Check out our new Digital Library!

Check out our new Digital Library!

 After much anticipation, hair pulling, fingers crossed, and dancing, we have unveiled a new look to our digital collections. You'll notice a few changes in the way the images are displayed and it might take you a little bit to navigate through the photos, but I think you will like the new look.  In addition we have added several new collections. The following are photographs from those collections.

 

This  photo is  from the Charlie Ford Photograph Collection. Charlie Ford was a photographer from Springdale, Utah. He took pictures of tourists visiting Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Grand Canyon National Parks.

Jim Jones, known as the "premier landscapist of Southern Utah" donated his legacy of paintings to Southern Utah University to help build the new Southern Utah Museum of Art.

John David Morrill was a home builder, fish hatchery manager, game warden, and photographer. His collection includes photographs of family, work, and Panguitch scenery.

To see more of the Digital Library click on the following link.

Digital Library!

"All Aboard"

The Friends of the Sherratt Library

invite you to

"An Evening with Friends"

Celebrate 150 years of the Union Pacific

89 years of the Utah Parks Company

and 50 years of the Sherratt Library's Special Collections

October 13, 2012

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm 

at the Gerald R.Sherratt Library

on the campus of Southern Utah University 

To read more about the evenings festivities click on the following link:

http://www.ironcountytoday.com/view/full_story/20540439/article-Gala-anniversary-celebration-offers-reunions--reminiscing-and-singing? 

Also view this link from SUUTV News
http://www.suunews.com/videos/2012/oct/15/880/

 

Busy Summer!

Special Collections and University Archives have had a busy summer moving shelves, boxes, and books into a new space once occupied by Curriculum and Media Collections. For years Special Collections and University Archives have needed more space for the ever expanding documents of the University and the growth of collections, both manuscript and book. This move separates the University Archives (which are a collection unto themselves) from Special Collections allowing for continued growth in each area.

Also this summer, Mike Broadbent a dedicated library volunteer, has completed the typing of names from the Max Bonzo Photograph Collection into a searchable database. This will allow much easier access to patrons who are searching for their family photographs. We appreciate all Mike’s hard work on this endeavor.

Special Collections and University Archives are looking forward to the Library’s Gala this fall where we will celebrate 50 years of service to SUU, the community, and to our many friends and researchers that we have had come through our doors.

Homer Jones

Our friend Homer Jones passed away peacefully in his sleep early Memorial Day morning. He was 102 years old.

Homer was an award winning photographer. He owned and operated Zion Photo in Cedar City for nearly 40 years. He later donated his collection of photographs and negatives to the Sherratt Library Special Collections. We have some of his photographs digitized and online. They can be found on the Library's website at the following link.  Homer Jones Photograph Collection

Homer married his childhood sweetheart, Barbara Belle Macfarlane and together they enjoyed 73 years of married life until her passing in 2003. Homer was a friend to everyone. When he turned 85 he volunteered to deliver meals on wheels to the "old people" which he did faithfully for several years. Homer loved to travel, see new places and meet new people, but in all of his travels he never found anywhere he liked quite as well as Cedar City, Utah.

We'll miss you Homer Swapp Jones.

Preserving Family Treasures

Your family heritage and personal collections are precious to you and to future generations and it’s important to preserve these mementos in the best way possible.

The most important thing you can do to safe guard your treasures is to store them in a stable, cool, and dry environment. Overly dry conditions cause leather to crack and damp conditions cause mold. Try not to place any family treasures in direct sunlight as it can cause fading. Good housekeeping is also important. You should dust objects and keep storage areas clean. This will help prevent insect infestations.

The following are some tips for handling your treasures.

Books

· Shelve upright supported by book ends if needed.

· Store large volumes flat.

Paper

· Store paper items flat, rather than folding and unfolding.

· Paper materials may be store in acid-free file folders.

Photographs

· House photos in protective enclosures to keep out gritty dirt and dust which can scratch images.

· Store all prints and negatives in acid-free boxes. If possible, keep negative separate from print materials.

· Avoid albums constructed of highly colored pages. Never use commercially available “magnetic” or “no stick” albums. These materials will deteriorate quickly over time and could damage photographs.

Proper care, handling and storage of your treasures will help to ensure that they are available for generations to come.

For more information on “Preparing, Protecting, and Preserving” your family treasures visit the following website: http://www.loc.gov/preservation/family/

Happy Valentines Day!

On February 14, Americans celebrate love and friendship by exchanging cards, flowers, and candy. Although the origins of Valentine's Day are murky, ancient Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia, a spring festival, on the fifteenth of February. Like so many holidays, a Christian gloss was added to the pagan fete when the holiday moved to the fourteenth of February—the saint day associated with several early Christian martyrs named Valentine.

The romance we associate with Valentine's Day may spring from the medieval belief that birds select their mates on February 14. During the Middle Ages, lovers recited verse or prose to one another in honor of the day.

Handmade valentines, probably the first greeting cards, appeared in the sixteenth century. Mass production of cards began as early as 1800. Initially hand-tinted by factory workers, by the early twentieth century even fancy lace and ribbon-strewn cards were created by machine.

I folded a little missive
And called it a Valentine
And sent it a-way with its hidden freight
From this fluttering heart of mine

Seasons Greetings from the Archives!

As an archivist I get to hold history in my hands. I'm primarily responsible for maintaining and preserving records of individuals, groups and institutions. I think the most appealing aspect of the profession is the ability to safeguard that which has survived throughout the generations. As an archivist, I help ensure that history lives and thrives!

As the year winds to a close, I'm grateful for the history of this past year and look forward to the New Year with great anticipation.

Special Collections and University Archives are taking a break and we will be closed beginning December 19th through December 2nd. I will be checking my email so if you need to get in touch with me....leave a message on my answering machine or email me.

435-586-7945
mitchell_p@suu.edu

Have a wonderful and safe Holiday Season!