WKU Visual Resources Librarian Nancy Richey
WKU Visual Resources Librarian Nancy Richey and retired newspaper publisher Roger Givens presented “Kentucky County Stars: Illustrious Kentuckians” as part of the “We’ve Been Everywhere” program on Tuesday, April 23 in the Helm Library on WKU’s campus. Rogers and Givens presented images and brief synopses of famous entertainers, politicians, and other influential figures throughout history who originated form our Bluegrass state.
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WKU Library student workers will be missed!
A reception was held on May 8 at 10 am to honor the student workers for WKU Libraries who are graduating. Best wishes and good luck in your future endeavors!
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WKU Libraries and the University Experience program presented awards honoring the winners of the 2013 WKU Libraries & University Experience Undergraduate Research Award.
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As the weather warms and our students head back home, the reference area displays books about horticulture to inspire beautiful gardens!
Books on display:
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Brian Coutts
On Friday, April 26th, 2013 Brian gave his annual workshop on the best reference sources of the previous year in Helm 5. These selections appear in the March 1, 2013 issue of Library Journal, the nation’s oldest library trade journal. Highlights included the announcement that the Encyclopaedia Britannica first published in 1768 was getting out of the print business. Among the notable reference books of 2012 included the Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art & Architecture, the Atlas of the Great Irish Famine, the Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste, Flies: The Natural History and Diversity of Diptera,and the Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. A reception followed in Helm 201. Thanks to Ryan Dowell for creating the “Best Reference” power point, to Christopher McConnell for creating the handout, and to Amanda Hardin for planning the reception.
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Spratte-Lennington
My name is Curtis Spratte-Lennington and I have worked as an intern in the Manuscripts & Folklife Archives unit of the Special Collections Library at WKU for the spring of 2013. I learned various new things. I learned how to accession items, something that requires a little more concentration and focus than what I had previously thought. I also learned about a noble and dedicated man who spent a great majority of his life ensuring he did not miss a single vote in the House of Representatives: Congressman William Natcher. Even on his dying deathbed, he did not want to miss a vote in the House. I wrote a biography for the William Natcher collection. I also organized, cataloged, and created accession numbers for the Natcher finding aid that will help future students to conduct research about this dedicated man. Surprisingly there has never been a single book released that deals with the life of Congressman Natcher and I hope that with the use of these finding aids someone would be able to tell the story of this man and what he did for the state of Kentucky.
I also learned how to catalogue and file small collections within Manuscripts. One of the most interesting aspects of going through manuscripts is that they cover individual histories with photographs, family memorabilia, etc… and for me the chance to go through material is almost like conducting an archeological excavation through a person’s life and to learn the individual stories from individual people was like taking a journey through time. By cataloging historical material I was able to understand what it means to be an archivist; it literally means to not only organize historical material but to ensure the collection’s integrity for generations to come. Understanding historical material is literally understanding the individual who wrote or contributed it and understanding the time period where it came from.
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My name is Taryn Ric
e. I have worked in the Manuscripts & Folklife Archives unit of the Special Collections Library at WKU for the past year as the manuscripts technician. Previously, I served in the same unit as an intern for one semester and a student assistant for 3 years. During my time here, I have developed a deeper appreciation for the study of historic documents. One fundamental concept I have learned is the importance of primary source preservation to the study of history.
Primary sources are first-hand accounts about anything in history (from local family news to world wars) written during the time the events occurred. In 1863, a note from a Civil War soldier to his wife would just be a letter. But to us in 2013, that letter is now a primary source that we can use to understand the Civil War on a more personal level. Thanks to concerned and resourceful family members, we have letters like this in our collection that allow researchers to interpret the climate of the war. What did this man see and experience? How did Union soldiers view Confederates? What was camp life like for a soldier traveling throughout the South with his regiment? Even from reading a short, two-page letter, we can grasp a bit of perspective from an everyday man living through a destructive time in our nation’s history.
Last fall, I began teaching Kentucky History at a community college. My initial nervousness began to wear off once I realized that I had access to the absolute best resource for this subject: the Special Collections Library! This job has prepared me in a very unique way to teach this subject. In addition to incorporating research from current scholarly sources, I am able to bring the lives of Kentucky soldiers, mothers, couples, and politicians (to name a few) to a new generation of readers through their letters, certificates, and diaries.
In 2013, it’s hard to think of our emails, text messages, and twitter posts as significant historical documents. But as insignificant as those “documents” may be to us now, we should consider what and how we should leave behind our own histories and life stories. If you are interested in researching the Civil War or reading letters to and from Kentuckians over the past 200 years, make plans to visit the Special Collections Library. If you would like your family’s papers to be preserved for future generations, please contact the Special Collections Library.
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WKU Libraries and the Department of Music, WKU presented “Jazz; International Sweethearts of Rhythm” with Dr. Marshall Scott on the evening of April 23, 2013 at the Choir Rehearsal Room in the Music Hall on campus.
The presentation is one of the “America’s Music” series sponsored by Tribeca Film Institute, American Libraries Association, and other institutions.
The last of the series named “Latin Music USA; Fro Mambo to Hip-Hop: A South Bronx Tale” will be presented on Tuesday, April 30 at the same location. It’s also a free and swipeable event.
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WKU Libraries, Warren County Public Library, and Barnes and Noble Booksellers partnered up to present another successful Southern Kentucky (SOKY) Book Fest at the Carroll Knicely Convention Center adjacent to WKU South Campus on April 19-20, 2013. This was our 15th annual event. It comprised the Kentucky Writers Conference, the Children’s Day, and the event where participants had a chance to meet the authors, purchase their books, and get their autographs. This year’s event featured such headliners as Henry Winkler, Mary McDonough, Chuck Sambuchino, Jarret J. Krosoczka, and many others.
A fundraiser for the promotion of literacy in our community, the SOKY Book Fest is one of the state’s largest literary events held annually during the third weekend in April. Each year, it draws thousands of readers of all ages who welcome the occasion to meet their favorite authors and purchase signed copies of their books.
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