of the library affects the quality of our university, from student learning to faculty productivity.
For more information on giving options and ensuring your gift is used exactly the way you want it to be, contact Dean Lynn Baird at (208) 885-6534. • Cash Gifts • Planned Giving • In-kind Gifts (Materials and Personal Collections)
Dear Santa: Our library has needs . . .
Our staff: Gone is the card catalog. As the library profession embraces technology and new pedagogies, we need to invest in the education of our staff, connecting them to the emerging ideas of our profession. We received some sad news as we prepared the Winter 2012 Towers for you. Our friend Shirley Strom passed
• Tax Benefits Appreciated Assets Dr. Lynn Baird, Library Dean
away December 5. Shirley was a wonderful friend to the library, an outstandingly loyal alumna, and a mentor to me. She will be missed. To honor her memory, her family suggests gifts to the Robert C. Strom and Shirley Longeteig Strom Library Endowment.
• Memorial or Honorary Gifts For more information, please visit: www.lib.uidaho.edu/giving/ways.html
We are always grateful for your support. Library Associates are the powerful forces to elevate us over the gap from good to great. You are indeed making a difference. May this season bring peace and joy. Contact us at library@uidaho.edu to learn how your donation can sponsor an edition of the Gem of the Mountains Digital Yearbooks.
875 Perimeter Dr., 2350 Moscow, ID 83844-2350 Phone: (208) 885-6534 Email: librdean@uidaho.edu
Our building: In the grand scheme, we need to transform a portion of the third floor into a new, climate controlled space for scholars to interact with our Special Collections and Archives. While we work to make that a priority, we also need to create learning spaces to support current students. The first floor needs new carpeting and our students need more moveable furniture for collaborative work spaces.
Ways to Give