The month isn’t quite done, but we’re excited to share the 8 new/updated finding aids completed in January and February 2018.

It’s an eclectic set! And you’ll see several links to Oregon Digital, where you’ll find all sorts of cool digital content.

Difference, Power, and Discrimination (DPD) Program Records, 1970-2011  (RG 250)

The DPD Program Records document the establishment and functioning of the DPD Program at Oregon State University as well as the topics of diversity, discrimination, racism, minority students and faculty, and women in higher education.  The DPD Program at Oregon State was established in the early 1990s as a means to deliver courses to address cultural and ethnic diversity as well as racism, discrimination, and their origins.

Team Liberation Records, 2002-2004 (RG 287)

These records document the establishment and functioning of this organization during its first two years.  Team Liberation was established at Oregon State University in 2002 to provide interactive human relations workshops to the Oregon State community.  All the materials in the collection are born-digital records that are available to researchers in the Special Collections and Archives Research Center Reading Room. 

Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program Records, 2006-2016 (MSS ORCFRP)

The Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program Records document farms and ranches in Oregon that have applied for and received recognition as Century or Sesquicentennial farms or ranches.  The records consist primarily of application materials and administrative files related to the awards ceremonies; a database listing all the farms and ranches accepted into the program is also included.  The Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program was established in 1958.  All available application files and select administrative files are digitized and available in Oregon Digital. 

Pride Center Records, 1973-2013 (RG 236)

These records document the establishment of the Queer Resource Center (later known as the Pride Center) at Oregon State University and the programs and activities of this resource center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) members of their OSU community and their allies.  The collection administrative records, publications, educational materials, posters, photographs, and digital copies of scrapbooks that are available in Oregon Digital.

Associated Women Students Handbooks, 1924-1963 (PUB 010-23d)

These handbooks (commonly known as the Coed Code) consist of guides for women students at Oregon State University regarding regulations and expectations.  The first handbook was published in 1924 for the 1924-1925 academic year.  The Coed Code ceased publication in 1963 with the 1963-1964 issue.  The Associated Women Students was established at Oregon State in 1924 with the purpose of furthering the educational, social, and cultural aims of women.  Most of the items in this collection are available online in Oregon Digital.

Oregon Countryman, 1908-1922 (PUB 010-14a)

The Oregon Countryman was written, edited, and published by students in agriculture and home economics at Oregon Agricultural College from 1908 through 1929.  This archival collection consists of 11 unbound issues of the magazine published between June 1908 and February 1922.  These issues are available online.  An index for the magazine was prepared in the 1970s or 1980s and is also available online. 

 

 

Homer Maris Collection, 1918-1946 (MSS Maris)

This small collection contains correspondence and manuscripts relating to the Oregon State University alma mater, Carry Me Back, which was written and composed by Maris.  Also included in the collection are photographs and an Oregon Agricultural College student handbook.  In addition to incorporating an addition to the collection, this guide has been revised to reflect current descriptive standards and practice.

 

 

Paul J. Persiani Papers, 1938-2009 (MSS Persiani)

The Persiani Papers document the career of Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) physicist Paul J. Persiani.  The collection includes research data related to neutron radiation, reactor development, and fuel analysis; administrative files, photographs, and memorabilia from Persiani’s time at ANL; records of his participation in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START); publications, lectures, and teaching materials generated by Persiani; and reference materials including conference proceedings and scientific publications.  This guide has been updated to incorporate additions to the collection received in 2017.

In honor of the new exhibit “Community – Collaboration – Craft: A Glimpse of Art at OSU” in our foyer, I interviewed archivist Karl McCreary to learn more about his reason for displaying this aspect of OSU history.

What is your role in SCARC?

I review materials offered to the OSU Archives by campus departments, faculty, alumni, and associated organizations for permanent and historical value. For documentation of archival value, I describe their contents in a way to increase their accessibility for research.  This all means I see a lot of cool things to share.

Why did you choose this exhibit topic?

Personal interest in random crafty things.  I’ve reached out to and been a part of the art community here on campus since I started working here in 2000.  This has been through the Craft Center and community shows at La Sells, where I have pieces displayed currently!

Why do you think it’s important to showcase this topic?  Who do you think it will appeal to?

Anyone with an imagination will love this.  It’s just fun.  And it’s important to remember OSU isn’t just a science school.  I wanted to highlight the other aspects of campus and art is very visible on campus.

What is your favorite item in the exhibit?

Since I can only pick one, I would have to say the Danceramics. They have a fascinating background and story behind them.  Although she was an instructor of modern and creative dance from 1927-1972, Betty Lynd Thompson was inspired to replicate modern dance moves in clay, a form of art she called “danceramics.”  These ceramic pieces were also given as awards.

What surprised you the most in looking for materials?

Well, this is a culmination of years and years of seeing amazing things come into the archives.  But I think the most surprising things I found in the Memorabilia Collection when I was just looking for information and not actual items to display.  Some of these found items actually made it into the exhibit, like the art exhibit flyers from the 1930s-1950s.

Was there anything you wish you could have included but couldn’t?

Lots of things!  But I think we did a good job including some aspect of everything that needed to be included…even film from a class project in 2006 or 2007!

If people want to know more, what are other collections they could look at?

Check out the Memorabilia Collection and the Art Department Records, or just email me (karl.mccreary at oregonstate.edu).  That’s probably the easiest since some of these collections aren’t fully described or open to the public yet.

Are you ready to do another exhibit?  What exhibit would you like to do next?

Who knows!  Creating this exhibit had a huge learning curve…thank god for Tiah and Natalia!  But there is still so much more to do with this current exhibit, including talks in the Collections at the Center series and an open crafty event.

Exhibit will run until May 31 in the foyer outside of Special Collections and there will be a catered reception on February 15, from 4-6pm in the reading room.  Stay tuned for other exhibit events coming up!

Did you miss the play reading in our reading room last week?  Check out some photos from the event and we look forward to seeing you at our next reading!

This reading continues a series of play readings about women of science written by women dramatists. Last year’s readings included Gunderson’s Silent Sky about Henrietta Leavitt and the Harvard Observatory, Anna Ziegler’s Photograph 51 about Rosalind Franklin and the double helix of DNA, and Siobhán Nicholas’ Stella: A Story of Women, Their Men and Astronomy about astronomer Caroline Herschel. These readings are made possible by the following departments at OSU: Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; OSU Libraries; and the Office of Student Affairs.

Want more information on the play itself?  Check out: http://adaplay.tumblr.com/