News & Announcements - University Libraries

Three Questions with Holly Harris

Holly Harris is a History PhD Student and University PhD Fellow at Southern Methodist University. Her research focuses on allied prisoners of war on the Eastern front during World War II. She has held fellowships with the United States Air Force Academy, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and the University of Illinois Russian and Eastern European Center. Her relative Warren Gribbons was an American prisoner of war for a year and a half, which initially sparked her interest in the topic. She is interested in how this event connects to geopolitics, military welfare, and strategy. To carry out this work, Holly visits archives with primary source material like diaries, letters and reports. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is hosting your organization’s historic materials on UNT’s Portal to Texas History for your patrons or visitors? The Portal has been absolutely critical to my research, learning, and teaching. I have been able to use sources from the Portal in a book chapter I have under review with an edited collection about the US Military and the Holocaust, which is slated to be the first book to exclusively focus on the US Military and the Holocaust. I love how the Portal can foreground sources from the Nimitz Museum while also highlighting local newspapers like Texas Jewish Post. I found it equally impressive the dedication to tags that make the resources extremely easy to find. The OCR text recognition is top tier making finding seemingly niche events easy. I have been able to use primary sources from the Portal to help teach my students about World War II as well. Since the Portal has been so helpful, I try to connect all the researchers I know with it! 2. Can you tell us a story or two about how patrons or visitors have used your online collections that are hosted in the Portal? The Portal has allowed me to make more connections in my research. It particularly allows me to see how local communities were understanding the Holocaust in addition to providing voices of people who were a part of it. It is uniquely helpful how the Portal uses both museums and smaller archives. I’m grateful that UNT has taken the time to create this source. 3. What do you want others to know about your experience partnering with UNT’s Portal to Texas History? I would like others to know that I’m passionate about prisoners of war (POWs) in World War II. This interest stems from my great uncles, Warren and George Gribbons, who were POWs during WWII. George unfortunately did not survive but Warren did after a year and a half internment and became a dedicated educator until his death. Their stories and all the people whose papers I encounter in the archives inspire me to be a dedicated historian. I do not take it lightly what they endured nor anyone else in history, and I look forward to bringing historical findings to the broader conversation. I also have an interest in Russian and Russian history, and I have enjoyed learning the Russian language this past year. Holly Harris is a History PhD Student and University PhD Fellow at Southern Methodist University. Her research focuses on allied prisoners of war on the Eastern front during World War II. She has held fellowships with the United States Air Force Academy, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and the University of Illinois Russian and Eastern European Center. Her relative Warren Gribbons was an American prisoner of war for a year and a half, which initially sparked her interest in the topic. She is interested in how this event connects to geopolitics, military welfare, and strategy. To carry out this work, Holly visits archives with primary source material like diaries, letters and reports.

Posted: 11/01/2024

Dean's Innovation Grant 2024

The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2024 Awardees Video Promotion Meranda Roy, Whitney Johnson-Freeman, Varun Mandadapu Project Description: This project’s purpose is to evaluate and propose effective strategies for promoting instructional videos in an academic library setting, focusing on enhancing access, awareness, and engagement among library users. More specially, we are interested in answering the following questions: What are the current levels of engagement and usage of instructional videos? What are the perceived benefits, challenges, and preferences of library users regarding instructional videos? What strategies can be implemented to enhance access and discoverability of instructional videos in the library? How can the library effectively promote instructional videos to increase user engagement and usage? Bridging the Gap: Identifying Need-Based Services and Software for Engineering Students and Faculty Chassidy Miles, Meranda Roy, Ana Krahmer Project Description: This project employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods to identify and enhance the resources and software necessary for the UNT College of Engineering students and faculty, with the aim of improving library offerings and liaison services. We developed three overarching questions to guide our inquiry: What liaison services and resources are essential to effectively meet the needs of engineering students and faculty? How can we better support project-based learning within engineering degree programs? How can the Libraries’ engagement with COE students and faculty be improved? To answer these questions, we conducted surveys with both students and faculty to identify strengths and weaknesses in current support services and resources. Additionally, to inform the local data, we extended our research by deploying a survey to engineering librarians at institutions external to UNT, to develop evidence-based recommendations for improvement. Student-driven Spatial Needs Assessment for the UNT Music Library, Special Collections, and the 4th Floor of Willis Library Kristin Wolski, Susannah Cleveland, Meagan May, Gabby Milburn Project Description: With a renovation scheduled within the next several years for the fourth floor in the Willis Library, the Music Library and Special Collections have been asked to identify how public spaces are used and why students and staff might benefit from changes to them. This project was a needs analysis focusing on patron needs—particularly students— related to using spaces on the fourth floor of the Willis Library. The goal of this research project was to collect data from students pertaining to the fourth floor about how they interact with spaces, what they currently like and dislike about the spaces, and ideas about how spaces could be improved. From this data, the project team sought realistic recommendations for changing spaces based on the data. Project Reno Alexandra Folsom, Aspen Reeves, Carlos Aguilar, Connor Anderson, Dean Maddox, Gabriel Pedraza, Matthew Early, Nabil Ahmed, Nor Hakeem-George Project Description: Over the past year cohort 5 has been working with Willis Libraries 4th floor, Music and Special Collections, and libraries to discover and design renovations based on student needs. The driving questions for both semesters stayed the same while our scope evolved across the year. Driving question: How might UNT renovate the 4th floor of the Willis Library to better meet the needs of its patrons, based on the perspective of students? Fall 23 Scope: Collect data and feedback from UNT students, analyze data to find the best fit for focus groups, collect additional data through impromptu speeches and tabling, and inform UNT library staff and stakeholders. Spring 24 Scope: Perform additional data analysis as needed, explore other libraries, and provide 2 design proposals. Improving Digital Library Image Accessibility with HTR William Hicks Project Description: This project’s purpose was to evaluate machine learning/AI tools that improve on traditional OCR technologies in such a way that they can read and transcribe handwritten text.

Posted: 10/31/2024

Dean's Innovation Grant 2023

The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2023 Awardees The Soundbox: A Music Engagement Lab David Huff; Kristin Wolski; Sabino Fernandez; Justin Lemons; Steven Sellers Project Description: The Soundbox was designed as a public space within the Music Library where UNT community members can engage with various types of music technology to learn and create. The overall goal was to utilize Music Library space for public use in a way that increases engagement. The project was also meant to gather data about services that students may need or want access to. Creating Greater Accessibility to Special Collections Materials for Patrons with Vision Disabilities Meagan May Project Description: This project aimed to create greater accessibility to archival and rare materials in UNT Special Collections for patrons with reduced or low vision disabilities through the purchase of Freedom Scientific’s TOPAZ XL HD desktop video magnifier and the creation of an accessibility station for the Judge Sarah T. Hughes Reading Room. This desktop magnifier, along with its accompanying GEM software, will allow patrons to magnify, adjust, enhance, capture, and save documents, photographs, artifacts, manuscripts, and other materials to meet a variety of vision accessibility needs. Holistic Collection Assessment Karen Harker, Sephra Byrne, Allyson Rodriguez, Stacey Wolf, Julie Leuzinger, Sian Brannon Project Description: The UNT Libraries has been making efforts to address the vestiges of systemic oppression of socially and politically minoritized populations. In order to ensure that our materials represent specific groups well, we embarked on a journey with the primary objective being a methodology to assess any targeted collection for representation of any identity group. To this end, we conducted a survey and a focus group, and we consulted with an advisory group consisting of representatives from the library, student affairs, and the professorate. The funds requested were used to hold the focus group and to fund a temporary student assistant who analyzed data and collected lists for the final methodology. Creating an Inclusive Environment for Student-Parents Madison Brents, Emily Akers Project Description: College students who are also parenting young children often face additional challenges on their path to academic success. These challenges can include a scarcity of finances, childcare, and time, but it also oftentimes includes facing an unwelcoming environment created by stigmas associated with parenting while in college. These feelings can become amplified in an academic library, a space viewed as traditionally quiet and designed with the traditional student in mind. Feeling unwelcome in such an environment while accompanied by a lively child can hinder student-parents’ ability to utilize the academic library and its resources. Despite these additional challenges, student parents are not often targeted with support and resources. UNT Libraries attempted to begin addressing this issue through two initiatives: circulating toys and books for young children and hosting designated study hours for student-parents. The Music Library Picture Show: Creating a “Third Place” for Denton Students Meghan Sprabary; Kristin Wolski Project Description: The aim of the Music Library Picture Show demonstration project was to learn about how event programming affects student attitudes about the library and to position the library as a viable “third place” for UNT students and visiting high school students. To achieve this, the team hosted five musical film screening events. With these events, our goal was to provide a space for students to decrease anxiety and to learn about their perceptions of the Music Library. Making Our Library Spaces More Accessible: Accessible Furniture for Sycamore Library Jen Rowe, Mary Ann Venner, Robbie Sittel Project Description: Feedback from library users and staff, collected via a survey of students with disabilities and a separate survey of library employees, highlighted a need for more accessible furniture in library spaces. This project was undertaken, to improve the accessibility of the learning spaces at Sycamore Library by adding some new furniture items.

Posted: 10/31/2024

What's Crocking with the Digital Scholarship Committee

Posted: 10/28/2024

UNT Special Collections Partners with 'The Village'

UNT Special Collections is pleased to announce a new partnership with Donald “Tortellini” Thomas II for the purposes of sharing and promoting culturally relevant content from the NBC5/KXAS Television News Archive on The Village Oak Cliff Instagram channel: @villageoakcliff. This mutually beneficial collaboration will extend the reach the NBC5 archive, while showcasing historical news footage that celebrates the unique history and accomplishments of Oak Cliff for followers of @villageoakcliff. UNT Special Collections is pleased to announce a new partnership with Donald “Tortellini” Thomas II for the purposes of sharing and promoting culturally relevant content from the NBC5/KXAS Television News Archive on The Village Oak Cliff Instagram channel: @villageoakcliff. This mutually beneficial collaboration will extend the reach the NBC5 archive, while showcasing historical news footage that celebrates the unique history and accomplishments of Oak Cliff for followers of @villageoakcliff. “The Village” project was created by Don “Tortellini” Thomas as a preservation of culture through photography and cinematography, aimed to educate, preserve, represent, and contextualize life and history in Oak Cliff. There is an unquestionable community pride that resonates throughout the Oak Cliff; however, this unique context is often overshadowed by stories of crime and poverty. The Village is a place for people in the Oak Cliff community and beyond to learn about and celebrate their own people, places, and traditions. UNT Special Collections and @villageoak cliff share a mission to collect and share underrepresented stories—both current and historical. This partnership will further this educational mission by showcasing Oak Cliff history and culture in a popular social media platform and encouraging community input and engagement as people share and discuss archival news footage. Sharing this important history will help inspire generations to come. UNT Special Collections has managed the archive of NBC5 since 2014, and over the past 10 years has digitized approximately half of the film and video footage in the oldest and largest television news archive in Texas. UNT Special Collections has exclusive rights to license and provide permission for use of footage from the archive. Footage provided to @villageoakcliff is intended for educational, non-commercial use. Any requests for use of footage beyond viewing on @villageoakcliff should be directed to specialcollections@unt.edu. UNT Special Collections is already familiar Thomas’s work, having acquired a series of his original photography in 2021 and partnering with Thomas to provide NBC5 footage for his short film Chaos on Commerce in 2024. This new project will further extend our already productive relationship to include @villageoakcliff. We are looking forward to working together!

Posted: 10/16/2024

Artist Lecture: Dana Fritz

Posted: 10/08/2024

Three Questions with Benjamin Young

Benjamin J. Young is a PhD Candidate in the Department of History at the University of Notre Dame. His principal research interests lie at the intersections of religion, political economy, and metropolitan development in modern American history. He is presently at work on a dissertation on the rise of evangelicalism in the metropolitan South from World War II to the 1990s. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is hosting your organization’s historic materials on UNT’s Portal to Texas History for your patrons or visitors? The Portal has proven to be a vital component of my dissertation research on the rise of evangelicalism in the metropolitan South in the post-World War II, especially for the portions of my dissertation that focus on churches in the suburbs of Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Prior to my use of the Portal, my research relied on on the archived issues of more widely available newspapers like the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. These newspapers tended to cover church life in outlying suburbs only sporadically, so the Portal’s large portfolio of digitized suburban newspapers like the Cedar Hill Chronicle, The Colony Courier, and the Baytown Sun, has greatly enhanced my study of suburban church life in both the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. These newspapers not only contain articles on some of the key churches in my dissertation, but also a wealth of church advertisements for worship services, revivals, and community events that have provided key clues for how these churches organized, functioned, and grew or declined in tandem with their suburban surroundings. Alongside the Portal’s newspaper collections, its various map collections have helped me visualize the growth of these metropolitan areas across the twentieth century, while the City Directories Collection has helped me to trace the residential migration patterns of key individuals in my dissertation. 2. Can you tell us a story or two about how patrons or visitors have used your online collections that are hosted in the Portal? The Portal to Texas History’s text-searchable interface has expanded the scope of my research by enabling me to do targeted searches for articles, advertisements, and announcements connected to churches significant to my project. This ability has rounded out my understanding of how these churches organized, interacted with their neighborhoods, and fit into their cities’ growth trajectories. What year did a certain church move to a new location? When did it hire a new minister? When did it close? The Portal makes small but substantive research questions like these readily answerable, augmenting my in-person research at archives across Texas. 3. What do you want others to know about your experience partnering with UNT’s Portal to Texas History? I’m sure all historians would say what I’m about to say, but undertaking my dissertation research has solidified my appreciation and gratitude for the herculean labors of archivists and librarians who make historical research possible. I’m grateful for the efforts of the people of UNT Libraries and its institutional partners in launching and administering the Portal to Texas History, making such a wealth of a material available to scholars, students, and the general public. Benjamin J. Young is a PhD Candidate in the Department of History at the University of Notre Dame. His principal research interests lie at the intersections of religion, political economy, and metropolitan development in modern American history. He is presently at work on a dissertation on the rise of evangelicalism in the metropolitan South from World War II to the 1990s.

Posted: 10/01/2024

Fall 2024 Coursework Development Grant

Special Collections is pleased to announce the recipient of the Coursework Development Grant for the Fall 2024 semester. Supported by the Toulouse Archival Research Program Endowment, the grant was established in 2019 to partner with faculty at UNT to develop assignments for courses that will utilize collections and materials held by Special Collections. Recipients of the grant are awarded $500 in research and professional development funding. Special Collections is pleased to announce the recipient of the Coursework Development Grant for the Fall 2024 semester. Supported by the Toulouse Archival Research Program Endowment, the grant was established in 2019 to partner with faculty at UNT to develop assignments for courses that will utilize collections and materials held by Special Collections. Recipients of the grant are awarded $500 in research and professional development funding. The Fall 2024 winner is: Dr. Carey Gibbons, Assistant Professor, Department of Art History Dr. Gibbons is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of North Texas with a specialty in Victorian art and design, as well as the histories of illustration and graphic design. She recently had the opportunity to research Pre-Raphaelite drawing and illustration while undertaking a postdoctoral fellowship at The Morgan Library & Museum from 2021–22. In addition to teaching at other institutions including the Pratt Institute and Belmont University, she has curatorial experience at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; the Columbia University Rare Book & Manuscript Library; and the Fisk University Galleries. She is also the Digital Art History Editor for the journal Nineteenth-Century Art Worldwide. The students in her Fall 2024 senior seminar course for undergraduate Art History majors, “Gender and Design, 1850–Today,” will produce a resource guide for UNT librarians, faculty, students, and external researchers tentatively titled, “Exploring Design and Gender through UNT Special Collections.” Each student will contribute a c. 500-word reading of a design (either an object or illustration in a rare book of journal) in Special Collections that foregrounds gender. These interpretive texts will serve as case studies providing a starting point for exploring gender in UNT Special Collections. The project is also designed to help students develop their research skills and hopefully increase their desire to work intimately and critically with rare and archival materials. Congratulations, Dr. Gibbons!

Posted: 09/06/2024

The Portal to Texas History reaches Twentieth Anniversary

The Portal to Texas History will reach a major milestone this week - the Twentieth Anniversary of providing online access to rare, historical and primary source materials about Texas. From humble beginnings, we’ve taken the lead in providing extraordinary access to Texas history with our 512 collaborative partners from across the state. Launched in 2004 with just one partner, the materials now number at over two million items that are accessed by researchers, students, and others around the world. The Portal to Texas History will reach a major milestone this week - the Twentieth Anniversary of providing online access to rare, historical and primary source materials about Texas. From humble beginnings, we’ve taken the lead in providing extraordinary access to Texas history with our 512 collaborative partners from across the state. Launched in 2004 with just one partner, the materials now number at over two million items that are accessed by researchers, students, and others around the world. Founded by Associate Dean Emeritus, Cathy Nelson Hartman, planning for the project began in 2002, and over time has transformed the way that historians and other people research and understand our state. The two million items in the Portal comprise nearly twenty million digital files that are used nearly 1.5 million times each month, and the materials continue to grow. Collection highlights include: The Texas Digital Newspaper Program collection which is the largest, single-state, openly accessible digital newspaper repository in the U.S., with over one million newspaper issues from 1813 to the present. The KXAS-NBC 5 News Collection which features news reels and other content from the first television news station in Texas. Donald F. Baker Collection (The Dallas Way), which is just one collection among many that pull from the largest LGBTQ archive in the state, housed in UNT Special Collections. Donald Baker was the plaintiff in Baker v. Wade case which was a civil rights victory with national implications. Moses and Stephen F. Austin Papers which provide in-depth insight into Austin’s management of the Austin colony; the events leading up to the Texas Revolution and then the Revolution itself; and the first few months of the Republic of Texas. (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History) The National Museum of the Pacific War collections which honor the eight million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Map Collections from the University of Texas at Arlington which features over 5,000 maps depicting all parts of the world, the collection emphasizes the Gulf Coast region and the greater Southwest. It includes maps dating from 1493 to the present. The Cattle Raisers Museum collections which represent the oldest and largest organization of its kind in the U.S. dedicated to the cattle industry. The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Library and Hall of Fame which explores the lives of the West Texas ranching heritage, life in the Permian Basin boom towns, and early oilfield camps. The Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company archives which document the history of U.S. aeronautic and military history, especially during WWII. The Dallas Municipal Archives collections which feature materials from the Dallas Police Department’s investigation of assassination of President John F. Kennedy, as well as collections covering Bonnie and Clyde and the development of Love Field. The Portal’s many partners across the state form the heart of what the Portal team has accomplished over the years, and we cannot thank them enough for their trust, hard work, and collaboration in helping us reach this momentous goal. To explore a more in-depth history about the history and development of the Portal, please read “UNT’s Portal to Texas History changed the way scholars research the state,” by Heather Noel. We thank our many funders who have helped us get here: The National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, The National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s grant programs, Humanities Texas, the Texas Historical Commission, the State of Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund, the Tocker Foundation, the Summerlee Foundation, the Kempner Fund, the Ladd & Katherine Hancher Foundation; and the Matagator Foundation, the Amon Carter Foundation, The Adeline and George McQueen Foundation, the Summerfield G. Roberts Foundation, the Forrest C. Lattner Foundation, the Dodge Jones Foundation, the George Foundation, the Henderson-Wessendorff Foundation, the Union Pacific Foundation, The H.L. Brown Jr. Family Foundation, The Burdine Johnson Foundation, and the Abilene Library Consortium. We also thank the hundreds and hundreds of individual donors and community volunteers that have supported us in reaching our goals.

Posted: 08/19/2024

One-Million Issues in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program

The Texas Digital Newspaper Program on The Portal to Texas History has reached a huge milestone of over one-million newspaper issues openly available! These one-million newspaper issues comprise 11,256,533 pages, contributed by 226 partners from across Texas, and representing 210 counties. The Texas Digital Newspaper Program on The Portal to Texas History has reached a huge milestone of over one-million newspaper issues openly available! These one-million newspaper issues comprise 11,256,533 pages, contributed by 226 partners from across Texas, and representing 210 counties. Multiple partners have helped to build the Texas Digital Newspaper Program Collection, to make it the largest, single-state, openly accessible digital newspaper repository in the U.S. These include: The Abilene Library Consortium, who has supported addition of over 44,000 newspaper issues, Sterling Municipal Library in Baytown, with a collection hosting over 29,000 newspaper issues, Denton Public Library, hosting over 19,000 newspaper issues, And the Texas State Library and Archives Commission began a new newspaper collection last year that is now just over 14,000 issues. The staff in the Digital Newspaper Unit get to handle almost every newspaper that is uploaded into the TDNP collection, and we all have a favorite newspaper title, masthead, or time period. Tim Gieringer, who oversees the newspaper descriptions for what you see in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program, loves a good masthead. He says that two titles, in particular, have stood out to him: The Palacios Beacon and Diogenes. Brooke Edsall, the head of the physical page and large-format scanning area, has said that her favorite newspaper collections are The Galveston Tribune and The Ennis Daily News. Hannah Lindsey, who oversees newspaper issue processing, says that her favorite newspapers are the Beeville Bee, the Houston Informer, and Svoboda. Sarah Lynn Fisher, former staff member of the Newspaper Unit and now Digital Collections Librarian, reports that she loves all of the local Denton newspapers, including UNT’s own NT Daily, the Denton Record-Chronicle, and her hometown newspaper, The Allen American. As the person who has worked with all the partners across Texas to add their newspapers, I’m not sure how to begin choosing a favorite title, though I do love reading through the Spanish-language newspapers, civil rights newspapers, like The Chicano Times, and this wacky handwritten, Union POW camp newspaper, The Old Flag. All of the newspaper issues you see in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program represent conversations and people who have worked hard to preserve and build access to history, and while we mention some titles here, we value every single page and every single person who has helped to grow this collection. Access to the newspapers available in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program has been supported by multiple financial donors, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, through the National Digital Newspaper Program; the Texas State Library and Archives Commission TexTreasures Competitive Grant Program, funded by the Institution of Museum & Library Services Library Services Technology Act; the Tocker Foundation; the Summerlee Foundation; the Ladd & Katherine Hancher Foundation; and the Matagator Foundation.

Posted: 07/18/2024

UNT Libraries releases the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Collection

The University of North Texas Libraries is excited to release the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Collection in the UNT Digital Library. This collection features over 120 resources about the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) toward government, legislative and procedural policy. We expect this collection to grow over the upcoming year with new publications being added as they are identified and collected. The University of North Texas Libraries is excited to release the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Collection in the UNT Digital Library. This collection features over 120 resources about the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) toward government, legislative and procedural policy. We expect this collection to grow over the upcoming year with new publications being added as they are identified and collected. Items in this collection are published by city and state governments, international government agencies, federal agencies, non-governmental agencies, and private research institutes. Users of the collection can expect resources that include official government reports, suggested policy implementation frameworks, proposed procedural guidelines and summarized research pertaining to AI and ML implementation. Included in the reports are updates of original findings from previous years, allowing users to follow the progression of an agency’s goals concerning the implementation of AI policy over time. “Many libraries are discussing how they will contribute to the landscape of Artificial Intelligence on their campuses and in their organizations. This collection of publications allows us to provide a resource we are uniquely positioned to create. Libraries have always identified, collected, and described materials for our users. This is just another way we can assist in this changing landscape.” - Mark Phillips, Associate Dean for Digital Libraries. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy collection is freely available in the UNT Digital Library, and we are interested in suggestions for additional resources as they are released and identified.

Posted: 06/26/2024

Luther Smith Photography Collection

The Luther Smith Photography Collection was acquired in 2022. Processing has now wrapped on the collection, and it is available for use. The collection contains the photographs, negatives, slides, papers and publications of Emeritus Professor of Art Photography, Luther Smith, of Texas Christian University. The Luther Smith Photography Collection was acquired in 2022. Processing has now wrapped on the collection, and it is available for use. The collection contains the photographs, negatives, slides, papers and publications of Emeritus Professor of Art Photography, Luther Smith, of Texas Christian University. Smith lived in Mississippi for ten years as a child, then moved to Aurora, Illinois, where he later attended college at the University of Urbana/Champaign. Many of the photographs in the collection are of people the photographer has known over the years, including friends, colleagues, and family members. In the college years of the 1970s, Smith experimented with infrared photography in the form of portraits which were then exhibited or published in photography journals or exhibition catalogs. He later attended the Rhode Island School of Design for graduate work, where he continued his studies in photography. Smith returned to the University of Illinois after graduate school for a teaching position where he began work on his High School series of images. These images continued when he moved to Texas in 1983, exploring imagery which evolved into the High School Rodeo photographs. Both subjects provide literal snapshots of student life throughout the 1980s along with their activities and demonstrate what adolescent life was like in a community where horses and cattle are such a strong part of the Texas identity. Luther Smith is also a landscape photographer whose work contains images of the Trinity River, a project to which he devoted considerable time beginning in the early 1980s. His book, Trinity River, was published by TCU Press in The book and photographs are a historical record of the river, along with its many streams and branches which span throughout the eastern part of Texas. In his ongoing series of nature images, Smith incorporates a unique color palette into his photographs. The images in this series are vibrant depictions of the local landscape and are part of the artist’s Where I Live photographs. His eye for color and composition forces the viewer to take a deeper look at their ordinary surroundings in an appreciation of the natural beauty of the environment. Indeed, many images have been elevated to unearthly levels, where one may consider what our impact is as human beings who constantly alter our environments, and not always for the better. In 2018, Smith retired from Texas Christian University, where he worked for 35 years. The exhibit My Time at TCU featured photographs of the artist’s work and included images from 45 years of his life. He continues to work and exhibit at William Campbell Gallery in Fort Worth. Smith’s work is included in the collections of the Amon Carter Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Art Museum of South Texas, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Illinois State Museum, the High Museum of Art, the Library of Congress, the Arkansas Arts Center and other noteworthy institutions. For more information on the collection, please visit the finding aid. View digitized items from the Luther Smith Photography Collection in The Portal to Texas History.

Posted: 05/16/2024

The Portal to Texas History 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Benjamin J. Young

Posted: 05/01/2024

The Portal to Texas History 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Omar Valerio-Jiménez

Omar Valerio-Jiménez is Professor of History at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He teaches courses on Latinxs, borderlands, Texas, race/ethnicity, and immigration. His publications include Remembering Conquest: Mexican Americans, Memory, and Citizenship (University of North Carolina Press, 2024), The Latina/o Midwest Reader (University of Illinois Press, 2017), Major Problems in Latina/o History (Cengage/Wadsworth, 2014), and River of Hope: Forging Identity and Nation in the Rio Grande Borderlands (Duke University Press, 2013). With funding by an Award for Faculty from the National Endowment for the Humanities, he is working on his third book, “Challenging Exclusion in Education,” a comparative study of educational reform efforts in New Mexico and Texas. The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee Omar Valerio-Jiménez Project Title Challenging Exclusion in Texas Project Description This project explores challenges to the omissions and negative characterizations of Mexican Americans in public school textbooks of Texas between 1880 and 1940. The Portal to Texas History has significant primary sources on historian Carlos E. Castañeda, writer and historical preservationist Adina de Zavala, lawyer and legislator José T. Canales, and writer and educator Elena Zamora O’Shea. My research using the Portal to Texas History will result in a journal article, and subsequently, in a book published with an academic press. Biography Omar Valerio-Jiménez is Professor of History at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He teaches courses on Latinxs, borderlands, Texas, race/ethnicity, and immigration. His publications include Remembering Conquest: Mexican Americans, Memory, and Citizenship (University of North Carolina Press, 2024), The Latina/o Midwest Reader (University of Illinois Press, 2017), Major Problems in Latina/o History (Cengage/Wadsworth, 2014), and River of Hope: Forging Identity and Nation in the Rio Grande Borderlands (Duke University Press, 2013). With funding by an Award for Faculty from the National Endowment for the Humanities, he is working on his third book, “Challenging Exclusion in Education,” a comparative study of educational reform efforts in New Mexico and Texas.

Posted: 05/01/2024

The Portal to Texas History 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Patricia G. Markert

Patricia Markert is an historical archaeologist whose research examines the material and narrative ways communities engage in placemaking in the generations following migration events. She is also interested in the ways national myths exist in conversation with local migration narratives and practices. Since 2017, she has directed the community-based Old D’Hanis Archaeological Mapping Project and the Castro Colonies Oral History Project in Medina County, TX. Her work has been supported by the Mellon Foundation/American Council of Learned Societies, Wenner-Gren Foundation, National Geographic Society, Binghamton University, Western University, Council of Texas Archeologists, and Medina County Historical Commission. She is an assistant professor of anthropology at The University of Western Ontario. The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee Dr. Patricia G. Markert Project Title The Storied Landscape: A Century of Placemaking in D’Hanis, TX Project Description D’Hanis, TX sits at the intersection of Alsatian, German, and Mexican migration to Texas in the 19th and 20th centuries. This project will assemble stories from Texas newspapers (c. 1847-1947) to situate D’Hanis and its archaeological landscape within the broader landscape of political, social, and ideological changes occurring during a century of mass settlement and displacement, civil and world wars, racialization and segregation, and national mythmaking. This descriptive catalog, layered with the archaeological study of D’Hanis’ rubble-rock ruins and oral history with community members, will contribute to the development of a book project, local heritage efforts, and several scholarly and creative outputs. Biography Patricia Markert is an historical archaeologist whose research examines the material and narrative ways communities engage in placemaking in the generations following migration events. She is also interested in the ways national myths exist in conversation with local migration narratives and practices. Since 2017, she has directed the community-based Old D’Hanis Archaeological Mapping Project and the Castro Colonies Oral History Project in Medina County, TX. Her work has been supported by the Mellon Foundation/American Council of Learned Societies, Wenner-Gren Foundation, National Geographic Society, Binghamton University, Western University, Council of Texas Archeologists, and Medina County Historical Commission. She is an assistant professor of anthropology at The University of Western Ontario.

Posted: 05/01/2024

The Portal to Texas History 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Sam W. Haynes

Sam W. Haynes is a professor of History at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he also serves as director of the Center for Greater Southwestern Studies. He is the author of four books and several edited works that focus on the history of race, national identity, and power in nineteenth century Texas and the American Southwest. His most recent work, Unsettled Land: From Revolution to Republic, The Struggle for Texas, was published by Basic Books in 2022. As Center director, Haynes also oversees two digital humanities projects, “A Continent Divided: The U.S.-Mexico War,” and “Texas in Turmoil: Mapping Interethnic Violence, 1821-1879.” The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee Sam W. Haynes Project Title Texas in Turmoil: Mapping Interethnic Violence, 1821-1879 Project Description “Texas in Turmoil: Mapping Interethnic Violence, 1821-1879,” is a digital humanities project that seeks to map incidents of violence among the peoples of Texas over the course of more than a half a century, from the birth of the Mexican republic in the early 1820s to the end of Reconstruction and the so-called “Indian Wars.” When complete, it will have mapped approximately 3,000 sites of conflict, providing scholars and teachers with new ways to understand and visualize the interethnic struggles that represent such a conspicuous and protracted feature of the state’s early modern past. Biography Sam W. Haynes is a professor of History at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he also serves as director of the Center for Greater Southwestern Studies. He is the author of four books and several edited works that focus on the history of race, national identity, and power in nineteenth century Texas and the American Southwest. His most recent work, Unsettled Land: From Revolution to Republic, The Struggle for Texas, was published by Basic Books in 2022. As Center director, Haynes also oversees two digital humanities projects, “A Continent Divided: The U.S.-Mexico War,” and “Texas in Turmoil: Mapping Interethnic Violence, 1821-1879.”

Posted: 05/01/2024

The Portal to Texas History 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Holly L. Harris

Posted: 05/01/2024

UNT Special Collections 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Brett Barnard

Brett Barnard is a dual degree candidate at the University of North Texas, having completed his M.L.S. with the College of Information, and currently completing his M.A. in History with the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. His research foci include cultural history, religious history, the history of American nuns, and the activities of the Catholic Church during the papacy of Pope Pius XII and the Second World War. At the time of writing, he has started a new position with the UNT Library Annex as a Graduate Student Assistant, helping with the organization and development of the inter-university Voices of the Eastern Shore Project. He received his B.A. from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and hopes to pursue a career in academic librarianship, archival work, or education. UNT Special Collections 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee Brett Barnard Project Title Never Judge a Book by Its Cover: Mapping the Journeys of UNT’s Medieval Manuscript Collections Project Description This project seeks to analyze the “journeys” of the medieval and early manuscripts within the Special Collections here at UNT and analyze the “patterns” found within different information objects of the same category. Through a combination of artistic examination, historical research, and religious understanding, I plan to evaluate the physical information gleaned from these objects and how it can be best used in historical research regarding their origins. The project’s next stage involves digitally mapping the selected object’s journeys, carefully detailing their owners, unique aspects of their constructions, and the ways in which objects of similar formats compare, simultaneously increasing their accessibility for a large user base. Biography Brett Barnard is a dual degree candidate at the University of North Texas, having completed his M.L.S. with the College of Information, and currently completing his M.A. in History with the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. His research foci include cultural history, religious history, the history of American nuns, and the activities of the Catholic Church during the papacy of Pope Pius XII and the Second World War. At the time of writing, he has started a new position with the UNT Library Annex as a Graduate Student Assistant, helping with the organization and development of the inter-university Voices of the Eastern Shore Project. He received his B.A. from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and hopes to pursue a career in academic librarianship, archival work, or education.

Posted: 04/30/2024

UNT Special Collections 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Christine Adame

Posted: 04/30/2024

UNT Special Collections 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Meredith Cawley

Posted: 04/30/2024

UNT Special Collections 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Julia Caswell Freund

Julia Caswell is an artist living and working in DFW. JCF’s art researches the nuances of cultural value systems through performance, video, and sculptural art making. Her work, influenced by her experiences as a neurodivergent individual, blends advertising aesthetics with mental health themes and early childhood testing and learning environments. She explores societal messages on happiness and self-perception, the invisibility of labor, and diversity of knowledge systems, creating immersive installations that engage both the body and cognition. Currently pursuing her MFA at the University of North Texas, Julia’s art invites viewers to question and reflect on human perception and societal narratives in a contemporary attention economy. UNT Special Collections 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee Julia Caswell Project Title Mistake-Out: Art from Researching the Liquid Paper Legacy Project Description Julia Caswell Freund will research the Liquid Paper Corporation’s Archive, focusing on gendered clerical work. Through an artist talk and series of conceptual works, she seeks to uncover insights about cultural value and labor systems in businesses of 1980s Dallas, paying tribute to the longstanding artistic legacy of Liquid Paper’s founder, Bette Graham. Biography Julia Caswell is an artist living and working in DFW. JCF’s art researches the nuances of cultural value systems through performance, video, and sculptural art making. Her work, influenced by her experiences as a neurodivergent individual, blends advertising aesthetics with mental health themes and early childhood testing and learning environments. She explores societal messages on happiness and self-perception, the invisibility of labor, and diversity of knowledge systems, creating immersive installations that engage both the body and cognition. Currently pursuing her MFA at the University of North Texas, Julia’s art invites viewers to question and reflect on human perception and societal narratives in a contemporary attention economy. Visit www.juliacaswell.com to see images of her work and more.

Posted: 04/30/2024

UNT Special Collections 2024 Research Fellowship Awardee - Heather Myers

Posted: 04/30/2024

Open Access Symposium Summer Speaker Series

Posted: 04/17/2024

13th Biennial Artists' Book Competition Winners

Posted: 04/12/2024

LOVING: A Photographic History of Men in Love

Posted: 02/28/2024

Texas Edges Lecture Series: Andrew Graybill

Posted: 02/22/2024

Three Questions with John Slate at the Dallas Municipal Archives

The Dallas Municipal Archives has been a Portal to Texas History partner since 2009, with over 7,000 of their historical items online, which have been used 4.4 million times since the partnership began. Their collections document notable events in Dallas history such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the activities of the Clyde Barrow Gang, and the general overall growth of the city of Dallas. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is hosting your organization’s historic materials on UNT’s Portal to Texas History for your patrons or visitors? Very important! Considering economies of scale, the Portal is a godsend for archives programs like ours. We do not have reliable options for serving up our photographs and documents. It’s a perfect fit for the Dallas Municipal Archives because we can achieve our mission of access to our materials on a scale that we could never do on our own. We are deeply grateful to UNT for creating, hosting, and maintaining the Portal for everyone to use. 2. Can you tell us a story or two about how patrons or visitors have used your online collections that are hosted in the Portal? Our most requested collection, the President John F. Kennedy/Dallas Police Department Collection, is available for use 24/7 to a hungry audience of students, independent researchers, professional authors, amateur sleuths, and other users. Considering the fragile nature of the originals, it is terrific that we can direct users to the Portal. There young students can do class assignments with primary source materials; high school, college, and graduate students can write their papers and can research any aspect of the JFK assassination without making an appointment; and conspiracy researchers can peruse our documents and photographs to their hearts’ delight. Thanks to a Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s TexTreasures grant, this collection can be used and enjoyed by multiple audiences with completely unfettered access. 3. What do you want others to know about your experience partnering with UNT’s Portal to Texas History? The Dallas Municipal Archives experience with the Portal is a win-win. We love that our materials are available for anyone with access to the Internet. Clicking on history from the comfort of your own surroundings makes research that much easier—especially if you are a student at 3 am with a paper due later that day. The Portal also gives researchers an idea of what we have on offer, and they can use those details, along with our own website, to decide whether an in-person appointment would further their projects. For us, the Portal is important for conducting our own searches down the rabbit holes of Texas history. The Portal assists us with performing our work for the City of Dallas, supporting our customers, and enabling us to see archival colleagues’ online collections. The Dallas Municipal Archives has been a Portal to Texas History partner since 2009, with over 7,000 of their historical items online, which have been used 4.4 million times since the partnership began. Their collections document notable events in Dallas history such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the activities of the Clyde Barrow Gang, and the general overall growth of the city of Dallas.

Posted: 01/29/2024

From Artists' Books to Zines

From Artists’ Books to Zines is a new initiative from UNT Special Collections in conjunction with our Biennial Artists’ Book Competition to provide students and other attendees interested in the book arts field an opportunity to connect with other artists and creators working in the medium, foster engaging scholarship and discussion related to the field, explore and promote the reemergence of zines and their connections to the book arts field, and to honor and celebrate the participants and winners of the 2023-2024 Artists’ Book Competition cycle. Date and Time: Saturday, March 23, 2024, 8am-4pm Location: Willis Library From Artists’ Books to Zines is a new initiative from UNT Special Collections in conjunction with our Biennial Artists’ Book Competition to provide students and other attendees interested in the book arts field an opportunity to connect with other artists and creators working in the medium, foster engaging scholarship and discussion related to the field, explore and promote the reemergence of zines and their connections to the book arts field, and to honor and celebrate the participants and winners of the 2023-2024 Artists’ Book Competition cycle. During From Artists’ Books to Zines, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to curated panels related to the book arts featuring UNT and TWU faculty, community organizers, and artists, hear a keynote presentation with recognized book artist Candace Hicks, view a pop-up exhibition of 2023-2024 Artists’ Book Competition entries, take part in a collaborative zine workshop, attend the official opening of UNT Special Collection’s new browsable zine library, and attend the reception for the Artists’ Book Competition where winners and honorable mentions will be recognized and announced. The symposium will be free to attend and food and refreshments will be provided throughout the day, but registration will be required due to space constraints. Register for From Artists’ Books to Zines here. From Artists’ Books to Zines Symposium Schedule Saturday, March 23, 2024 Willis Library, UNT Denton Time Event Location 8:00am - 8:45am Registration Check In and Breakfast 250H 8:45am - 9:00am Welcome 250H 9:00am - 10:00am Artists' Books Panel 250H 10:00am - 10:15am Break 10:15am - 11:15am Zines Panel 250H 11:15am - 12:15pm Zine Workshop 250 C/H/J 12:15pm - 1:15pm Lunch / Zine Workshop Cont. 250 C/H/J 1:15pm - 1:30pm Break 1:30pm - 2:30pm Keynote with Candace Hicks 250H 2:30pm - 4:00pm 13th Biennial Artists' Book Competition Reception 443 9:00am - 1:30pm UNT Zine Library Grand Opening 437 9:00am - 1:30pm 13th Biennial Artists' Book Competition Pop-Up Exhibit 443 Panelist & Speaker Bios Candace Hicks (Keynote Speaker) Candace Hicks collects coincidences from the books she reads in her artists’ books and installations. With the exhibition Read Me at Lawndale Art Center, Hicks opened the book form into a room-sized interactive installation in which viewers pieced together a puzzle of narrative to find the correct solution. The Locked Room at Living Arts in Tulsa focused on a specific genre of literature the “locked room” mystery, and visitors were tasked with the challenge to find the means of metaphorically escaping the gallery. For Many Mini Murder Scenes at Women and Their Work, Hicks reproduced tableaux plucked from crime fiction and offered viewers the experience of playing a detective searching for clues. Books from her Common Threads series are in more than 80 collections around the world including, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Boston Athenaeum, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Grolier Club, Harvard, Hungarian Multicultural Center, MIT, MoMA, Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna, UCLA Biomedical Library, Stanford, and Yale. Christine Adame (Artists’ Books Panel) Christine Adame is an intermedia artist from Laredo, Texas. Her artwork relates to heritage, especially as informed by her mestiza identity. Her work resembles artifacts built from layered processes—including drawing, fibers, digital fabrication, and printmaking. Christine earned her B.S. in Architectural Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.F.A. in Intermedia Studio from The University of Texas at Arlington. She has exhibited in Texas, the Midwest, and Japan and has led digital fabrication workshops nationally and internationally. Kathy Lovas (Artists’ Books Panel) Kathy Lovas is a multi-disciplinary artist working in photography, artist’s books, sculpture and installation. Her projects reference current and past events using familiar objects or words, and she often draws on personal experiences in her narrative work. Kathy holds a B.S. degree in biology from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana and an MFA in photography from Texas Woman’s University in Denton. She is a 1995 recipient of a Mid-America Arts Alliance National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in photography, and was a 1991 fellow of the American Photography Institute National Graduate Seminar at New York University. Selected solo exhibitions of her work include Lawndale Art Center, Galveston Art Center, Women and Their Work, Handley-Hicks Gallery in Fort Worth, and Liliana Bloch Gallery in Dallas. She has been a resident artist at Project Row Houses in Houston and the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida. Her work has been included in numerous group exhibitions throughout Texas. Kathy’s work is represented by Liliana Bloch Gallery in Dallas. Dottie Love (Artists’ Book Panel) Dottie Love is a miniature zebu rancher and retired photography and digital arts professor. She taught for 35 years at Hill College in North Central Texas. Dottie started making traditional and nontraditional handmade books in the late 1980’s at then NTSU. She studied at the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester NY. Her work is included in many collections including the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. David Wolske (Artists’ Books Panel) David Wolske (he, him, his) is a typo/graphic designer, artist, and educator. His interdisciplinary practice combines the traditions of letterpress and printmaking with digital tools and design thinking. Wolske’s work is exhibited and collected nationally and internationally. He’s the IS Projects 2021 Exhibiting Artist in Residence; a 2020 LHM Educator Fellow at the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography at ArtCenter College of Design; the College Book Art Association 2018 Emerging Educator; 2016 Visiting Artist at Hatch Show Print; and a 2014 Utah Visual Arts Fellow. Wolske is an Associate Professor at UNT’s College of Visual Arts and Design. Since 2004, he’s taught letterpress workshops at colleges, universities, and book art centers around the US. His work is represented by Artspace111 in Fort Worth. Michael Bartels (Zines Panel) Michael Bartels is the founder, volunteer CEO and editor-in-chief of Triangle Nonprofit Publishing. Serving at the pleasure of a volunteer board of directors, he develops charity publishing projects that support other public charities and oversees contributor publishing. Under the byline M.R. Bartels, he’s authored and illustrated some 50 zines and books, most recently “Spectre of Aids: Ending the HIV Epidemic”, a 28 page 4 inch handmade zine with an initial run of 1,500 copies, as well Mermaids and Other Monsters of the Sea, an oversized graphic novel about multi-level marketing and millennial angst, 16 issues of Balloon Town Mysteries, two associated ebooks, the Tijuana Acid Party zine series and graphic novel and others. Since 2021 he has donated 100% of the rights and proceeds from his work to charity in addition to volunteering full time for Triangle Nonprofit Publishing and continues to build and grow a network of independent publishing imprints supported by public charity and nonprofit publishing projects. In 2023 Michael was at the helm of the acquisition of Denton’s own 50-year-old poetry publisher, The Trilobite Press, by Triangle Nonprofit Publishing, relaunching the brand to support Health Services of North Texas. Meredith Cawley (Zines Panel) Meredith Cawley is a multimedia artist residing in Texas and currently holds a position as a lecturer in Foundations at the University of North Texas. Her 10 years as an outreach educator at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History inspire, inform, and drive her practice. Her current line of inquiry focuses on how cultural opinions represent, shape, and affect the bear. website: Alex Khraish (Zines Panel) Alex Khraish is a multimedia artist, educator, and environmentalist living and working in North Texas. Alex earned their Bachelors of Fine Arts in both Photography and Art History from Texas Woman’s University, and went on to be a Museum Educator at the Kimbell Art Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art, with additional experience in social work and early childhood education. Their work addresses themes of identity, magic, and the sensorial experience of connecting with nature, while challenging the materiality of the photographic process. In both their personal practice and as an educator, Alex has extensive experience working with a wide array of artistic mediums, with a focus in papermaking, bookmaking, and printmaking. Alex is a Co-Director and Educator with The PETAL Project, as well as Assistant Coordinator of Denton Zine and Art Party. Khraish teaches workshops across the DFW Metroplex at various museums, public libraries, and private studios. Tom Sale (Zines Panel) Tom Sale is a retired art professor and is now busy volunteering for many art organizations around North Texas. He is the executive editor for the 50-year-old Trilobite Press started by his father, retired UNT English professor, Richard Sale and now owned by Triangle Nonprofit Publishing. His chapbook/zine career started at age 11 when he wrote and printed his own poetry collection which he peddled door to door in Denton in the 1970s. Rachel Weaver (Zines Panel) Rachel Weaver (she/they) is a mixed-media artist, writer, community collaborator, and educator. They are the Founder and Coordinator of Denton Zine and Art Party - managing the annual Zine Festival, organizing the Zine Library at the Greater Denton Arts Council, and collaborating on local zine events and workshops. Rachel is also a Board Member, Volunteer, and Producer with KUZU Community Radio, an artist-member with Spiderweb Salon, and a Co-Director and Environmental Educator with The PETAL Project. They create zines on environmental topics, using methods such as collage and Xerox scanning, digital processing, and risograph printing, and have taught zine workshops at studios, museums, and art galleries throughout North Texas. Sponsorship Recognition Thank you to BLICK Art Materials for their generous donation! BLICK Art Materials is one of the largest providers of art supplies within the U.S. with over 90,000 items available online, in their catalog, and at their retail locations. Check them out today at www.dickblick.com. Thank you to Texas Woman’s University Libraries for their generous donation! Symposium organizers are appreciative of TWU Libraries’ support, and for helping to make this symposium a success! Learn more about TWU Libraries.. Thank you to Triangle Nonprofit Publishing and Denton Zine and Art Party for hosting the zine workshops for From Artists’ Books to Zines. Triangle Nonprofit Publishing (TNP) “is a 501c(3) nonprofit art and literary publisher founded in Texas in 2021 which exists to promote art and literature and fund charitable organizations through nonprofit art and literary publishing.” In addition to their charity publications and art and literary publishing, they are also well known for their zine workshops and free public anthology zine series. Stay up-to-date with all the awesome fundraising and events that TNP are coordinating by visiting their website Denton Zine and Art Party (DZAP) is “multi-event, multi-media celebration of all things DIY zines, art, and music in Denton, TX,” DZAP hosts numerous events, gathers, workshops and more each year. They also have a zine library in the Greater Denton Arts Council - Patterson-Appleton Arts Center Library Room that celebrates Denton zine culture, and is available to view during art center’s open hours. Stay up-to-date with all the wonderful events and programming that Denton Zine and Art Party are coordinating by visiting their website.

Posted: 01/19/2024

photograph of Michael and Nichole Ritchie

Three Questions with Michael and Nichole Ritchie

Michael Ritchie, a financial analyst at the Texas Military Department and current Texas State Guard officer is a descendant of multiple U.S. and Texas Revolutionary soldiers. Nichole Ritchie, a Texas history teacher, has devoted all of her free time to the preservation and sharing of local Texas history. Besides the Portal, they have worked on projects with the Sons and Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the Former Texas Rangers Association, the Texas Military Forces Museum, and are current members of the Burnet County Historical Commission. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is hosting your historic materials on UNT’s Portal to Texas History? The Private Collection of the Ritchie Family that Nichole and I have worked to get onto the Portal is important, not for ourselves, but for the larger community of Texans that otherwise would never have access. 95% of the materials we’ve submitted to the Portal are period military records of Texans that served in WWII. For several generations, these records have almost totally been lost as a result of the 1973 St. Louis Archives fire that destroyed 80% of all U.S. Army and Army Air Force records from WWI and WII. Our ability to have our county service books digitized on the Portal is vital as they serve as the only period military record of tens of thousands of men and women that served. The Private Collection of the Ritchie Family is centered around military records pertaining to Texans during World War II. A majority of the collection is made up of county service books dating to 1946-1947 that document the WWII military service of men and women from the individual counties of Texas. 2. Can you tell us a story or two about how patrons or visitors have used your online collections that are hosted in the Portal? From individuals and organizations that have reached out to us, we have been able to share photographs and service information to many families and genealogists that were unable to locate and document their family’s service from the federal government. On top of that, we have been able to provide information to other organizations for inclusion such as the City of Austin’s To Serve virtual exhibit that showcases the stories of veterans that are buried in the City of Austin’s many cemeteries. 3. What do you want others to know about your experience partnering with UNT’s Portal to Texas History? From the very beginning is has been an easy process with the Portal. All of the staff have been very helpful walking us through the process of how everything works, we were even able to get a tour of the digital lab one year. The biggest thing I would impart on anyone thinking about working with the Portal is to simply do it. So much of history is lost simply because people don’t know what resources are out there to save it. Luckily the Portal makes it incredibly easy for those with an interest in Texas history to make sure that important documents, photos, and artifacts can be saved and preserved for posterity. Michael Ritchie, a financial analyst at the Texas Military Department and current Texas State Guard officer is a descendant of multiple U.S. and Texas Revolutionary soldiers. Nichole Ritchie, a Texas history teacher, has devoted all of her free time to the preservation and sharing of local Texas history. Besides the Portal, they have worked on projects with the Sons and Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the Former Texas Rangers Association, the Texas Military Forces Museum, and are current members of the Burnet County Historical Commission.

Posted: 12/07/2023

Sycamore Library Closing for Renovations

Posted: 11/17/2023

The Media Library Is Moving to Willis!

Posted: 11/15/2023

13th Biennial Artists' Book Competition Call for Entries

The purposes of the competition and symposium are: to encourage the development of students’ work in the medium of Artists’ Books, to foster the creation of Artists’ Books, to reward excellence and creativity in the Artists’ Books, and to build the collection of Artists’ Books in the UNT Libraries’ Special Collections. Purpose The purposes of the competition and symposium are: to encourage the development of students’ work in the medium of Artists’ Books, to foster the creation of Artists’ Books, to reward excellence and creativity in the Artists’ Books, and to build the collection of Artists’ Books in the UNT Libraries’ Special Collections. Entries will be accepted in two categories: a Student Purchase Prize category and a Non-Student category. One winner will be selected from each category, but the $400 purchase award will only be given to the winner of the student category. Honorable mention awards will be given in each category at the discretion of the jurors. Additional entries from both categories may be selected for purchase dependent upon availability and budget restrictions of UNT Special Collections. For the first time ever, the competition will conclude with a one-day book arts symposium to be hosted by UNT Special Collections, and held within Willis Library on Saturday, March 23, 2024. This symposium will feature a pop- up display of entries, along with a reception to honor the purchase prize winner and honorable mentions of this year’s competition, and other opportunities for students and others to connect with, explore, and celebrate the field of book arts. More information will be available about symposium events and the schedule in early 2024. Student Purchase Prize Category. All eligible entries in the Student Purchase Prize category must be available for purchase into UNT Special Collections for $400. The item chosen for the purchase prize will become a permanent addition to the Artists’ Book Collection in UNT Special Collections, and will be highlighted at the UNT Special Collection’s Book Arts Symposium to be held on March 23, 2024. Non-Student Category Although entries in this category are not eligible to win the purchase award, the competition is open to alumni, faculty and staff of the University of North Texas and members of the local community. If you would like to enter up to three items in the competition, you are highly encouraged to do so. Even though the items are not eligible for the prize, if accepted, they will be shown at the UNT Special Collection’s Book Arts Symposium on March 23, 2024, which will give the work exposure to the campus and community. Eligibility Requirements Any Artists’ Book created within the last two years is eligible. All media are welcome. Books of all shapes and sizes are welcome. Entries that are not able to be displayed securely during the symposium will have photographs of the item displayed in lieu of the actual entry. Entries meeting eligibility requirements will be displayed during the UNT Special Collection’s Book Arts Symposium on March 23, 2024, along with a reception to honor the purchase prize winner and honorable mentions. A maximum of three books may be submitted. There is no jury fee. Entry Procedure A completed entry form (type or print legibly), identification labels attached to individual works, and SASE for return of entries if being mailed must be included with the artwork. Works will be accepted December 4-8, 2023. All communications with participants will be through email, unless participant indicates other preferred method. Deadline: Friday, December 8, 2023 by 4:00pm. Artists are encouraged to hand-deliver work to Willis Library, Special Collections, Room 437, UNT, between 9am and 4pm Monday, and Wednesday-Friday. Special arrangements can be requested to deliver items on Tuesday by contacting specialcollections@unt.edu. Work may be shipped in a reusable container prepaid via UPS, Parcel Post, or FedEx. It is the artist’s responsibility to include return shipping (please do NOT enclose checks or cash). Ship work(s) to: UNT Libraries Artists’ Book Competition Attn: Meagan May University of North Texas Willis Library 1155 Union Circle #305190 Denton, Texas 76203 Return of Work All hand-delivered work not accepted for display during the symposium must be picked up from Special Collections (Room 437) in Willis Library, January 22 - February 2, 2024 between 9am and 4pm Monday, and Wednesday - Friday. Special arrangements can be requested to pick up entries on Tuesday by contacting specialcollections@unt.edu. All shipped works not accepted will be returned in original packing material by February 2, 2024. Any shipped works that do not include return shipping must be picked up no later than February 2, 2024 by 4pm. Liability All reasonable precautions will be taken to ensure protection of the work while in the care of the UNT Libraries. However, no liability will be assumed by the University of North Texas, its staff, faculty, or students for loss or damage to any work submitted for any reason before, during, or after the competition and symposium. Insurance is the responsibility of the artist. Calendar December 4 – 8, 2023 Delivery of work from artist to Willis Library, Special Collections (Room 437) January 12, 2024 Jurors’ selections completed January 19, 2024 Notifications made January 22 – February 2, 2024 Works not accepted for symposium display will be returned or picked up March 23, 2024 Works are displayed during the Special Collection’s Book Arts Symposium April 1 - 12, 2024 All exhibition works picked up or shipped to artist by this date Each entry must have a legible entry form with name and contact information.If return postage is not included, works may be picked up in person in Willis Library. UNT Libraries is not responsible for works not picked up by April 14, 2024.

Posted: 11/09/2023

Three Questions with Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams is a PhD candidate at Columbia University who specializes in the art and material culture of the United States. She has assisted with projects at the Wallach Art Gallery, the Bard Graduate Center Gallery, Historic Deerfield, the Newport Restoration Foundation, and the Blanton Museum of Art. From 2018 to 2019, Ashley was the John Wilmerding Intern in American Art at the National Gallery of Art. She holds a BA from Agnes Scott College and an MA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is the 2023-2024 William H. Truettner Fellow at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal has become essential to my research on Black experiences of enslavement in Texas. My research has expanded greatly from this rich archive of maps, newspapers, photographs, and 19th century publications. The newspapers have been especially amazing. I was able to save dozens of hours by doing keyword searches in digitized issues, rather than scanning archival copies by eye. The ability to read through such a breadth of local news and op-eds immersed me in the happenings of Guadalupe County. Because these newspapers were written by and for white audiences (often with investment in slavery), such broad reading also taught me how to read between the lines to glean information about enslaved life and patterns of self-emancipation specific to Central Texas. The collection of maps has also been particularly helpful for tracing land ownership of enslavers over time—and thus, for getting a better understanding of the locations and conditions that the enslaved potters I focus on were inhabiting. 2. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal is now the first place I go when I have a new research query around Texas history. I can certainly see using the Portal in future classroom assignments to help students engage directly with primary sources. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My dissertation provides the first comparative analysis of unfree artistic labor in the U.S. I examine objects from the shifting borders of U.S. empire, including stoneware vessels made by enslaved potters in Texas, ledger drawings made by Kiowa and Cheyenne prisoners of war from Indian Territory, and wicker chairs made by incarcerated weavers in the Philippines. The Portal has been integral to work on my first chapter, which explores the story of enslaved potters Hiram, James, and Wallace Wilson in Guadalupe County. After Emancipation, the potters founded their own successful H. Wilson & Company pottery: the first Black-owned business in Texas. Today, in large part due to the advocacy of descendants, the story of these potters is known, and their vessels are widely collected and celebrated. Ashley Williams is a PhD candidate at Columbia University who specializes in the art and material culture of the United States. She has assisted with projects at the Wallach Art Gallery, the Bard Graduate Center Gallery, Historic Deerfield, the Newport Restoration Foundation, and the Blanton Museum of Art. From 2018 to 2019, Ashley was the John Wilmerding Intern in American Art at the National Gallery of Art. She holds a BA from Agnes Scott College and an MA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is the 2023-2024 William H. Truettner Fellow at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Posted: 10/24/2023

Artist Lecture: Ian van Coller

Posted: 09/12/2023

Three Questions with Jason Reed

Jason Reed is a Texas-based artist and educator whose work deals with the confluence of land, politics, and visual histories. He is a Professor of Photography and the Jones Professor of Southwestern Studies at Texas State University and holds a BA in Geography from the University of Texas and an MFA in Photography from Illinois State University. Reed has created exhibitions at venues such as Artpace in San Antonio, Krannert Museum at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, storefront windows in Miles, Texas, and Galerie Reinthaler in Vienna, Austria. Most recently he started a printed matter project that examines histories and dilemmas of the American West called the Victory in the Wilderness Museum, and his book (co-edited with Molly Sherman) Otherwise, It Would Be Just Another River was published by Spector Books in 2022. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal to Texas History has long been an invaluable tool in both my research and teaching. As a photographer, my world is driven by images, and the Portal serves as a direct conduit to photographers from across the stretches of Texas history. Much of my own photography is about the socio-political landscapes of extraction industries in West Texas. Through the Portal I can build dialogue between my contemporary work and such things as oil drilling operations from the 1930s, the changing landscapes of small oil boom towns that have come and gone, farming practices during the Dust Bowl, or even portraits of 1980s high school all-star football players from the Oil Bowl. I also use the Portal in my courses, asking students to mine the visual histories of this state and build comparisons between their own lives and pictures they are making, and those from the past. 2. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The most significant aspect of the Portal is that it serves as a hub for the vast array of archives that dot our large state. It would be difficult to travel to each small-town library or institutional archive and piece together the narratives that are possible from a dig through the Portal website. This is the best of what the internet and the digitization of physical archives can be, allowing me and my students to connect to the multiplicity of narratives that help to complicate the history of Texas. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My work is born out of my upbringing in West Texas and informed by the stories that were told, but even more so by the stories that have been ignored. As I look at the current landscape of cotton farming, oil extraction, housing development, and migration, I wonder how we make progress toward a more sustainable and equitable future. The Portal gives me a link to the past and an understanding of the resilience and innovation that will be necessary to undertake the massive challenges of the 21st century, ultimately informing the pictures I make and the stories I choose to tell. My current project, The Land of Impossible Causes, will utilize pictures from the Portal and my own work to interweave the varied and intricate social, economic, and environmental narratives of the Permian Basin over the last 100 years, inviting a holistic reflection on where we each fit into the petroleum age at the advent of climate change. Jason Reed is a Texas-based artist and educator whose work deals with the confluence of land, politics, and visual histories. He is a Professor of Photography and the Jones Professor of Southwestern Studies at Texas State University and holds a BA in Geography from the University of Texas and an MFA in Photography from Illinois State University. Reed has created exhibitions at venues such as Artpace in San Antonio, Krannert Museum at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, storefront windows in Miles, Texas, and Galerie Reinthaler in Vienna, Austria. Most recently he started a printed matter project that examines histories and dilemmas of the American West called the Victory in the Wilderness Museum, and his book (co-edited with Molly Sherman) Otherwise, It Would Be Just Another River was published by Spector Books in 2022.

Posted: 08/31/2023

UNT's Spring 2023 Theses and Dissertations Now Available

Posted: 07/14/2023

Texas Digital Newspaper Program Reaches Huge Milestone!

On July 7, 2023, the Texas Digital Newspaper Program reached 10 million pages of newspapers. These are newspapers digitally preserved, freely accessible, and fully text-searchable in The Portal to Texas History, hosted by University of North Texas Libraries. On July 7, 2023, the Texas Digital Newspaper Program reached 10 million pages of newspapers. These are newspapers digitally preserved, freely accessible, and fully text-searchable in The Portal to Texas History, hosted by University of North Texas Libraries. Who makes the Texas Digital Newspaper Program possible? Encompassing 912,623 newspaper issues, the TDNP collection is built by partners from across Texas. The top three most contributing partners of newspapers, in order, are: The Abilene Library Consortium, who have supported digitization of 44,753 newspaper issues from titles across Texas. The Denton Public Library, with Denton-area newspapers contributed, mostly from the Denton Record Chronicle, totaling 15,763 issues. The Cuero Public Library, adding The Cuero News, have contributed 14,671 issues. The Texas Digital Newspaper Program collection represents a massive endeavor in preservation, digitization, and digital access to news content. Spanning over 200 years of history from or related to Texas and the South, TDNP includes newspapers in Spanish, German, Czech, Hebrew, Chinese, Italian, French, and Swedish, as well as one serial title in Esperanto. This past year, we have added newspaper titles from communities as small as 612 in population, as well as from big cities, including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Galveston, among others. Additions of newspapers in TDNP have been made possible through generous support from multiple groups, including: National Endowment for the Humanities Institute of Museum and Library Services Texas State Library & Archives Commission Tocker Foundation Ladd & Katherine Hancher Foundation Summerlee Foundation In addition to these sponsors of digital newspaper preservation, partners from cities all over Texas have worked very hard to prepare their newspaper collections for preservation and digital access. A range of tasks go into digitizing a community newspaper, from grant-writing by partnering groups, rescuing newspapers from such places as high hurricane-risk locations, filing cabinets, hot and leaky barns, backs of trucks, or abandoned buildings, to name a few examples of how far contributors have gone to rescue newspapers. Many private individuals have helped their local public libraries prepare grant applications to fund building access to their community newspapers, saying things like, “Our community might not be here in 50 years, but I know our newspapers will be available and visible through The Portal to Texas History.” The ability of TDNP to guarantee long-term preservation and access in perpetuity is also possible because of The Cathy Nelson Hartman Portal to Texas History Endowment, which, “. . . enables UNT to extend the impact of the Portal by creating a permanent, sustainable source of income.”

Posted: 07/12/2023

Three Questions with Amy E. Earhart

Amy E. Earhart is Associate Professor of English and affiliated faculty of Africana Studies at Texas A&M University. She has published a monograph Traces of Old, Uses of the New: The Emergence of Digital Literary Studies (U Michigan Press 2015), a co-edited collection The American Literature Scholar in the Digital Age (U Michigan Press 2010), and a number of articles and book chapters in volumes including the Debates in Digital Humanities series, DHQ, DSH: Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, Digital Studies/Le champ numérique, and Textual Cultures. Her current book, “A Compromised Infrastructure: Digital Humanities, African American Literary History and Technologies of Identity,” is under advance contract with Stanford University Press. Earhart has also published digital projects constructed to expand access to African American literary and cultural materials, as is the case with projects The Millican Massacre, 1868, DIBB: The Digital Black Bibliographic Project, and “Alex Haley’s Malcolm X: ‘The Malcolm X I knew’ and notecards from The Autobiography of Malcolm X”. Awarded a NEH-Mellon Fellowship for Digital Publication in 2020 as well as other grants, Earhart has also won several teaching awards, including the University Distinguished Achievement Award from The Association of Former Students and Texas A&M University. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal is an invaluable resource in my research and teaching. In July of 1868, a shift towards equality for Blacks after Reconstruction incited one of the largest “race riots” in Texas, known today as the Millican Massacre. As I have developed the Millican Massacre 1868 digital project I have returned, again and again, to the materials included in the Portal, particularly the Texas newspapers. This rich set of documents has allowed me to bring the story of an important but undertold history to the general public. In addition, I have used the Portal in my courses, incorporating research and digital humanities assignments that would not otherwise have been possible. Students are able to locate historical materials that bring depth and nuance to the literary texts that we read. In addition, they benefit from examining the way that the Portal categorizes and organizes information, leaving my classes with a better understanding of the why and how of research. 2. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The open access materials in the Portal have allowed me to position students as active learners and researchers, revealing how scholars work with large archives to reach conclusions about historical events. Students often have an Oh! moment when working with the historical newspapers, in particular, understanding the nuances of how incidents of racial violence were discussed in the press. As I have researched the Millican Massacre I have introduced descendants and community members to the information freely available in the Portal. They are amazed at the information that they might locate and grateful for what the Portal tells them about their families and their communities. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My work on the Millican Massacre has largely focused on returning this important historical event to contemporary knowledge. With the Portal I have been able to document the events, and with this research, much obtained in the Portal materials, we have received a Texas Historical marker to ensure that the massacre is not forgotten. Further, my research is merged with teaching as well as community outreach in order to best meet the needs of those who continue to be impacted by the reverberations of such violence. I am a literary scholar who is interested in how the events of 1868 Millican are narrated, told, and retold and how those narratives continue to impact us. The public facing digital humanities site, soon to be relaunched with additional materials, allows users to not only learn about the event, but to examine primary sources. Without the Portal my research and teaching would be far less complete. Amy E. Earhart is Associate Professor of English and affiliated faculty of Africana Studies at Texas A&M University. She has published a monograph Traces of Old, Uses of the New: The Emergence of Digital Literary Studies (U Michigan Press 2015), a co-edited collection The American Literature Scholar in the Digital Age (U Michigan Press 2010), and a number of articles and book chapters in volumes including the Debates in Digital Humanities series, DHQ, DSH: Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, Digital Studies/Le champ numérique, and Textual Cultures. Her current book, “A Compromised Infrastructure: Digital Humanities, African American Literary History and Technologies of Identity,” is under advance contract with Stanford University Press. Earhart has also published digital projects constructed to expand access to African American literary and cultural materials, as is the case with projects The Millican Massacre, 1868, DIBB: The Digital Black Bibliographic Project, and “Alex Haley’s Malcolm X: ‘The Malcolm X I knew’ and notecards from The Autobiography of Malcolm X”. Awarded a NEH-Mellon Fellowship for Digital Publication in 2020 as well as other grants, Earhart has also won several teaching awards, including the University Distinguished Achievement Award from The Association of Former Students and Texas A&M University.

Posted: 07/06/2023

Historical Newspapers Now Available Online Through Partnership with Texas State Library and Archives Commission

The University of North Texas Libraries are excited to announce a new partnership between The Portal to Texas History and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). This partnership will result in free and open access to public domain newspapers held by TSLAC. The newspapers will fill chronological and geographic gaps in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program collection. The University of North Texas Libraries are excited to announce a new partnership between The Portal to Texas History and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). This partnership will result in free and open access to public domain newspapers held by TSLAC. The newspapers will fill chronological and geographic gaps in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program collection. By August 2023, the collection will include such Dallas-area titles as: Civil War years of The Dallas Herald, The Prohibition-era, labor newspaper, Home and State, And turn-of-the-century years of the Methodist Texas Christian Advocate In addition, this will expand content from West Texas, including the Wichita Daily Times, from Wichita Falls; The Amarillo Daily News; and The Terry County Herald from Brownfield. “This partnership represents an exciting endeavor in both preservation and collaboration,” said Dr. Ana Krahmer, Director of UNT Libraries’ Digital Newspaper Program. “We look forward both to adding further newspaper titles to the TSLAC collection, as well as to building relationships with more Texas cities whose public domain newspapers will be newly available because of this partnership.” Approaching 10 million newspaper pages, the Texas Digital Newspaper Program, hosted on The Portal to Texas History, is the largest, single-state, open-access interface to digital newspapers in the U.S. This partnership represents an endeavor in both preservation and collaboration, and we look forward both to adding further newspaper titles to the TSLAC collection, as well as to building relationships with more Texas cities whose public domain newspapers will be newly available because of this partnership. The Portal to Texas History is a gateway to rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas. Created and maintained by the University of North Texas Libraries, the Portal leverages the power of hundreds of content partners across the state to provide a vibrant, growing collection of resources. Access to the Texas State Library and Archive Commission Newspaper Collection in The Portal to Texas History is here. About UNT Libraries As the most-used service on campus and an essential component of education and research at UNT, the Libraries offer access to more than 6 million print and digital items along with innovative programs and support services and expert personnel to assist patrons in achieving their academic and scholarly goals. About UNT Established in 1890, UNT is one of the nation’s largest public research universities with more than 44,000 students. Ranked a Tier One research university by the Carnegie Classification, UNT is a catalyst for creativity, fueling progress, innovation and entrepreneurship for the North Texas region and the state. UNT’s programs are internationally recognized with research and scholarship spanning all disciplines. World-class faculty are making breakthroughs every day, and UNT students and alumni are changing the world around them. About TSLAC The Texas State Library and Archives Commission provides Texans access to the information needed to be informed, productive citizens by preserving the archival record of Texas; enhancing the service capacity of public, academic and school libraries; assisting public agencies in the maintenance of their records; and meeting the reading needs of Texans with disabilities. For more information, visit www.tsl.texas.gov.

Posted: 06/14/2023

Three Questions with William Scarborough

I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology. My research examines gender and racial inequalities across the U.S. My work has been cited in the U.S. House of Representatives and recently used in reports from the Executive Office of the President. I am the author of Gendered Places: The Landscape of Local Gender Norms Across the United States as well as multiple articles in journal such as the American Sociological Review and Gender & Society. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal is a valuable tool for students to become producers of knowledge in addition to consumers of knowledge in the classroom. For my course, students use the portal to uncover events in local communities’ pasts that may have enduring consequences on local social dynamics, but have been long forgotten or rendered invisible. For example, students in my course identity patterns of contemporary residential racial segregation in their communities, and then use the portal to investigate events that may have led to such patterns. They have uncovered, for example, how some municipalities in the early 1900s voted to relocate Black communities to parts of town that remain segregated today. Others used violence for residential displacement. Uncovering these historical sources of contemporary patterns of segregation, students are better positioned to make suggestions on how to address local inequalities in their community. 2. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal is a valuable tool for students to move beyond the acquisition of course concepts, but to apply them and expand upon them. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Ultimately, my courses aim to teach students how to address social problems by using sociological theory to inform them where to look, and sociological methods as the tools to uncover the factors that contribute to and sustain these problems. I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology. My research examines gender and racial inequalities across the U.S. My work has been cited in the U.S. House of Representatives and recently used in reports from the Executive Office of the President. I am the author of Gendered Places: The Landscape of Local Gender Norms Across the United States as well as multiple articles in journal such as the American Sociological Review and Gender & Society.

Posted: 05/17/2023

Three Questions with Ann Ngoc Tran

Ann Ngoc Tran is a Ph.D. student in the Department of American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. Her research weaves Critical Refugee Studies, Native and Southeast Asian Maritime Studies, and Black feminist frameworks to study the cultural history and memory of the Vietnamese fishing boat across Viet Nam, the Pacific Ocean, and U.S. Gulf South. She looks specifically at the complex experiences of fisherfolk and boat refugees through a material analysis of the boat, an object that indexes imperialism, war, and migration as well as survival and ordinary life-making practices across time and space. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal has been an incredible learning and research tool for me. I often have trouble finding maps and newsletters that are probably archived and annotated, and the Portal makes it so much easier to find relevant documents and photographs with its highly accessible search tool and database. Most importantly, I find that although it doesn’t find all of my search terms, it directs me to relevant information that I can use as contextual detail in my work. I have found the maps to be the most useful for learning about the landscape and waterscape of the Gulf Coast. I began my research with the question: How and where did various communities form across Texas’s history? Thanks to the Portal, I have been able to learn more about towns like Seadrift, Seadrift, Port Arthur, and Corpus Christi. 2. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? As a historian of the Texas Gulf Coast, I have found the Portal to Texas History to be an invaluable resource that offers a plethora of documents and photographs on the rich history of this region. The Portal provides quick access to primary documents that have transformed the Texas landscape, including newsletters from various churches and community organizations that have transformed the local towns along the coast as well as the responses to the war in Southeast Asia from various angles—religious, political, and cultural. Through my exploration of the Portal, I have discovered numerous research ideas that could be realized with its vast array of data, most specifically the use of cartographic images of the Coast and its changes over time. In my future career, I plan to incorporate the Portal into my teaching, offering my students the opportunity to view primary documents from specific time periods and gain a deeper understanding of the socio-political landscapes of the Gulf Coast. By utilizing the resources of the University of North Texas library, I am confident that I can accomplish this quickly and effectively. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? A large part of my project, which spans the geography of Vietnam, the Pacific Ocean, and the U.S. Gulf South, takes place over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries. In the third part of my dissertation, I historicize the formation of Vietnamese American communities on the Gulf Coast, centering specific themes such as water, fishing/shrimping economies, and environmental crises, thinking deeply with concepts from political economy and creative life-making. The research will employ the theoretical frameworks of racial capitalism, war and militarism, and environmental justice to analyze these themes. Presently, most studies of Vietnamese on the Gulf Coast are quantitative analyses in the social sciences, emphasizing survival, resilience, and assimilation rather than race, political economy, and environmental crises. My cultural historical approach prioritizes the latter elements in order to decenter uncritical and positivist readings of Vietnamese communities around the Gulf of Mexico. Ann Ngoc Tran is a Ph.D. student in the Department of American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. Her research weaves Critical Refugee Studies, Native and Southeast Asian Maritime Studies, and Black feminist frameworks to study the cultural history and memory of the Vietnamese fishing boat across Viet Nam, the Pacific Ocean, and U.S. Gulf South. She looks specifically at the complex experiences of fisherfolk and boat refugees through a material analysis of the boat, an object that indexes imperialism, war, and migration as well as survival and ordinary life-making practices across time and space.

Posted: 04/28/2023

The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Montana Williamson

Posted: 04/27/2023

The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Ashley E. Williams

Posted: 04/27/2023

The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dr. Whitney Nell Stewart

Whitney Nell Stewart is a historian of the US South. She is author of This Is Our Home: Slavery and Struggle on Southern Plantations (University of North Carolina Press, forthcoming Fall 2023), as well as articles in Winterthur Portfolio, Journal of Social History, and Journal of the Early Republic, among other publications. Her work has been supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Long-Term Fellowship at the American Antiquarian Society, as well as research and writing fellowships at the Smithsonian, the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, the Huntington Library, and the Texas State Historical Association, among others. She is an assistant professor of history and faculty in the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History at the University of Texas at Dallas. The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee Dr. Whitney Nell Stewart Project Title The Story of Texas: History-Making at Varner-Hogg Plantation Project Description “The Story of Texas: History-Making at Varner-Hogg Plantation” explores the transformation of a single southeast Texas plantation over two hundred years, guiding readers through Varner-Hogg’s changing landscape from Indigenous homeland to Old 300 settlement, sugar plantation to oil field, private home to public museum. In charting the changing purpose and meaning of this one place, “The Story of Texas” also examines exactly how, who, and what makes history in the Lone Star State. Biography Whitney Nell Stewart is a historian of the US South. She is author of This Is Our Home: Slavery and Struggle on Southern Plantations (University of North Carolina Press, forthcoming Fall 2023), as well as articles in Winterthur Portfolio, Journal of Social History, and Journal of the Early Republic, among other publications. Her work has been supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Long-Term Fellowship at the American Antiquarian Society, as well as research and writing fellowships at the Smithsonian, the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, the Huntington Library, and the Texas State Historical Association, among others. She is an assistant professor of history and faculty in the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Posted: 04/27/2023

The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Jason Reed

Posted: 04/27/2023

The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - William Robert Billups

William Robert Billups is a history PhD candidate at Emory University and an incoming 2023–2024 Ambrose Monell Foundation Funded National Fellow in Technology and Democracy at the Jefferson Scholars Foundation in Charlottesville, Virginia. He researches racial violence and its effects on the civil rights movement and US law and law enforcement. Before beginning his PhD at Emory University, Robert earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree in American History from the University of Cambridge. He has written public-facing scholarship for the Washington Post and peer-reviewed articles for the Journal of American History and the Journal of Southern History. The Portal to Texas History 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee William Robert Billups Project Title “Reign of Terror”: Anti–Civil Rights Terrorism in the United States, 1955–1977 Project Description Robert’s dissertation is the first comprehensive study of bombings and arsons against US civil rights activists, allies, and institutions from the mid–1950s through the mid–1970s. Using digital maps and tools, it assesses waves of white supremacist attacks and illuminates major patterns of mid-century racial violence. His dissertation also employs case studies to analyze how individuals and communities experienced anti–civil rights terrorism, resisted it, remembered it, and rebuilt in its wake. Biography William Robert Billups is a history PhD candidate at Emory University and an incoming 2023–2024 Ambrose Monell Foundation Funded National Fellow in Technology and Democracy at the Jefferson Scholars Foundation in Charlottesville, Virginia. He researches racial violence and its effects on the civil rights movement and US law and law enforcement. Before beginning his PhD at Emory University, Robert earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree in American History from the University of Cambridge. He has written public-facing scholarship for the Washington Post and peer-reviewed articles for the Journal of American History and the Journal of Southern History.

Posted: 04/27/2023

UNT Special Collections 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dr. Newly Paul

Posted: 04/11/2023

UNT Special Collections 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dr. Christopher Ewing

Posted: 04/11/2023

UNT Special Collections 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Anna Chotlos

Posted: 04/11/2023

UNT Special Collections 2023 Research Fellowship Awardee - Stéphane Audard

Posted: 04/11/2023

Three Questions with Dr. Kerry Goldmann

Dr. Kerry Goldmann is a Lecturer and Associate Director of Graduate Studies in UNT’s history department. She is an historian of Jewish American history, African American history, and American culture. Her research investigates the intersecting histories of subaltern communities and art used for social change, and she is currently working on a book project that examines the black-founded theatre companies between 1960 and 1980 that helped mobilize Cultural Nationalism for cultural and social liberation. Dr. Goldmann is especially passionate about investing in the classroom as a site that fosters intellectual curiosity and a reverence for history. As an interdisciplinary student, she employs various methodologies in each class ranging from traditional historical approaches to digital history and cultural lenses. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? In terms of research, the Portal has been invaluable in examining archives of Black Texas theatres for my monograph and investigating archives for a future Texas supreme Court Case, of which I’m serving as an historian for the prosecution. I also use the portal in my upper-level history courses to support student research for their end-of-semester projects. The Portal to Texas History allows my students to be self-empowered in the work of an historian. 2. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal has especially changed my approach to teaching because archival research is usually only discussed in class as a method. The Portal allows us to put it into practice, and it allows students to dive into rich sources that allow them to see significant history at a very local level. In turn, students find history more accessible, relevant, and connective. Additionally, as a cultural historian teaching mainly cultural history classes, I appreciate how many cultural sources and archives the Portal provides. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My teaching prioritizes accessibility of knowledge and creating independent thinkers and researchers. As an element of democratizing knowledge, I aim to diversify the historical perspective from one singular group, which the Portal supports. Dr. Kerry Goldmann is a Lecturer and Associate Director of Graduate Studies in UNT’s history department. She is an historian of Jewish American history, African American history, and American culture. Her research investigates the intersecting histories of subaltern communities and art used for social change, and she is currently working on a book project that examines the black-founded theatre companies between 1960 and 1980 that helped mobilize Cultural Nationalism for cultural and social liberation. Dr. Goldmann is especially passionate about investing in the classroom as a site that fosters intellectual curiosity and a reverence for history. As an interdisciplinary student, she employs various methodologies in each class ranging from traditional historical approaches to digital history and cultural lenses.

Posted: 03/21/2023

Three Questions with Sarah Vegerano

Sarah Vegerano is a Ph.D. student studying the development of education and its relationship with race in Texas at Texas A&M University, and she has a certificate in Digital Humanities. Her research focuses on census data, local newspapers, communities identifying as White, Black, and Hispanic with the highest enrollments through the last half of the nineteenth century, and textbooks used in the classroom. In addition, she has published and created over five historical maps identifying schoolhouses along with demographic data that has not been previously developed into visual data. She’s the mother of three small children, two dogs, a Basset Hound, and Staffordshire, and she loves to visit historical sites across Texas. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and external patrons derive from using the Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal has offered a convenient location to find large quantities of data and evidence for my research. The availability of historical evidence and easy search queries greatly aided my dissertation research on race and its relationship with educational development in Texas during the nineteenth century. The Portal has allowed me to confirm and connect the correlation between policies and laws and their effect on Institutional development. It has been instrumental in my research’s development. Though Newspapers were my main focus, the historical images and maps have been invaluable in aiding my overall understanding of how and why education grew the way it did at a local and state level. In addition, accessing a digital archive allows for a more thorough understanding of historical events and societal patterns. 2. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal challenged me to develop new search terms and narrow them down as the research progressed. As a result, I became more enveloped in Texas’s geography, railroad development, and migration patterns, allowing for a more holistic approach to my research question. While the Portal does not allow every digitized book to be downloaded as one file, I learned to be more adaptable to search within the confines of what is allowed on the platform. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? The newspapers within the Portal furthered my understanding of how personal beliefs influence educational development and the inequalities found in early institutional development, embedding race into the institution. The newspapers’ articles make clear personal sentiments of Black, White, and Hispanic education, discrepancies in funding, policy development, and thoughts of community leaders and how Texas education developed to support White education. All others were an afterthought to government leaders and white community members. Sarah Vegerano is a Ph.D. student studying the development of education and its relationship with race in Texas at Texas A&M University, and she has a certificate in Digital Humanities. Her research focuses on census data, local newspapers, communities identifying as White, Black, and Hispanic with the highest enrollments through the last half of the nineteenth century, and textbooks used in the classroom. In addition, she has published and created over five historical maps identifying schoolhouses along with demographic data that has not been previously developed into visual data. She’s the mother of three small children, two dogs, a Basset Hound, and Staffordshire, and she loves to visit historical sites across Texas.

Posted: 03/14/2023

Campus Pride Week at the UNT Libraries

Posted: 02/24/2023

You Can Now Use The Foundation Directory Database From Anywhere

Posted: 02/22/2023

Registration for the UNT Summer Archives Institute 2023 is Now Open

The Summer Archive Institute is an experiential learning opportunity designed to immerse students in hands-on archival work, providing valuable experience and training in professional archival practice within the UNT Special Collections department. Each student will receive training to arrange and describe a unique archival collection. Additionally, each week a Special Collections staff member will lead a discussion about an area of archival practice to provide students opportunities to learn about all aspects of archival work such as preservation, digitization, public service, and instruction. At the conclusion of the Institute students will be asked to give a 3-5 minute “lightning” talk as part of a public presentation. The Summer Archive Institute is an experiential learning opportunity designed to immerse students in hands-on archival work, providing valuable experience and training in professional archival practice within the UNT Special Collections department. Each student will receive training to arrange and describe a unique archival collection. Additionally, each week a Special Collections staff member will lead a discussion about an area of archival practice to provide students opportunities to learn about all aspects of archival work such as preservation, digitization, public service, and instruction. At the conclusion of the Institute students will be asked to give a 3-5 minute “lightning” talk as part of a public presentation. The Summer Archives Institute will take place on the UNT-Denton campus. Students will work primarily in Willis Library, with some activities taking place at the Library Annex and Research Collections Library, also located in Denton. Students will be supervised by Librarians in the Special Collections department. May 22 – June 23, 2023 9am-3pm (one hour lunch), 5 hours per day, 125 hours total Willis Library - Room 443 What students will gain: Hands-on experience working with an archival collection Opportunity to meet archivists and librarians and explore the different aspects of Special Collections work Training in archival processing, arrangement, and description At the completion of the practicum students will have work products such as processing plans and finding aids suitable for inclusion in an e-portfolio Experience presenting their work as part of a “lightning session” Students must enroll in the COI Practicum summer section to participate in this institute. Requirements for consideration: Current graduate student at UNT Completion of INFO 5371 – Archives and Manuscripts, or comparable introductory archival coursework Excellent writing skills—including the ability to analyze content, compose concise descriptions, and proofread Thorough understanding of English grammar and spelling Facility with visual details Ability to pay close attention to detail To be considered for the Archives Institute students will need to submit: Application Form A one-page cover letter describing their interest in the Archives Institute Resume or CV Four to six graduate students will be selected to participate in this year’s Summer Archives Institute. Applications must be submitted by midnight on Monday, April 3rd. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance no later than April 10, 2023. Participant Stipend We intend to provide a $500 stipend to students who complete the Summer Archives Institute and a certificate of completion. For more information and to obtain the application form, please contact Jodi Rhinehart-Doty in UNT Special Collections.

Posted: 02/14/2023

Texas Edges Lecture Series: Tyina Steptoe

Posted: 02/09/2023

UNT Libraries Acquires Tortellini Collection

UNT Libraries has acquired a collection of original photographic works by UNT alum Don Thomas II (‘15), who goes by the name Don Tortellini. The images in the Tortellini collection represent the first time the UNT Libraries has acquired a full exhibition series of prints from a former student. These images will be available to view upon request in the Sarah. T. Hughes Reading Room. UNT Libraries has acquired a collection of original photographic works by UNT alum Don Thomas II (‘15), who goes by the name Don Tortellini. The images in the Tortellini collection represent the first time the UNT Libraries has acquired a full exhibition series of prints from a former student. These images will be available to view upon request in the Sarah. T. Hughes Reading Room. Tortellini is a self-taught photographer who began taking photos during the pandemic after being furloughed from his job. Inspired by the intricate work of nail artists he began taking photos women’s manicured hands and nail art. This work was first displayed in an exhibition titled “KLAWS” in December 2020 at the Wright art Twins Gallery in Dallas, and later at SMU’s Pollack Gallery. UNT has acquired the entire KLAWS exhibit which includes over 65 color photo prints of nail art in both formal and informal settings. Additionally, UNT has acquired a print from Tortellini’s next series, “The Village.” The image, titled “Precision,” is a stunning documentary portrait of long-time Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price who is seated in front of Maurine Tootsie Jones as she twists the cornrows in his hair. In October 2022 Tortellini came to UNT Special Collections to deliver the photographs in person and tour Special Collections. Reflecting on his time as a student at UNT, Tortellini hopes his collection will inspire current students to use their creativity to bring light to the everyday beauty around us, just as he continues to do today. Morgan Gieringer, Head of Special Collections, was thrilled to meet Tortellini and to add this new collection to the library. “As curators we are constantly seeking ways to document the lived experience of our students and surrounding communities. Placing Don’s work in the library’s Special Collections will ensure that both his photography, and the ephemeral work of the nail artists highlighted in the images, is preserved and accessible for the future.” Tortellini’s work has been featured recently in the news by the Dallas Morning News, KERA, NBC5 and others. For more information about the Tortellini collection or to schedule an appoint to view the Tortellini collection at UNT please contact specialcollections@unt.edu. Morgan Gieringer Head of Special Collections UNT Libraries Morgan.gieringer@unt.edu 940-369-8657

Posted: 11/08/2022

Artist Lecture: Liz Wells

Posted: 09/19/2022

Dean's Innovation Grant 2022

The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2022 Awardees Music Library Picture Show Megan Sprabary, Kristin Wolski Project Description: “The Music Library Picture Show” will be a series of four musical film screenings over the 2022-2023 academic year. It is a demonstration project that seeks to answer the question, “how do programs affect student attitudes about the library?” The film screenings will be open to everyone but will target communities that do not frequently visit the Music Library – namely, non-music majors and high school students. The primary goals of this project are to build the library as a viable “third place” for the local community, decrease library anxiety in students, and assess patron perceptions of the Music Library. Creating An Inclusive Environment for Student-Parents Madison Brents, Emily Akers Project Description: This project aims to provide resources and create a more welcoming environment at the UNT Libraries for students who are also parents of young children. This is an under supported demographic in higher education and one that often needs more resources than the average student to be successful in college. This project plans to both hold scheduled study hours for student parents and their children and make available items which student parents can check out for their children while they are at the library together. Soundbox: Music Engagement Lab David Huff, Kristin Wolski, Sabino Fernandez, Justin Lemons, Steven Sellers Project Description: This pilot project is designed to create a scaled version of a music engagement center where UNT community members can work with music technology to create and explore the worlds of music and sound. As both a sound lab and a repository of historical music technologies, the Soundbox will serve as a catalyst for engagement with not only physical technologies, but also with the fundamental ideas and concepts that make them work. The requested funds cover the cost of one small modular synthesizer workstation, a variety of other instruments and devices, and other necessary furniture and accessories. Creating Greater Accessibility to Special Collections Materials for Patrons With Visual Disabilities Meagan May Project Description: This project aims to create greater accessibility to archival and rare materials in UNT Special Collections for patrons with reduced or low vision disabilities through the purchase of Freedom Scientific’s TOPAZ XL HD desktop video magnifier and the creation of an accessibility station for the Judge Sarah T. Hughes Reading Room. This desktop magnifier, along with its accompanying GEM software, will allow patrons to magnify, adjust, enhance, capture, and save documents, photographs, artifacts, manuscripts, and other materials to meet a variety of vision accessibility needs. Assessing UNT Libraries’ Collections Through Idea Lenses Karen Harker, Sephra Byrne, Allyson Rodriguez, Stacey Wolf, Julie Leuzinger, Sian Brannon Project Description: The UNT Libraries embarked on a journey to address systemic and systematic vestiges of oppression of socially and politically minoritized populations. For this purpose, the Collection Assessment Department will evaluate UNT Libraries’ collections, identify sources of diverse materials, and connect with our communities. We will conduct focus groups and pilot a method on one aspect of our collections. This project requires significant amount of manual searching for information related to identity of authorship and sources of information, which would be conducted using student labor. Making Our Library Spaces More Accessible: Accessible Furniture for Sycamore Library Jennifer Rowe, Mary Ann Venner, Robbie Sittel Project Description: Feedback from library users and staff highlight a need for more accessible furniture in our library spaces. We would like to improve the accessibility of the learning spaces at Sycamore Library with the purchase of more accessible furniture. We will start this with a selection of chairs, stools, and a stationary bike workstation. The purchase of these items will enable us to pilot the use of them in Fall 2022 to see hour our users engage in the spaces they are in.

Posted: 08/12/2022

Landmark of Fine Printing Recently Acquired in Kelmscott Chaucer Collection

The UNT Special Collections has acquired a landmark of fine printing and masterpiece of Victorian design, a copy of the Works of Chaucer printed by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press in 1896. The UNT Special Collections has acquired a landmark of fine printing and masterpiece of Victorian design, a copy of the Works of Chaucer printed by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press in 1896. William Morris, internationally known for his textile, wallpaper, furniture, and stained glass designs, was a champion of the British Arts and Crafts movement, and promoted a return to the medieval aesthetic and per-industrial production methods, where fine handwork created beautiful items that would bring pleasure to their owners. He founded the Kelmscott Press in 1891, and the press produced 53 titles during the 8 years it was in existence – it outlived Morris by two years. Morris’s Chaucer was a perfect showcase for his art and production philosophy. Often called “the most beautiful printed book in the world”, the Works of Chaucer was the greatest production of what is considered one of the most important fine/private presses in the world. The pages are illustrated with 81 original woodcuts designed by the important Victorian painter and member of the Pre-Raphaelite movement Edward Burne-Jones, engraved by William Harcourt Hooper, and are further enhanced by ornate woodcut initials. These woodcuts and the Chaucer type, one of three fonts designed by William Morris for the press, are printed in a deep, rich black with accented headings and notes in red. The volume is an example of the highest example of fine press craftsmanship. The text of the work is a collection of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, including not only his most famous works, the Canterbury Tales, but many less well-known poems. An expensive undertaking at the time, 425 copies were printed on hand-made paper and offered for sale at the time for £20 each (about $3,457 in today’s money), and 13 copies were printed on vellum and sold for £126 each (about $21,890 in today’s money). Most were bound by the press in blue paper-covered boards with a cream linen spine having an applied printed spine label, and 48 were specially bound in white pigskin with silver clasps. As a physical item, not only is it an example of quality, but this particular copy has several features that help deepen our understanding of bibliography and the history of the book. Inside the front cover are two bookplates, one for Robert Heysham Sayre, of South Bethlehem, Penn. The personalized exlibris shows a train and stack of fine books – reflecting his life as a civil engineer and railroad executive. The second, a book label is that of George Abrams, brother of the well-known publisher Harry N. Abrams, and himself an artist and type designer, bibliophile, and authority on Venetian incunabula. We also know that it appeared at auction in 2021. This magnificent treasure may be one of the best “regular” copies to change hands in decades. It is in almost perfect condition, as if it had just left the premises of The Kelmscott Press, and even includes a “spare” spine label inside the back cover. In 126 years it has traveled from a printing press in England to a collector in Pennsylvania, to a collector in New York, and has now come to Texas, to grace the collections of UNT, and to inspire and support the education of our students and researchers for generations to come.

Posted: 06/08/2022

Rare Copy of Kelmscott Press Beowulf Recently Acquired

A man-eating monster and an epic hero, a literary masterpiece resonating over a millennia, presented in an elegant quarto fit for the best Victorian library. The UNT Special Collections has recently acquired one of the 300 copies of the epic Beowulf printed by William Morris at his Kelmscott Press in Hammersmith, England in 1895. A man-eating monster and an epic hero, a literary masterpiece resonating over a millennia, presented in an elegant quarto fit for the best Victorian library. The UNT Special Collections has recently acquired one of the 300 copies of the epic Beowulf printed by William Morris at his Kelmscott Press in Hammersmith, England in 1895. The creamy vellum covers, held closed with silk ribbon ties, open to reveal text printed in the Troy font, designed by Morris for the volume. The handmade paper is a perfect background for the rich black printing, with pops of red accent text. The whole is enhanced by woodcut decorations of vines and plants curving sinuously around the margins of the ancient tale of good and evil, men and monsters. The text of this edition of what Morris felt was “the first and the best poem of the English race,” was based on a translation of the medieval epic done by A. J. Wyatt, and adapted by William Morris, who turned the prose back into verse and given a somewhat more archaic feel. Claimed by Morris to have been the most expensive book produced by the press, The Beowulf was one of seven titles produced during the 5th year of the press’s 8-year existence. It was printed one year before Morris’s death in 1896 and is one of only 53 titles printed by the Kelmscott Press. This particular copy was previously owned by Henry Bosley Woolf, English professor, and editor of the G. & C. Merriam Company, and editor in chief of several versions of the Webster’s Dictionary, as well as a scholar of Beowulf. His pictorial bookplate is affixed inside the front cover, and adds another layer to the importance of this volume. Beowulf has fired the imagination of readers – and listeners, and viewers! – for well over 1,000 years, and continues to be reimagined in graphic novels, anime, movies, and retellings. The beauty of the hand-printed productions of the Kelmscott Press showcase the aesthetics and design abilities of masters of English art and craft. The two strains, united in this volume, make an important addition to the holdings of the UNT Special Collections.

Posted: 06/08/2022

The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Sarah Vegerano

I am a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University College Station, studying under Dr. Carlos Blanton. I received my degrees from the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas A&M. My dissertation project explores how race influenced the growth of education in Texas from a state and local level from 1850 through 1900. I track the growth of schoolhouses and demography in the nineteenth century using GIS mapping. My research explores how education changes with the addition of African Americans into the education system and how the student demographic changes from the east to the west with the increased population of Spanish-speaking communities. The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee Sarah Vegerano Project Title Race and Education: How Race Influenced the Development of Education in Texas, 1850-1900 Project Description The project will explore the growth of schools in the top four counties in Texas that had the highest enrollment of African Americans and Anglos during the 1870s Federal census—Travis, Harris, Navarro, and Grimes counties. A relational lens focused on how race and education expanded or retarded over the next thirty years presents evidence on how race and education became intertwined in Texas. With an early examination of Anglo schoolhouses, through GIS mapping, and the addition of African Americans schoolhouses gives a visual representation of the growth of schoolhouses in the four counties over fifty years. Biography I am a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University College Station, studying under Dr. Carlos Blanton. I received my degrees from the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas A&M. My dissertation project explores how race influenced the growth of education in Texas from a state and local level from 1850 through 1900. I track the growth of schoolhouses and demography in the nineteenth century using GIS mapping. My research explores how education changes with the addition of African Americans into the education system and how the student demographic changes from the east to the west with the increased population of Spanish-speaking communities.

Posted: 05/06/2022

The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Ngoc "Ann" Tran

Posted: 05/06/2022

The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Chelsea Stallings

Chelsea Stallings is a PhD student at Texas Christian University. Her research interests include African American and racial injustice studies, Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction histories, and U.S. New South and Jim Crow studies. Her doctoral research focuses on white supremacist efforts in North Texas during the critical decades between Reconstruction and the rise of the early twentieth-century KKK. She serves as an advisory member for Texas Woman’s University’s ‘Quakertown Stories’ initiative, and her research builds upon her master’s thesis, which historicized the forced removal of a North Texas freedmen’s community called Quakertown. The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee Chelsea Stallings Project Title Paid in Gold: Freedmen’s Economic Activity in Post-Reconstruction North Texas Project Description Thanks to twenty-first century digitization efforts, this project uses Denton County as a case study to challenge the longstanding notion that freedpeople in the South did not own land during the post-Reconstruction era. Analyzing freedpeople’s land-based economic activity in North Texas leads to many more questions, including what happened to their land, and to what extent is there a possibility that the government’s usage of eminent domain for Lakes Lewisville, Grapevine, and Ray Roberts was a tool of systemic racism that dismantled freedpeople’s communities? This project will utilize digitized collections from many of The Portal’s partners to address many of these inquiries, including: recovering as many names and lineages as possible of Black landowners in the county; quantifying and qualifying the extent of their ability to define freedom on their own terms; and reconstructing the geography of late eighteenth-century Denton County (pre-lakes) as best as possible. Biography Chelsea Stallings is a PhD student at Texas Christian University. Her research interests include African American and racial injustice studies, Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction histories, and U.S. New South and Jim Crow studies. Her doctoral research focuses on white supremacist efforts in North Texas during the critical decades between Reconstruction and the rise of the early twentieth-century KKK. She serves as an advisory member for Texas Woman’s University’s ‘Quakertown Stories’ initiative, and her research builds upon her master’s thesis, which historicized the forced removal of a North Texas freedmen’s community called Quakertown.

Posted: 05/06/2022

The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Gabrielle Lyle

Posted: 05/06/2022

The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Amy Earhart

Amy E. Earhart is Associate Professor of English and affiliated faculty of Africana Studies at Texas A&M University. Earhart has participated in grants and fellowship received from the NEH, ACLS, and the Mellon Foundation and, in 2020, Earhart received a NEH-Mellon Fellowship for Digital Publication for her book length digital project “Digital Humanities and the Infrastructures of Race in African-American Literature.” She has published scholarship on a variety of digital humanities topics, with work that includes a monograph Traces of Old, Uses of the New: The Emergence of Digital Literary Studies (U Michigan Press 2015), a co-edited collection The American Literature Scholar in the Digital Age (U Michigan Press 2010), and a number of articles and book chapters in volumes including the Debates in Digital Humanities series, DHQ, DSH: Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, Digital Studies/Le champ numérique, and Textual Cultures. The Portal to Texas History 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee Amy Earhart Project Title The Millican Massacre, 1868 Digital Archive Project Description The fellowship will support continued research and development of the Millican Massacre, 1868 digital archive. The archive collects documents related to what may have been the largest massacre of Black freedmen and women in Texas during reconstruction. Further, the project stresses community engagement, student involvement, and recovery. Biography Amy E. Earhart is Associate Professor of English and affiliated faculty of Africana Studies at Texas A&M University. Earhart has participated in grants and fellowship received from the NEH, ACLS, and the Mellon Foundation and, in 2020, Earhart received a NEH-Mellon Fellowship for Digital Publication for her book length digital project “Digital Humanities and the Infrastructures of Race in African-American Literature.” She has published scholarship on a variety of digital humanities topics, with work that includes a monograph Traces of Old, Uses of the New: The Emergence of Digital Literary Studies (U Michigan Press 2015), a co-edited collection The American Literature Scholar in the Digital Age (U Michigan Press 2010), and a number of articles and book chapters in volumes including the Debates in Digital Humanities series, DHQ, DSH: Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, Digital Studies/Le champ numérique, and Textual Cultures.

Posted: 05/06/2022

UNT Special Collections 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dr. Ervin James III

Posted: 04/18/2022

UNT Special Collections 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dr. Megan J. Arlett

Posted: 04/18/2022

UNT Special Collections 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dr. Claire Wolnisty

Posted: 03/29/2022

UNT Special Collections 2022 Research Fellowship Awardee - Aza Pace

Posted: 03/29/2022

UNT Summer Archives Institute

The Summer Archive Institute is an experiential learning opportunity designed to immerse students in hands-on archival work, providing valuable experience and training in professional archival practice within the UNT Special Collections department. Each student will receive training to arrange and describe a unique archival collection. Additionally, each week a special collections staff member will lead a discussion about an area of archival practice to provide students opportunities to learn about all aspects of archival work such as preservation, digitization, public service, and instruction. At the conclusion of the Institute students will be asked to give a 3-5 minute “lightening” talk as part of a public presentation. The Summer Archive Institute is an experiential learning opportunity designed to immerse students in hands-on archival work, providing valuable experience and training in professional archival practice within the UNT Special Collections department. Each student will receive training to arrange and describe a unique archival collection. Additionally, each week a special collections staff member will lead a discussion about an area of archival practice to provide students opportunities to learn about all aspects of archival work such as preservation, digitization, public service, and instruction. At the conclusion of the Institute students will be asked to give a 3-5 minute “lightening” talk as part of a public presentation. The Summer Archives Institute will take place on the UNT-Denton campus. Students will work primarily in Willis Library, with some activities taking place at the Library Annex and Research Collections Library, also located in Denton. Students will be supervised by Librarians in the Special Collections department. May 16 – June 17, 2022 9am-3pm (one hour lunch), 5 hours per day, 125 hours total Willis Library - Room 443 What students will gain: Hands-on experience working with an archival collection Opportunity to meet archivists and librarians and explore the different aspects of Special Collections work Training in archival processing, arrangement, and description At the completion of the practicum students will have work products such as processing plans and finding aids suitable for inclusion in a e-portfolio Experience presenting their work as part of a “lightning session” Student must enroll in the COI Practicum summer section in order to participate in this institute. Requirements for consideration: Current graduate student at UNT Completion of INFO 5371 – Archives and Manuscripts, or comparable introductory archival coursework Excellent writing skills—including the ability to analyze content, compose concise descriptions, and proofread Thorough understanding of English grammar and spelling Facility with visual details Ability to pay close attention to detail In order to be considered for the Archives Institute students will need to submit: Application Form A one-page cover letter describing their interest in the Archives Institute Resume or CV Four to six graduate students will be selected to participate in this year’s Summer Archives Institute. Applications must be submitted by midnight on Monday, April 4. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance no later than April 11, 2022. Participant Stipend We intend to provide $500 stipend to students who complete the Archives Institute and a certificate of completion. We are awaiting approval from student financial services. When this stipend is approved we will communicate this to the selected students.

Posted: 03/24/2022

UNT Libraries Digitizing Archival Recordings of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters

With a new federal grant, UNT is helping to preserve over 40 years of black cultural expression and the experience of social movements affecting the Black community. UNT Libraries has been awarded $126,989 from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission to digitize and digitally preserve archival audio and video recordings from the archive of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL). Recording will be publicly available to stream and view through the Portal to Texas History. Work has already begun on this project and is expected to be completed by summer 2023. With a new federal grant, UNT is helping to preserve over 40 years of black cultural expression and the experience of social movements affecting the Black community. UNT Libraries has been awarded $126,989 from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission to digitize and digitally preserve archival audio and video recordings from the archive of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL). Recording will be publicly available to stream and view through the Portal to Texas History. Work has already begun on this project and is expected to be completed by summer 2023. During this two-year project, UNT will digitize over 1,800 pieces of archival media from the TBAAL archive. Library staff and students will view each recording and add detailed descriptive metadata to make each recording easily searchable and findable. The recordings proposed for digitization include the work of Margaret Walker, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Kirk Franklin, Dee Dee Warwick, Esther Rolle, Jennifer Holliday, Erykah Badu and CeCe Winans among many others. A sample of digitized content is already available through the Portal to Texas History, and includes: Audio interview with Dr. Margaret Walker Alexander recorded in 1984 Video recording of singer/songwriter Billy Preston performing live at the Black Academy, December 8, 2000 Video interview with artist Elizabeth Catlett, recorded as part of the Black Women Artist’s conference, March 15, 1981 Video of the stage production of James Baldwin’s Amen Corner, directed by Curtis King, and starting Esther Rolle, Juanita Moore and Helen Martin, June 12, 1986 Video of the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble from Kingston, Jamaica performing during the 11th Annual Weekend of Black Dance and Rhythm, February 2015 These recordings are particularly at risk due to their age and the fragility of the media containers. Magnetic tape media such as VHS, BetaCam, and audio cassette tapes have a life expectancy of 10-30 years. Many recordings in the TBAAL archive are 40 or more years old, placing them well beyond their life expectancy. These recordings require extreme care to be digitized without further damage or destruction of the magnetic tape. Digitization is being performed by Scene Savers, a Kentucky-based company specializing in the digitization of rare archival recordings. TBAAL is a 43-year-old arts organization whose mission is to promote, cultivate, foster, preserve and perpetuate the African, African American and Caribbean Arts and letters in the fine, literary, visual, performing and cinematic arts. Led by visionary founder and President, Curtis King, TBAAL is a nationally recognized leader in Black cultural expression. UNT Libraries house a variety of Special Collections, including the KXAS/NBC5 Television News archive, the LGBTQ archives, and the Byrd Williams Family Photography Collection. Special Collections are open to students and faculty as well as the general public. Please contact specialcollections@unt.edu for assistance using the TBAAL archive or any other special collections. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), a statutory body affiliated with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), supports a wide range of activities to preserve, publish, and encourage the use of documentary sources, created in every medium ranging from quill pen to computer, relating to the history of the United States.

Posted: 02/21/2022

'Press Start': A Video Game Music Symposium

Posted: 12/21/2021

Special Collections Coursework Development Grant

The University of North Texas Special Collections invites applications for the Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. We are interested in partnering with faculty to develop assignments for Spring 2022 courses that will utilize materials held by Special Collections. The use of either physical or digitized archival materials will be accepted. About The University of North Texas Special Collections invites applications for the Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. We are interested in partnering with faculty to develop assignments for Spring 2022 courses that will utilize materials held by Special Collections. The use of either physical or digitized archival materials will be accepted. Read descriptions of projects from the grant’s previous two cycles (2020, 2019). Activities and assignments eligible for this grant may include, but are not limited to: Bibliographic description Document or photograph analysis Creative writing exercises Creation of digital exhibits and websites Documentary film-making Contribution of materials to the University Memory Collection Applications will be accepted through December 10, 2021. To apply, please submit your draft course syllabus and a 1,000 word maximum statement that details: What specific collection(s) held by UNT Special Collections you are interested in using How a collaboration with Special Collections would enhance your course The assignment you are proposing The expected learning outcomes for the assignment Applications should be emailed to Julie Judkins by Friday, December 10, 2021. Two grants of $500 each will be awarded. Funds will be made available as research and professional development funding. This funding may be expensed for class supplies, research materials (books, supplies) and/or professional development (conferences, seminars, travel, etc.) Awardees will be required to meet with Special Collections staff in advance of the Spring semester to coordinate their coursework activity. Meeting via Zoom is an option. Please contact specialcollections@unt.edu with any questions or for assistance locating relevant materials for your desired project. Some notable collections to consider: NBC 5/KXAS news archive Patricia Fertel Paper Doll Collection, 1865 – 2020 UNT University Photography Collection Denton Fracking Referendum Collection Photography: Byrd Williams Photography Collection Clark Family Photography Collection Mildred Schaeffer Zichner Photography Collection John Rogers and Georgette de Bruchard Collection The Black Academy of Arts and Letters Records LGBTQ Archives, including but not limited to: Dennis Vercher Collection The Dallas Metroplex Chapter of the Names Project Foundation Collection Dallas Voice Newspaper Mica England Collection The Civil War and Its Aftermath: Diverse Perspectives UNT Center for Media Production Collection Denton Chamber of Commerce Collection Robert Ray Vaughn Sunday School Artwork Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution The Coursework Development Grant is supported by the Toulouse Archival Research Program Endowment.

Posted: 11/15/2021

National Endowment for the Humanities Selects UNT Libraries for a Sixth Round of the National Digital Newspaper Program

UNT Libraries are pleased to announce that the National Endowment for the Humanities has selected us for a sixth, two-year cycle of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), to digitize Texas newspapers on the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America website. UNT Libraries are pleased to announce that the National Endowment for the Humanities has selected us for a sixth, two-year cycle of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), to digitize Texas newspapers on the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America website. For Texas, participation in NDNP has offered an unprecedented opportunity to represent the state on a national level, through its newspaper publishing history. This award is for $208,888 and will build access to an additional 100,000 pages of Texas newspapers on Chronicling America, to spotlight community identity in Texas. For this round, we are looking to digitize further years of El Paso and San Antonio titles, with the goal of expanding their availability up to and beyond 1925, depending on the choices of the Texas advisory board. Both El Paso and San Antonio saw significant changes in the civil rights conversation, even while the U.S. underwent recovery from WWI, experienced the Great Depression, and fought in WWII. These cities were significant population centers where voices of diverse groups amplified to navigate an increasingly globalized world. In addition to adding the newspapers to Chronicling America, where Texas identity can be preserved in the context of other state newspapers, we will also add these newspapers to the Texas Digital Newspaper Program (TDNP), on The Portal to Texas History. All of the newspapers available in Chronicling America and TDNP are freely accessible and can be used broadly for activities including research and education. As a result, we try continually to inform teachers and students about the importance of newspapers as windows into history. Chronicling America is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress in an effort to build a nationwide, open-access repository of digitized historic newspapers. To learn more about Chronicling America, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress, visit their social media sites! Chronicling America Twitter NEH Social Media Twitter Facebook LC Social Media Twitter Facebook Pinterest

Posted: 08/27/2021

12th Biennial Artists' Book Competition

Posted: 08/27/2021

The Portal to Texas History 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Joel Zapata

Posted: 08/25/2021

The Portal to Texas History 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dr. Jeffrey L. Littlejohn

Dr. Jeffrey L. Littlejohn serves as Professor of History at Sam Houston State University. He is the co-author or co-editor of three books: Elusive Equality: Desegregation and Resegregation in Norfolk’s Public Schools (University of Virginia Press, 2012); The Enemy Within Never Did Without: German and Japanese Prisoners of War at Camp Huntsville, Texas, 1942-1945 (Texas Review Press, 2015); and The Seedtime, the Work and the Harvest: New Perspectives on the Black Freedom Struggle in America (University of Florida Press, 2018). In addition, Littlejohn has published numerous articles with his co-author Charles H. Ford, and he is also an active digital/public historian. His co-curricular web projects include: Lynching in Texas; East Texas History; and HistoricalMX. The Portal to Texas History 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee Dr. Jeffrey L. Littlejohn Project Title Lynching in Texas Project Description This project will use newspapers, photographs, maps, and oral interviews from The Portal to Texas History to continue the the development of a digital project called Lynching in Texas.This website documents the personal stories of lynching victims in Texas between 1882 and 1945. The website includes the name, location, ethnicity, gender, age, alleged crime, and means of death for more than 700 lynching victims in Texas. Biography Dr. Jeffrey L. Littlejohn serves as Professor of History at Sam Houston State University. He is the co-author or co-editor of three books: Elusive Equality: Desegregation and Resegregation in Norfolk’s Public Schools (University of Virginia Press, 2012); The Enemy Within Never Did Without: German and Japanese Prisoners of War at Camp Huntsville, Texas, 1942-1945 (Texas Review Press, 2015); and The Seedtime, the Work and the Harvest: New Perspectives on the Black Freedom Struggle in America (University of Florida Press, 2018). In addition, Littlejohn has published numerous articles with his co-author Charles H. Ford, including: “The Cabiness Family Lynching: Race, War, and Memory in Walker County, Texas” (Southwestern Historical Quarterly); “Booker T. Washington High School: History, Identity, and Educational Equality in Norfolk, Virginia” (Virginia Magazine of History and Biography); and “Arthur D. Morse, School Desegregation, and the Making of CBS News, 1951-1964” (American Journalism). Littlejohn is also an active digital/public historian. His co-curricular web projects include: Lynching in Texas; East Texas History; and HistoricalMX.

Posted: 08/25/2021

The Portal to Texas History 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Geoffrey Lewis

Posted: 08/25/2021

The Portal to Texas History 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Ronald W. Davis II

Posted: 08/25/2021

The Portal to Texas History 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Bobby Cervantes

Posted: 08/25/2021

The Portal to Texas History 2020 Research Fellowship Awardee - Brooks Winfree

Posted: 08/25/2021

The Portal to Texas History 2020 Research Fellowship Awardee - Charles B. Travis IV

Posted: 08/25/2021

Dean's Innovation Grant 2021

The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2021 Awardees “Press Start!”: A Video Game Music Symposium Blaine Brubaker, Sabino Fernandez, Kristin Wolski Project Description: “Press Start!”: A Video Game Music Symposium is a research and demonstration project, focused on bringing more awareness to the video game industry and the ludomusicology field. The project entails three parts: a collection development initiative on the topic of video game music and sound design; a LibGuide on video game music, sound design, and ludomusicology; and a symposium on video game music, ludomusicology, the video game industry and a celebration of video games in general. With our efforts, we aim to solidify the University of North Texas as a hub for research in these emerging fields of study. Civic Engagement Stations Robbie Sittel, Brea Henson, Bobby Griffith, Jenne Turner Project Description: The Knight Foundation’s College Students, Voting and the COVID-19 Election reported an increase in voter turnout among college students from 2016 to 2018 and a greater level of awareness around the 2020 presidential election. The UNT Libraries can be a presence in continuing this momentum by providing self-service and mediated access to voter registration, voter education, and other civic and political resources to produce an informed and engaged electorate. To assist with this goal, we will create Civic Engagement Stations at the Willis and Sycamore Libraries that provide access to voter and civic engagement resources. E-Resource Donut Survey Chris Hergert, Sephra Byrne, Karen Harker Project Description: We plan to expand on the previously completed 30-second survey and adapt it to fit the needs of the Collection Assessment Department in order to integrate direct patron feedback from UNT students and faculty into our annual collection evaluations. These surveys would allow us to target users and non-users of UNT Libraries collections, and answer the questions: what do patrons think and feel about the library collections, and can users find what they want, when they want it? Answering these questions would allow us to improve our pre-existing evaluations and help us to better understand patrons’ usage of resources. Tackling the Digital Divide in Texas Yvonne Dooley, Cary Jim, Jo Monahan, Robbie Sittel Project Description: This research project will investigate the “digital divide” in the State of Texas, particularly in rural areas. According to a 2018 Federal Communications Commission report, 31% of rural households still lack access to broadband Internet in the United States. This lack of access made rural communities more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, disrupted education, and few telework opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. By studying the “digital divide” in Texas through this research project, UNT can contribute to the understanding of this nationwide problem at a state level and explore creative solutions that could assist in addressing this complex issue.

Posted: 08/01/2021

"Intercom" Joins the RadioShack and Tandy Corporation Archive

The University of North Texas Special Collections has completed a major digitization project to add the RadioShack corporate newsletter, “Intercom,” to The Portal to Texas History. UNT acquired the RadioShack and Tandy Corporation Archive through the 2017 bankruptcy auction of the RadioShack Company. The “Intercom” newsletter was selected for digitization based upon its rarity (no other institutional holdings exist) and historical significance in documenting the history of technology and computing in north Texas. You can now browse and search 206 issues of “Intercom” online. “Intercom,” was published and distributed to RadioShack employees “between 1963 and 1986. A typical issue includes general news about “employees around the world, awards, information about new products and “events. The newsletter is an important resource for understanding the “history of the 52 years during which the Tandy Corporation operated “RadioShack Stores and manufacturing centers around the world. Radio Shack found success by taking a vertically integrated approach to the company’s structure, with many of the store’s products being produced by the company itself. By 1974 one-third of products being sold at RadioShack stores in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia were manufactured by the Tandy Corporation. The Realistic Supertape manufacturing facility in Fort Worth was responsible for producing magnetic tape used for audio recording and computer applications which were sold in RadioShack stores. These tapes were a direct competitor to more established tape brands such as BASF and Maxell. In 1978, RadioShack moved into the personal computing marketplace during the first public showing of it’s low-cost personal computer, the TRS-80, in New York City. During this event, attendees were surprised and impressed to see a woman at the door typing the names and contact information of the attendees into a computer instead of a traditional guestbook. The TRS-80 was unique at the time due to its relatively low cost ($600) and the fact that it came fully assembled. Many personal computers at the time came in kits that required assembly at home. Tandy Corporation was headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas and played a major role in the north Texas economy. In 1975, the company broke ground on Tandy Center in Fort Worth. The twin multi-story towers became an iconic part of the downtown Fort Worth landscape. The Tandy Center also included a mall, an indoor ice-skating rink, and a privately owned subway running from the Tandy Center to the parking lots. The Tandy Corporation became the RadioShack Corporation in 2000, and a year later they sold Tandy Center. After filing for bankruptcy in 2015, Radio Shack was sold to Standard General. ”Intercom” is now available to the public through The Portal to Texas ”History. Some of the interesting articles include: History of the Tandy Subway, the only privately operated subway in the country Announcement of the first RadioShack franchise store in Tyler, Texas, 1967 Celebration of the 1,000th store opening in the US, 1971 Tandy factory operations, many of which were located in the US, including the Realistic tape factory in Fort Worth, Texas, 1974 TRS-80 Computer Systems Catalog, 1978 International growth of RadioShack stores throughout Europe, 1975 Construction of the 19-story Tandy Center in Fort Worth, 1976 The RadioShack archive is one of many collections of rare and unique research materials in the UNT Libraries. If you have questions about the RadioShack archive or have materials you would like to donate to Special Collections, please contact us at specialcollections@unt.edu

Posted: 05/14/2021

UNT Special Collections 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Julia Wetzel

Posted: 05/14/2021

UNT Special Collections 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Jecoa Ross

Jecoa Ross (he/him) is a doctoral candidate in the University of Texas at El Paso Borderlands History PhD Program, where he specializes in Borderlands and U.S. history, with a minor concentration in the history of Psychiatry and Empire. His research focuses on the history of the Texas sodomy and homosexual conduct statutes, and his work has earned him the UTEP College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Thesis Awards for his undergraduate and master’s theses. Jecoa is also a part-time history instructor at El Paso Community College, a former Mellon fellow with the EPCC-UTEP Humanities Collaborative, and a current full-time parent. UNT Special Collections 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee Project Title Criminal Bodies, Criminal Minds: Constructing the Sodomitical Other in Texas, 1943-1973 Project Description This study provides a history of the creation, enforcement, and legacy of the 1943 Texas sodomy statute. Situated on the axis of legal, political, and social history, it focuses on how legislators, law enforcement officials, and the general public struggled to identify, understand, and regulate changing perceptions of sexuality, gender, and race in Texas during the mid-twentieth century. Ultimately, this project offers new insight into how criminal sodomy in Texas came to be reimagined within a heteronormative gaze as “homosexual conduct,” and how the legacy of this process still affects the LGBTQ+ community today. Biography Jecoa Ross (he/him) is a doctoral candidate in the University of Texas at El Paso Borderlands History PhD Program, where he specializes in Borderlands and U.S. history, with a minor concentration in the history of Psychiatry and Empire. His research focuses on the history of the Texas sodomy and homosexual conduct statutes, and his work has earned him the UTEP College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Thesis Awards for his undergraduate and master’s theses. Jecoa is also a part-time history instructor at El Paso Community College, a former Mellon fellow with the EPCC-UTEP Humanities Collaborative, and a current full-time parent.

Posted: 05/14/2021

UNT Special Collections 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Lacy Noel Molina

Posted: 05/14/2021

UNT Special Collections 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Hayley Hasik

Hayley Hasik received her bachelor’s degree in history and English from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2014, a master’s in public history from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2017, and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Southern Mississippi working under the direction of Dr. Heather M. Stur. Hayley has extensive oral history experience and co-founded the East Texas War and Memory Project in 2012. Her previous scholarly research focused on the American POW experience during WWII and the Vietnam helicopter experience using the life history of a Warrant Officer as a case study. Hayley has presented at numerous academic conferences and has published several articles in the Sound Historian and War, Literature, and the Arts. UNT Special Collections 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee Hayley Hasik Project Title The Helicopter War: Unraveling the Myth and Memory of a Vietnam War Icon Project Description This project focuses on examining the legacy of the “Helicopter War” in Vietnam. This project hopes to bring together traditional military history and cultural history to examine how the military and industry participated in and directed the creation of the helicopter narrative and mythology in the Vietnam War and its memory. Her project allows us to better understand the deep connections and lasting implications of the military-industrial complex. Biography Hayley Hasik received her bachelor’s degree in history and English from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2014, a master’s in public history from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2017, and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Southern Mississippi working under the direction of Dr. Heather M. Stur. Hayley has extensive oral history experience and co-founded the East Texas War and Memory Project in 2012. Her previous scholarly research focused on the American POW experience during WWII and the Vietnam helicopter experience using the life history of a Warrant Officer as a case study. Hayley has presented at numerous academic conferences and has published several articles in the Sound Historian and War, Literature, and the Arts.

Posted: 05/14/2021

UNT Special Collections 2021 Research Fellowship Awardee - Megan Arlett

Posted: 05/14/2021

Texas Edges Lecture Series: Andrea Roberts

Dr. Andrea Roberts, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and an Associate Director of the Center for Housing & Urban Development at Texas A&M University presents her work with the project Texas Freedom Colonies: Black Settlement Preservation as Freedom-Seeking. Join us for the 3rd annual Texas Edges Lecture Series featuring Dr. Andrea Roberts, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and an Associate Director of the Center for Housing & Urban Development at Texas A&M University. Dr. Roberts will present her work with the project Texas Freedom Colonies: Black Settlement Preservation as Freedom-Seeking. Biography Dr. Andrea Roberts is an Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and an Associate Director of the Center for Housing & Urban Development at Texas A&M University. Her 14 years’ experience in public administration and community development inform her efforts to move disappearing Black communities from the margin to the center of public discourse. She is the founder of The Texas Freedom Colonies Project, a research & social justice initiative leveraging archival, spatial, participatory action research, and engaged ethnography. The Project’s flagship initiative, The Atlas, makes visible black placemaking heritage, disparate ecological and development impacts on Black communities through applied research that shapes policy and practice. International Journal of E-Planning Research, The Journal of Planning History; Buildings and Landscapes. Forum Journal, the Journal of the American Planning Association, Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage, and Planning Theory & Practice have published her work. She is currently writing a book about Black historic preservation practice for The University of Texas Press. Dr. Roberts holds a Ph.D. in community and regional planning at The University of Texas at Austin (2016). She is a 2020 Whiting Public Engagement Fellow. Her work has been recognized by The Vernacular Architecture Forum, the Urban Affairs Association, and Yale’s Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, Abolition. She is a member of Texas’ State Board of Review, which advises Texas’ SHPO regarding National Register nominations. Links: The Texas Freedom Colonies Project Personal Website

Posted: 04/01/2021

Artist Lecture: Alec Soth

Posted: 02/05/2021

Call for Proposals: True Crime in the Archives

The University of North Texas Special Collections is seeking participants for a virtual event focused on highlighting archival materials related to true crime. The University of North Texas Special Collections is seeking participants for a virtual event focused on highlighting archival materials related to true crime. The final format of the program will depend on responses received but is expected to consist of participating institutions taking turns highlighting a fonds, collection, or item related to true crime in presentations each around 15 minutes in length. To view a potential direction for the program, please see the October 2020 presentation Gettin’ Spooky with Special Collections. Proposals can involve either manuscript or audiovisual materials, but presentations should utilize the visual possibilities of the webinar format. We have tentatively scheduled the event to take place the week of April 19th, 2021 but this date is subject to change depending on participants’ availability. Presentation topics do not need to be limited to violent crime. Topics such as (but not limited to): robberies, arson, tax evasion, murder, disappearances, fraud, kidnapping, gambling, and unsolved crimes are welcome. In addition to library and archival professionals, we welcome proposals from filmmakers, journalists, and others who have worked with archival resources related to true crime. Due to the potential sensitive subject matter covered during this event, please keep in mind the potential impact of your presentation on attendees, victims and victims’ families and friends. Participants are expected to be respectful in their discussion of the crime(s) in question. Our goal is to offer an accessible angle with popular appeal into archival records, not to sensationalize tragic events. Please remember that the events you discuss happened to and affected the lives of real people. To submit a proposal, please submit a 500-word abstract, along with your contact information at: https://bit.ly/3seZZut. Proposals are due Friday, February 12, 2021.

Posted: 01/21/2021

UNT Libraries Acquires Thomas J. Healey Pop-Up and Movable Book Collection

The University of North Texas Special Collections is seeking participants for a virtual event focused on highlighting archival materials related to true crime. UNT Libraries has acquired a significant collection of pop-up and movable books from collector Thomas J. Healey of Morristown, New Jersey. The Healey Collection, now housed in the Special Collections department, contains hundreds of examples of pop-up and movable books spanning over 100 years of publishing history. The Healy Collection is a wonderful addition to UNT Libraries’ already robust collection of pop-up and movable books. The term “movable books” refers generally to books that contain interactive mechanisms including flaps, pull-tabs, volvelles, pop-ups and pop-outs. The earliest movable books date from the 14th century, and were designed with overlapping concentric circles, known as volvelles, which could be turned by the reader to illustrate different concepts in natural science, astronomy, mathematics, mysticism, fortune telling, navigation, and medicine. Beginning in the early 19th century, publishers and authors developed movable books for children, beginning with simple techniques such as liftable flaps in books which evolved over time into much more complicated and intricate movements created through the use of pull tabs, and eventually 3-dimensional images that lift and lower when pages of the book are turned. Early children’s books which included moveable elements were often handled roughly and treated as toys. This made the books susceptible to damage, and as a result rarely survived intact. These books are considered very rare and highly collectable. More modern examples of pop-up books, although not as rare, are prized for their whimsical and artfully crafted designs. The Healey Collection includes several examples of early children’s books from the 20th century including Kellogg’s story book of games (1931), and The “pop-up” Mickey Mouse (1933). The majority of the books the in Healey collection exemplify the modern art of popup books, containing complex pop-ups designed by paper engineers and artists. These books span genres and topics such as science, architecture, fairy tales, children’s fiction and pop culture. Titles from the Healey Collection include Frank Lloyd Wright in pop-up (2002), Harry Potter: Hogwarts school: a magical 3-D carousel pop-up (2001), Star wars: a galactic pop-up adventure (2012), and The pop-up book of phobias (1999). You can learn more about the artists, engineers and publishers of pop-up and movable books, and view samples from the UNT collection through a Special Collections digital exhibit. The Thomas J. Healy Collection is available for use by appointment in the Special Collections reading room.

Posted: 01/21/2021

Digital Newspaper Milestone

The Texas Digital Newspaper Program on The Portal to Texas History has reached 8 million newspaper pages! The Texas Digital Newspaper Program on The Portal to Texas History has reached 8 million newspaper pages! Many newspaper titles in this set of 1 million pages paralleled each other in date, representing the year 1940, from across different parts of Texas. The beginning of World War II is revealed through headlines in these newspapers. The Cleburne Times-Review offers a headline-synopsis of historical events, with its earliest 1940 headline reading, “U.S. Protests British Seizing Mail,” and with the latest 1940 headline stating, “U.S. Warned to Avoid Hostility with Europe.” The Cleburne Times-Review was a daily newspaper, and as is characteristic of daily newspapers from this period, they invested heavily in wire service coverage of the war overseas. A weekly newspaper, El Democrata represents the same time period in 1940, published in San Diego, Texas. The January 19, 1940, headline article titled, “La Justicia Para Los Cuarentones,” details the problems of layoffs amongst people in their 40s due to technological modernization and a lack of more recent training for people who have been working since their late teens and early 20s. The article elaborates on the need to solve the problem because people’s lifespans were increasing, even while their employment options were decreasing. This heavily represents the depression-era quandary many people found themselves in as they handled unemployment in the midst of a terrible economy. Another weekly newspaper, The McKinney Examiner, strikes a serious but optimistic note in its January 4, 1940 issue. This issue discusses March of Dimes donations, raising of defense taxes from the federal government, and FDR’s new year cheer. Notable in this issue is that it combines national news pieces with hyper-local information, such as an area murder trial of a man convicted of killing a “City Motorcycle Officer.” Included below the fold, however, is a mention about the Finnish military fighting Russia, which by January 1940, was in a non-aggression pact with Germany and preparing to divide up Poland. The above items just represent one small set of newspapers that allow us to peer into the window of history, to understand how people were dealing with the world at different points in time. Other fun factoids in this most recent set of 1 million newspaper pages are: The Port Lavaca Wave was the title whose pages made up the 8 millionth page! New titles added in this 8 million pages include The Mount Vernon Optic-Herald, The Galveston Tribune, The Denton Record-Chronicle, The Matagorda County Tribune, The Alvin Sun, The Henderson Daily News, and The Hudspeth County Herald. The Texas Digital Newspaper Program collection has been used more than 5.4 million times! The shortest newspaper title to be added to this set is The Sunny South, from Waco. This entire newspaper title was only published as a total of three issues, of which we were able to digitize two issues from microfilm. This newspaper title briefly replaced the Waco Daily Examiner for three days in 1884. Eight million pages of newspapers represents a lot of Texas, U.S., and world history, unlocked through easy navigation and full-text searching on The Portal to Texas History. We thank all of our generous partners and grant funders for their contributions to making this newspaper collection freely accessible to the world. If you would like to learn more about partnering with us, please visit the Texas Digital Newspaper Program! Ana Krahmer, Ph.D. Director, Digital Newspaper Unit

Posted: 11/18/2020

Gettin' Spooky

Posted: 11/02/2020

First Chair Chats

We are proud to present First Chair Chats, a Digital Music Collective at UNT Libraries focused on discussions that are reshaping the music landscape today and tomorrow. As Bob Dylan sang, “The times, they are a-changin’.” To this end, we are proud to present First Chair Chats, a Digital Music Collective at UNT Libraries focused on discussions that are reshaping the music landscape today and tomorrow. Special guests from music pedagogy, production, protection, and preservation will join the UNT Music Library staff in exploring some major changes on the horizon, and how each group is responding to these new opportunities. Episode 6- Womxn Leaders in Music Honoring International Women’s day for this First Chair Chats, our invited speakers will explore the role of women identifying figures involved in different aspects of the music industry. During this conversation, we will discuss how the current scene has changed for women and continues to evolve under the lens of the pandemic. Morgan Davis- Music and Arts Librarian Susannah Cleveland- Head of UNT Music Library Megan Heber- Executive Director, Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas Meena Malik- Musician, Arts Consultant, and Cultural Organizer Courtney Wright- Jazz Saxophonist and Composer/Arranger Episode 5- Video Game Music and You In this extended episode, the First Chair Chats team has partnered with the UNT Media Library to examine how universities have been responding to the increasing interest in video games and their accompanying music and sound. Our invited experts will explore topics about the history of video game music, collection management and cataloging in music libraries, designing music and sound with accessibility in mind, the players perspective, composition techniques, pedagogy, and working in the industry. Part 1: Ludomusicology, Libraries, Accessibility, the Players Perspective Adam La Spata, UNT Music Library Joshua Dieringer, Cataloger and Arranger Alice Sujana, UNT Music Library Drew Schnurr, Composer Dana Plank, Musicologist Tim Summers, Musicologist Diane Robson, UNT Media Library Stuart Heath, UNT Media Library Part 2 Composition, Pedagogy, Working in the Industry Bruce Broughton, Composer Matt Hopkins, Composer Eli Rainsberry, Composer Richard Vreeland, Composer Episode 4- Local Music One of the many highlights of living in Denton is the treasure-trove of live, local music heard in bars, restaurants, and music halls. Like many industries, the ongoing pandemic has disrupted the performing arts industry. To better understand the challenges local musicians are facing, as well as their creative solutions, Dr. Brian Wright of the UNT College of Music partners with the UNT Libraries to moderate a discussion featuring a panel of guests, many whom are UNT Libraries faculty and staff. Episode 3 - Great Ideas and Lessons Learned We are excited to announce the continuation of our First Chair Chats series! Several invited guests from the UNT Libraries and the UNT College of Music will discuss Great Ideas and Lessons Learned about online music education under the lens of the pandemic. April Prince - Principal Lecturer in Music History Gaby Alvarado - Flute Instructor and Music Processing Graduate Services Assistant Blair Liikala - Director of Recording Services and Christopher Walker - Administrative Coordinator for Jazz Studies Eric Nestler - Distinguished Teaching Professor of Saxophone Our presenters were invited for their experiences with teaching large courses, addressing technology challenges, and teaching music literature courses with large amounts of course materials. Episode 2 - Music & Coronavirus Join Jeffrey Snider, Julie Giroux, Andrew Trachsel, and Rachael Zipperer for a comprehensive chat on how the current coronavirus pandemic has affected musicians and how creative artists are handling this issue. Adam La Spata, Ph.D. - UNT Music Special Collections Jeffrey Snider, D.M.A. – UNT Associate Professor, Vocal Studies Julie Giroux – Emmy Award Winning Composer Andrew Trachsel, D.M.A. – UNT Associate Professor, Wind Studies Rachael Zipperer – UNT Archivist Episode 1 - Music & Copyright Join Maristella Feustle, Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden, Kevin Hawkins, and John Murphy as they discuss the current landscape of copyright law, and how recent changes to policy will impact works both new and old. Maristella Feustle - Music Special Collections Librarian Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden - Assistant Professor of Music History Kevin Hawkins - Assistant Dean, Scholarly Communication John Murphy - Professor Emeritus of Jazz History, former Chair of the Division of Jazz Studies

Posted: 10/13/2020

Crafting with History

UNT Libraries Special Collections is hosting a series of events geared to ignite your creativity based on pieces that can be found in our archives. UNT Libraries Special Collections is hosting a series of events geared to ignite your creativity based on pieces that can be found in our archives. Quaranzine September 28 – December 4, 2020 The University of North Texas Special Collections department invites you to make a quaran-zine! Sept. 28 - Dec. 4, join us on the Facebook Craft a Quaranzine event page, or share your #UNTquaranzine with @UNTSpecColl on Twitter. We’ll be sharing ideas and submissions on our pages throughout the event. A zine (pronounced “zeen”) is a self-published magazine, often associated with DIY culture, that can be about any topic and made by anyone. Zines come in many forms, and you don’t have to be an artist or a writer to make one, you just have to have something to say. You can make your quaranzine with supplies you probably already have wherever you’re social distancing. All you need is paper, scissors, and whatever materials you want to fill your blank zine pages. It’s up to you create the content of your zine. Your zine could be a way to exhibit your creative writing or art, a comic about your experience living in a UNT dorm during the COVID pandemic, an informational message about a cause close to your heart, or a critical review of the last show you watched – that’s the beauty of zines, they can be about anything you want. When you’ve finished your zine, you can make copies to distribute among your community, digitize it to share on your website or blog, donate it to the UNT University Archive, or keep it just for yourself. We encourage participants to talk about your zine making process, connect with other zine makers, and share photos of your zines in the discussion on this event page. If you’re sharing your quaranzine elsewhere on social media, please tag us @UNTSpecColl and use #UNTquaranzine. By making a quaranzine about your experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can help UNT Special Collections document our community’s experience through this unique and accessible medium and have fun expressing yourself while we all spend more time apart. If you’d like to donate a digital copy of your zine to the University Archive’s COVID-19 Response Collection, use the Keeper App. To donate a physical zine, contact University Archivist Rachael Zipperer. Create Your Own Bestiary October 26 – December 4, 2020 The University of North Texas Special Collections department invites you to craft a mythical beast! Oct. 26 - Dec. 4, join us on the Facebook Craft a Bestiary Beast event page, or share your #UNTbestiary with @UNTSpecColl on Twitter. We’ll be sharing ideas and submissions on our pages throughout the event. Do you love dreaming up new animals? Can’t get enough of mermaids, dragons, and unicorns? Then you should join in with our Create Your Own Mythical Beast activity! This craft is inspired by bestiaries, also known as bestiarum vocabulum, which are books filled with illustrations of animals, both real and imagined, that became popular in the Middle Ages. In addition to illustrations, bestiaries also featured stories that communicated the symbolism of each animal that was featured. To participate in the event, draw, collage, paint, or otherwise create a brand new animal straight from your imagination or reimagine your favorite real animal. When you’re done, share your creation with us on Twitter or Facebook by tagging us @UNTSpecColl and using the hashtag #UNTbestiary. Need some inspiration? Be sure to check the discussion in the Facebook event where we’ll be sharing examples of bestiaries and other resources about these amazing manuscripts. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Fold A Love Letter January 25 – February 26, 2021 Write a love letter inspired by correspondence in Special Collections. More information coming soon!

Posted: 10/08/2020

Mod City: The John Rogers and Georgette de Bruchard Collection Digital Exhibit

Posted: 10/06/2020

Willis Library Renovations

Starting in spring of 2019 and extending into 2020, Willis Library will undergo various renovations. Starting in spring 2019 and extending into 2020, Willis Library will undergo various renovations. Students, faculty, and community members curious about the changes can keep up with updates on the upgrades here. If you have questions, please contact Mary Ann Venner, Associate Dean for Public Services or view our Campus Map for other library locations. All Floors Now Open All floors in Willis Library are accessible during the library’s hours of operation. September 16, 2020 Lower Level Now Open The Lower Level in Willis is now open. Our First Floor renovations continue as we install furniture, set up computers and printers, and our new Library Services Desk. Please check our Continuity of Library Services guide for updates on our services and spaces. August 19, 2020 First Floor Renovations Parts of the first floor will remain closed until the end of the summer. Access to the building, center stairwell, and elevators will be available. Although the Library Services Desk is not available on the first floor, we have service points on the first and second floors to provide assistance. Printer and scanner access is now available on the second floor. May 12, 2020 Second Floor Reopening, Lower Level Closed The second floor of Willis Library reopened on Monday, April 27. The Lower Level will remain closed until the end of May. April 29, 2020 Second Floor Closure Willis Library’s second floor is closed for renovations beginning Monday, March 9, 2020. The third floor will reopen on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. March 3, 2020 Third Floor Closure Willis Library’s third floor is closed for renovations beginning Friday, February 7 through Wednesday, March 4. Materials may be requested using our Online Holds service. Requested materials can be picked up at the Willis Library Services Desk. February 6, 2020 Third & Fourth Floor Closure Update The Music Library Service Desk has reopened. Music books and periodicals are now accessible, however, the south side of the fourth floor remains closed until February 13. UNT Special Collections and the Sarah T. Hughes Reading Room will reopen Monday, February 3. The south side of the third floor is closed. The north side of the third floor will close Thursday, February 13. Even though the collections in the closed areas are not accessible, items can be requested through our Online Holds service. Requested materials can be picked up at the Willis Library Services Desk. January 31, 2020 Floor Closure Update Fourth Floor - Part of the fourth floor will reopen on Thursday, January 30. The entire floor will reopen on Thursday, February 13. Third Floor - Beginning Thursday, January 30, part of the third floor will be unavailable. The entire floor will close on Thursday, February 13. During the closure of the third floor, patron access to the stacks will be unavailable. However, materials may be requested through our Online Holds service. January 23, 2020 Fourth Floor Closure Music Library - During the closure of the fourth floor, December 16, 2019, through January 24, 2020, we will provide circulation, access to reserves, and reference services from the Willis Library Services Desk on the first floor. Special Collections - The Sarah T. Hughes Reading Room will be closed for renovations Monday, December 16, 2019, through January 24, 2020. Please contact Special Collections if you have any questions. December 12, 2019 Power Outage On Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2019, Willis Library will be closed for electrical power upgrades. This will impact the UNT Libraries website where the catalog and many of our online resources will not be available due to the work being done over the weekend. We hope to have all resources restored by Monday, December 16, 2019. The fourth floor will be closed beginning Monday, December 16, 2019. December 5, 2019 Upcoming Floor Closures Due to the ongoing renovation of Willis Library, the fourth floor will be closed beginning December 16, 2019, through approximately January 24, 2020. The third floor is scheduled for tentative closure beginning January 20 through March 1, 2020. While this work is taking place on the third and fourth floors, the stacks will not be available to the public. However, workflows are being created to retrieve materials and provide services during this time. Further information will be provided as details are made available. November 13, 2019 Outages and Notices Beginning Monday, October 14, there will be scheduled power outages to our air conditioning system in sections of Willis Library. These outages may affect the air climate in the building. On Thursday, October 17, Willis Library will experience a two-hour water service outage from approximately 5:00 am - 7:00 am as part of the ongoing renovation and upgrade of the building’s mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. All restroom facilities will be closed during this time, so plan accordingly! Due to a scheduled power outage, Willis Library will be closed at the end of the fall semester from Friday, December 13, to Sunday, December 15. October 10, 2019 Water Service Outage Willis Library will experience a two-hour water service outage on Thursday, October 10, from approximately 5:00 am - 7:00 am as part of the ongoing renovation and upgrade of the building’s mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. All restroom facilities will be closed during this time, so plan accordingly! October 9, 2019 Willis Library Power Outage and Building Closure Electrical changes are being made as part of the ongoing MEP building upgrades. In order for this work to be accomplished, Willis Library will be without power on Saturday, September 28, 2019, from 4:00 am – 10:00 am. All websites and web services will be unavailable during this period. In preparation for this outage, Willis Library will be closed from 1:00 am – 10:00 am on September 28. The electrical closet work near the stairwells on each floor will be completed by October 4, 2019. September 23, 2019 Willis First Floor Changes Several changes are coming to the first floor. Walls will be removed from the southwest side of the floor. The front and side walls of the Willis Forum will also be removed. As a result, the first floor student printing stations have been moved to the left of the center stairwell. There may be some noise throughout the building associated with the physical construction and this process may cause a level of disruption. August 14, 2019 Overhead Conduit Installation - North Wall The MEP team continues installing dust barriers on the second, third, and fourth floors of Willis Library. The barriers extend from the center electrical rooms to the north wall and branch to the mechanical closets at each end. Overhead conduit installation will begin on Tuesday, July 30, 2019, and is expected to be completed by Monday, August 8, 2019. While this work is taking place on the third and fourth floors, several rows of stacks will not be readily available. If materials are needed from the third floor, please contact the Willis Library Services Desk. If materials are needed from the fourth floor, please contact the Music Library Service Desk. July 31, 2019 The Study The Libraries’ café, The Study, is closing Wednesday, July 31, 2019, at 5:00 pm. All retail items are reduced excluding the coffee bar and tea. July 25, 2019 Overhead Conduit Installation - South Wall The MEP team has started installing dust barriers on the second, third, and fourth floors of Willis Library. The barriers extend from the center electrical rooms to the south wall and branch to the mechanical closets at each end. Overhead conduit installation will begin on Monday, July 22, 2019, and is expected to take approximately one week. While this work is taking place on the third and fourth floors, several rows of stacks will not be readily available. If materials are needed from the third floor, please contact the Willis Library Services Desk. If materials are needed from the fourth floor, please contact the Music Library Service Desk. July 19, 2019 Sidewalk Closed Due to excavation work on the west side of Willis Library, the sidewalk on the north side of Highland Street will be closed from the Music Building through the Library Mall entrance. The sidewalk is expected to be closed for approximately six weeks. July 12, 2019 Highland Street Book Drop Closed Due to the construction on the west side of Willis Library, the Highland Street book drop is closed until September. You may return your library books to the book drop on the north side of the entrance to Willis Library, the inside book drop on the first floor of Willis, or the Library Services Desk. If you have any questions please contact us at circ@unt.edu or (940) 565–2413. The water fountains and restrooms in the northwest corner of the building on all floors are now available. July 10, 2019 Highland Street Closure The City of Denton will close the Crumley side of Highland Street on Monday, June 24, in order to install equipment needed to supply the fire control on the Lower Level. On Tuesday, June 25, the city will cut across all of Highland Street to Willis. Due to this vehicle, access will be diverted from Avenue C through Avenue A. On Wednesday, June 26, the city plans to patch the area. During the time the crews are on site, various lanes will not be available. Work will continue on all floors building the center electrical rooms and electrical closets. June 21, 2019 Physical Construction Begins A new electrical room is being built in the center of each floor of the library. Four electrical closets are being constructed near the stairwells on each floor. A dust barrier has been placed around each area where the construction will take place. Please do not enter the areas that have been isolated with barriers. There may be some noise throughout the building associated with the physical construction and this process may cause a level of disruption while it is taking place. Stairwells should be passable during this project, however, restrooms in the northwest corner of the building on all floors will be unavailable. June 14, 2019 Loading Dock Excavation of the loading dock area began today. For safety reasons, the back door has been locked from the outside. In the event of an emergency, please do not use the dock as an escape route. All other emergency exits will be available. There may be some noise throughout the building associated with the excavation process. It is not expected to be for long periods of time or cause major disruptions. During the initial excavation, the water fountains and restrooms in the northwest corner of the building on all floors will be unavailable. It is estimated that this will last approximately one week. May 16, 2019 Willis Library Abatement and Shifting Materials To prepare for the start of upgrade work in the building beginning June 1, abatement is taking place on each floor of Willis Library. We are also in the process of shifting materials on the 3rd and 4th floors. If assistance is needed in locating materials, please check with the staff at one of our service desks. May 15, 2019 Highland Street Book Drop Temporarily Closed Due to construction on Willis Library drainage, the south sidewalk will be closed for a few days beginning Thursday, March 28. All sidewalk traffic on the south side of Willis will need to cross Highland Street between the Business Leadership Building and Crumley Hall. During this process the Highland Street Book Drop will be inaccessible. Please visit one of our library locations to return library materials. Please note: The book drop reopened April 2nd. March 28, 2019 Willis Library Hold Shelf Has Been Moved The Willis Library First Floor Hold Pickup Shelf has been moved from the North wall to the right side of the Library Services Desk. As a result, the UNT Press Display has been removed from this location. All items from the UNT Press Display are shelved in the stacks according to their call numbers. You may search the Library Online Catalog to locate them. March 22, 2019 MEP Project The Mechanical, Electric, and Plumbing (MEP) project providing upgrades to the building has begun. The first phase of this project will impact the third floor due to the expansion of the mechanical room. You may experience some intermittent noise during this period. Peak times of the work will take place between 4 am – noon. When the third floor work has been completed, work will progress to the rest of the floors. Please note: Stairwells should be passable and restrooms accessible during this project. March 20, 2019 Back Dock Removal Due to the back dock removal, there may be intermittent noise throughout Willis Library during the duration of this project. March 19, 2019 Library Departments Moving to the Lower Level of Willis Library Beginning Friday, March 15, the offices of our librarians and staff in the Undergraduate Engagement & Research and the Research Support Services Department will be moving to our new space on the lower level of Willis Library, Room 080. We hope to be settled in the new space by Friday, March 29, 2019. March 15, 2019 Restroom Remodel Project As part of our ongoing library renovations, the Libraries recently remodeled one of the women’s restrooms located on the second floor of Willis Library. March 14, 2019

Posted: 09/16/2020

Special Collections Coursework Development Grant Winners

The University of North Texas Special Collections announces winners for the 2020 Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. Special Collections accepted applications in June for the second annual Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. The grant was established in order to partner with faculty to develop assignments for Fall 2020 courses that will utilize collections held by Special Collections. Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, the grant scope was shifted to the use of digitized materials available in the Portal to Texas History and UNT Digital Library. The winners are: Dr. Todd Moye, Robnett Professor of U.S. History and Director of the UNT Oral History Program Dr. Paula Lupkin, Associate Professor, Art History Students in Dr. Moye’s “History of the Present” course will work with Special Collections staff, namely Rachael Zipperer, University Archivist, to document the UNT community’s responses to and experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic by contributing to the University Memory Collection. They will examine existing items in the University Memory digital collection, discuss archival philosophies and best practices, and ultimately archive digital items of their own choosing. Drawing upon digitized artifacts, photographs, and records from UNT’s Texas Fashion Collection and John Rogers and Georgette de Bruchard Collection, Dr. Lupkin’s project supports two related design history class projects. Using Omeka, an online digital platform, CVAD graduate students and undergraduate art history majors will collaboratively produce exhibitions: one on the role of Neiman-Marcus in shaping fashion culture in Dallas and the Southwest, the other on the paradigm-shifting fashion designs of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Central to both exhibition projects is an immersion in primary sources, work with archivists, and the development of original research in design history. Dr. Moye and Dr. Lupkin were each awarded $500 in research and professional development funding. Congratulations Dr. Moye and Dr. Lupkin! The Special Collections Team is looking forward to working with you on your coursework activities!

Posted: 08/11/2020

UNT's Spring 2020 Theses and Dissertations Now Available

Posted: 07/02/2020

Dean's Innovation Grant 2020

The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, formerly known as the Green Light To Greatness Award, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, formerly known as the Green Light To Greatness Award, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2020 Awardees Breakout Session for Civic Education and Engagement Development Brea Henson, Coby Condrey, Robbie Sittel, Diane Robson Project Description: In partnership with the University of North Texas Media Library, the Political Science Librarian, Government Documents Librarian, and Collection Development Liaison Librarian will create a breakout resource for use by students, staff, and faculty with a goal of increasing civic literacy. Investigators will host virtual play sessions with pre- and post- play surveys to determine whether civic education and engagement development (GEED) breakout sessions improve civic knowledge and activity among the UNT community. This or That: An Innovative Approach to Passive Surveys for Continuous Improvement Jonathan Mount, Garrett Rumohr, Jeff Guintivano Project Description: This proposed project intends to implement an innovative form of student feedback solicitation using rapid, simple, single-question unsupervised surveys conducted passively in various locations within the UNT libraries facilities. These surveys, consisting of a single, binary, comparative question that can be answered in a matter of seconds, will allow for large sample sizes while minimizing resources spent recruiting and compensating respondents. By synthesizing these answers, we can then create aggregate datasets that accurately approximate the student population’s needs and preferences regarding services, materials, facilities and technology at the UNT Libraries while providing a model for inexpensive, responsive, flexible survey design. Expanding AV equipment Holdings in the Music Library w/The Spark Kristin Wolski, Blaine Brubaker, John Leutkemeyer, Judy Hunter, Sabino Fernandez Project Description: This project aims to fill a technology need to support music students by expanding audio equipment holdings at The Music Library and The Spark so that students can produce higher quality sound recordings. After discussing real-life applications of recording needs with College of Music faculty, staff, and students, the Music Library has identified a need for students to obtain higher quality sound output, as well as video capturing, in variety of situations. The investigators will explore additional applications of a/v equipment needs in the College of Music throughout the project. Improving Subjects in the Digital Collections with Data Hannah Tarver, Chassidy Miles, Rachael Zipperer Project Description: This research project would use qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., card-sorting, focus groups and surveys) to gauge user expectations for the purpose of formulating better guidelines to assign image keywords. Given the number of photographs and other images just in the Libraries’ Special Collections (as well as the rest of the Portal), metadata plays a crucial role in the visibility of our online materials. Funding would provide support for data collection (through researcher training and participant incentives), and for dissemination of results in the digital library community (i.e., conference presentations). MEI at UNT: Towards a Semantic Presentation of Music Scores Maristella Feustle, Adam La Spata, Susannah Cleveland Project Description: MEI at UNT is a pilot project designed to encode sample scores from the Libraries’ Lully Collection using the Music Encoding Initiative’s XML format. Over the course of the year, we will encode, at minimum, three early prints or manuscripts to help define workflow, time management, and potential hosting prospects. This pilot will help inform an application for an external grant that will result in the encoding of all 27 scores in the Lully Collection. Gadget Lending Project: Filling Gap in Equipment and Technology Needs Seti Keshmiripour, Briana Knox, Emily Akers, Jonathan Mount Project Description: This project seeks to expand the collection of equipment available for checkout at the Libraries in order to better support students’ academic and creative endeavors. The Libraries will conduct a survey to gauge student interest in a variety of different equipment items. Based on survey responses, the Access Services Department will purchase new equipment items to be circulated at the Willis Library Services Desk. Staff will research practices of other institutions offering special equipment checkouts and use the findings to develop a set of circulation policies and procedures. Escape/Breakout Room for UNT Libraries Juvenile Collection Jo Monahan, Matina Newsom, Diane Robson, Robbie Sittel Project Description: This project will create a breakout game with a goal to increase visibility and knowledge of the juvenile collection specifically for students and College of Education (COE) faculty. Investigators will promote play of this breakout to students and faculty in COE with a pre and post-test to measure success. Trans Accessible Libraries Julie Leuzinger, Coby Condrey, Clark Pomerleau Project Description: Current research highlights some of the barriers to information that transgender individuals face. Additionally, their needs are significantly different from others in the LGBQ+ community. Given that this population is hidden unless self-identified, this project will use findings documented in recent studies addressing information seeking behaviors of transgender persons and their perceptions of the library to provide more equitable access to our services and collections. Pre and post assessment of collection usage and LibGuides use will determine the success of the project. Funding will address gaps in our collection, provide outreach materials, and cover conference registration to share our results. Dean’s Accessibility Grant 2020 Awardees Increasing Music Accessibility for Patrons with Print Disabilities Blaine Brubaker, Kristin Wolski, Sabino Fernandez Project Description: This project aims to make music creation and study more accessible by supplying patrons with visual impairments with specialized music notation software and hardware, such as Dancing Dot’s GOODFEEL suite and a braille display. The study of music is a visual one as much as it is an auditory one. With the advent of composing using music notation software and digital scores, it is crucial that all users are able to participate in digital music composition, online discussions of music, and study digital scores. Spanish Translation Pilot Project Jaimi Parker, Julie Judkins, Morgan Gieringer Project Description: UNT Special Collections proposes a pilot project to translate and present selected digital resources online. This pilot project will include a sample of Special Collections products including finding aids, digital exhibits, and basic information about using Special Collections digital resources in Spanish. This grant will allow us to take on the task of researching what similar institutions are doing to translate similar materials, the best methods for translating these materials, and collect usage data to determine whether or not we should continue the effort to translate more digital materials to reach the Spanish speaking population.UNT Special Collections proposes a pilot project to translate and present selected digital resources online. This pilot project will include a sample of Special Collections products including finding aids, digital exhibits, and basic information about using Special Collections digital resources in Spanish. This grant will allow us to take on the task of researching what similar institutions are doing to translate similar materials, the best methods for translating these materials, and collect usage data to determine whether or not we should continue the effort to translate more digital materials to reach the Spanish speaking population. Making Music Accessible in Digital Libraries William Hicks, Susannah Cleveland, student assistant Project Description: Musical A/V content in the UNT Digital Libraries poses a unique accessibility challenge. Recordings are often restricted due to (possibly invalid) copyright concerns, videos often contain multiple works in a single file (making information seeking difficult), contain multiple languages (or none at all), and may contain videography that may or may not have contextual relevance. Legal requirements and remediating advisory techniques are generally vague. This grant explores ways of making Digital Collections Music Items more accessible to a broad audience. Creating Accessible LibGuides Meranda Roy, Jenn Stayton, Utsav Ranjit Project Description: This project aims to develop a collection of accessible LibGuides and a community of practice that will support guide editors. It will address best practices in LibGuides design, accessibility, and instruction techniques through a continuous evaluation approach. Funds are requested to provide accessibility training opportunities, create materials that raise awareness of accessibility issues, instructions for creating LibGuides content within accessibility guidelines. The goal of this project is to develop a community of practice beginning with the owners of the most frequently used guides and to establish models of accountability and instruction that will promote accessible guide creation moving forward.

Posted: 06/26/2020

Dean's Innovation Grant 2019

Posted: 06/16/2020

UNT Libraries Release Discover Soft Launch

Posted: 06/05/2020

University Archive Asking for Submissions to COVID-19 Response Collection

Posted: 05/20/2020

Applications Accepted for Special Collections Coursework Development Grant

The University of North Texas Special Collections invites applications for the 2020 Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. The University of North Texas Special Collections invites applications for the 2020 Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. We are interested in partnering with faculty to develop assignments for Fall 2020 courses that will utilize materials held by Special Collections. Special Collections is especially interested in exploring opportunities to collaborate with teaching faculty in the STEM disciplines. Due to uncertainty concerning the novel coronavirus outbreak's impact on the Fall semester, we are limiting grants this year to projects that utilize digitized materials from one of Special Collections’ 116+ digital collections. Assignments must be able to be completed online or in a virtual environment. Due to limited seating capacity in the Special Collections Reading Room, applicants should plan for any consultations with Special Collections’ staff in correlation with the assignment(s) (i.e. student consultations for research assistance) to take place virtually so as to comply with social distancing measures. Read descriptions of projects from the grant’s inaugural year. Activities and assignments eligible for this grant may include, but are not limited to: Bibliographic description Document or photograph analysis Creative writing exercises Creation of digital exhibits and websites Documentary film-making Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2020. The successful projects will be announced by July 10, 2020. To apply, please submit your draft course syllabus and a 1,000 word maximum statement that details: What specific collection(s) held by UNT Special Collections you are interested in using How a collaboration with Special Collections would enhance your course The assignment you are proposing The expected learning outcomes for the assignment Applications should be emailed to Julie Judkins by Friday, June 30, 2020. Two grants of $500 each will be awarded. Funds will be made available as research and professional development funding. This funding may be expensed for research (books, supplies) and professional development (conferences, seminars, travel, etc.) Awardees will be required to meet with Special Collections staff in advance of the Fall semester to coordinate their coursework activity. If social distancing measures are still in place, this meeting will take place either by phone or Zoom. Please contact specialcollections@unt.edu with any questions or for assistance locating relevant materials for your desired project. Some notable collections to consider: NBC 5/KXAS news archive UNT University Photography Collection Denton Fracking Referendum Collection Photography: Byrd Williams Photography Collection Clark Family Photography Collection Mildred Schaeffer Zichner Photography Collection John Rogers and Georgette de Bruchard Collection The Black Academy of Arts and Letters Records LGBTQ Archives, including but not limited to: Dennis Vercher Collection The Dallas Metroplex Chapter of the Names Project Foundation Collection Dallas Voice Newspaper Mica England Collection The Civil War and Its Aftermath: Diverse Perspectives UNT Center for Media Production Collection Denton Chamber of Commerce Collection Robert Ray Vaughn Sunday School Artwork Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution The Coursework Development Grant is supported by the Toulouse Archival Research Program Endowment.

Posted: 05/06/2020

Don't throw your history away!

Cleaning out closets and storage areas in your home? If you have found old scrapbooks, letters, photos, books, art, home movies or records of local businesses or organizations, DON’T THROW THEM AWAY! Many people have had time recently to clean out closets and storage areas in their home. If you have found old scrapbooks, letters, photos, books, art, home movies (the kind on reels or the kind you play in a VCR) or records of local businesses or organizations, DON’T THROW THEM AWAY—please get in touch with UNT Special Collections! While we are unable physically meet with you until campus reopens, we are happy to talk via phone or zoom meeting about what you have and provide advice on safely preserving your collections. If you are interested in donating materials to our archive, we are happy to talk to you about our collecting interests and whether UNT Special Collections may be a good home for your materials. The primary mission of the UNT Special Collections department is to collect and preserve unique and historically significant information. Here is a short list of what we collect and what we don’t collect. This list is not exhaustive, if you have something you would like to discuss with us that is not on this list please feel free to reach out to us at specialcollections@unt.edu. Subjects & Materials Types We Collect UNT Student Life Scrapbooks, letters, postcards, photographs from student’s time at UNT Records of student clubs and organizations Flyers and handbills from campus events and concerts UNT Faculty Faculty research papers Manuscripts (published and unpublished) Correspondence Texas History Texas maps 19th and 20th century photography and real photo postcards (especially when people and places are identified) Ephemera (ticket stubs, advertising pieces, labels, etc) Broadsides Pre-1850 books about Texas Pre-1900 books printed in Texas Books about Texas city and county history (old or current) Texas newspapers Military History Letters Photos Audio/visual recordings Regiment or battalion ephemera (newsletters, booklets, menus, etc) Women’s History Woman owned business records Women’s manuscripts and personal papers Records of clubs or organizations for women (meeting minutes, club handbooks, newsletters, etc.) Latinx History Latinx owned business records Latinx manuscripts and personal papers Records of clubs or organizations for the Latinx community (meeting minutes, club handbooks, newsletters, etc.) LGBTQ History LGBTQ owned business records LGBTQ manuscripts and personal papers Records of clubs or organizations for the LGBTQ community (meeting minutes, club handbooks, newsletters, etc.) Personal Archives Home movies Family photos Genealogical records Photography Examples of historical photography such as daguerreotype, tin type, carte de visite and cabinet cards Fine art photography Photographer’s collections of prints, slides, negatives or digital photography Books Records and ephemera related to the history of photography Book and Printing History Books printed before 1800 Books printed in the US before 1850 First editions Signed editions Association copies Children’s books Pop-up and moveable books Miniature Books Books 3 inches or smaller in spine height

Posted: 05/06/2020

New Databases Available

The UNT Libraries now have access to several new databases! We now have access to three new databases! We have two new Gale Primary Source Collections: Indigenous Peoples: North America covers the historical experiences, cultural traditions and innovations, and political status of Indigenous Peoples in the United States and Canada. Beginning with the sixteenth century and going well into the twentieth century, researchers can access manuscripts, drawings and sketches, photographs, maps, legal materials, population census records, newspapers from various tribes and Indian-related organizations as well as indigenous language materials, including dictionaries, bibles, and primers. Topics of interest include trade and communication, Arctic exploration and tribes, the Iroquois Confederation, Canadian Indian treaty policy, Dawes Severalty and the allotment system, Indian language and linguistics, water and fishing rights, civil rights, the American Indian movement, and much more. Public Health Archives: Public Health in Modern America, 1890-1970 documents the rise of the twentieth-century public health system in the United States through correspondence, reports, pamphlets, ephemera, and more. For scholars in the fields of American history, American studies, history of science and medicine, public health studies, sociology, political science, psychology, and economics, it documents through primary sources that record the evolution and impact of public health legislation, policies, and campaigns at the local, national, and federal levels, opening for researchers a new window on the roles played by key organizations and individuals to advance public health practices and outcomes. EBSCO Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide is an index to scientific and management literature on wild mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians from journals, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations and other publications. Major topic areas include studies of individual species, habitat types, hunting, economics, wildlife behavior, management techniques, diseases, ecotourism, zoology, and taxonomy. March 11, 2020 We now have access to several new databases! Gale Directory Library The Gale database Associations Unlimited is now part of the Gale Directory Library. This resource provides directories on companies, publishers, associations, and organizations. You can browse and search each title individually, or you can search across all the titles in the collection. Additional directories can be purchased to add to our current collection if needed. ReferenceUSA ReferenceUSA provides directory information for more than 12 million U.S. businesses. The information is compiled from the following public sources: more than 5,600 Yellow Page and Business White page telephone directories; annual reports, 10-Ks, other financial information provided by the SEC, Chamber of Commerce information, and other sources. Quick Search: search by company name, city, and state. Custom Search: search by company name, yellow page heading, SIC and NAICS codes, geographic location, headquarters/branch, or by business sales volume. It is possible to compile lists of companies for projects in Marketing, Finance; or for company and industry analysis. Met Opera on Demand Met Opera on Demand provides access to more than 450 Met performances including dozens of Live in HD productions, classic telecasts from the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s, and hundreds of radio broadcasts back to Note: This database is limited to 10 simultaneous users. February 10, 2020

Posted: 03/11/2020

Center for Media Production Collection

The Center for Media Production Collection is a collection of historical video footage made between 1980 through the early 2000s at the University of North Texas. The Center for Media Production Collection is a collection of historical video footage made between 1980 through the early 2000s at the University of North Texas. The Special Collections department has just completed the first phase of a project to digitize these fragile and unique tapes, both to preserve the content they contain and make the recordings accessible through the UNT Digital Library. Over 400 tapes were digitized in the first phase of this project and are now available to view online. Many films were produced by the Center for Instructional Services, such as A Prescription for Life: Child Auto Restraint, Things about Shapes, and Recreational Sports. The Center for Instructional Services’ goal was to train the faculty and staff of NTSU to ensure the best experience for students, while also informing students of the resources available for them. Other footage includes historic events from the university’s past, slide shows of art for an art appreciation class, and dance recitals. Along with the training videos, there are videos about the programs offered for students, such as The Cooperative Training Program, which places students with internships that are directly related to their major, and The Center for Marketing and Design, which was a program for students interested in the fashion industry. The annual Art Wear student fashion show is also recorded in this collection. The 1986 Conference on the Literary Arts, sponsored by the UNT Center for Texas Studies, is well documented in this collection of recordings. Jim Lehrer, Horton Foote and Sandra Cisneros participated in this conference as well as actors and musicians including Robert Duvall and Steven Fromholtz. The Center for Media Production Collection has a few series of videos that represent the School of Music in the 1980s. One series, called Composition in the Twentieth Century, follows composers and students in the music program while preparing for a concert. Another series, called Cage Documentary, includes footage of John Cage, a famous American composer, guest composing for a concert at North Texas State. The Jazz Lecture Series, begun in 1982, contains live performances interspersed with lectures and questions from the audience. The lecture series featured prominent jazz artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Ron Carter, and Michael Brecker. A portion of this collection includes footage of b-roll, or supplemental video that makes a film more interesting. Although it may seem unimportant, this is what gives a majority of the videos life. Without it, the videos would only include interviews and would make it harder to tell the story without it. The Center for Media Production Collection is available for viewing and research on The Portal to Texas History. Additional videos will be added in a second major digitization project to begin in spring 2020. More information about this collection as well as others is available through our website or by contacting UNT Special Collections.

Posted: 02/19/2020

UNT Libraries to Develop the First Cyber Knowledge Bank

The University of North Texas is creating an international data trust, which is expected to improve the measurement and analysis of open access book usage through a $1.2 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The University of North Texas is leading a team with members from around the world to create an international data trust improving the measurement and analysis of open access book usage. The new data trust, funded through a $1.2 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will be the first of its kind for scholarly publishing, enabling universities and publishers to share and analyze data on open access works. As a pioneer for open access, UNT was the first public institution in Texas to adopt a policy in support of open access and has hosted an annual Open Access Symposium since 2010. “Advancing accessibility to research is a priority for UNT as a Tier One research university,” said Diane Bruxvoort, dean of UNT Libraries. “We are proud to remain on the forefront as leaders in open access.” OA materials are free to read online and are distributed without licensing restrictions. Allowing unrestricted access to scholarly research enables students, professors and scholars to use the most up-to-date and relevant information for their work. Currently, there are no systematic practices for collecting data on how and where these materials are used. The two-year project, led by UNT librarian Kevin Hawkins and conducted in partnership with the Educopia Institute, Curtin University, University of Michigan and the Book Industry Study Group, is designed to facilitate academic data sharing by compiling ebook usage data and standardizing analysis and reporting tools. “Open access to scholarly literature has developed more slowly for academic books than for journals,” said Hawkins, who serves as assistant dean for scholarly communication at UNT Libraries. “The data trust will be designed to ensure responsible use of ebook metrics and will be a vital source of insight into the ways scholarly books are being accessed and used, and the impact of the knowledge they contain.” Media Contact: Heather Noel

Posted: 02/17/2020

New Acquisition of the Teel Sale Collection

UNT Special Collections is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Teel Sale Collection. The collection includes drawings, prints, collages and artist’s books as well as sketches and research materials used in preparation of her work. UNT Special Collections is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Teel Sale Collection. The collection includes drawings, prints, collages and artist’s books as well as sketches and research materials used in preparation of her work. Sale is an artist, writer, and teacher, and has had a career of national and international shows (drawing, painting, printmaking, and performance art). She has served as art editor of Trilobite Press, book designer for university presses, book reviewer for Texas Books in Review, and visiting artist/lecturer at colleges and universities nationwide. Sale was a faculty member (drawing, painting, and honors) at the University of North Texas from 1975 through 1989. Sale’s Newfoundland Series, a collection of 18 laser print collages, was purchased by the UNT Union in 2001 and can be seen on the second floor of the Union near the Golden Eagle Suite. UNT Special Collections holds eight original artist books donated between 1986-2007. The newly acquired Teel Sale Collection includes over 200 works of art on paper, including large linocut prints, embossed prints, drawings and collages dating from 1972-2020. Sale’s most recent work, Eel Road, is a collection of poetry published by Trilobite Press. In 2019 a multidimensional art installation inspired by Eel Road was exhibited by Bihl Haus Arts in San Antonio. This installation prints and papier-mache sculpture at Gloria Sanchez-Hart and Nancy Oakly Klapp. The filmmaker William E. Mackie documented the installation in a short film titled, “Eels.” The acquisition of the Sale Collection is a part of UNT Special Collections continued collection development initiative to collect the work of UNT faculty and creative work of artists in the North Texas region. Archival Processing Coordinator, Sam Ivie, accompanied Head of Special Collections, Morgan Gieringer, on the trip to acquire the Sale collection. Ivie will lead the processing team who will work to catalog and describe this large collection over the next year. Once processed, the Teel Sale Collection will be available for access by appointment in the UNT Special Collections reading room. Sale currently lives in Ennis, Texas where she continues to produce art and poetry.

Posted: 02/10/2020

Artist Lecture: Keliy Anderson-Staley

Posted: 01/14/2020

Hoblitzelle Foundation Grant Preserves African American Cultural History

The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL), in partnership with the University of North Texas, has received a $25,000 grant The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL), in partnership with the University of North Texas, has received a $25,000 grant from the Hoblitzelle Foundation to continue digitizing the organization’s archive, which highlights the diverse artistic legacy of African Americans. TBAAL has been a platform for black artists and scholars for more than four decades. From its cultural center in downtown Dallas, the institution has presented over 5,000 performances from emerging artists, as well as the biggest names in American visual, literary, cinematic, and performing arts. UNT Libraries has served as TBAAL’s preservation partner since June 2015 and, to date, has digitized and described more than 71,300 unique, primary source documents that help historians tell the true story of African Americans in the arts and letters. The archived materials include recordings of live performances and events, photographs of artists and documents that chronicle the development of TBAAL. “We’re so grateful for the Hoblitzelle Foundation’s support and UNT’s efforts to archive our institution’s history for scholarly research,” said Curtis King, president of TBAAL. “Preserving one’s cultural history is paramount to research and create a better way of understanding ethnic groups’ differences from the past and present.” As items from TBAAL’s archive are digitized, they are made available in UNT’s The Portal to Texas History, where students, researchers and the general public have easy access to rare and historical materials. This initiative is part of UNT Libraries’ larger aim to digitize archives of women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, working class people, and other underrepresented communities in Texas. “Support from the Hoblizelle Foundation will be used to continue preserving records of the academy’s performances and programs, which include many important black artists and scholars from the past 40 years,” said Morgan Gieringer, head of UNT Libraries Special Collections. “UNT is proud to house the archive of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters and make these significant historical resources available to the public.” Amanda Yanowski, Senior Communications Specialist, UNT Advancement

Posted: 12/11/2019

Coffee and Cookies

Posted: 12/04/2019

Lectures in Information Science and Scholarly Communications: Martin Klein

Posted: 11/19/2019

UNT Libraries Exceeds Fundraising Goal

Posted: 11/13/2019

Texas Borderlands Newspaper Collection Wins THC Award of Excellence in Preserving History

Posted: 10/25/2019

UNT Libraries Journal Hosting

Posted: 10/01/2019

Texas Edges Lecture Series: W. Caleb McDaniel

Posted: 10/01/2019

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Posted: 09/26/2019

UNT's Summer 2019 Theses and Dissertations Now Available

Posted: 09/12/2019

Photography Study Collection

The Photography Study Collection is a curated collection of original artist’s prints covering a diverse range of photographic style and technique. The Photography Study Collection is a curated collection of original artist’s prints covering a diverse range of photographic style and technique. These recently acquired images provide photography students at UNT an opportunity to view and safely handle vintage fine art prints in person. Students using the Photography Study Collection will have an opportunity to examine different printing techniques including digital chromogenic prints, gelatin silver prints, archival inkjet prints and prints on fabric. The collection also includes different representations of artist’s work including signed prints, artist’s portfolios, and artist’s books. Professors Paho Mann and Dornith Doherty selected the prints for inclusion in the Photography Study Collection and worked with several galleries in Dallas to arrange the acquisition of prints including PDNB Gallery, Liliana Bloch Gallery, and Talley Dunn Gallery. In addition to the work of professional artists, Mann and Doherty selected a UNT student portfolio to add to the collection. This summer the library acquired the work of graduate student Melissa Gamez-Herrara for the Photography Study Collection. Her artist’s book titled “En sus propias palabras (In Her Own Words): Words from Maquiladora Workers on the U.S.-Mexico Border was purchased in summer 2019. Additional artists represented in the collection include: Keith Carter Rachel Cox Letitia Huckaby Leigh Merrill Jeanine Michna-Bales Delilah Montoya Geoff Winningham The Photography Study Collection currently includes 18 photographs and four portfolios representing the work of eight early to mid-career artists. Each year the Special Collections department will add several artist’s prints to the collection, in addition to a UNT photography student purchase prize. The Photography Study Collection is available for research use on-site in the Sarah T. Hughes Reading Room. To schedule an appointment to use the collection please request access through the collection finding aid. The Photography Study Collection is part of a growing archive of photographic materials at UNT including photojournalism, documentary, fine art, and architectural photography, as well as street and vernacular photography. A growing body of resources on the history of photography is also available in Special Collections, including samples of original daguerreotypes, tintypes, carte de visites, cabinet cards, postcard photography and photographic ephemera such as early photography supply catalogs and camera manuals. More information about all of these collections is available through our website or by contacting UNT Special Collections at specialcollections@unt.edu.

Posted: 09/06/2019

Rescuing Texas History 2019 Awardees

The Portal to Texas History is proud to announce we have awarded 49 total projects this year in our Rescuing Texas History program. In May 2019, The Portal to Texas History announced the latest call for applications to our Rescuing Texas History program, in two tracks: for newspaper and non-newspaper applications. This program is intended to offer up to $1,000 worth of digitization services by the UNT Libraries’ Digital Projects Unit to build access to partners’ local materials. We are proud to announce we have awarded 49 total projects this year. We are thrilled for our partners and wanted to provide everyone a sneak peek of where the new materials are coming from. Among this year’s new Rescuing Texas History projects are photos from the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas, and insights into the evolution of solar energy from the 1970s and 1980s. Additionally, you will have access to The Junior Ranger, the student newspaper from San Antonio College Library with issues dating back to 1926, along with 14 years of the Carlton Citizen from Erath County. This is just to name a few, so keep your eyes peeled for new and fascinating Texas history materials! Private Collections of TB Willis Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead Tarleton State University Friench Simpson Memorial Library Murphy Historical Society Texas Lutheran University Dr. Pepper Museum Austin History Center, Austin Public Library Dallas Firefighters Museum Mexic-Arte Museum Private Collection of Mike Cochran Fort Davis Historical Society – Overland Trail Museum St. Mary’s Louise J. Blume Library Denton Public Library Forney Historic Preservation League Southwestern University Private Collection of the Ritchie Family Moody Medical Library at UTMB Interurban Railway Museum Lone Star Flight Museum Private Collection of the Curtis Estate Private Collection of the Litzler Family Fannin County Historical Commission Ben E. Allen Real Estate Dallas Municipal Archives Mineola Landmark Commission Private Collection of JK Johnson Travis County Historical Commission San Antonio College Library Erath County Genealogical Society Port Arthur Public Library Gillespie County Historical Society Montgomery County Library University of Dallas Brownsville Historical Association City of Quanah Kerr County Historical Commission McCulloch County Historical Commission History of West Museum Rosenberg Library Solar Engineering Magazine Melissa Public Library Fannin County Museum of History Private Collection of the Koenig Family Private Collection of MM Davis Carrollton Public Library Ennis Public Library Smith County Historical Society Tarrant County Archives

Posted: 08/29/2019

UNT LGBTQ Archive Speaker Series

UNT Libraries has partnered with Resource Center and The Dallas Way to present a fall speaker series benefiting the UNT LGBTQ Archive. UNT Libraries has partnered with Resource Center and The Dallas Way to present a fall speaker series benefiting the UNT LGBTQ Archive. Three speakers, all of whom are past UNT Special Collections Research Fellows, will speak on different topics related to LGBTQ history. The speaker series will take place Resource Center’s Louis L. Borick Foundation Auditorium located at 5750 Cedar Springs Rd, Dallas, TX. Each event in the series will include a complimentary reception from 5:30-6:00 p.m. followed by the speaker. The September 18, 2019 event will feature speaker Dr. Wesley Phelps, Assistant Professor at the University of North Texas. Phelps will be speaking about legal challenges to Texas sodomy laws before the landmark 2003 Supreme Court decision to Lawrence v. Texas. Hear the ways in which the LGBTQ community and allies struggled to develop legal, political and educational strategies based on privacy, due process, and equal protection under law. The October 30, 2019 event will feature speaker Dr. Chris Babits, Andrew W. Mellon Engaged Scholar Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. Babits will discuss the history of the conversion therapy movement, religion, and scientific inquiry. Hear about changing norms in gender and sexuality from the early Cold War into post 9/11 America. The November 20, 2019 event will feature speaker Agatha Beins, Associate Professor and Director of the Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies Master’s Program at Texas Woman’s University. Beins will speak about the content and material qualities of the AIDS Memorial Quilt as well as the multiple paths it offered for people to learn about HIV/AIDS and build community. Hear about the North Texas’ area advocacy and discover the power of this art-activist project on a local scale. All events in the speaker series are free and open to the public. If you plan to attend, please email tfrank@myresourcecenter.org to RSVP. September 18, 2019 | Dr. Wesley Phelps October 30, 2019 | Dr. Chris Babits November 20, 2019 | Agatha Beins

Posted: 08/28/2019

Librarian Appointed to Board Promoting Free Access to Scholarship

Posted: 08/14/2019

Radio Shack & Tandy Corporation Collection Now Available

The University of North Texas Special Collections acquired the Radio Shack and Tandy Corporation Archive through the 2017 bankruptcy auction of the Radio Shack Company. The University of North Texas Special Collections acquired the Radio Shack and Tandy Corporation Archive through the 2017 bankruptcy auction of the Radio Shack Company. Although this is an unusual way for UNT to acquire a collection, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to preserve an important piece of technology, computing and north Texas history. Starting as a family owned leather business in the early 1900’s, the Tandy Corporation was created by Dave Tandy. The corporation started trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 1960 and purchased Radio Shack in 1963. The Tandy Corporation also purchased Leonard’s department stores in 1967 and Meacham’s fashion stores in 1968. Charles Tandy, the son of Dave Tandy, grew Radio Shack and the Tandy Corporation into one of the leading companies in consumer technology. Radio Shack found success by taking a vertically integrated approach to the company’s structure, with much of the store’s products being produced by the company itself. In 1975, the company broke ground on Tandy Center in Fort Worth. The twin multi-story towers became an iconic part of the downtown Fort Worth landscape. The Tandy Center also included a mall, an indoor ice-skating rink and a privately owned subway running from the Tandy Center to the parking lots. The Tandy Corporation became the RadioShack Corporation in 2000, and a year later they sold Tandy Center. After filing for bankruptcy in 2015, Radio Shack was sold to Standard General. The Radio Shack and Tandy Corporation Collection holds many interesting artifacts and documents from the company’s history. Some of these include: Over 30 Volumes of the ‘Intercom’ employee newsletter, detailing company news from 1967-2000. Documents and news articles regarding one of the only privately owned subways in the world, the Leonard’s M&O Subway in Fort Worth. A detailed look at the TRS-80, one of the earliest mass-produced retail home computers, developed and released by Radio Shack in 1977. The decline and bankruptcy of Radio Shack has been newsworthy story in recent years. Radio Shack had historically been a reliable source of products for both tech-savvy consumers and hobbyists. This collection will hold interest for anyone wanting to see the growth, structure, and inner workings of this tech giant. The finding aid for the Radio Shack and Tandy Corporation Archive is available online. Some items from the archive are featured in an online exhibit. To learn more about the Radio Shack Archive, or to access materials on-campus, please contact specialcollections@unt.edu. This collection was processed as a practicum project by Cody Rone (featured image), a graduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Posted: 07/09/2019

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Three Questions with Trey Murphy

Trey Murphy is a PhD candidate in the University of North Carolina Geography Department studying petroleum production in Texas. As an energy geographer, his current project examines the historical formation of mineral rights and the present inequalities in Texas’s hydrocarbon property system. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. 1. How important are the Libraries’ services in your teaching, learning or research? The University of North Texas libraries have served as an invaluable resource throughout my investigation. For the previous two summers, I have focused on a somewhat obscure but immensely important piece of Texas state legislation from the 1910s, the Relinquishment Act, that solidified property laws and oil production in west Texas. Traveling to many archival centers throughout the state, I realized that the data sources for the project might be too dispersed to create a cogent account of the circumstances that surrounded the passage of this legislation. However, an archivist at the University of Texas recommended that I investigate the Portal to Texas History. Sure enough, the Portal quickly revealed countless newspaper sources from throughout that period that enlivened the Relinquishment Act’s story and revealed the tensions present during its passage. Without the Portal, this project would have likely stalled, and I doubt I would have been able to give a coherent account of this critical statute. How have the Libraries’ services changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal to Texas History gives me a new lens through which to view this state’s fascinating past. There are so many facets of Texas history that deserve greater attention. Thankfully, the Portal creates a space to quickly explore some of the primary documents that have transformed the Texas landscape. In this way, I have thought of many new research ideas that could be completed with the data from the Portal. As I continue through my career, I can foresee incorporating the Portal into my teaching and giving my students the opportunity to explore Texas history by viewing primary documents from specific time periods. As a geographer, I want my students to understand the socio-political landscapes of the past and how decision made decades ago have ramifications to the present. By using the UNT’s library resources, I suspect I can quickly accomplish that. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My research explores energy landscapes with a special emphasis on the historic and present ways that petroleum extraction creates opportunities for prosperity and inequality. In this way, I rely heavily on historical texts to ground my investigations and to explore the positive and negative facets of production. Librarians have opened new pathways during countless moments when I thought I had reached a dead end in my research. Indeed even after I have finished writing up the findings of my research and published them in scientific journals, librarians have helped me select outlets to share my research with the broader community and ensure that what I share is accessible beyond the academic gates. In this way, I would encourage social scientists to look to their libraries—especially the fabulous library resources at the University of North Texas—as not just a reference but rather a source for new information and guidance during the research process. Trey Murphy is a PhD candidate in the University of North Carolina Geography Department studying petroleum production in Texas. As an energy geographer, his current project examines the historical formation of mineral rights and the present inequalities in Texas’s hydrocarbon property system. To learn more about his present research or reach out for more information, he regularly posts updates on his research on his Twitter feed.

Posted: 07/01/2019

Dr. Daniel Alemneh to Serve as Fulbright Scholar in Ethiopia

Posted: 06/20/2019

Spring 2019 UNT Press Books Available Online

Posted: 06/19/2019

UNT's Spring 2019 Theses and Dissertations Now Available

Posted: 06/14/2019

Special Collections Coursework Development Grant Awardees

The two Special Collections Coursework Development Grant winners are Dr. Kathryne Beebe, Associate Professor of Medieval History, and Dr. Liane Malinowski, Assistant Professor of English. Special Collections accepted applications in May for the newly established Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. The grant was established in order to partner with faculty to develop assignments for Fall 2019 courses that will utilize rare books, fine books, facsimiles, maps, photography, archival collections, or other types of materials held by Special Collections. The two grant winners were announced on May 24th. The winners are: Dr. Kathryne Beebe, Associate Professor of Medieval History Dr. Liane Malinowski, Assistant Professor of English Dr. Beebe’s project, Holding History in Your Hands: Medieval Fragments and Student Experiential Learning, is a semester-long, experiential learning project assignment that will ask students in HIST 4218: Early Medieval Europe to 1) become an “expert” on an item in UNT’s Medieval and Renaissance Manuscript Leaves Collection, and 2) via several short workshops, to learn the techniques of the actual making of a medieval manuscript that is featured in that item (i.e. by writing calligraphy, gilding letters with gold leaf, or creating an illuminated initial letter). The final projects for the course will reflect this twinned approach: the envisioned student-written-and-created Library Guide to the Medieval and Renaissance Manuscript Leaves Collection would showcase the students’ research and writing skills, while simultaneously bringing the collection to a wider public. In Dr. Malinowski’s project students will be researching and creating a pop-up exhibit about the Denton Women’s Interracial Fellowship, a group of black and white Denton women who came together in 1964 to work together across differences of race, and to take on local projects related to infrastructure and housing. Dr. Beebe and Dr. Malinowski will each receive $500 for their grant award which will be made available as research and professional development funding. Congratulations Dr. Beebe and Dr. Malinowski! The Special Collections Team is looking forward to working with you on your coursework activities!

Posted: 06/05/2019

Rescuing Texas History Mini-Grants 2019

Posted: 06/04/2019

UNT Officially Sets a New World Record

Posted: 06/03/2019

3Dhotbed Wins TDL's Excellence in Digital Libraries Award

The Texas Digital Library awarded the 3D-printed History of the Book Education (3Dhotbed) Project their Excellence in Digital Libraries Award! The Texas Digital Library awarded the 3D-printed History of the Book Education (3Dhotbed) Project their Excellence in Digital Libraries Award! This award honors overall excellence in one or more areas of digital library practice and is one of six annual awards given out during The Texas Conference on Digital Libraries hosted annually in Austin, Texas. To qualify for this honor, the 3Dhotbed project demonstrated collaborative work on an innovative digital collection project that uses unique technology and serves to advance digital collections standards. The 3Dhotbed project is a collaborative effort of Courtney Jacobs (Head of Outreach and Community Engagement, UCLA Library Special Collections), Kevin M. O’Sullivan (Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts at Cushing Memorial Library & Archives, Texas A&M University), and Marcia McIntosh (Digital Production Librarian, University of North Texas Libraries). The project started with Jacobs’ idea to make a type-casting hand mould at Texas A&M’s Book History Workshop more accessible to those who want to enhance their courses and projects with the hands-on experience of casting type. In partnership with O’Sullivan and McIntosh, the 3Dhotbed team published its first toolkit in 2017. The 3Dhotbed project provides educators with the resources and materials they need to teach early book history, including the mechanics of the hand press, bookbinding, typecasting, and woodcuts. This online resource provides access to pedagogical materials made up of instructional videos, informational handouts, and a typecasting toolkit that educators can print on their own 3D printers instead of buying costly equipment. All of the data files necessary to create these replica teaching models are available to download at no cost from the UNT Digital Library. Congratulations to the 3Dhotbed team for their outstanding contribution to the advancement of digital libraries! Meet the Team Courtney Jacobs received her MSLIS from Syracuse University. She is the Head of Outreach and Community Engagement for the UCLA Library Special Collections. She has developed and delivered many lectures and workshops on book history and printing history utilizing primary source materials in support of teaching faculty’s curriculum and learning outcomes. Kevin O’Sullivan serves as the Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts at Cushing Memorial Library & Archives, Texas A&M University, where he also directs the Book History Workshop. He received his MSIS from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently working toward his Ph.D. in English at Texas A&M University. Marcia McIntosh received her master’s in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information. She is the Digital Production Librarian at the University of North Texas, where she assists in coordinating and managing the creation of digital collections. Feature image: Marcia McIntosh accepting the award on behalf of her teammates Kevin O’Sullivan and Courtney Jacobs.

Posted: 05/30/2019

Three Questions with Jacqueline Foertsch

Jacqueline Foertsch is professor of English at the University of North Texas and chair of UNT’s Postwar Faculty Colloquium. She is the author of six books in American literature, film, and culture. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? I could not get through my research day without the invaluable services provided by ILL, remote storage, and collections development. Coby Condrey gets me the books or e-books I need, and no request is too complicated or too picky for the inestimable James Flowers. James tracks down any book or article housed in the annex, sends multiple scans if page numbers are missing, and recently went over to the Discovery Park annex to dig Unsafe at Any Speed out of a box in the middle of a move! Kevin Yanowski and John Edward Martin are also always ready with their info and advice, Darin Castillo does a terrific job setting up my Course Reserves, and Assoc. Dean Mary Ann Venner has enabled my teaching and research for many years. Excellent, wonderfully helpful library staff! How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Willis services have kept up with technological changes that are essential to modern research methods. I make frequent use of the e-formatted books and articles, and access to UNT’s newspapers databases (e.g., Proquest Historical Newspapers) has meant much in researching my last two book projects. And it may seem a minor issue, but a huge, huge improvement for me is the recyclable canvas bag system now used for departmental delivery. I never used delivery in the era of plastic packaging – a huge thank-you to Willis for “meaning green” when getting books to faculty. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My work regards the post-WWII decades of American literature and culture, so I’m not usually one of the library’s customers in search of obscure or ancient archival material. But I still rely on the Willis staff on a weekly basis to move vital materials to my departmental or electronic inbox – they are terrific! Jacqueline Foertsch is professor of English at the University of North Texas and chair of UNT’s Postwar Faculty Colloquium. She is the author of six books in American literature, film, and culture and is at work on Freedom’s Ring: Literatures of Liberation from Civil Rights to the Second Wave and Chariots of Doom: Getting Around to True Crime in Postwar America.

Posted: 05/22/2019

Special Collections Coursework Development Grant

The University of North Texas Special Collections invites applications for the newly established Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. The University of North Texas Special Collections invites applications for the newly established Special Collections Coursework Development Grant. We are interested in partnering with faculty to develop assignments for Fall 2019 courses that will utilize rare books, fine books, facsimiles, maps, photography, archival collections or other types of materials held by Special Collections. Activities and assignments eligible for this grant may include, but are not limited to: Bibliographic description Document or photograph analysis Creative writing exercises Creation of digital exhibits and websites Documentary filmmaking Both in-class activities and assignments that involve asynchronous visits on an individual student basis are eligible for the award. Special Collections is especially interested in exploring opportunities to collaborate with teaching faculty in the STEM disciplines. Applications will be accepted through May 17, The successful projects will be announced on May 24, 2019. To apply, please submit your course syllabus and a 1,000 word maximum statement that details: What specific collection(s) or books held by UNT Special Collections you are interested in using How a collaboration with Special Collections would enhance your course The assignment you are proposing The expected learning outcomes for the assignment Applications should be emailed to Jodi Rhinehart-Doty by Friday, May 17, 2019. Two grants of $500 each will be awarded. Funds will be made available as research and professional development funding. This funding may be expensed for research (books, supplies) and professional development (conferences, seminars, travel, etc.) Awardees will be required to meet with Special Collections staff in advance of the Fall semester to coordinate their coursework activity and schedule time for one or more class visits to Special Collections. To locate materials, you can search the UNT Library catalog (use tab “Books & More” and limit search to “Special Collections”) or UNT Special Collections’ finding aids. Please contact specialcollections@unt.edu with any questions or for assistance locating relevant materials for your desired project. Some notable collections to consider: NBC 5/KXAS news archive Bell Helicopter Denton Fracking Referendum Collection Byrd Williams Photography Collection Clark Family Photography Collection John Rogers and Georgette de Bruchard Photography Collection The Black Academy of Arts and Letters Records Donald Thomas War Poetry Collection Vann Victorian Literature Collection LGBTQ Archives Margaret Parx Hays Papers Dorothy Gray Mills Howard Collection Artists’ Books collection Miniature books collection Yearbooks, university photography, university archives The Coursework Development Grant is supported by the Toulouse Archival Research Program Endowment.

Posted: 05/07/2019

The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Jordan Johnson

Jordan Johnson is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Emory University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Southwestern University in English, Spanish, and Feminist Studies, and is the recipient of the Debbie Ellis Award in Feminist Studies. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2020 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee Jordan Johnson Project Title Encountering the Forest Archive: A Feminist Genealogy of the East Texas Pineywoods Project Description This project analyzes practices of forestry and resource management through the lens of feminist science and technology studies, exploring how processes of industrialization and development have operationalized shifting notions of the natural world, technology, and land use. Situated at the intersection of environmental studies, feminist materialism, and posthumanist theory, this work incorporates literary/textual analysis alongside historical and archival methods to produce a Foucauldian genealogy of forestry and environmental management on the Angelina National Forest, exploring how environmental-industrial legacies in the Pineywoods expose limitations and incongruities inherent in liberal humanist fantasies of progress, development, and sustainability. Biography Jordan Johnson is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Emory University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Southwestern University in English, Spanish, and Feminist Studies, and is the recipient of the Debbie Ellis Award in Feminist Studies. She has also worked as the managing editor of Southern Spaces: A Journal about Real and Imagined Spaces and Places of the US South and their Global Connections.

Posted: 04/23/2019

The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Trey Murphy

Trey Murphy is an energy geographer and PhD candidate at the University of North Carolina where he examines the intrinsic relationship between the governance of petroleum extraction and Texas property ownership. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2020 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee Trey Murphy Project Title The Petroleum Governance of Property through the Texas Relinquishment Act of 1919 Project Description Land ownership in Texas is complex in that the subsurface and the surface can be held by different individuals, which can lead to oil wells in someone’s backyards for which the homeowner receives no payment. A century ago, the Texas state legislature passed the Relinquishment Act, which created a compensation scheme for surface property owners when the state government owns the subsurface. This project explores and looks to the Relinquishment Act as a potential solution to present-day questions over who should benefit from extraction when the surface and subsurface of the same parcel of land are owned by different people. Biography Trey Murphy is an energy geographer and PhD candidate at the University of North Carolina where he examines the intrinsic relationship between the governance of petroleum extraction and Texas property ownership. To conduct this investigation, Trey uses a combination of semi-structured interviews with mineral rights stakeholders, archival research of Texas state legislative and judicial history, as well as participant-observation collected at mineral ownership conferences. His research has been featured on NPR, Texas Monthly Online, and the Houston Chronicle.

Posted: 04/19/2019

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The UNT Special Collections 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Timothy Vale

Posted: 04/18/2019

The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Laura Lee Oviedo

Laura L. Oviedo is a PhD candidate at Texas A&M University who grew up along the U.S.-Mexico border in Pharr, Texas. She is currently a Smithsonian Pre-Doctoral Curatorial Fellow in the Division of Political and Military History at the National Museum of American History. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2020 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee Laura Lee Oviedo Project Title Belonging in Nation and War: Latinas and the Politics of Identity, Militarization, and Labor/s in Texas and Puerto Rico during World War II Project Description Belonging in Nation and War draws on oral histories, material culture, archival sources, and ethnography to provide a transnational history of Latina labor/s and military participation in Texas and Puerto Rico as important tools for survival, opportunities, and civil rights for Latinxs during and after World War II. Laura Lee Oviedo examines how the ideological, cultural, and institutional processes of militarization helped construct ideas of race, citizenship, sex and public health, labor/s, and nation. This dissertation considers how U.S. colonialism and empire in Texas and Puerto Rico, including their geo-political importance to U.S.-Latin American relations and hemispheric defense influenced wartime policies that shaped Latina’s relationship to family, community, and nation. Biography Laura L. Oviedo is a PhD candidate at Texas A&M University who grew up along the U.S.-Mexico border in Pharr, Texas. She is currently a Smithsonian Pre-Doctoral Curatorial Fellow in the Division of Political and Military History at the National Museum of American History. Specializing in 20th century American history, her research employs an intersectional lens and interdisciplinary methodology to examine the relationship between war, identity, citizenship, labor, and civil rights. In addition to her dissertation, Laura’s oral history interviews with the distinguished Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment aka the Borinqueneers, Congressional Gold Medal recipients for their service in the Korean War, will be deposited as the first Latino military history collection in the NMAH Archives.

Posted: 04/18/2019

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The UNT Special Collections 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Edward Etkins

Posted: 04/17/2019

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The UNT Special Collections 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Niloofar Gholamrezaei

Posted: 04/17/2019

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The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Alejandra C. Garza

Alejandra C. Garza is currently the American Historical Association Career Diversity Fellow and a PhD candidate in the History Department at the University of Texas at Austin. She is also a portfolio student in the Mexican American Latina/o Studies Department. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2020 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee Alejandra C. Garza Project Title From Laborers to Legends: The Life and Memory of Vaqueros in South Texas Throughout the Twentieth Century Project Description This project will utilize the Texas Borderlands Newspaper Collection for research about vaqueros in South Texas during the twentieth century. This research will be a vital part of Alejandra C. Garza’s dissertation at UT-Austin. Additionally, she will create a three-panel exhibit of notable newspapers and their content related to vaqueros which could be shown in partnership with the Hebbronville Museum Foundation in Jim Hogg County. Biography Alejandra C. Garza is currently the American Historical Association Career Diversity Fellow and a PhD candidate in the History Department at the University of Texas at Austin. She is also a portfolio student in the Mexican American Latina/o Studies Department. Her research centers around twentieth century South Texas ranching communities and historical memory. Alejandra is a Texas native and grew up in South Texas. In 2014 she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas A&M University-Kingsville with a B.A. in History and a minor in Journalism.

Posted: 04/17/2019

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The UNT Special Collections 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - John Carranza

John A. Carranza is a PhD candidate in the Department of History at the University of Texas at Austin, where he specializes in the history of medicine and disability. A San Antonio native, he received his BA from University of the Incarnate Word and his MA from the University of Texas at San Antonio. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2020 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee John A. Carranza Project Title Explaining Sex: Sex Education and Disability in the U.S. from the 1960s to the 1990s Project Description This project centers on how intimate relationships and human reproduction were formulated and challenged by social movements from the 1960s to the 1990s in the United States. The disability rights movement, women’s liberation, and gay liberation questioned popular conceptions of “normality” and sexuality, which informed how healthcare professionals responded to sex education for people with disabilities. The implication of such instruction simultaneously reinforced and complicated heterosexual marriage and the family as a social construct. Biography John A. Carranza is a PhD candidate in the Department of History at the University of Texas at Austin, where he specializes in the history of medicine and disability. A San Antonio native, he received his BA from University of the Incarnate Word and his MA from the University of Texas at San Antonio. For over a decade, he worked with children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities before leaving to pursue his PhD in Austin. During the 2019-2020 academic year, he will carry out dissertation research and continue as regular contributor to Synapsis: A Health Humanities Journal.

Posted: 04/16/2019

World's Longest History Lesson Replay

Posted: 04/15/2019

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Posted: 04/12/2019

The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee - Haley Brown

Haley Brown is a master’s student and Teaching Assistant at the University of North Texas who plans on graduating in Spring 2020. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and minor in English at the University of North Texas. In the 2019-2020 academic school year, Haley will complete her thesis on the lynching of women in Texas. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2020 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2019 Research Fellowship Awardee Haley Brown Project Title The Lynching of Women in Texas, 1885-1926 Project Description This project examines the lynching of women in Texas, who have been traditionally left out of the historical narrative. The lynching of these women mirrored the lynching of men in many ways, but once explored and analyzed the unique aspects associated with female lynchings will further the current understanding of lynching as a practice. Currently, a study of exclusively female lynching victims in Texas does not exist, and as such this research will help us better understand lynching and Southern violence. Biography Haley Brown is a master’s student and Teaching Assistant at the University of North Texas who plans on graduating in Spring 2020. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and minor in English at the University of North Texas. In the 2019-2020 academic school year, Haley will complete her thesis on the lynching of women in Texas. Her larger academic interests include Southern history, race relations, and violence. She plans to pursue a doctorate degree after completing her masters.

Posted: 04/12/2019

National Library Week

Posted: 04/03/2019

Robots Read On

Posted: 03/15/2019

New Programs for Open Educational Resources

Posted: 03/08/2019

Fall 2018 UNT Press Books Available Online

Posted: 02/25/2019

Three Questions with Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden

Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden is an Assistant Professor in the UNT College of Music, where she is the Classical Era and eighteenth century specialist on the music history faculty. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The libraries’ services are absolutely essential to my teaching. My courses are mostly at the graduate level and are designed primarily to show students how to research and write effectively. Most music graduate students, whether pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree, will need to complete a thesis or dissertation to graduate. And so they need to develop an applied understanding of how to systematically navigate the libraries’ many resources in in order to find reliable sources for their work. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? When I began to explore the rich materials housed in UNT’s music special collections, it occurred to me that they offered an ideal opportunity to provide students with a hands-on experience in primary source research. Most students have only learned history through secondary—even tertiary!—sources. The learning object of my advanced music research course is for Doctoral of Musical Arts students to learn how to design dissertation topic proposals. In the proposals, students must justify an original research project by posing a research question, writing a review of relevant literature, and choosing materials and methodologies to answer their question. I began the course with a basic (far too general!) research question: what role have women played in the UNT College of Music’s history? My students entered the UNT music special collections to find out. A fascinating array of research project designs emerged highlighting the many women who have contributed to the College of Music as administrators, faculty members, staff members, and students throughout the twentieth century. We found everything from photographs, to postcards, to bracelets and conducting batons! Of course, these were among the more expected music manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and letters. Quite a few students used the Julia Smith collection to develop vastly different research projects: one considered how Smith’s letters reveal the composer promoting women in classical music concerts, another explored the disputes that arose among Smith, her librettist, and the Girl Scouts of America during the writing of the libretto for her opera Daisy, and another questioned why Smith’s opera Cynthia Parker was so well received in 1940s Texas, but not upon its revival in the 1980s. One project focused on materials from eminent UNT librarian Anna Harriet Heyer’s pioneering music librarianship course from the 1940s. The students then contextualized these materials in larger research conversations in the field of women and music. While they acquired practical skills in research design, the students also took away what I think is a far more valuable lesson: that every history that we read is the result of a series of writers’ and researchers’ choices. Thus, we have an opportunity to tell more inclusive, and (I think) more compelling histories by digging into archives, telling new stories, and situating our results in relation to pre-existing scholarly conversations. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? While they acquired practical skills in research design, the students also took away what I think is a far more valuable lesson: that every history that we read is the result of a series of writers’ and researchers’ choices. Thus, we have an opportunity to tell more inclusive, and (I think) more compelling histories by digging into archives, telling new stories, and situating our results in relation to pre-existing scholarly conversations. Also, there are so many stories just waiting to be told in the UNT special collections, I would encourage even those who aren’t history buffs to check it out! Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden is an Assistant Professor in the UNT College of Music, where she is the Classical Era and eighteenth century specialist on the music history faculty. Her research on musical life in Enlightenment, Revolutionary, and Napoleonic France has appeared in journals including Studies in Eighteenth-Century Culture, Women & Music, and Transposition— musique et sciences sociales. Rebecca’s article “Music as Feminine Capital in Napoleonic France: Nancy Macdonald’s Musical Upbringing,” recently received the Music & Letters Centenary Prize for best original article in musicology. She received her Ph.D. from Duke University, where she was inducted into the Society of Duke Fellows.

Posted: 02/19/2019

UNT Digital Collections Get the Coloring Book Treatment

Posted: 02/08/2019

UNT's Fall 2018 Theses and Dissertations Now Available

Posted: 02/08/2019

Artist Lecture: Letitia Huckaby

Posted: 01/28/2019

Let's Get This Semester Started

Welcome to the new semester at UNT! We’ve listed a few services that will help you get the semester started off right. Welcome to the new semester at UNT! Here are some services that will help you get the semester started off right. Stay up to date on everything happening in the Libraries with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and our library Events page. Hours The new semester has started and Willis Library is now open 24/7! Our Service Desks have slightly different hours as does the Eagle Commons Library, Discovery Park Library and the Media Library. You can always find Today’s Hours for all our Libraries. Help We want you be successful at UNT! Check out some of the ways we can help: Ask Us, Your Subject Librarian, and Subject and Course Guides. Service Desks Stop by the Willis Library Services Desk to check out calculators, headphones, and phone chargers to help you study and to keep you connected. Eagle Commons Library Service Desk offers calculators and headphones. Discovery Park Library Service Desk has calculators for you to checkout. The Media Library Service Desk offers DVDs, games, and gaming equipment. The Music Library Service Desk has a lot to offer for checkout including headphones, a record player, and vinyl records nearby! Laptops Laptops (MacBooks and Dell PCs) are available for checkout at Willis Library 24 Commons, Discovery Park Library Service Desk, and Eagle Commons Library Service Desk. Printing We have a number of printers, scanners, and copiers located throughout the Libraries. Course Reserves Check our course reserves to see if we have your textbook for checkout, for free! Study Spaces We provide many different types of spaces within the Libraries for you to get your work done. Filter your options on our Spaces page and then click through to reserve a space, learn about the room’s amenities, find the noise level, and get directions. The Factory Our makerspace, The Factory, promotes the cooperative and creative use of technology. We provide the UNT community with access to equipment, software, and training that promotes innovative, cross-disciplinary learning. Stop by one of our locations in Willis Library (Room 137) or Discovery Park (Room M130).

Posted: 01/10/2019

Digital Scholarship at UNT

Posted: 11/27/2018

Maker-Tech creates campus braille map in The Factory for University Union

An enterprising student spent her summer hard at work in The Factory creating a new addition to UNT that will benefit the visually impaired members of the campus community for years to come. An enterprising student spent her summer hard at work in The Factory creating a new addition to UNT that will benefit the visually impaired members of the campus community for years to come. In May, The Factory was asked by former Student Government Association (SGA) President Barrett Cole to create a map of the UNT Campus that could be displayed in the University Union. The idea was the map would be tailored towards visually impaired students or visitors, and The Factory’s 3D printing capabilities could handle the braille required for the task. The Factory manager Judy Hunter tasked one of The Factory’s Maker-techs, UNT junior Jordan Barrett, with the project, which called for 54 3D campus buildings on a displayable map with braille labels and a braille key. Barrett came to UNT in 2016 after serving six years in the U.S. Navy. Her background with soldering as an electronics technician while stationed in Hawaii helped her find a home in The Factory. But 3D modeling was a whole new process for Barrett. She would also have to train herself in all kinds of different computer programs — from Adobe Illustrator to Blender to Meshmixer. “It was a lot of trial and error,” Barrett said. The design process took a month. After downloading a map of campus from the UNT website, Barrett traced the map in Illustrator before then lifting it into 3D in Blender. Each of these programs is available in The Factory. The most crucial step, braille, was next. Barrett took time to learn the best practices of braille, specifically braille signage. How much braille could fit on the buildings? Barrett originally wanted to label the street names in braille but found there wasn’t enough room. Instead, Barrett 3D modeled indents for the streets on the map so streets could be distinguished from the rest of the map’s surface. All of these intricacies made Barrett appreciate how difficult life is for the visually impaired. “I can’t imagine how people come up to this map and think, ‘Okay, let me somehow navigate my way from here to this building,’” Barrett said. “How do you know where the steps [on campus] are? It can be so dangerous. “I think the map is a great reference [for the visually impaired] to know where they are on campus,” Barrett says. “But it also helps those who aren’t visually impaired understand what those who are have to go through. [Then they] can brainstorm more ways to make this campus more inclusive.” While Barrett did the 3D modeling design, the factory maker-tech team also assisted in printing and preparing the project for display. That step of the project ran into some roadblocks because the Factory had not taken on a project like this before. “We’re working on technology that can fail, right?” Barrett said. “So there was so many trials and errors because we’ve never done this before. We wanted to do it in two colors, so we had a dual extruder printer. But it came out really bad [at first], so we had to take the time to figure out the correct settings.” The map size was three feet by three feet, but The Factory’s printer was smaller, so the process took time. Then there was bad luck to deal with. At one point, the map looked like it was made of spider-webs. “We had issues,” Barrett said of the printing process. “It was not sticking to the bed and it was warping. Sometimes the print would fail because the design was just a little flawed.” The map was finally unveiled after months of work on Nov. 7. Barrett’s work on the campus map is just another example of how she is drawn to helping people after her military service. She aspires to work in cybersecurity and computer forensics after college. “Once you’ve done something much greater than you, it’s hard to come back and just do a nine-to-five job,” Barrett said. “What am I serving right now? So I want to end up doing something that can help someone.” The braille map is located just outside the Corner store near the front entrance to the Union. You can read more about Barrett and the braille map project here.

Posted: 11/15/2018

Image From The Portal To Texas History Featured In Mural

The Portal to Texas History has left its mark on a new mural in downtown Dallas. The Portal to Texas History has left its mark on a new mural in downtown Dallas. Wells Fargo & Company unveiled the latest addition to their Community Mural program on October 28 with a mural at their branch on the 2000 block of Greenville Avenue. The mural features images of the Hockaday School, the Arcadia Theater, Fair Park and the Dallas train depot. Pictures of local residents also overlay the mural’s background – a reconstruction of what that early Greenville block looked like. One of those local residents is the subject of a Rescuing Texas History photo from The Portal To Texas History: a portrait of a young woman wearing a dark fur dress and standing in front of a painted backdrop. Wells Fargo obtained the image with permission from The Private Collection of TB Willis, one of The Portal to Texas History’s partners. TB Willis purchased the photo and a collection of photographs of African Americans from an estate in Dallas, Texas. In addition to the collection of African-American photographs, The Private Collection of TB Willis consists of historical photographs of World War I military training base Camp MacArthur, church photos, buildings across Texas and family photo albums that include Willis family members and extended relatives who settled in Waco, Texas in the 19th century. Wells Fargo contacted the Portal to Texas History for permission to use the photo in their mural on Lower Greenville. Because The Portal does not own any of the images it provides, Mr. Willis himself granted permission for the photo to be used. The image of the young woman is the only mural image obtained from The Portal to Texas History for this particular mural, the 26th that Wells Fargo has created in Dallas alone. Other photographs from The Portal To Texas History adorn some of these local murals. Wells Fargo’s mural program has installed 361 unique murals across Texas. The latest mural on Lower Greenville can be seen at Wells Fargo Bank at 1931 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206.

Posted: 11/08/2018

Three Questions with Jannon Fuchs

Dr. Jannon Fuchs is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at The University of North Texas. Her research interests include developmental neuroscience with a focus on primary cilia in the birth and survival of cells in the nervous system. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? 2. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Libraries are vital to biologists and other scientists, especially the electronic subscriptions component. I access electronic journals and/or the database Qinsight several times a week for my neuroscience learning, research, and teaching. Many of the students in my lab (I would like to say all…) find these to be essential resources which are useful on a weekly to daily basis. We use electronic journals through the UNT library so that we can keep up with the latest on topics and methods that impact our research. Biology is extremely diverse yet highly integrated, and the literature is expanding exponentially. Biologists’ universal complaint is that there isn’t enough time for the monumental task of “keeping up with the literature.” For biologists who fall too far behind, the prospect for writing fundable grant proposals is dismal. I remember too well the 1960s, ‘70s, and early ‘80s, when computerized articles and databases were but a dream. We searched the library’s shelves and paged through the latest journal issues. I took notes on a 3X5 card for each article I read, and filed cards and articles by subject and author. On Tuesdays the library would receive the latest issue of Current Contents for Biology & Medicine. It contained the table of contents of all journals, listed by subtopic. About half of the journals we needed were not in the library, so we sent our postcards to request reprints. Some authors sent reprints only to people at prestigious universities in the U.S. As authors, we purchased stacks of glossy reprints (black-and-white, of course), and when we got postcard requests, we addressed envelopes, figured out postage, and proudly stuffed the mailbox. I have many reprints left over, so if you would like some, please send me a postcard. Yes, we have come a long way. Today, the literature is much more vast–and so is the repertoire we are expected to process. It is the age of burgeoning information. Now what we need are innovations to streamline how articles are reviewed and published, and to facilitate how we obtain, extract, and synthesize pertinent information. Not everything has come up roses. Although journals are now online, and many are exclusively online, electronic subscriptions can be prohibitively expensive for libraries. We are privileged that UNT does so well in providing electronic journal subscriptions, yet some have a 1-year embargo period, and while we can procure any article through Interlibrary Loan, this is also costly for the library. Not surprisingly, tenuous bootleg sources of electronic articles are out there trying to serve the information age. A new problem is that most respected biomedical journals are charging authors upwards of $2500-3000 to publish, often with additional charges for color images or for Open Access. Sadly, I’m sitting on manuscripts largely because I lack the funds to publish in appropriate journals. Solutions have not caught up with the problem. Imagine a global system where all scientists could receive in proportion to their ability to give? That is not how it works. In classroom teaching, as in research, I often ask students to prepare in-depth reports. I demonstrate briefly how to access journal articles through the UNT library website and how to research a topic using Qinsight and PubMed. These skills also come in handy for understanding medical diagnoses. By the way, if you have a question in biology or medicine and have not tried Qinsight, you are in for a revolutionary treat. It is our go-to “big data artificial intelligence platform for discovering hidden insights from the biomedical literature,” so thankfully, UNT subscribes to it. This database does many things, but its main value is that by entering a couple of terms, you retrieve all of the references using both/all of these terms within the same sentence, and those sentences are presented with both/all terms highlighted. There may be no faster way to see whether there is a relationship between, say, smoking and Parkinson’s disease. We sometimes read books concerning our research interests, usually as e-books or through Interlibrary Loan. Books are perfect for a quiet, contemplative afternoon perusing a topic from the comfort of a hammock. Highly specialized books are very expensive, and may consist of chapters by an assortment of authors, and containing redundant material that is not timely enough or not properly reviewed. But some chapters are prized for their clear explanations, new insights, or uniquely detailed lab protocols. I always consult books when preparing to teach courses on science writing and on science presentation (making illustrations, giving seminar talks, etc.). Science communication technology advances quickly, and I’m on the lookout for new books to recommend to the library and to students. Occasionally, I access publications in science education to see what is new and to pick up more tidbits of advice. I also admit to checking out scores of novels, children’s books, foreign language books, and sheet music, to enrich those other important aspects of life! My research program is in “hot” areas of biomedical research, and we face major challenges to compete with labs in medical schools with superb facilities, cutting-edge technologies, and a plethora of expertise just down the hall. I’m continually looking for unique niches and angles that no one else is likely to think of, so that my lab has a few months of lead-time before other labs have a chance to propose the work that we are already doing. To do that, I try to be broadly well-informed, current, resourceful, creative, and limber. I could not strive to do that without the library! Dr. Jannon Fuchs is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at The University of North Texas. Her research interests include developmental neuroscience with a focus on primary cilia in the birth and survival of cells in the nervous system.

Posted: 11/07/2018

Texas Edges Lecture Series: Max Krochmal

UNT Libraries will welcome Dr. Max Krochmal, Associate Professor of History at Texas Christian University and author of Blue Texas: The Making of a Multiracial Democratic Coalition in the Civil Rights Era as the first speaker in the new Texas Edges Lecture Series. UNT Libraries will welcome Dr. Max Krochmal, Associate Professor of History at Texas Christian University and author of [Blue Texas: The Making of a Multiracial Democratic Coalition in the Civil Rights Era][] as the first speaker in the new Texas Edges Lecture Series. Dr. Krochmal’s lecture, titled “Civil Rights in Black and Brown: Oral Histories of the Liberation Struggles in Texas,” will feature the Civil Rights in Black and Brown Oral History Project, a statewide research initiative that has collected more than 530 new interviews to reconstruct the hidden history of the overlapping African American and Mexican American civil rights movements in Texas. The lecture will take place from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, November 29 in Willis Library, Room 250H and is free to the public. Dr. Krochmal hopes to provide needed insight into the intertwining histories of the African American and Mexican American civil rights movements in Texas. “Not one but two insurgencies challenged [Texas]’s twin caste systems, and they did so in intimate conversation. They flourished in unlikely places, urban and rural, and spanned decades before and after 1965, continuing into the 21st century. Despite the slow pace of change, activists of all ages forged powerful movements for self-determination. Some filed lawsuits for school integration and canvassed door-to-door to win political power. Others picketed to demand criminal justice reform and sought to improve public services in their cities. Still more activists joined unions and built neighborhood associations to challenge ongoing economic injustice. Across the Lone Star State, organizers pointed out the ways in which integration failed to produce equity, prompting them to also build their own community-controlled healthcare, educational, and cultural institutions. Women played leading roles throughout these campaigns, challenging the sexism of their comrades as well as that of the larger society. The polyglot activists also developed a variety of relationships with one another, from protracted collaboration to stiff competition—and everything in between.” The Texas Edges Lecture Series aims to emphasize innovative work pushing boundaries in various directions – digital in many cases, but other ways, too. This is a new lecture series to take place every fall in collaboration with the UNT Department of History and The Portal to Texas History.

Posted: 11/07/2018

Monthly Spotlight: Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

In the spirit of rediscovery during National Native American Heritage Month, we decided to round up a few resources from UNT Libraries about the rich indigenous cultures of Texas. Here’s a fun mental exercise. Next time you’re making the commute to campus or taking a shortcut on one of the many farm-to-market roads scattered throughout the metroplex, take a moment to imagine your route without any of the modern features you take for granted. Remove the cars from the road. Remove the road. Wipe the signs and roadside businesses from the corners of your vision. Try to picture what this area looked like before. It’s a small thing, that appreciation, but it’s worth the few minutes to remember what Texas was to the people who called this land home before European colonization. Especially this November, officially designated National Native American Heritage Month. In that spirit of rediscovery, we decided to round up a few resources from UNT Libraries about the rich indigenous cultures of Texas. Caddo: The Namesake The Caddo were an agricultural society that called the Piney Woods of East Texas home, and their territory stretched out into Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The Caddo relied heavily on the abundant forest wood to build their sturdy huts, canoes, and bows. Their position in East Texas made their downfall a complicated one, as documented in The Caddo Indians: Tribes at the Convergence of Empires. Various European nations made contact with the Caddo around the same time – Spain first, in a bloody clash with the Hernando de Soto Expedition. As explorers and settlers from France, England, and the United States followed over the next century, the sophisticated Caddo tribes negotiated peace treaties with each European nation they came in contact with. Their amenable nature toward the white European colonists kept them out of the crosshairs of American removal campaigns for a while; various Caddo tribes agreed to resettlement treaties leading up to the Texas Revolution in the 1830s. Anglo-American settlers in the region used táysha (the Caddoan word for “friend”) to name their new country: The Republic of Texas. Lipan Apache: West Texas Warriors The Apache people is still one of the most significant Native American cultures in the United States. Over 111,000 Apache peoples exist today, a reminder of just how vast and culturally diverse the Apache world was at its peak. Apache ancestors are thought to have migrated from Canada, and two Apache tribes eventually matriculated to the Texas area. While the Mescaleros moved to New Mexico, the Lipan Apaches held sway over West Texas. (The Apaches: Eagles of the Southwest tries to weave the sprawling Apache history into one book.) While Apache people are remembered for their skill on horseback and fierce defense of their homelands in wars with the United States, UNT Libraries offers a few fascinating books about Apache culture. Apache Women Warriors by Kimberly Moore Buchanon Women in Apache society were asked to serve in many different roles, setting them apart from European and American women of the day. They fought in battles, served as religious mentors and were far less passive than pop culture might have you believe. Apache Mothers and Daughters: Four Generations of a Family by Ruth McDonald Boyer and Narcissus Duffy Gayton Along the same lines, this book follows one Apache family for 35 years to show “the key roles women play in tribal life” and “the strength and the stamina of Apache women.” Karankawa: Lords of the Coast Ask Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, one of four survivors of the doomed Narváez expedition in 1527, and he’ll tell you the Karankawa were a peaceable sort. Nevertheless, harmful myths have evolved about the Karankawa over the centuries, no doubt because the Europeans who wrote about them coveted their coastal lands. But de Vaca, the first European to make contact with a Texas Native American culture, was not only nursed back to health by the Karankawa but allowed to live among them as a trader for seven years. French explorers later also reported the Karankawa were a friendly people adaptable to the unpredictable coastal weather and particularly adept at facilitating trade among both native tribes and new Europeans. Instead, it seems it was Texan colonists that spurred the Karankawa into the sort of violence they are known for today. Moses Austin, the father of Stephen F. Austin, tried to settle 300 families in the Galveston area in 1821. The Karankawa resisted the settlement of their lands, and the two groups fought violently for the next decade until Stephen F. Austin drove the Karankawa from their homelands. The Karankawa essentially died out by 1858, ending the reign of one of Texas’ most potent and influential early native peoples. You can read more about these important early Texans here. Jumano: The First Traders Haven’t heard of the Jumano people before? Many haven’t. Spanish explorers in the 16th century recorded meetings with them, but their expansive travel network kept anthropologists from pinning them down for centuries. Then came University of Texas anthropologist Nancy Hickerson and her 1994 book, The Jumanos: Hunters and Traders of the South Plains. Billed as the first full-length study of the elusive Jumano society, the book explains the crucial role the Jumano played as traders and political movers-and-shakers along what would become the Rio Grande border between Texas and Mexico, stretching as far east as Caddo territory. Hickerson’s book argues the Jumano became mercenaries and spies for the Spanish before disease reduced their numbers and their influence by the 1750s. Her book fills in gaps not only in the history of South Texas but the trade interplay between native tribes in the South Plains. The Jumanos may not be the enigma they once were, as their importance to Texas is just beginning to be unearthed. Wichita, Tawakoni and Waco: People of Gold Someone once convinced a Spanish explorer named Francisco Coronado that he had seen one of the fabled Seven Cities of Gold in a place that would become the American southwest. Following his claim was a mistake that led to the European discovery of the Wichita people in Kansas on one of the most fruitless and consequential Spanish explorations in history. In 1541, Coronado’s expedition had reached and razed Cibola, a pueblo town in New Mexico they incorrectly thought was one of the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. Undeterred, Coronado followed a tip from a Native American slave named The Turk that the real city of gold (named Quivira) lay elsewhere. He eventually reached Quivira near present-day Dodge City, Kansas. There he encountered the tall Wichita people, likely one of the numerous tribes dotting the plains that spoke the same language. The only gold was the sunlight glinting off their large, dome-shaped straw huts in a scattered pattern that indicated a people unaccustomed to threats. That changed after European contact and the encroachment of the Apache from the south and Osage from the east. By the 1700s, these factors had pushed the various Wichita peoples out of their homelands, and some settled as far south as the North Texas area, where two Wichita tribes lived: the Tawakoni and the Waco. The Wichita were not a nomadic people until contact with Europeans, and F. Todd Smith’s book illustrates how the Wichita, so separated from one another and their ancestral lands, struggled for survival in new lands during the 18th and 19th centuries in the area many UNT students call home today. Comanche: A Proud Texas People The Comanche carved out a unique place in the history of North America’s native people due to their bands’ vigorous warfare, nomadic lifestyle and the important role of “The Comanche Code-Talkers” during World War II. A few of the five major bands of Comanche ruled swaths of Texas, including the Penateka (Central Texas), Quahadis (Panhandle) and the Nokoni, Tanima and Tenawa (Cross Timbers region, including Denton). The Comanche were defined by horses and democracy, the former giving them mobility to hunt and fight well and the latter providing Comanche society with an individual freedom that clashed with the invasive and divergent European cultures. It took almost 200 years for various countries – first Spain, then Mexico and the Republic of Texas, and finally the United States) to remove “the Lords of the Southern Plains” from their vast territory, a series of conflicts known as The Comanche Wars. It’s no wonder a people with such a prominent role in American history has over 80 resources available through UNT Libraries. Here are just a few that stand out: The Comanche Empire by Pekka Hämäläinen The author of this book set out to challenge the assumption Native Americans were passive victims of European expansion. Instead, The Comanche Empire traces the Comanche’s path to power and the fierce resistance they put up to save their empire. Myth, Memory, and Massacre: The Pease River Capture of Cynthia Ann Parker by Paul H. Carlson and Tom Crum Cynthia Ann Parker was only 10 years old when her family was murdered by Comanche in 1836. Taken captive, she lived as a Comanche for the next 24 years, fully embracing her new life. This book recounts her recapture and reassimilation into settler society in 1860 by Texas Rangers: “The reports of these events had implications far and near … for Parker, they separated her permanently and fatally from her Comanche husband and two of her children; for Texas, they became the stuff of history and legend.” Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S.C. Gwynne Cynthia’s son, Quanah Parker, became the last chief of the Comanche during the Red River War, the military campaign by the United States to remove Native American tribes from the Southern Plains. When Quanah Parker surrendered at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, it marked the end of Native American’s free life on the plains.

Posted: 11/02/2018

Library Legacies: Jean Harden

Library Legacies is a story series featuring the faculty and staff that have been longtime members of the UNT Libraries. Library Legacies is a story series featuring the faculty and staff that have been longtime members of the UNT Libraries. How long have you worked at the libraries? Jean had already started working in cataloging when she was told about a new opportunity as a Music Cataloging Librarian at UNT Libraries. After interviewing in the summer, she moved from Rochester, New York to Denton, Texas in September 1994. She was able to find an apartment from a connection of a person retiring from the music library. Moving in the heat of the summer wasn’t ideal, so Jean made sure to contact Denton Co Utilities to ensure that water and electricity would be turned on when she arrived. Email wasn’t quite popular yet, and they were hesitant to provide service without her coming into their office. After many phone calls and explanations of “I live in New York and cannot come in” they finally acquiesced if she promised to come in the day after she arrived, and with that she prepared for her move to Texas. What jobs have you had at the libraries? Jean started in the Music Library as a Music Cataloging Librarian and continued in that position until 2013 when she became the Coordinator of Music Technical Services. Do you have a favorite collection? Jean loves medieval music. To complete her doctorate from Cornell she studied for one year in Paris to complete her dissertation entitled “Sharps, flats, and scribes: Musica ficta in the Machaut manuscripts”. Machaut is a poet and composer who wrote in the 14th century. What are three things you do in your job? Besides coordinating music cataloging, Jean is a member of RDA (Resource Description and Access). This international committee works to set a standard for descriptive cataloging and provides instructions and guidelines on formulating bibliographic data. Working internationally has provided Jean with great opportunities to contribute to her craft, and learning opportunities as well. In one case, the Finnish representative had vetoed proposed changes to a naming system regarding the pluralizing of titles. Upon further research, Jean found that making a work plural in Finnish doesn’t quite work the same as in English, it makes a whole new word. This would mean that similar titles would be placed nowhere near each other if the naming standards would to change. Jean entitled this debacle “The Finnish Exception”. Additionally, Jean is teaching a course on music cataloging. This hands on class allows students to practice cataloging with real items, and gifted students may even be able to process video. Jean’s textbook, recently featured in the Faculty Author Exhibit, is the cornerstone of this inverted classroom where students read outside of class and get practical experience during the lesson. What’s changed since you started here? Digitization has really gotten popular in every vein of library operations, books checkouts are recorded digitally and no longer with stamped cards and the cataloging databases Jean uses see constant improvements and changes. But even digitization of processes and materials has not reduced the enormous size of the music library. In a culling effort, over 60,000 titles were moved to remote storage, and Jean could hardly tell the difference when they were removed. The collection continues to grow and it’s currently over 300,000 titles. What is something you are looking forward to in the upcoming year? Jean will be retiring in May of 2019 and although she may be leaving UNT Libraries her work in cataloging will continue. She will be working on the second edition of her book, Music Description and Access: Solving the Puzzle of Cataloging. RDA will be releasing updated standards soon so Jean plans to update her textbook “Music Description and Access: Solving the Puzzle of Cataloging.”

Posted: 10/16/2018

Monthly Spotlight: Fossils Rock!

The first week of October is upon us, and so is National Fossil Day. The National Park Service and the American Geosciences Institute host the National Fossil Day festivities each year, and that inspired us to dive into our UNT Libraries bookshelves to find out what kind of fossilized, dino-riffic resources we have available. Lots, as it turns out! So join us as we dive into some rocks, bones, and books. The first week of October is upon us, and so is National Fossil Day. The National Park Service and the American Geosciences Institute host the National Fossil Day festivities each year, and that inspired us to dive into our UNT Libraries bookshelves to find out what kind of fossilized, dino-riffic resources we have available. Lots, as it turns out! So join us as we dive into some rocks, bones, and books. Fossils – What Are They? What defines a fossil? Look no further than its name: fossilis is Latin for “obtained by digging.” As the eons pass, things die. As living things died out, they become preserved through some hard-to-pronounce ways such as: Permineralization Authigenesis Adpression Bioimmuration And so on. But for simplicity’s sake, we’ll say that things die, a lot of dirt falls on them, and they get preserved for paleontologists to dig up thousands of years later. And we mean thousands upon thousands. Consider that recorded human history only dates as far back as six thousand years ago. Humans, as they appear today, didn’t evolve until 200,000 years ago. Meanwhile, estimates for the earliest life on earth range anywhere from 3.77 to 4.5 billion years ago. That’s quite a gap, and fossils are the key to filling it in. Ever since Charles Darwin introduced evolution to the world, paleontology has worked to explain it. So what kinds of formerly living things can become fossils? We know dinosaurs can, but that’s just one example. Luckily you don’t have to be a giant thing to get stuck in a rock for millions of years. As Helmut Mayr’s handy guide points out, anything from small birds to insects has been found fossilized by paleontologists. The fossils that require microscopes to study are some of the most important finds because they help paleontologists study changes in the Earth’s climate over millions of years. So next time you use hand sanitizer know you’ve made a future paleontologist cry. Let’s Talk About Dinosaurs As you know from movies such as “Jurassic Park” and “The Land Before Time,” we were not always the top species on the planet. For about 177 million years, these wondrous and mysterious beasts roamed the supercontinent of Pangea. Books like “The Historical Atlas of The Earth” offer a good sense of what their world was like back then. Think Houston, but everywhere: the 45th parallel – around the United States-Canada border today – felt as humid, muggy and warm as a summer morning in Galveston. The North Pole was green with vegetation. And then everything died. More on that in a second. Fans of “Jurassic Park” will be pleased to learn that some of the dinosaurs featured in those films likely roamed right here in North Texas. According to “Dinosaurs of the Southwest,” the fossils of “carnivorous dinosaurs are reported to be more common in Cretaceous strata in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, and Utah than in beds of the same age in the northern regions of the United States.” The author, Ronald Paul Ratkevich, tells a particularly stirring tale of local paleontology: “One particularly interesting discovery was made at Glen Rose, Texas. In lower Cretaceous limestone, representing an ancient beach, the tracks of a great sauropod could be seen making their way across the mud. Superimposed on these are the footprints of a large carnosaur clearly on the hunt. When the sauropod tracks turn to one direction, so do those of the carnosaur; its own clawed feet stepping directly onto the deeper prints of its prey.” Glen Rose is an hour and a half away from Denton. The Great Extinction Wars The Atlantic published a fascinating article recently about the ongoing debate over the fate of the dinosaurs in the scientific community. The dinosaurs all died out 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event, which claimed the life of three-quarters of the Earth’s biosphere. (In case you were wondering, no, that isn’t the worst extinction event in our planet’s history. That would be the Permian-Triassic extinction event, also known as “The Great Dying,” that killed off 96 percent of marine species and 70 percent of land animals. Even insects died en masse. Gulp.) We thought we solved the mystery of dinosaur death in 1980 when scientists discovered evidence supporting the theory a massive asteroid struck the Yucatan Peninsula and caused the K-Pg extinction. Many books about this solution are in UNT Libraries, including some written shortly after the discovery and years beyond. However, as the article in The Atlantic points out, the asteroid theory is coming under renewed scrutiny. And that’s a good thing: science’s role is to keep asking questions and looking at the evidence. That’s where fossils still play a huge role. Meanwhile, our research for this article seriously heightened our interest in extinctions beyond that of the dinosaurs. In the process, we discovered dozens of fascinating books written in the past 20 years about the subject, from the Ice Age animals to the importance of fossils in understanding extinctions to the extinctions humans could cause and are causing. Here’s just a few: The Call of Distant Mammoths: Why the Ice Age Mammals Disappeared Did you know the last mammoths were alive around the time the Egyptians were building the pyramids? That’s less than 4,000 years ago. The Worst of Times: How Life on Earth Survived Eighty Million Years of Extinctions The fact we’re around even to examine fossils is remarkable. This book explains the resiliency of life on Earth. As one might expect, many recent books about extinctions focus on global warming and the future. Some examples are Under A Green Sky, Seasick, The Sixth Extinction, and Terra. Perhaps we should be grateful for the death of the dinosaurs since it more or less led to the rise of humanity. And author Jan Zalasiewicz asks a fascinating question in the title of her book The Earth After Us: What Legacy Will Humans Leave in the Rocks? Someday our species will be fossils, too! Where can I do fossil-hunting of my own? Ah, the age-old question first posed to us by Star Wars: Where’d you dig up that old fossil? Any kid who got to go on a “dig” field trip in elementary school loved it. The good news is that option is still available to you! We already mentioned Glen Rose, home of the Dinosaur Valley State Park. The Ladonia Fossil Park holds cretaceous fossils as well as remains of more recent animals like sharks and mammoths. Just up the road, in Sherman, you can park off Travis Street and find fossilized shells at Post Oak Creek. Finally, the fossil park in Mineral Wells lets you bring fossils you find back home with you, the dream of anyone who watched “Jurassic Park” and thought that was a good idea.

Posted: 09/27/2018

UNT Libraries to receive 2018 Archival Award of Excellence for NBC5/KXAS digitization

UNT Libraries is the 2018 recipient of the Archival Award of Excellence. The Texas Historical Records Advisory Board (THRAB) selected UNT Libraries’ work to preserve the NBC5/KXAS Television News Archive. UNT Libraries is the 2018 recipient of the Archival Award of Excellence. The Texas Historical Records Advisory Board (THRAB) selected UNT Libraries’ work to preserve the NBC5/KXAS Television News Archive. Over the past few years, UNT Libraries has worked to digitize records from NBC5/KXAS, the oldest television news station in Texas. UNT Libraries has worked to preserve 20,000 individual news segments dating from 1951 and raised over $600,000 to support continued efforts. The THRAB notes these are “significant achievements in safeguarding and promoting our state’s rich documentary heritage.” The NBC5/KXAS (WBAP) Television News Archive Project began in 2013 with the transfer of the KXAS physical archive from Fort Worth to Denton. By July 2014, the first digitized content from the collection made its way online. So far, the team has successfully digitized and shared over 10,000 archival news segments and over 36,000 original broadcast scripts to The Portal to Texas History. The UNT Libraries Special Collections team members also work closely with filmmakers to identify relevant footage in the archive and perform scan-on-demand requests to make it available for news and documentary programming. Filmmakers and UNT librarians then negotiate licensing agreements for commercial uses of film, creating a stream of revenue to be invested back into the project fund. PBS, Vice News, ESPN, NFL Films, A&E, Investigation Discovery, and the Sundance Channel are just a few of the many outlets to take advantage of the UNT Libraries’ NBC5/KXAS project. Some of the footage includes: The AIDS crisis as it unfolded in Dallas in the 1980’s Ann Richard’s gubernatorial campaign in 1990 In-depth coverage of the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco in 1993 Footage of Liberace, Bob Hope and John Belushi (among many other celebrities) Comprehensive coverage of boxing, golf, and football. Through the NBC5/KXAS digitization project, UNT Libraries can watch the complete history of television news unfold before our eyes as footage is added to the digital library. The Archival Award of Excellence was established by the THRAB to “honor a Texas institution for its projects and/or ongoing programs that build collections, enhance access to archives, develop effective digitization programs, or implement preservation strategies.” UNT’s efforts with the NBC5/KXAS archives are only possible through the cooperation and coordinated efforts of many UNT Libraries’ departments including Administrative Offices, Facilities and Systems, Digital Libraries, Special Libraries, and External Relations and Advancement. UNT’s selection as the 2018 Archival Award of Excellence recipient will be formally announced by the THRAB on October 1 to kick off their Texas Archives Month celebration. Members of the NBC5/KXAS digitization project team will be present for the award presentation during the DFW Archives Bazaar on October 14 at Dallas Heritage Village. UNT Libraries Honored for Work Digitizing NBC 5 Archive

Posted: 09/24/2018

photograph of a smiling man sitting in a canoe with a laptop

Three Questions with Scot McFarlane

Scot McFarlane grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, and Palestine, Texas near the Trinity River. Currently a Ph.D. Candidate at Columbia University, his work has appeared in The Journal of Southern History and Environmental History. At Columbia, Scot has helped teach Mexican History, the History of the South, the History of New York, and is currently drafting a syllabus for a seminar on the history of rivers in North America. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal represents the single most important source for my dissertation. In my research database I currently have over five-hundred different sets of documents and clippings that I have found on the Portal, and I am still finding more relevant information! Likewise, the Portal should be a great teaching resource at all level of education from high school to graduate study: its vast collections make it possible to assign a research paper and have students do focused searches on any aspect of Texas history. You are not simply sending students out to get lost “googling” things, the Portal is a much more effective starting point. The fact that the Portal is a free database means that no matter where I am researching or teaching that I will be able to depend on it throughout my career. 2. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal has made it possible for me to do the research necessary to cover the time and space that I have proposed for my dissertation on Trinity River in the 19th and 20th century. My geographic focus is at once narrow and broad, I am only interested in places within ten miles of the river, but of course the Trinity cuts across the entire state of Texas. The Portal allows me to explore this particular swath of the state’s history—mainly I can use the keyword functions while also reviewing sources tagged by county. At this point I have visited about fifty different archives spread throughout Texas and the rest of the United States, and all of that travel is constrained by both money and time. In contrast, I have been able to do sustained research on the Portal from any location. Knowing that my research on the Portal has been as comprehensive as possible has given me the confidence to start writing. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Though North Texas and East Texas may appear to be two very different places, the history of the Trinity River shows how these two worlds are connected, both physically and politically. While it was North Texas boosters who wanted to canalize and destroy the Trinity River in the middle of the twentieth-century, they relied on an array of local politicians and elites all along the river. Similarly, in 1973 when the plans to canalize were put to a vote in all of the Trinity River counties it was a coalition of people in both East Texas and North Texas who defeated the much better funded canal proponents. Rural people are rarely labeled as environmentalists but, like many of the East Texans in the history of the Trinity River, they both understand and care deeply about the landscape they call home. Scot McFarlane grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, and Palestine, Texas near the Trinity River. Currently a Ph.D. Candidate at Columbia University, his work has appeared in The Journal of Southern History and Environmental History. At Columbia, Scot has helped teach Mexican History, the History of the South, the History of New York, and is currently drafting a syllabus for a seminar on the history of rivers in North America. Prior to moving to NYC, Scot taught writing and history at high schools in the Willamette River Valley of Oregon. You can follow his research on his blog.

Posted: 09/20/2018

Monthly Spotlight: All Fun And Video Games

Welcome back to UNT Libraries, students! Let’s talk about video games. Yes, that sentence sounds a little anachronistic. Libraries and video games? Who runs this place, dogs and cats? (Ed. note: We wish.) The truth is you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more well-rounded collection of gaming-related resources than here at UNT Libraries. Our Media Library hosts a plethora of classic and new titles to play for yourself, but the sheer range of video game books across our libraries may surprise you. Whether you want to learn how to create games, learn how the industry works or study the psychological and sociological effects of gaming, UNT Libraries has a book for you. Gaming is for everyone, the saying goes and nowhere is that more accurate than at UNT Libraries. Let’s explore just a fraction of your options! If we don’t touch on something you like, searching for video games in our catalog is easy: just follow this link and browse to your heart’s delight. Let’s Just Game! God of War (2018) Yep. We’ve brought out the big guns first. One of (if not the) most critically acclaimed games of the year is yours to borrow from UNT Libraries. If you’re a fan of Norse mythology, action games, elaborate stories about father-son relationships and large axes, then we can’t recommend this title enough. Journey Released in 2012 by a tiny studio in California, Journey features a simple premise with profound emotional experiences. You play as a robed figure traversing an immense desert toward the peak of a distant mountain. Journey earned a Grammy nomination, numerous awards and is generally considered one of the greatest games of all time. It’s not time-consuming, though! You can complete Journey in one sitting. Rocket League Combine soccer and Hot Wheels toys, and you get this surprise hit video game. Rocket League is the perfect competitive game to wind down with after a long day of classes and studying, and it’s a great one to play with your roommates. How Games Are Made Blood, Sweat, and Pixels Billed as a collection of “the triumphant, turbulent stories behind how video games are made,” this book by Kotaku writer Jason Schreier is a must-read for any fans of the gaming medium. Schreier’s in-depth reporting shows just how grueling it was to create some of your favorite games, from successes (like Destiny, The Witcher 3 and Dragon Age: Inquisition), infamous failures (Star Wars 1313) and many, many more. Women in Game Development: Breaking the Glass Level-Cap Much like game culture itself, game development is usually considered a dominion for men. At least, it was: the last ten years have shown that games are for everyone and have been for everyone all along. But the development of games has not quite opened doors so readily to women, who suffer through harassment, dead-end careers, and minimization to this day. Veteran game designer Jennifer Brandes Hepler gives the women of game development a voice and hope in this remarkable book. How Games are Written A Mind Forever Voyaging: A History of Storytelling in Video Games Moral gaming in Ultima IV. The rise of cutscenes in Metal Gear Solid. The expensive interactive cinema of Heavy Rain and indie-budget minimalism of Dear Esther. Dylan Holmes traces the evolution of narrative technique in video games from the early 80’s to the present day in A Mind Forever Voyaging, a book that “captures the best that video games have to offer.” The Game Narrative Toolbox Hey, look, another outstanding book by Jennifer Brandes Hepler! She and three other experienced narrative game designers joined together in 2015 to create this essential text for any writers considering a career in the video games industry. The Toolbox is full of exercises, as well. Books About Game Culture Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win The Fight Against Online Hate Zoe Quinn was a video game developer when her ex-boyfriend posted a negative blog post in 2014 about her that sparked “Gamergate,” a sustained harassment campaign conducted against female developers and journalists that rocked video game culture to its core. Gamergate was a heated front on our broader culture war still being fought today across society. Quinn’s book discusses how Gamergate harmed her and how gaming culture can be better. God In The Machine: Video Games as Spiritual Pursuit “Free will vs. determinism, the importance of ritual, transcendence through mastery, notions of the self, justice and sin, life, death, and resurrection—these all come into play in the video games that some critics so easily write off as mind-numbing wastes of time.” Author Liel Liebowitz creates a staggering comparison between the storytelling power of video games and the great philosophers of our past in a book full of optimism about how gaming can enrich our lives. It isn’t a hard book to read, however! It’s a pretty easy thing for a book that tackles such big subjects. The Big Questions About Gaming How to Talk About Videogames Author Ian Bogost writes that video games are “part art and part appliance, part tableau and part toaster.” That zany description is just a taste of this book’s dive into the fundamental difference between video games and other kinds of art. Bogost examines familiar games like Madden NFL, Mario Kart, and Ms. Pac Man as well as fads like Flappy Bird and FarmVille to sort out the reasonable and unreasonable ways we treat gaming experiences. Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter Gaming culture has slowly crept into the mainstream conversation over the seven years since Tom Bissell wrote this acclaimed book. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time, however, especially if you still look down on the medium or want to know why you should care about it at all. Bissell goes to great lengths in this pseudo-memoir to explain the appeal, artistic capabilities and unique qualities of video games that make them a worthy peer of traditional art forms. Beyond Choices: The Design of Ethical Gameplay And yet, as games become more and more popular, important questions must be asked. Video games are a uniquely interactive medium, and many of them ask players to make moral choices. The severity of the consequences can vary, but one thing doesn’t: the effects remain inside the game reality. With that in mind, Miguel Sicart argues in Beyond Choices that “games that engage players ethically enable us to explore and express our values through play.” The book is a fascinating look at both the moral education available in video games and the incredible responsibility that puts upon game designers. The Video Game Debate: Unravelling the Physical, Social, and Psychological Effects of Video Games Social science research on video games is relatively new, but this book by Rachel Kowert and Thorsten Quandt received praise even within the games industry. The Video Game Debate is broader than Beyond Choices; it seeks answers to gaming questions our American culture has grappled with for decades. Do video games make children violent? Are video games addicting? Do they help or impair cognitive performance? This book is like an open forum, with views from students, game developers, politicians and scholars expressed alongside independent research.

Posted: 09/06/2018

GWR World's Longest History Lesson

With an assist from the Portal to Texas History, UNT Libraries and UNT associate history professor Andrew Torget kicked off the fall semester with a record-setting marathon. With an assist from the Portal to Texas History, UNT Libraries and UNT associate history professor Andrew Torget kicked off the fall semester with a record-setting marathon. A marathon of a different sort, however: beginning on Friday, August 24, Dr. Torget ran through more than 10,000 years of Texas history during an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the longest history lesson. Over the course of 26 hours and 33 minutes, Dr. Torget and a team of library employees, videographers, and impartial official witnesses managed to set and surpass the 24-hour world record. It was a multi-department effort over a year in the making. Dr. Torget, a member of the Advocacy Board, approached Assistant Dean for External Relations Dreanna Belden in 2017 with a unique idea: to raise money for the Portal to Texas History, he would lecture for over 24 hours and break a Guinness World Record. “I thought it would be big,” Belden said. Big and original, as it turned out. When Belden and Assistant Director of Departmental Marketing Joshua Sylve got in touch with Guinness, they learned nothing quite like this had been attempted before. To set the record, Dr. Torget would need to prepare and execute a lesson for 24 hours with a laundry list of guidelines. “It was [intimidating],” Sylve said. “It was a lot of reading and combing through [the Guinness guidelines] to see if there were any red flags that would impede us from even doing this. We realized we had enough individuals interested to at least get the ten witnesses to complete it. We were encouraged by that.” The UNT Libraries team decided they needed three main groups of people for such an event. The class, titled “pioneers” by the organizers, would need to be a large group of volunteers staying up with Dr. Torget as he taught. UNT Libraries External Relations scheduled 37 witnesses and had over 100 volunteers, including the class. Guinness required at least two witnesses to verify the attempt was completed and rules were met, and the witnesses had to remain on stage in shifts of four hours. Library staff volunteered to be captains that oversaw the critical duties of the witnesses. “The witnesses not only had to be at the lecture for a certain amount of time, but they also had to have their eyes on the students to make sure the students were awake and engaged,” Sylve said. “The witnesses had to be unbiased, basically saying ‘We’re not going to fib just to guarantee UNT makes the record.’ That was probably the most challenging group to secure.” The effort to host the event would span multiple UNT departments and facilities. The Union’s audio and visual team ensured the microphones, and Youtube live stream worked. Parking and Transportation helped volunteers and staff get in and out of lots safely in the middle of the night. URCM played a crucial role in getting the word out to media outlets. “Once the lesson finally started there was a weird peace,” Sylve said. “As long as [Dr. Torget] doesn’t stop talking we can handle this. It was really just a trust in him and him trusting in us that we’re prepared for everything.” By the time of the event, word of mouth had spread and drawn in passionate volunteers. “Even before we were starting, students were super into it,” UNT Libraries Administrative Specialist Sarah Allsup said. “So the students going into it were just excited about history and weren’t worried about setting a record.” Keeping everyone awake, engaged and well-nourished was a concern for the planning team. Allsup helped coordinate catering for the event. The pioneers were served lunch and dinner on Friday and breakfast on Saturday, with a scheduled snack and bathroom break every few hours during Dr. Torget’s lecture. Guinness made it clear the lesson could not be interrupted for very long at all to be considered legitimate. Dr. Torget had to hold court consistently, but he came prepared. “At no point did they want the lesson to be run by the students for cumulative five minutes,” Sylve said. “You’ll notice even as students were asking questions, [Dr. Torget] had a way of answering maybe just part of the question or repeating the question so he could take more control of the response.” The lead-up to the event wasn’t without some problem-solving. The official clock had to be replaced with minutes to spare, and graphic designer Samantha Lawrence spent mid-day on Friday re-evaluating the break schedule. “I spent two hours on an excel spreadsheet re-checking our two hour and fifty-minute carryovers,” Lawrence said. “So you saw me [on the live stream] frantically bringing sheets of paper to people after doing all of this math.” Dr. Torget’s lecture, which covered Texas history from the prehistoric era to the present day, was a fundraiser for the Portal to Texas History archive project run by UNT Libraries. As part of a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Portal is trying to raise $1.5 million by 2020. Half of that goal had been met, but as a member of the UNT Advocacy Board, Dr. Torget decided such an event could help push the Portal even further. “All of the money raised through this event goes to that,” Belden said. “The Portal is important because it’s literally transforming the way historians, educators and students explore and learn about Texas history. We’ve seen that demonstrated in the way college instructors use it across Texas, and teachers use it with elementary school children and all these methods that weren’t possible before.” Dr. Torget unofficially set the record at 9 am on Saturday, but pushed past the 24-hour requirement. When Guinness confirms the record in two months, Dr. Torget’s 26 hours, 33-minute runtime will go down in history. The outreach arm of the event was a success, as the attempt was broadcast live to over five thousand viewers on Youtube around the globe and began to spread on social media through word-of-mouth. “For the public relations value alone it was worth it,” Belden said. “It didn’t make national news, I think, but it did get picked up in lots of local markets. We heard people in Iowa and Boston saw it. One of the Dr. Torget family friends told them they sat down in Ireland at a pub and started watching [the live stream] and got the whole pub to watch.” The entire lesson and event will be posted on the Portal to Texas History by the end of September. For such a long, complicated event to go off without hiccups wasn’t surprising to the UNT Libraries team. Sylve says over a year of planning ensured every conceivable problem was thought of and prepared for, and the success of the event sets an excellent example for the entire UNT community. “It’s among the top ten things I’ve put myself through that I’m proud of,” Sylve said. “I think it really did forge belief in not just our team but teams across campus to see what we can do when we collaborate.”

Posted: 08/30/2018

Three Questions with Sangita Vasikaran

Sangita Vasikaran is a 17 year-old infectious virology researcher from the Texas Academy of Math and Science. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Library is critical to my research and learning! As our science reference librarian Ms. Erin O’Toole once told me, the specifics are easy to get online, but to gauge the field as a whole, books are where you will find it. Additionally, if I ever want a second pair of eyes to look over any of my work in the way it is worded, Ms. O’Toole is the person I go to first. The fact that I can blend my field with someone who has so much experience doing similar writing and scholarly work teaches me something new each time I visit her. Further, I am fortunate enough to be a part of the biology honor society, BBB, advised by Ms. O’Toole herself, another outlet to my constant endeavor to learn about the subject I enjoy so much. 2. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Research and learning have become more of a collaborative effort: rather than just something I do alone from my laptop in my room, with the library, I go out and hear personal experiences, tips, specialized stories, and all in all, receive deeply multifaceted help that builds my projects past a level that I have ever reached. Through this very interpersonal adventure, I also have been able to improve the way I am able to present my research, one of the most important elements to scholarship. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Be it science, art, history, or literature, there is always a quest for going past what is currently commonly known and further, sharing this with people. Being able to do this with the most complex topics helps connect us as humans towards a goal so much bigger than ourselves. Vaccines don’t cause autism! If we are able to achieve in full fledged scale the two objectives of research above, we could clear up this misconception. Sangita Vasikaran is a 17 year-old infectious virology researcher from the Texas Academy of Math and Science.

Posted: 08/28/2018

All are Welcome at UNT Libraries

Posted: 08/07/2018

Food for Fines

Posted: 08/03/2018

Three Questions with Giselle Greenidge

Ms. Giselle Greenidge is a doctoral student and Teaching Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the University of North Texas. Her major concentration is Global and Comparative Sociology and her minor concentration is Social Stratification. She earned master’s degrees in Behavioral Science and Merchandising. Her research interests include culture, globalization, and immigration. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. 1. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? Special Collections are invaluable resources to my learning and research. Specifically, the Black Academy of Arts and Letters’ archive has a wealth of educational materials that focus on the culture of Black minority groups in the U.S. such as African Americans and Caribbean Americans/West Indians. In addition, this archive also emphasizes the idea of Pan Africanism which is vital to my research on collaboration between the Black Academy of Arts and Letters and the Caribbean American community. Such a unique collection gives a diverse cultural perspective on Black art and history. 2. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? In my previous work, I mainly made use of secondary data. After examining the items in Special Collections, I am now more inclined to using primary data sources in my research. This stems from my experience with The Black Academy of Arts and Letters collection which has over 200 boxes of documents, recordings, and photographs. As a result of this profundity, I was able to propel my research by conducting a thematic analysis utilizing administrative, support, and production files. Furthermore, I was not faced with the challenge of having insufficient information. 3. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? As someone with an Afro Caribbean identity, it is one of my lifelong ambitions to help recognize social and historical circumstances that affect this minority group, but to also increase awareness of the value of the Black diaspora. My research shows that the Black Academy of Arts and Letters has partnered with Caribbean organizations such as the Dallas West Indies United but there are some challenges to greater collaboration between the African American and Caribbean American communities in the DFW metroplex. However, I hope to make enlightening contributions with the use of this special collection to better understand organizations serving the African American and Caribbean communities, their role in society, how they operate, and how they establish objectives and outreach efforts. Ms. Giselle Greenidge is a doctoral student and Teaching Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the University of North Texas. Her major concentration is Global and Comparative Sociology and her minor concentration is Social Stratification. She earned master’s degrees in Behavioral Science and Merchandising. Her research interests include culture, globalization, and immigration.

Posted: 07/31/2018

Three Questions with Kenna Lang Archer

Dr. Kenna Lang Archer is a Senior Instructor at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where she teaches U.S. environmental history, Texas history, and American history. Her first book, Unruly Waters, was published by University of New Mexico Press. She recently finished writing an updated edition of Ogallala: Water for a Dry Land with John Opie and Char Miller. She will be presenting her current research project at the Western History Association meeting in October. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? It is no exaggeration to say that the Unique Collections are necessary for me to do my work. In the classroom, I incorporate primary sources into every lecture, and my personal research unequivocally depends on my ability to access primary sources that are diverse in their geography, chronology, and type. Unfortunately, it is increasingly difficult (at times, mind-numbingly so) to track down primary sources that are both authentic and available. That is why the Portal to Texas History and the Special Collections are so very important! How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Primary sources allow us (as teachers, as researchers, or as students) to see history unfold not as a string of facts but as a story of diverse experiences and deep-rooted assumptions, individual struggles and shared challenges, scientific hubris and technological triumph. This is because, by their very nature, primary sources are close to the subject at hand. As I have become more aware of the impact that these sources can have in my work, I have become more dependent on Unique Collections. When I am prepping my classes, I now spend as much time parsing the sources in the Portal to Texas History as I do writing notes, prepping powerpoints, or reading textbooks. Archival sources have become my first line of defense, my first line item on a To-Do list, and my primary resource for classroom material. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? One of the courses that I teach regularly is Texas History. Frequently, I will have students who think they have heard it all (having grown up in the state), but I also get students who know absolutely nothing about the state. It can be challenging, from a teacher’s perspective, to engage students along this spectrum. For example, how do you teach the (very much loaded) story of The Alamo for both the first time and the millionth time? What I have discovered is that the sources in the Unique Collections are precisely what I need. Sources from the Portal to Texas History, for example, help to make this history more accessible, more relevant, and more intellectually uncomfortable/challenging. My students learn more and grow more when I present them with sources from the Unique Collections (they also enjoy the class quite a bit more), and frankly, I am a much better teacher when I am engaging these sources as well. Dr. Kenna Lang Archer is a Senior Instructor at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where she teaches U.S. environmental history, Texas history, and American history. Her first book, Unruly Waters, was published by University of New Mexico Press. She recently finished writing an updated edition of Ogallala: Water for a Dry Land with John Opie and Char Miller. She will be presenting her current research project at the Western History Association meeting in October.

Posted: 07/16/2018

6 Million Newspaper Pages Preserved in The Portal to Texas History

Posted: 07/06/2018

Three Questions with Kimberly Jackson

Kimberly Jackson is a master’s student and Teaching Assistant in the History Department at the University of North Texas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and mathematics at the University of North Texas. In the 2018-2019 academic school year, Kimberly will complete her thesis on the Civilian Conservation Corps in Big Bend National Park. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal is an invaluable resource for my research. In researching the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at Big Bend National Park, part of my project is trying to show how invested the public was in the creation of the park. Understanding what went on in the CCC camp is only part of the story, the rest of it is comprised of the overall impact of the CCC, the legacy of the program, their projects, and Big Bend itself. In order to see this part of the story, I rely heavily on the newspapers found in the Portal. The Portal contains local newspapers from across the state and discuss the progress happening in Big Bend throughout the time that the CCC had a camp there. These newspapers help to show how the public viewed the developments in Big Bend and the larger significance of the CCC’s work there. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal has helped me to expand the scope of my research. While it might be easy to think that the sources for Big Bend would be found only around the park. However, through the use of the Portal, I have been able to see the far-reaching impact that Big Bend had across Texas. This has helped to show the importance of Big Bend beyond the park’s borders, and it has forced me to look beyond the seemingly clear-cut borders of my own project. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My research is filling a serious gap in the research of Big Bend, but even more so, it reaches beyond the park, to Texas and the nation. If it were not for the CCC’s involvement in Big Bend, the park would not exist as we know it today. Big Bend affected more than just the enrollees that worked in the camp who received invaluable training and employment during the midst of the Great Depression, it reached people across the United States. FDR found it to be so important that he paused his other duties to accept the deed to Big Bend officially placing it in Federal hands on an especially busy day, June 6, 1944 – commonly known as D-Day. Eleanor Roosevelt, his wife, stepped in on behalf of the enrollees of the camp to call an investigation of an overbearing camp officer. While these are only two examples of the reach of Big Bend, the fact that it crossed the desks of two of the most important political figures and they gave their time to it, shows not only the significance of Big Bend but the impact that it had. Kimberly Jackson is a master’s student and Teaching Assistant in the History Department at the University of North Texas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and mathematics at the University of North Texas. In the 2018-2019 academic school year, Kimberly will complete her thesis on the Civilian Conservation Corps in Big Bend National Park. Her larger academic interests include borderlands and environmental history and hopes to apply her research to larger studies of the U.S.-Mexico Border.

Posted: 06/27/2018

Monthly Spotlight: Our World Oceans

In a word: it’s too hot this summer. The best solution is to wade in a pool all day. Since we all have jobs or things to do, the next best solution is to talk about water long enough until you naturally cool off. Since World Ocean Day came and went in early June, we at UNT Libraries considered this a great time to dive into (get it?) our vast resources on the oceans around our little world. Surprisingly, we learned a few things about these massive seas that piqued our interest in mysterious legends, connected the dots to books we love and answered the most burning question of all: why is it so hot in D-FW? How the oceans affect you You might be wondering: why even worry about the oceans? After all, the nearest sea to us here in Denton – the Gulf of Mexico – is 330 miles away. And oceans? Pfft. The Atlantic coast is about 1,000 miles away and it’d take you 20 hours to drive to the Pacific coast. And yet, the oceans affect us every day. Specifically the Gulf Coast, which offers a streaming service that you might consider canceling every once and a while if you could The Gulf Stream is a rapid, strong ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows out into the Atlantic where it affects the weather from the United Kingdom on down to West Africa. Ireland and England should be much colder than they are, but our little Gulf of Mexico makes them quite habitable! And, as you can imagine, our close proximity to it keeps Texas pretty warm as well. Unfortunately, it also makes living here a little dangerous. NASA points out that tropical cyclones (i.e., hurricanes) “are like giant engines that use warm, moist air for fuel.” So that nice little pocket of warm, damp air in the Gulf that essentially makes much of Northern Europe a nice place to live? It also serves as a death engine for us living here next to it. Fantastic. One might think moving north, away from the ocean, keeps us safer. Well … not exactly. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex we call home rests in “Tornado Alley,” which exists because of the Gulf of Mexico hundreds of miles to the south. This graphic does an excellent job explaining why we’re in such a pressure-cooker: That massive sea to the south of us sends massive amounts of humid air north, which would be fine if our Canadian friends didn’t send cold winds south at the same time during the winter. When these two winds collide, they create thunderstorms. And it just so happens the D-FW area is right in the crossfire. So next Spring, when thunderstorms bring a local tree down on a power line and you’re stuck without Facebook for a few hours, make sure to shake your fist southward at the sea. Hate the weather here? Blame the sea. Or read more about the sea’s effects here at UNT Libraries, whether it’s Dudley Lynch’s excellent collection of Texas tornado stories or Erik Larson’s acclaimed book about the man who failed to prevent the deadliest hurricane in American history in Galveston If you were wondering, the National Weather Service predicts a “near-normal season” is the most likely scenario as hurricane season (which began in June) continues through November. They also mention “considerable uncertainty” about a weak El Nino this year, so who knows. We’re all just pawns in Mother Nature’s game, right? Why the names? The Atlantic Ocean’s name, as you might expect, comes from Ancient Greece. The name refers to the Titan in Greek Mythology, Atlas, who held the heavens on his shoulders. The historian Herodotus referred to the ocean as Atlantis Thalassa (Sea of Atlantis) in 450 BC. The Pacific Ocean went by Mar del Sur (Sea of the South) when Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa discovered it in 1513 but later took on the name “Pacific” when Ferdinand Magellan – pictured above, in fancy statue form at Cape Horn in Argentina – named it Pacifico (“peaceful”) during his famous circumnavigation in 1519. Because it surrounds the Arctic, the Arctic Ocean’s nomenclature is pretty obvious. But where does “Arctic” come from? You guessed it: the Greeks. Oxford Dictionaries explains: Arctic conceals its origins rather more successfully; it comes from the Greek arktos, meaning ‘bear’ – and also ‘Ursa Major’ and ‘pole star’. The connection between bear and star comes from the story in Greek mythology that the nymph Callisto was turned into a bear and placed as a constellation in the heavens by Zeus. On the other end of the sneaky origin spectrum, the Indian Ocean is named as such because it borders India. Ocean Mapping If you’re a history nerd like many of us here at UNT Libraries, then you’ve probably come across some really strange maps during your Wikipedia wormhole plummets. Reading about the European discovery of the New World is one thing, but sifting through the speculative maps they made is another adventure entirely. With such limited information about the Americas, whose existence was a new concept to cartographers that had previously believed the Atlantic Ocean stretched from Europe to Asia, it’s no wonder so many ocean maps from hundreds of years ago look wonky. UNT Libraries provides access to the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, a database with over 67,000 maps created throughout world history. Many of them offer unique glimpses at the early guesswork involved with imagining the new scope of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. In 1529: Was the Pacific Ocean a diagonal mass slicing toward South America? In 1704: It turns out the answer is no, but surely the Atlantic Ocean is super-narrow between South America and Africa! Ironically map in 1709 entitled “A New And Correct Map Of The World” shows a gulf of water between California and North America, the Pacific Ocean twice as large as it is and the Indian Ocean as only slightly larger than the Gulf of Mexico. Hundreds of years ago, it was simply impossible for people to grasp just how large our world and its oceans actually was. We have more than a few books at UNT Libraries that document the surprisingly dramatic races to correctly map the oceans. Legends Ah, the fun part. We’ve talked so much about the real science and history behind our world oceans so far. It’s time to get down to some of our favorite myths surrounding them. And there are a ton, as you might expect: we’ve explored only five percent of the Earth’s oceans to this day. That leaves a lot of mysteries to be solved, and legends have popped up about the unknowable deeps throughout the ages. Some of the most famous of these involve islands! You’ve heard of Atlantis, the mythical great island society wiped out by a flood in one of Plato’s stories. UNT Libraries has plenty of resources on Atlantis that you can use to solve the mystery yourself! There’s also Avalon, the mythical island resting place of King Arthur and the Fortunate Isles in the Atlantic Ocean, where Greek heroes were said to be buried. Finally, there are the sea monsters that range from legends to actual reported sightings. (No, Moby Dick doesn’t count.)

Posted: 06/11/2018

UNT Signs the OA2020 Expression of Interest

UNT is one of the first US universities to join a global alliance for accelerating the transition to open access scholarship. The University of North Texas has joined OA2020, a global alliance of institutions led by the Max Planck Digital Library in Munich, that have committed to taking active steps to drive the transformation of the system for publishing works of scholarship. By signing the OA2020 Expression of Interest, President Neal Smatresk has pledged that UNT will convert resources currently spent on journal subscriptions into support for sustainable models for publishing in open access, meaning articles are made free to read and share rather than available only through subscriptions. UNT is the seventh US institution and the first outside of California to sign the Expression of Interest. “With the cost of subscriptions to journals increasing by an average of 6% per year, libraries can no longer afford to continue absorbing the cost of subscribing to so many subscription-based journals,” said Diane Bruxvoort, dean of libraries. “As the primary customers for scholarly journals, academic libraries need to take leadership in converting academic publishing from a subscription model to one where other models of funding allow journals to be made free for all to read.” UNT has a longstanding commitment to open access. Since 2010 the UNT Libraries have organized an annual Open Access Symposium attracting speakers and attendees from around the world; the 2018 symposium will be held June 6–7 at the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth. UNT was the first public institution in Texas to adopt an open access policy, by which UNT researchers are expected to make their work available unless constrained by their publisher. The UNT Libraries will develop a strategy in consultation with UNT faculty and other researchers for converting funds spent on journal subscriptions. The Libraries will hold town hall events in September to provide more information about OA2020 and consult with faculty on possible paths towards fulfilling UNT’s commitment. The UNT Libraries will continue to offer interlibrary loan services to assist UNT researchers in getting access to journal articles and other material not available through the UNT Libraries. In addition, the UNT Libraries provides a number of resources to help researchers at UNT understand open access and make their work more widely available.

Posted: 06/06/2018

The Factory's Spring 2018 Highlights

It was a busy spring for our Makers at The Factory, as students and teachers from all walks of life made use of UNT Libraries’ resources to complete projects or enhance their education. From award-winning designs to innovative teaching techniques, here are a few highlights from The Factory’s spring 2018 semester. Asia Montague, a UNT Student in the College of Visual Arts & Design, dropped by The Factory this semester needing to laser-cut a large number of silk flowers for a dress she was designing for the 2018 Fashion Group International (FGI) Scholarship Competition. The theme was The Future of Fashion, and appropriately The Factory’s full spectrum laser cutter came in handy for her design. Maker techs in The Factory helped Asia cut each flower, made of many different colors of silk, which she then layered onto the flowers of the dress. With The Factory’s assistance and her terrific design, Asia won Best of Sewing at the show and the Paris American Academy Couture Award, which will let Asia study at the Paris American Academy this summer. (Photo credit: FGI Scholarship Competition on Facebook) During UNT’s 2018 Earthfest, professor Sophia Johnson of the Department of Biological Sciences asked her environmental science class to visit The Factory’s booth to get a sense of the Earth-friendly items The Factory can build. The Factory showed off bamboo flower pots made in the shape of Willis Library and the iconic Hurley Administration Building. The Maker Techs 3D printed the pots in bamboo because it is one of the world’s most renewable resources, able to be re-harvested every three years without ever harming the environment. The booth also presented their self-watering planters and a greenhouse they had built in The Factory. Students were able to use electronic tools from The Factory to measure the contents of the soils for pH levels and other signs of health. Below are photos of the booth and some of the environment-friendly creations made at The Factory for Earthfest 2018. During a busy Spring 2018 semester, The Factory helped play a pivotal role in an education course with their expertise and iPad resources. Jo Monahan, embedded librarian for the College of Education, Dr. Lauren Eutsler, College of Education assistant professor, and Traci Pettet, College of Education teaching fellow, were interested in using The Factory's iPads to instruct their students on how to use apps to teach kindergarteners in class. The Factory’s Maker Techs loaded the educational apps onto the iPads and assisted with technological troubleshooting throughout the lesson. The students were asked for their assessments of the apps, best teaching practices and whether or not each app might be effective as an in-class exercise. During the Spring ‘18 semester, Immaculate Conception Catholic School students from Mr. Mitchell Borowski’s eighth-grade technology class visited The Factory for a class on robotics and virtual reality. Maker Devin led the lesson, assisted by Makers John-Paul, Alicia, and Jordan. The students were guided through the steps of making robotic cars from scratch with the technology available in The Factory and then broken up into small groups to complete the tasks. By all accounts, the students had a blast seeing the finished products come together. Then the students were led to the Media Library, where they learned how to use the HTC Vive virtual reality gear on-hand in The Factory. The students then used the headsets to explore 3D projections of the International Space Station and Vatican City.

Posted: 06/05/2018

Rescuing Texas History Mini-Grant Call for Submissions

Posted: 06/01/2018

Dean's Innovation Grant 2018: Making Digital Collection A/V Materials Accessible

Posted: 05/30/2018

Dean's Innovation Grant 2018: Improving Library Services for Patrons of all Abilities

Posted: 05/30/2018

Dean's Innovation Grant 2018: MYS: Don't Fence Me In: Engaging Local Music Communities to Preserve Texas Music

Posted: 05/30/2018

Dean's Innovation Grant 2018: MYS: Make-Your-Space

Posted: 05/30/2018

Dean's Innovation Grant 2018: Special Collections Podcast

Posted: 05/30/2018

Dean's Innovation Grant 2018: Census of Game Collections in Libraries

Posted: 05/30/2018

The UNT Special Collections 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Agatha Beins

Agatha Beins teaches in the Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies at Texas Woman’s University. Her book Liberation in Print: Feminist Periodicals and Social Movement Identity analyzes US feminist newsletters and newspapers published in the 1970s. In addition to her interest in feminist print cultures, she writes and teaches about the relationship between art and activism, feminist pedagogies, the institutionalization of women’s studies, and food studies. She also serves as editor for the online, open access journal Films for the Feminist Classroom. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2018 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee Agatha Beins Project Title An Invitation to Remember: Art, Activism and the AIDS Quilt Project Description The AIDS Quilt is over thirty years old, and I propose that it has been so effective and long-lasting because of its invitational approach to advocacy. I analyze the content and material qualities of the quilt to show the multiple paths it offered people to learn about HIV/AIDS and build community with those concerned about and impacted by the virus, and I draw on the activism in the Dallas/Ft Worth area as a case study to show the power of this art-activist project on a local scale. Biography Agatha Beins teaches in the Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies at Texas Woman’s University. Her book Liberation in Print: Feminist Periodicals and Social Movement Identity analyzes US feminist newsletters and newspapers published in the 1970s. In addition to her interest in feminist print cultures, she writes and teaches about the relationship between art and activism, feminist pedagogies, the institutionalization of women’s studies, and food studies. She also serves as editor for the online, open access journal Films for the Feminist Classroom.

Posted: 05/29/2018

The UNT Special Collections 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Evelyn Montgomery

Dr. Evelyn Montgomery is the Director of Curatorial Affairs at Dallas Heritage Village, an outdoor museum that contains two of the cabins recorded by Dr. Jordan. She holds degrees in architecture and history, with a particular interest in American houses and domestic life, particularly for Victorians and on the frontier. She frequently presents on these subjects to both academic and popular audiences. She supports historic preservation through volunteer efforts, service on the Dallas Landmark Commission, and the maintenance and interpretation of the buildings of Dallas Heritage Village. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2018 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee Dr. Evelyn Montgomery Project Title House Proud in Texas: The Struggle For a Proper Frontier Home Project Description This project will mine the wealth of information available in the records of Texas log cabins collected by the late Dr. Terry G. Jordan, to see how Texas pioneers made their frontier cabins as homelike as possible. Pioneers were also Victorians, with high domestics standards for comfort and propriety. Texans need ingenuity and resourcefulness to make the materials at hand resemble their memories of fine homes back east, so they could be house-proud in their new state. Biography Dr. Evelyn Montgomery is the Director of Curatorial Affairs at Dallas Heritage Village, an outdoor museum that contains two of the cabins recorded by Dr. Jordan. She holds degrees in architecture and history, with a particular interest in American houses and domestic life, particularly for Victorians and on the frontier. She frequently presents on these subjects to both academic and popular audiences. She supports historic preservation through volunteer efforts, service on the Dallas Landmark Commission, and the maintenance and interpretation of the buildings of Dallas Heritage Village.

Posted: 05/22/2018

Three Questions with Kenneth Hafertepe

Dr. Kenneth Hafertepe grew up in Dallas, then attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. His graduate work was in American Civilization at the University of Texas at Austin. Since 2000, Dr. Hafertepe has taught in the Department of Museum Studies at Baylor University. He has written six books, co-edited two more, and has written many articles on American and Texan material culture. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? I have been doing research on Texas history for more than thirty years, and I am so glad to have a resource like the Portal to Texas History available to me. The Portal brings directly to my desktop resources that in earlier times would require many trips to archive and special collections libraries. It also makes available for the first time the records of museums and the Texas Historical Commission, including photographs that document the appearance of museum exhibitions and of historic buildings from the 1960s and 1970s, which are by no mean original but often provide evidence of what buildings looked like prior to restoration or remodeling. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? One of the best features of the Portal is that historic Texas newspapers are now searchable, and searchable by single words. This can have a profound impact. I have been researching a “marble man” – that is, a gravestone carver – in Houston, by the name of T. F. Byrne. Before the Portal I would have looked for evidence of Byrne in Houston newspapers and perhaps Galveston; the Portal does a statewide search in a matter of seconds. In searching for Byrne the Portal led me to an article in a newspaper of San Marcos, describing a monument in the local cemetery made by Byrne in Houston. The monument is unsigned, and I would never have thought to read the San Marcos paper looking for a Houston stone carver, but the Portal led me right to it! What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My research is informed by the concept of material culture – that is, that the things people of the past left behind are an important source of historic evidence. When history is driven only by written documents – letters, diaries, newspaper, government documents – many people are left out of the story. Material culture also broadens the subject matter of history – from politics, religion, and intellectual life to the nature of everyday life, and to the many different forms of creativity. Dr. Kenneth Hafertepe grew up in Dallas, then attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. His graduate work was in American Civilization at the University of Texas at Austin. Since 2000, he has taught in the Department of Museum Studies at Baylor University. Dr. Hafertepe has written six books, co-edited two more, and has written many articles on American and Texan material culture. His most recent book, The Material Culture of German Texans, has won awards from the Texas State Historical Association, the Victorian Society in America, the Southeast Society of Architectural Historians, and the Philosophical Society of Texas. He was recently named a Fellow of the Texas State Historical Association.

Posted: 05/21/2018

Monthly Spotlight: Comic Relief

It’s been a few weeks since “Avengers: Infinity War” hit theaters and you’ve either seen it five times or wish your friends would stop talking about it. That’s it. Those are the two kinds of people out there. We get it! Comic book movies aren’t for everyone. But the neat thing is that graphic novels, of which UNT Libraries is overflowing in, are for everyone. At the very least, the sheer variety of graphic novels on the Willis Library shelves ensures every student will find some colorful story to latch onto. Since May is usually the day Marvel takes over our pop culture lives with Free Comic Book Day and one or two major superhero films, we at UNT Libraries decided to let our dear visitors know just how many graphic novels we have available. Because we have a lot. From hidden gems to legendary series, there’s something in there that anyone can get lost in. We can’t think of a better way to unwind after the spring semester! But first, we have a debate to settle. What’s the difference between graphic novels and comic books? An important question! Because it kind of seems like “comic books” is a derogatory term sometimes, right? Many of our patrons have experienced this particular conversation: You: “Have you ever read [insert graphic novel title here]?” Former loved one: “Uh, no. Comic books are for kids.” You: *disowns them* Heartbreaking stuff, right? Comic books are not graphic novels. The two have always occupied different mediums with occasional line-blurring. But here’s a general difference: comic books are short, serialized stories told over a number of issues and a long period of time. Graphic novels are longer stories, with a clear beginning and end, more complex plots and one or two issues. Think of it this way: that Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1, with every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man from 2005, is the graphic novel. The individual issues inside of it? Comic books. Now, onto the graphic novels! For History Buffs Yellow Rose of Texas: The Myth of Emily Morgan You know the tune if you grew up in the Lone Star State, but do you know about the woman at the heart of the myth behind the song? This graphic novel examines the myth-making African-American folk heroine, Emily Morgan, who allegedly aided the Texas revolutionaries at the Battle of San Jacinto. The Vietnam War: A Graphic History Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War docuseries was phenomenal when it debuted in 2017, but there’s no doubt a Ken Burns documentary series requires a time commitment. A Graphic History, on the other hand, gives you the best of both worlds: visual depictions of how the war played out in Vietnam and in the United States and a book you can read at your own leisure. Amelia Earhart: Free in the Skies Unfortunately one of the greatest American pilots of her time is best-known for her disappearance and not her record-breaking career beforehand. This graphic novel by Robert Burleigh and Bill Wylie serves as a biography of one of the most famous women in modern world history. For Fans of the Fantastical Science fiction has consistently found a home on the pages of graphic novels over the years. From giant men to alien life, here are a few reality-bending stories that have caught our eye. 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man The life of Craig Pressgang, the titular giant man with an unruly growth hormone, is told by three women he grew close to as his increasing size left him isolated from the world he was out-growing. Akira The Japanese manga that inspired one of the greatest animated science fiction films of all time is ready to check out today. The plot about two paranormally-gifted teenagers fleeing agents in a futuristic and post-apocalyptic Tokyo almost single-handedly made mange popular outside of Japan when it debuted in 1982. The Wendy Project Take the tale of Peter Pan, place it in a modern setting from Wendy’s perspective and use it to tell a story of grief, family, and mental health and you get The Wendy Project. The official synopsis is intriguing, stating, “16-year-old Wendy Davies crashes her car into a lake on a late summer night in New England with her two younger brothers in the backseat. When she wakes up in the hospital, she is told that her youngest brother, Michael, is dead but she insists he is alive and in the custody of a mysterious flying boy.” For Superhero Fans We’re halfway through this Spotlight so this is as good a time as any to mention that oh, yes, we have plenty of Marvel and D.C. comics and graphic novels for you to enjoy. And most of them have recent movie adaptations that relate directly to them! Waiting impatiently for Deadpool 2 in a few weeks? Embrace more Wade Wilson wackiness with Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe. Yes, your favorite wise-cracking, fourth-wall-breaking superhero actually assassinated all of your favorite Marvel heroes in 2012. The whole story is weirdly awesome. Speaking of, most of the big names – Spider-Man, The Avengers, Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor – from the Marvel Cinematic Universe sit on our bookshelves waiting to be checked out. For Biography Fans Biographies are stapled to the top of nearly every end-of-year bestsellers list. No matter the era, people like reading about other people. The connections made through text can be made just as easily through the imagery of graphic novels. Let these samplings from UNT Libraries prove it to you. The Complete Persepolis This is an illuminating coming-of-age story of Satrapi’s childhood and adolescence in the midst of the tumultuous Iranian Revolution. Her memories, relayed here in black-and-white, are both cuttingly funny and heartbreaking as she traces her life from childhood to self-imposed exile as an adult. My Degeneration: A Journey Through Parkinson’s Dunlap-Shohl was diagnosed with Parkinson ‘s disease at the age of 48 and has been an advocate for awareness of the malady ever since. “My Degeneration” traces the author’s journey through depression, the disease symptoms, the medication and its side effects, the author’s interactions with family, and the mental and physical changes caused by the disease. For A Fresh Take On An Old Favorite A novel becomes a classic for a reason: it simply contains terrific storytelling. And if we’ve learned anything from human history it’s that great storytelling travels across mediums So it’s no surprise a few legendary works of fiction have been reimagined as graphic novels over the last century. Here’s a handful available at UNT Libraries. The Invisible Man Adapted by Joeming Dunn and illustrated by Ben Dunn, this is an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ iconic novel about a scientist who achieves invisibility and falls prey to evil temptations. The Dark Tower While the film adaptation of one of Stephen King’s most famous works earned negative reviews last year, the comic series is generally well-received by critics and fans alike. That’s high marks for an adaptation of the magnum opus of one of America’s greatest authors.

Posted: 05/14/2018

The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Jessica Webb

Born and raised in the state of Texas, Jessica Webb received her Bachelor’s degree in History from Austin College in 2012. In 2014, she obtained her Master’s Degree in American History from TCU in Fort Worth and is working towards her Ph.D. there as well. Her research interests focus on the intersections of gender and sexuality and entrepreneurship within the framework of prostitution. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Boller Dissertation Fellowship and the Erwin E. Smith Research Fellowship. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee Jessica Webb Project Title Prostitution and Power in Progressive-Era Texas: Entrepreneurship and the Influence of Madams in Fort Worth and San Antonio, 1877-1920 Project Description “Prostitution and Power” examines the lives and careers of the women who owned and managed houses of prostitution, known as madams, in the red-light districts of Fort Worth and San Antonio. Moving from the latter decades of the nineteenth century up to the First World War, this project charts the expansion of prostitution, and the ability of these madams to obtain a substantial amount of social, political, and economic power, and the decline—of both the sex trade and its madams. Biography Born and raised in the state of Texas, Jessica Webb received her Bachelor’s degree in History from Austin College in 2012. In 2014, she obtained her Master’s Degree in American History from TCU in Fort Worth and is working towards her Ph.D. there as well. Her research interests focus on the intersections of gender and sexuality and entrepreneurship within the framework of prostitution. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Boller Dissertation Fellowship and the Erwin E. Smith Research Fellowship.

Posted: 05/14/2018

The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Shay O'Brien

Shay O’Brien is a second-year Sociology student at Princeton studying elites and conservatives in the United States. Her areas of interest include economic sociology, elite sociology, race & ethnicity, and religion. Before beginning graduate school, Shay worked on a large-scale randomized control trial at the social policy research firm MDRC. She graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Anthropology, where she was a research assistant in the Anthropology department and won the prizes for Best Honors Thesis and Highest Achievement in Linguistic Anthropology. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee Shay O’Brien Project Title Mapping Elite Social Networks in Dallas, 1896-1956 Project Description Using social registers supplemented by the Portal to Texas History and other archival sources, Ms. O’Brien is building a comprehensive longitudinal dataset of members of Dallas high society from 1896-1956. She is compiling information on each person’s basic biographical data, family relationships, close friendships, home addresses, and organizational memberships, such as churches and synagogues, workplaces, schools, and social clubs. When the dataset is complete, Ms. O’Brien will use it as the basis of numerous studies, beginning with one on the impact of the 1930 oil boom on the centers of Dallas sociopolitical power. Biography Shay O’Brien is a second-year Sociology student at Princeton studying elites and conservatives in the United States. Her areas of interest include economic sociology, elite sociology, race & ethnicity, and religion. Before beginning graduate school, Shay worked on a large-scale randomized control trial at the social policy research firm MDRC. She graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Anthropology, where she was a research assistant in the Anthropology department and won the prizes for Best Honors Thesis and Highest Achievement in Linguistic Anthropology.

Posted: 05/14/2018

The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Scot McFarlane

Posted: 05/14/2018

The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Richard B. McCaslin

Richard B. McCaslin, TSHA Endowed Professor of Texas History at the University of North Texas, is the author or editor of eighteen books. One of the best known is Tainted Breeze: The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas, October 1862, which won the Tullis Prize and an AASLH commendation. He also wrote Lee in the Shadow of Washington, which received the Laney Prize and the Slatten Award, and was nominated for a Pulitzer. Another book, At the Heart of Texas: One Hundred Years of the Texas State Historical Association, 1897-1997, earned the Award of Merit from the Texas Philosophical Society. Yet another, Fighting Stock: John S. “Rip” Ford in Texas, received the Pate Award and Bates Award. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee Richard B. McCaslin Project Title Pompeo Coppini: Defining the Historical Landscape in Texas Project Description Pompeo Coppini, a classically trained sculptor from Italy, arrived in Texas at the onset of the Progressive Era, with its emphasis on such initiatives as the City Beautiful movement and historical tourism. Beginning in 1902, Coppini during more than five decades created dozens of iconic works in Texas focusing first on the Lost Cause, then the heritage of the Republic of Texas and the contributions of many local leaders. While his historical works also stand in many other states and several foreign countries, his greatest impact was in defining the historical landscape of Texas, or the imagery that shapes public perceptions of the past in the Lone Star State. Biography Richard B. McCaslin, TSHA Endowed Professor of Texas History at the University of North Texas, is the author or editor of eighteen books. One of the best known is Tainted Breeze: The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas, October 1862, which won the Tullis Prize and an AASLH commendation. He also wrote Lee in the Shadow of Washington, which received the Laney Prize and the Slatten Award, and was nominated for a Pulitzer. Another book, At the Heart of Texas: One Hundred Years of the Texas State Historical Association, 1897-1997, earned the Award of Merit from the Texas Philosophical Society. Yet another, Fighting Stock: John S. “Rip” Ford in Texas, received the Pate Award and Bates Award.

Posted: 05/14/2018

The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Kimberly Jackson

Posted: 05/14/2018

The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Kenna Archer

Dr. Kenna Lang Archer is an instructor at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where she teaches U.S. environmental history, Texas history, and American history. Her first book, Unruly Waters, was published by University of New Mexico Press. She recently finished writing an updated edition of Ogallala: Water for a Dry Land with John Opie and Char Miller. She will be presenting her current research project at the Western History Association meeting in October. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee Kenna Archer Project Title Keeping Cool in Texas: A History Project Description The state of Texas is known for its highly variable weather and for the extraordinary heat that periodically roasts crops, accosts livestock, and challenges public morale. Keeping cool in this state has become both science and art, but efforts to beat the heat are nothing new. This project studies the long history of keeping cool in Texas from a social, environmental, and cultural perspective, paying special attention to the shifting relationship between technological dependence and climatological adaptation. Biography Dr. Kenna Lang Archer is an instructor at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where she teaches U.S. environmental history, Texas history, and American history. Her first book, Unruly Waters, was published by University of New Mexico Press. She recently finished writing an updated edition of Ogallala: Water for a Dry Land with John Opie and Char Miller. She will be presenting her current research project at the Western History Association meeting in October.

Posted: 05/14/2018

The UNT Special Collections 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Giselle Greenidge

Posted: 05/08/2018

The UNT Special Collections 2018 Research Fellowship Awardee - Kenna Lang Archer

Posted: 05/08/2018

Welcome Diane Bruxvoort as Dean of UNT Libraries!

Posted: 04/17/2018

National Library Week 2018

This week, UNT Libraries joins libraries nationwide in celebrating the many ways libraries lead their communities through the transformative services, programs and expertise they offer. April 8-14 is National Library Week, an annual celebration of the life-changing work of libraries, librarians and library workers. Libraries aren’t just places to borrow books or study—they’re also creative and engaging community centers where people can collaborate using new technologies and develop their skills and passions. We’ve created an exciting lineup of events to celebrate the many ways our libraries lead the UNT campus and local community. Schedule of Events Edible Books Festival | Monday, April 9th, 1–3 pm | Willis Library 250H Help kick off National Library Week with us at the annual Edible Books Festival on Monday, April 9th in Willis Library! Members of the Denton community and UNT faculty, staff members, and students may enter their creations into the festival for free, and they are also invited to judge the entries and then eat them. Civic Engagement Tabling | Tuesday, April 10th, 12–3 pm | Willis Library Our Public Services division will have tables set out outside of Willis Library with resources about civic engagement, politics, and information literacy. Eagle Commons Library Birthday Celebration | Tuesday, April 10th, All Day | Eagle Commons Library (Sycamore Hall) Eagle Commons Library is turning 81 years old! Celebrate with the libraries at Eagle Commons all day long with cake and fun activities. Doc Spot: Starving the Beast | Wednesday, April 11th, 12 pm | Willis Library Forum, 140 Media Library will host the finale of this semester’s Doc Spot Film Series. As college tuition skyrockets and student debt explodes, a powerful new documentary reveals a nationwide fight for control of the heart, soul, and finances of America’s public universities. Japanese Book Making Workshop | Wednesday, April 11th, 2–5 pm | Willis Library Forum, 140 UNT Special Collections wanted to show that libraries lead in creativity, by offering a hands-on workshop to learn Japanese bookmaking techniques. This workshop will focus on the art of Japanese stab binding, the suminagashi paper marbling technique, and block printing. Please join us for this wonderful workshop, and leave with your own custom handmade book! The Human Library | Thursday, April 12th, 1–6 pm | Willis Library Forum, 140 UNT’s Human Library offers a safe and supportive space to help you learn from your fellow humans. Look through a catalog just as you would in a traditional library, select a ‘book’ that you are interested in, and sit down with the book to ‘read’ by having a conversation with the person representing the title. University Day Student Portraits Exhibit | Friday, April 13th, 11 am–1:30 pm | Library Mall UNT Special Collections curated this display of student portraits from the early 1900s through present day, showing the history of our student body, and the wonderful photography contained in the UNT Archives. This display should inspire students to look back at UNT history, as well as consider their own place within it.

Posted: 04/03/2018

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Posted: 03/23/2018

Monthly Spotlight: Global Astronomy Month

The calendar has turned to April, another month has passed and our swiftly-moving home planet has moved another 47.94 million miles around the sun. During the next 47.94 million miles, Earth will be celebrating Global Astronomy Month as set by Astronomers Without Borders. In that starry spirit, we decided to spotlight the beautiful world of astronomy and how you can get involved right here in Denton, Texas. From star maps to stargazing parties to hotly-anticipated space travel events in 2018, here’s a handy guide to get you through Global Astronomy Month in style. (With plenty of links to relevant books from UNT Libraries, of course!) What is astronomy? Astronomy, according to the definition we just Googled, is “the branch of science that deals with celestial objects, space and the physical universe as a whole.” That sounds like a pretty huge branch. The neighboring branch is astrophysics, which deals with the actual mechanics (physics, motion, behavior, etc.) of those heavenly bodies. There are two fields of astronomy: observational (the direct study of celestial objects) and theoretical (modeling and analyzing how celestial systems evolve). The neat thing about astronomy is the barrier to entry, which doesn’t exist. Any of us can look up at the stars and practice observational astronomy. The key is knowing what you’re looking at and where to look. That’s where we come in! The UNT Sky Obviously, the sky is slightly different depending on where on Earth you’re standing and the time of year. Our planet, other planets, the stars and the galaxies that hold them … staring up at the universe is like staring out from a Tilt-A-Whirl ride at the fair, only at a slower speed and a grander scale. But pinpoint the exact date and location and you can figure out what you can look at and when to look for it. So here’s what you can look for from Denton’s streets around April 15, 2018. Looking to the South That thin blue line cutting across the middle of the sky is the galactic plane of the Milky Way. Yes, it’s visible from Earth! Raise your right arm out from your body, turn your head to look at it and you can get a decent idea of what you’re looking at when you see our galaxy from Earth, resting deep inside it. By the way: M42 is the Orion Nebula. Looking to the North You can see the galactic plane again here. In addition, there are a few notable star clusters and galaxies to pick out: M31 is the Andromeda Galaxy and M81 is Bode’s Nebula. Here’s a quick guide to viewing our solar system’s planets in April with links to star charts. Venus is difficult to observe from our city, [but it will become visible from about 7:48 p.m. to 8:44 p.m. just barely above the horizon][]. Neptune, Pluto, Mars, and Saturn are all visible in the night sky this month. [The best time to glimpse all of them in the same sky is around 5:30 a.m. while looking southeast.][] Jupiter rises to its highest visible point at 3:06 a.m., [where it will rest within the Libra constellation just above the ecliptic][]. Ceres, the lovable dwarf planet with the fascinating bright spots, is visible in Denton from 8:31 p.m. to 3:53 a.m. The best time to see it is at 10:32 p.m. when it rests smack-dab in the night sky. [Here’s a way to view it if you look west.][] Now you know where to look, but if you need some helpful guides make sure to check out these online books from UNT Libraries: Astronomy for Older Eyes: A Guide for Aging Backyard Astronomers by James L. Chen Astronomy of the Milky Way: The Observer’s Guide to the Northern Sky by Mike Inglis Astronomy Adventures and Vacations: How to Get the Most Out of Astronomy in Your Leisure Time by Timothy Treadwell Star Parties You may be surprised to learn just how many stargazing events go on around the Dallas-Fort Worth area every month. We live in a sprawling metroplex of lights and planes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some amateur astronomy with friends and family around here. The Texas Astronomical Society hosts the Frisco Starfest each month at Frisco Commons Park. The next Starfest, on April 14, should be a big one as Global Astronomy Month continues. Our UNT friends in Cowtown won’t get left out, either: the Fort Worth Astronomical Society hosts a Tandy Hills Star Party each month as well over at the Tandy Hills Nature Area. If you really want to get outside of the D-FW light pollution, you can drive two hours and 120 miles away to Hubbard City Lakes Park, home of the famous Hubbard City Lakes Star Party. All of these events are free and provide telescopes and helpful guides to any visitors. You owe it to yourself to slow down, hit one of these star parties and take in the beauty that is our night sky. Just make sure to bring your copy of A Stargazing Program for Beginners: A Pocket Field Guide with you! Global Astronomy in 2018 The advent of the internet and live streams have made space mission launches must-see events each year. With some help from the New York Times, we’ve assembled a handful of the astronomical missions we’re most excited to read about in 2018. April 1: NASA launches the Grace-FO satellite The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) consisted of twin satellites, GRACE-1 and GRACE-2, that took measurements of anomalies in the Earth’s gravity field for over 15 years. They were decommissioned in October 2017, but the GRACE program will continue in April when GRACE-FO is launched. GRACE is an important part of climate science; the satellite tracks the movement of water and ice around the Earth. April: NASA launches the TESS spacecraft The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is designed to search for planets orbiting other stars throughout the Milky Way galaxy. It will replace the Kepler space telescope, which is in its final months of service. UNT Libraries has an online film snout the groundbreaking Kepler mission available to stream. Starting on April 22: Lyrids meteor shower will peak From the dusk of April 22 to dawn the next day, you can get a look at the annual Lyrids meteor shower. The Lyrids are the strongest annual shower of meteors in our night sky. The best time for Texans will be from 11:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. May: NASA launches the Mars InSight lander When InSight lands on the vast plain of Elysium Planitia, it will study Mars’ early geological evolution with an onboard seismometer and heat probe. Mars’ seismic activity is of interest in this mission to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which has been a key part of NASA’s journeys to Mars. June 1: Japan’s Hayabusa-2 will reach the asteroid Ryugu After 18 months of study, Hayabusa-2 will attempt to return to Earth with a surface sample from Ryugu in 2020. July 31: Parker Solar Probe launch NASA is sending this poor, doomed probe to within 4 million miles of the Sun’s surface, closer than any human spacecraft has come before. Parker will study the sun’s corona and solar wind. In the image above, the sun on the right is from Earth’s viewpoint. The sun on the left is how Parker will see it. #RIP. August 17: Osiris-Rex reaches Bennu Osiris-Rex was launched at the asteroid Bennu in 2016; like Hayabusa-2, NASA plans to have Osiris-Rex return an asteroid sample.by 2023. Books of Note The UNT Libraries collection of books on astronomy is vast; over 4,000 results come up through our online catalog. We encourage students and visitors to browse at their own leisure, but here are a few that piqued our own interest. We would be remiss if we didn’t start with Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time. The late, transcendent scientist and black hole researcher set out in 1988 to make the field of astronomy and astrophysics easily accessible to the general public. He succeeded: Hawking’s book sold over 10 million copies in 20 years. Another can’t-miss staple of astronomical literature is Cosmos by Carl Sagan. It served initially as a companion piece to the Cosmos TV series, but it stands on its own as well. Galileo’s inventions may have revolutionized astronomy, but there was certainly Astronomy Before the Telescope. But this book on Galileo’s astronomy and the pushback by religion is still fascinating.

Posted: 03/21/2018

Research Fellowships - Apply Now!

Posted: 01/19/2018

Help Celebrate the UNT Day of DH!

Posted: 01/19/2018

Artist Lecture: Geoff Winningham

Posted: 01/18/2018

Books to Look Forward to in 2018

Last month we brought you some of 2017’s biggest reads courtesy of the Goodreads Choice Awards. With the calendar freshly turned to 2018, it’s time to look ahead at the page-turners we’re looking forward to in 2018. No doubt this list won’t cover all of the great books we’ll be talking about at the end of the year. The surprise hits are the best anyway, right? Debuts like The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara, Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and Tangerine by Christine Mangan should make waves as the months roll along. But a few notable, experienced authors with works already available through UNT Libraries will hit shelves again in 2018. Here’s a handful of the ones we’re most excited to dive into, as well as links to other works you can check out right now. The Bomb Maker by Thomas Perry (Out Now) Perry has been a mainstay in the thriller genre for almost four decades now. His latest involves a bomb squad dispatched for disposal; the narrative purportedly spins into a tense, twisting yarn from there. UNT Libraries has the first five books of Perry’s acclaimed Jane Whitefield series, revolving around a Native American woman who helps desperate people disappear. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson (Jan. 16) The Largesse of the Sea Maiden is the final work of short stories published by Johnson, who died in 2017 of liver cancer. Johnson is one of the few authors to ever receive the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction twice. Those two nominees, Tree of Smoke and Train Dreams, are both available through UNT Libraries. The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers (Jan. 23) You might know Eggers’ name from The Circle (adapted into a 2017 film starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks) or his famous memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. The Monk of Mokha will tell the true story of a Yemeni coffee farmer living through a civil war. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (Feb. 6) Jones rose to prominence in 2002 with her coming-of-age story, Leaving Atlanta. A native of the Georgia city, Jones has set all three of her novels in her hometown. An American Marriage explores a modern marriage in the South while delving into the nation’s mass incarceration problems. Feel Free by Zadie Smith (Feb. 6) The 2017 recipient of the Langston Hughes Medal, this British author is widely revered as one of her generation’s greatest authors. Her debut novel, White Teeth, was an instant best-seller in 2000. Feel Free is her latest collection of essays, covering topics ranging from social media and her adoration for public libraries. White Houses by Amy Bloom (Feb. 13) White Houses features an interesting historical fiction premise: it’s a love story about Eleanor Roosevelt and White House journalist Lorena Hickok. Bloom previously wrote the short story collection Come to MeA Blind Man Can See How Much I Love YouAway. Sunburn by Laura Lippman (Feb. 20) Few 2018 books are as hotly anticipated as the latest from the detective author oWhat the Dead Know anI’d Know You Anywhere. Sunburn is described as modern noir about two lovers engaged in a dangerous game. House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea (March 6) This timely novel about Mexican-American immigrants is scheduled for release right as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will expire under the Trump administration. Urrea was previously a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his book The Devil’s Highway. Varina by Charles Frazier (Apr. 17) Frazier is best-known for writing Cold Mountain, which won the 1997 National Book Award for Fiction and spawned a film adaptation that won numerous awards. Varina is about a woman helping her children escape from Jefferson Davis through a war-torn America during the Civil War.. God Save Texas by Lawrence Wright (Apr. 17) This book should interest a ton of visitors to UNT Libraries. Wright is a Dallasite and renowned nonfiction writer of The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. Recently, his book Going Clear (a deep dive into the shady practices of Scientology) became an award-winning documentary. Wright came back home to write God Save Texas; he toured the state, devouring its history and culture to discover why it is a reflection of the country today. Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston (May 8) Hurston was an influential contributor to African-American literature in the decades leading up to the civil rights movement. She died in 1960 before the movement truly took steam, but her legacy is undeniable. A major figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston is best known for her 1937 book Their Eyes Were Watching God. Before she died, Hurston wrote a study on the last known survivor of the American slave trade. That story will finally be told when Barracoon hits shelves in 2018. Warlight by Michael Ondaatje (May 8) If you’ve ever seen “The English Patient,” this guy is the writer behind the novel that film was based on. Ondaatje is one of Canada’s greatest authors, and Warlight proves to be another great read. The novel centers around characters living in the post-World War II decade. Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami (November) Murakami is a best-selling author both inside and outside Japan. The author of Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore and A Wild Sheep Chase returns this year with another bout of magical realism. Killing Commendatore will be a two-volume epic about a Japanese portrait artist.

Posted: 01/04/2018

Three Questions with Machaia McClenny

Machaia McClenny began her career as a teacher and librarian, and she now works as the Education Specialist at the Alamo. She holds a Master of Science degree in Library Science from the University of North Texas. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? As the Education Specialist at the Alamo, I’ve found the Portal to Texas History to be a resource I turn to on a regular basis. I have used it in research for materials in the classroom from biographies of Texas to a handbook regarding the material culture of Texas. Furthermore, when preparing for teacher trainings and workshops, it always aids in giving reliability and depth to the information I am presenting. Having this plethora of primary resources at my fingertips is an invaluable tool. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Rather than relying on secondary sources, the Portal allows me to access primary sources that bring more legitimacy to my research. The primary sources also take dusty names in a textbook and make them feel like real people who lived and breathed. For example, after reading that William Barrett Travis apologized in a newspaper after his attack on the Fort at Anahuac in 1835, I was able to go to the Portal and read his article myself. The article proved that instead of apologizing Travis “request[ed] a suspension of public opinion…until he can appear before the public with all the facts and circumstances attending the capture of that fort.” Reading his actual words made the history come alive with a greater appreciation for the richness of the story. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? The Portal to Texas History is a resource that should be used by all history teachers. Whenever I am asked by teachers to recommend sources for Texas history, the Portal is always on the list. The almost 1,000,000 items in the collection serve as the initial draw, but the practicality of the site itself keeps you coming back. All of the search features allow me to find exactly what I need with ease. I particularly like the feature that allows you to narrow your search by decade. It is useful, well-designed, and absolutely free. Machaia McClenny began her career as a teacher and librarian, and she now works as the Education Specialist at the Alamo. She holds a Master of Science degree in Library Science from the University of North Texas.

Posted: 11/30/2017

Monthly Spotlight: The Winter Solstice

The winter solstice is right around the corner! The winter solstice is right around the corner! No, we had no idea what that meant either when we heard about it. We vaguely remembered it had something to do with a really long night. Besides that? Nothing. So we set out to do some research and stumbled upon some interesting books and media in our very own UNT Libraries that you might be interested in. Oh, and when it actually happens this month. That seems important. But first, let’s answer a simple question: What on Earth is the winter solstice? It’s all about Earth, actually It’s the one moment, every year when the Northern Hemisphere (hey, that’s us!) is tilted furthest away from the sun. Here’s how The Telegraph explains it: The winter solstice happens every year when the Sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, when the North Pole is tilted farthest – 23.5 degrees – away from the Sun, delivering the fewest hours of sunlight of the year. The Sun is directly overhead of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere during the December solstice and is closer to the horizon than at any other time in the year, meaning shorter days and longer nights. The winter solstice occurs around noon, at the exact moment that the sun rests over the Tropic of Capricorn, creating beautiful moments like the one in this photo. In other words, you’ll know it’s happening when you see it. For us, the December solstice will occur at 10:28 a.m. on Thursday, December 21. So those are the facts. But what a rabbit hole we fell into as we looked those up. Turns out, the world’s cultures have celebrated this annual astronomical event for centuries in many different ways. We’re talking festivals. We’re talking large rocks. We’re talking circles of large rocks sitting in the middle of nowhere. Here’s just a handful of topics we found interesting and the resources on them available to you, dear students, in the UNT Libraries. Stonehenge and Newgrange Solstice][]][] The renowned ring of standing stones in Wiltshire, England, has fascinated archaeologists and tourists for centuries. We still don’t know who built Stonehenge almost 5,000 years ago, but we might know why: to celebrate the winter and summer solstices. Per StonehengeTours.com: Stonehenge is carefully aligned on a sight-line that points to the winter solstice sunset (opposed to New Grange, which points to the winter solstice sunrise, and the Goseck circle, which is aligned to both the sunset and sunrise). It is thought that the winter solstice was actually more important to the people who constructed Stonehenge than the summer solstice. The winter solstice was a time when most cattle were slaughtered (so they would not have to be fed during the winter) and the majority of wine and beer was finally fermented. Your UNT Media Library has plenty of media exploring the origins of Stonehenge, including: Stonehenge: Secrets of an Ancient Monument NOVA: Secrets of Stonehenge Stonehenge: A New Understanding Stonehenge is obviously the more well-known of the two, but Newgrange is just as significant. The structure in Ireland is actually older than Stonehenge and marks the sunrise. You can read up on this lesser-known, but equally fascinating, place by checking out Robert Hensey’s book, First Light: The Origins of Newgrange in the UNT Libraries today. Machu Picchu Machu Picchu, the iconic ruins high in the Andes mountain range of Peru, was once the estate of an Incan emperor. It also holds a ritual stone known as Intihuatana important to the solstice. Intihuatana is aligned with the sun during the winter solstice; the word “intihuatana” is Quechua for “place to which the sun is chained.” During the winter solstice sunrise, sunlight beams through the Intihuatana, creating a triangle of light that illuminates two concentric circles on the stone floor behind it. At least one of the items in the UNT Libraries argues that this stone represents the intent of Machu Picchu as a whole. Besides that, there are plenty of items on the topic and the historic site itself available. Festivals Ah, yes. Finally. The parties! From China to Europe to South America, cultures throughout the world consider the solstice an important moment in their calendar years. Myths, stories, and celebrations have evolved around this annual moment for ages. In Celebrate the Solstice, Richard Heinberg recounts many of these. It’s available right now, just in time for your winter parties.

Posted: 11/29/2017

Three Questions with Misty Hurley

Misty Hurley holds a Bachelor’s in History from Sam Houston State University and a Master’s in Public History from Stephen F. Austin State University. Misty started her career at the Alamo as a Tour Guide and later became the Education Program Assistant, where she worked with students, coordinated field trips, and planned and oversaw summer camp. She recently became the Alamo’s Social Media Coordinator and hopes to continue sharing great information and resources with their adult audiences. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? In my position as the Education Program Assistant, I was able to use the Portal in a variety of ways. One of the ways that I was able to use the Portal is in the creation of lesson ideas and worksheets that encourage students to study and learn from primary and secondary sources, as is suggested in the TEKS. This year’s Camp Alamo: Gone to Texas, was another opportunity that I had to use the Portal to share information as we learned about the cultures that came to and influenced Texas. In my current position as Social Media Coordinator, I use the Portal to research individuals, events, and topics that we share on social media in order to educate our adult audience. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal is an absolutely treasure trove of primary and secondary resources and makes it so easy to incorporate these resources into lessons, essays, and social media posts. We have to compete for our audience’s attention, so we need something to catch their eye and attract their interest, and what better way to do so with a map or photograph from that time period? What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? There are a lot of unknowns, legends, and conflicting stories about the Alamo- even in primary and secondary sources, so it’s great to be able to use multiple sources to show these differing perspectives. The Portal makes it so easy to search a broad range of sources or narrow the search down to exactly what I’m looking for. Misty Hurley holds a Bachelor’s in History from Sam Houston State University and a Master’s in Public History from Stephen F. Austin State University. Misty started her career at the Alamo as a Tour Guide and later became the Education Program Assistant, where she worked with students, coordinated field trips, and planned and oversaw summer camp. She recently became the Alamo’s Social Media Coordinator and hopes to continue sharing great information and resources with their adult audiences.

Posted: 11/17/2017

Acclaimed Spider-Man, Marvel Comics writer moves on to DC Comics

One of the major influencers of the Marvel universe upped and left for DC Comics recently, and we have a collection of his finest superhero stories available for you to check out now! Judging from the box office returns (over $879.9 million and counting), you probably saw Spider-Man Homecoming this fall. And loved it. One of the major influencers of that film—and the Marvel universe as a whole—made huge news this week. Brian Michael Bendis, the long-time Marvel Comics writer, upped and left for DC Comics on Tuesday, November 7. He was the writing force behind the fantastic Ultimate Spider-Man comic series in the early 2000s, which played a big role in Homecoming’s story. Bendis also wrote critically-adored stories for The Avengers, Jessica Jones, and Daredevil. So, yeah. He was big news, and his departure to DC is even bigger news in the comics world. Luckily for you, UNT Libraries has some of his most notable works available to check out. We also have the spectacular Spider-Man films available through our media library. (We won’t judge you for not checking out Spider-Man 3, though. We’re all trying to forget.) House of M (2006) This eight-issue series follow-up to the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled storylines pits the Avengers and X-Men against the Scarlet Witch in a reality-bending adventure. Bendis promised at the time the series would leave a lasting impact, and it did; the events of House of M had major ramifications for the Marvel comics universe. Secret War (2006) Wolverine, Spider-Man, Captain America, Daredevil and Luke Cage team up in this conspiracy thriller series, inspired by a conversation Bendis once had with a United States intelligence officer. Secret War kicked off a nearly decade-long run of Marvel crossover events. Secret Invasion (2008) Bendis paid off years of storytelling with this major Marvel crossover series that featured the invasion of Earth by the shape-shifting alien Skrulls. By the way, Skrulls will be the antagonists of the upcoming Captain Marvel film by Marvel Studios, so [you should pick this up as required background reading][Secret Invasion] before that film drops. Civil War II(2016) Bendis’ final major series for Marvel was this expansive, dramatic and consequential follow-up to Mark Millar’s iconic Civil War storyline from 2005. Captain Marvel and Iron Man lead two teams of superheroes against each other in a storyline that features numerous shocking twists and the ends of some of Marvel’s most iconic heroes.

Posted: 11/10/2017

Lora Tompkins named HASTAC Scholar

We are delighted to announce that UNT graduate student Lora Tompkins has been accepted to the Humanities, Arts, Sciences, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory (HASTAC) Scholars Program. Lora is the first graduate student from UNT to be part of this international program. [][] We are delighted to announce that UNT graduate student Lora Tompkins has been accepted to the [Humanities, Arts, Sciences, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory (HASTAC) Scholars Program][]. Lora is the first graduate student from UNT to be part of this international program. The HASTAC Scholars fellowship program is an innovative student-driven community of graduate and undergraduate students. More than 800 HASTAC Scholars in dozens of disciplines have been sponsored by 145 colleges and universities–ranging from small liberal arts colleges to large Research 1 institutions. Lora Tompkins is the Graduate Assistant for [Digital Humanities with the Digital Humanities and Collaborative Programs Unit][] in the Public Services Division of the UNT Libraries. She is pursuing Master’s degrees in Library & Information Science, and History at UNT. As a person with cerebral palsy, Lora advocates for accessibility and accommodations for those with disabilities. She works to help educate people about the life of a disabled person, and can be seen around campus with Loki, her standard (large) Black Poodle service dog. During her fellowship, Lora will develop a content aggregation site of canine training and behavior videos, with emphasis on the service dog community and their needs. The hope is that the site will serve as a common platform for trainers and service dog teams, to discuss training and behaviors when distance prevents physical interaction. Lora’s fellowship will be supervised by Dr. Spencer Keralis, Research Associate Professor in the UNT Libraries. We are excited to bring UNT into the HASTAC community by sponsoring this fellowship, and look forward to seeing what Lora makes of the connections this community affords her. []: http://www.hastac.org/initiatives/hastac-scholars [Humanities, Arts, Sciences, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory (HASTAC) Scholars Program]: https://www.hastac.org/initiatives/hastac-scholars [Digital Humanities with the Digital Humanities and Collaborative Programs Unit]: /public-services/

Posted: 11/08/2017

Monthly Spotlight: November of Giving

The calendar has flipped to November, ushering in cold weather and a greater need for generosity from students and Dentonites. For those in need, UNT Libraries is just one of numerous local outlets joining in the spirit of giving this month. The calendar has flipped to November, ushering in cold weather and a greater need for generosity from students and Dentonites. For those in need, UNT Libraries is just one of numerous local outlets joining in the spirit of giving this month. Whether you have overdue books and canned goods to exchange or some free time in between studying for finals, here’s a few ways you can help give back to locals in need this Thanksgiving holiday. Food for Fines - UNT Libraries That’s right. Your favorite penalty-forgiving goodwill drive is back! You can bring in canned goods to reduce your library fines while helping keep the Denton community well-fed at the same time. Don’t forget the important details (such as which goods are acceptable and how much we’ll shave off your fines) before you bring your donations to the Willis Library Services Desk. Food for Fines runs from November 6 to December 1. UNT Food Pantry In addition to partnering with our Food for Fines initiative, the food pantry is available for use and open for donations year-round. This time of the year is especially important for our friends at the pantry, so head on over to the pantry website to find out how to donate. Denton Nonprofit Events It’s a busy month for Denton-area nonprofits, with plenty of opportunities for you to spend your free time aiding the community. The annual Turkey Trot will need volunteers to help the race get underway, so sign up if you think you’re more of a helper and not a runner. The race is hosted by the Denton Area Running Club and benefits the Denton Community Food Center. Volunteers will be needed on November 22 and November 23. Denton County Friends of the Family is putting together 600(!!!) meals this month to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in their annual Thanksgiving Meal Drive. Learn how to join the effort and become one of hundreds of giving souls this Thanksgiving. Giving Tuesday After we follow Thanksgiving with the mega shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s time to give back a little. Luckily, #GivingTuesday is now a thing. Taking place on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday ushers in the season of charitable giving across the United States. [According to the #GivingTuesday website][], “#GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources.” Multiple Denton-area organizations are partners with the #GivingTuesday cause, including the Delta Public Service Foundation, Hearts for Homes, Texas Coalition for Animal Protection, and Meals on Wheels.

Posted: 11/08/2017

Native American Heritage Month

Posted: 11/03/2017

Native American Heritage Month

Posted: 11/03/2017

Three Questions with Nicole Smith

A native New Yorker, Dr. Nicole Smith is University Teaching Professor and Associate Professor of English at UNT. Inside the classroom, she is inspired by smart students and strange texts. Outside the classroom, she enjoys dancing, practicing handstands, and spending time with her son and daughter. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? As a researcher and teacher of medieval English literature with interests in textual studies and book making, I regularly integrate Unique Collections into my undergraduate and graduate classes. In the Middle Ages, reading texts meant interacting with manuscripts: books crafted with parchment (treated animal skin), written with hand made inks, and decorated with gold and precious minerals. In order to give my students a hands-on experience with such artifacts, I schedule classes with the Special Collections librarian and we team teach manuscript making, book binding, and paleography. Students examine and handle individual leaves and entire facsimiles of these artifacts. By using Unique Collections, my students become knowledgeable about textual studies and the history of the book. As a result, they acquire a different perspective on medieval texts that includes their compilation, circulation, and consumption by a reading public. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Because of the manuscript leaves and facsimiles, rare books, and early printing tools that are available for student use in Unique Collections, I have been able to schedule several classes in the Rare Books room for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in medieval English literature or textual studies. These classes allow us to explore the artifacts with our hands and eyes so that we can experience the colors of the illuminations, the weight of the manuscript, and the smell of the animal skin. Students learn the intricacies of paleography and printing, and they begin to see that the making of a literary text is far more than just composing words on a page. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? My area of expertise is late medieval English literature with particular interest in Geoffrey Chaucer, women’s literature, and guides to pastoral care. Currently, my research focuses on a fourteenth-century Middle English explanation of the Apostles’ Creed that was written for and read by women aristocrats and nuns. This work, called A Christian Mannes Bileeve, exists in only four manuscripts, and I am preparing a critical edition of the text that will be published by Middle English Texts (Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter). A native New Yorker, Dr. Nicole Smith is University Teaching Professor and Associate Professor of English at UNT. Inside the classroom, she is inspired by smart students and strange texts. Outside the classroom, she enjoys dancing, practicing handstands, and spending time with her son and daughter.

Posted: 11/01/2017

Dean's Innovation Grant 2017 Awardees

Posted: 09/27/2017

Help Yourself

Posted: 09/11/2017

Dean's Innovation Grant 2017: The Portal to Texas History User Guide Video

Posted: 09/05/2017

Dean's Innovation Grant 2017: It's in the Bag: Creating Sustainability in the Faculty Book Delivery Service

Posted: 09/05/2017

Dean's Innovation Grant 2017: Call and Response: Engaging with African American Male Students Through Culturally Relevant Music Resources

Posted: 09/05/2017

Dean's Innovation Grant 2017: Finding the Right Words: User-generated Description of Television News Collections

Posted: 09/05/2017

Dean's Innovation Grant 2017: Escape the Library: Building a Better Library Literacy Escape Room

Posted: 09/05/2017

Hispanic Heritage Month - 2017

Hispanic Heritage Month is one of several “heritage months” that highlight cultures and contributions. Hispanic Heritage Month is one of several “heritage months” that highlight cultures and contributions. “During National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) we recognize the contributions made and the important presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrate their heritage and culture.” (Source: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.org) Many libraries participate in heritage month events. The National Hispanic Heritage Month Library of Congress page has collections and partners. The Programming Librarian’s page, from American Library Association, has ideas for learning more. Carnaval (UNT event) September 19, 2017 from 11:00 -1:00 UNT Union South Lawn ([@UNT_MCC Carnaval tweet][]) About: “Join the Multicultural Center and UPC as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with free food, music, and dancing!” There will be a library table staffed by Sociology Librarian, Lilly, so feel free come say hi, and pick up some library goodies. Browse related subjects at UNT Libraries: The UNT Libraries has resources, such as print and electronic books, that relate to different areas of Hispanic Heritage. Examples of Subjects to browse are not limited, but include: Hispanic Americans — Literary collections | Hispanic Americans and Mass Media | Hispanic Americans – Ethnic identity | Hispanic Americans – Biography | Hispanic Americans — Poetry Check out our previous Hispanic Heritage Month Display list of books. Sample books are located on the Willis Library first-floor book drop available for check out: Lotería cards and fortune poems: a book of lives (PS3558.E74 L66 1999) Linocuts by Artemio Rodríguez; poems by Juan Felipe Herrera Six kinds of sky: a collection of short fiction (PS3571.R74 S59 2002) by Luis Alberto Urrea Red hot salsa: bilingual poems on being young and Latino in the United States (PS591.H58 R43 2005) Edited by Lori Marie Carlson; introduction by Oscar Hijuelos Hispanic/Latino identity: a philosophical perspective (E184.S75 G67 2000) by Jorge J.E. Gracia Latino chronology: chronologies of the American mosaic ((E184.S75 F543 2007) by D. H. Figueredo ¡Bravo!: poemas sobre hispanos extraordinarios (J920 E58br Spanish, Juvenile Collection) Margarita Engle; ilustrado por Rafael López (See also English version: Bravo!: poems about amazing Hispanics (J920 E58br) Anything you recommend that is not at UNT Libraries? Feel free to make a suggestion by filling out the New Purchase/Recommendation form. Please enjoy the display, and the festivities!

Posted: 08/31/2017

Celebrate 40 Years of Space Exploration

Posted: 08/31/2017

Dean's Innovation Grant 2017: Intersections of Scholarly Communication & Information Literacy Workshop

Posted: 08/17/2017

Three Questions with Wesley Phelps

Wesley G. Phelps received his B.A. and M.A. from the University of North Texas and his Ph.D. in history from Rice University. He is currently an assistant professor of history at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he teaches courses on recent United States history, the American South, and LGBTQ history. His current research focuses on gay and lesbian political activism in the late twentieth century. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The LGBTQ Collection at the University of North Texas is indispensable for my current book project on legal challenges to Texas sodomy laws between 1867 and 2003. From complete runs of dozens of local newspapers and newsletters to organizational records and correspondence, this collection enables me to chronicle how local activists and organizations developed a legal strategy in the mid and late twentieth century that eventually produced a victory in the Supreme Court decision Lawrence v. Texas, which invalidated all remaining state sodomy laws in 2003. The documents in this collection reveal an evolution of thought about laws regulating sexuality that helps us understand not only the historical significance of the legal battle, but also its lasting relevance to current struggles for social justice. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? One of the ways the LGBTQ Collection changed my research project was by deepening my understanding of a case titled Baker v. Wade, which was the most important case challenging Texas’s “Homosexual Conduct” law prior to the Lawrence case. Before conducting research at the University of North Texas, I had constructed a broad outline of the Baker case and developed an analysis based on the official court documents that are available. It was not until I discovered Don Baker’s personal papers in the LGBTQ Collection, however, that I began to understand just how much Baker’s own history as an activist and his desire to use his experience as an exercise in public education influenced the development of the case. With the kinds of documents found in UNT’s Special Collections, I will be able to write a book that gives these early cases like Baker v. Wade the thorough analysis they deserve. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? I want others to know that the recent gains of the movement for gay and lesbian civil rights did not come out of nowhere. Many people I know, myself included, have marveled at how quickly marriage equality became a reality in 2015. Yet while we can rightly acknowledge the relative swiftness of that victory in light of where we were, say, between 2004 and 2006, we still must recognize that these advances have deep historical roots. I also think it is important to recognize that constitutional change comes from below – from the grassroots activists and organizations that push for change using the court system. In order to explain where change comes from, often we say things like “the time had simply come for a change” or “society developed to the point where this change was possible.” These cases, however, show us that, in fact, people fought and sacrificed for the political and legal changes we have seen over the past several decades. Finally, I want others to see that these cases reveal the importance of grassroots activism in a democracy. It was the local activism of people like Don Baker and the Texas Human Rights Foundation that produced these gains, and they did it through old-fashioned organizing, mobilizing, and agitating. Perhaps most important for the current state of our democracy, the stories of these cases suggest that it will also be grassroots activism that will protect these advances, not only the recent gains for queer Americans, but also women’s reproductive rights, civil rights for racial minorities, and even the social safety net that was built throughout the mid-twentieth century. It was grassroots activism that delivered those gains, and it will be grassroots activism that determines whether or not we keep them around. Wesley G. Phelps received his B.A. and M.A. from the University of North Texas and his Ph.D. in history from Rice University. He is currently an assistant professor of history at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he teaches courses on recent United States history, the American South, and LGBTQ history. His first book, A People’s War on Poverty: Urban Politics and Grassroots Activists in Houston, was published by the University of Georgia Press in 2014. His current research focuses on gay and lesbian political activism in the late twentieth century.

Posted: 08/02/2017

UNT Handshake Tips for Working in the Libraries

Are you looking for a job on campus? Do you want to gain work experience to develop your professional resume? Come work at the UNT Libraries! Welcome, UNT Students! Looking for a job on campus? Want to gain work experience to develop your professional resume? Come work at the library! We have many student assistant positions available on the Eagle Careers site. Working for the library is a great way to develop a variety of workplace skills and no previous library experience is required. You will apply through UNT Handshake and we’ve created a step-by-step guide to getting your application materials uploaded and seen by the library search committees. UNT Handshake tips What you’ll need: A computer and access to the internet Resume Student Employment Application to upload Copy of your class schedule Cover letter which addresses the job description Any other required documents or items as noted in the official job posting TIP: It is important to tailor your resume or cover letter to the position you are applying for. Check out the Career Center’s guides located on the right of this page. Let’s get started! Go to the UNT Handshake site. Click on Student Login to reach the UNT Handshake login page. Select Active UNT Students Login Here and sign in with your EUID and Password. Select Jobs at the top of the screen. Type Libraries in the search box and select the Part-Time and On-Campus filters. All jobs in the libraries should be visible now. Click on the job that appeals most to you. TIP: There is a regular and College Work Study posting for each position so please make sure to apply for the correct posting. Be sure to read the job description before choosing to apply! Select the green Apply button to the right of the application deadline. An Apply to University of North Texas - Student Employment window will pop up that will allow you to upload your application materials. We strongly recommend using the Upload New button to upload your customized materials that address your specific job description. TIP: Materials specifically tailored to address job advertisements and descriptions may help bump you to the top of the list. Once your materials have uploaded to the system, select Submit Application. And now you have completed applying through Handshake! Other Things To Note: Many job postings for library positions require you to provide additional application materials like work samples (i.e. writing samples, videos, and graphic design portfolios). These should be included with your emailed documents. Once you have applied in Handshake and sent a copy of all requested materials to the search committee, you will have completed the application process for your desired position! Congratulations! Go have some lunch or something. Search committees may notify you of your application status through handshake or email, so be sure to check both places often.

Posted: 07/19/2017

Temporary Closure of Eagle Commons Library

Posted: 07/13/2017

A Century of Espionage

Posted: 06/23/2017

Summer Hours for Writing Tutors in Willis Library

Posted: 06/23/2017

Summer Hours for Writing Tutors in Willis Library

Posted: 06/23/2017

The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Brian Elliott

Brian Elliot is a Ph.D. Student and Teaching Fellow with the History Department at the University of North Texas. Brian’s research focuses on slavery during the Civil War, and the legacy of former slaves as “Black Confederates.” Brian’s published materials include his Master’s thesis “Peculiar Pairings: Texas Confederates and their Black Body Servants,” as well as a number of published book reviews. Brian has presented his research at several conferences, including at the Society for Military History, and the Southwest Social Science Association, and has given informal talks on his research and the utility of digital resources in historical research. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee Brian Elliott Project Title Passing as Gray: Confederate Body Servants and their Legacy as Black Confederates Project Description Using various primary sources, my project looks to understand the relationship of Confederate soldiers and their body servants (slaves) during and after the Civil War. This project will ultimately help us to better understand these complex figures and post-Civil War conceptions of former slaves as “Black Confederates.” Biography Brian Elliott is a Ph.D. Student and Teaching Fellow with the History Department at the University of North Texas. Brian’s research focuses on slavery during the Civil War, and the legacy of former slaves as “Black Confederates.” Brian’s published materials include his Master’s thesis “Peculiar Pairings: Texas Confederates and their Black Body Servants,” as well as a number of published book reviews. Brian has presented his research at several conferences, including at the Society for Military History, and the Southwest Social Science Association, and has given informal talks on his research and the utility of digital resources in historical research.

Posted: 06/22/2017

The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Heather Sinclair

Heather Sinclair has a background in professional midwifery and activism and received her Ph.D. in history in 2016 from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her dissertation is entitled “Birth City: Race and Violence in the History of Childbirth and Midwifery in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Borderlands, 1907-2013.” She is currently a lecturer in history and women’s studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. She received a B.A. in history and certificate in women’s studies from Duke University. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee Heather Sinclair Project Title Birthing a History of Midwifery in the Twentieth-Century Texas-Mexico Borderlands Project Description This project will use the Portal to Texas History digital collections to explore midwifery, childbirth practices, and infant mortality primarily in early twentieth-century El Paso, Texas. Particular attention will be paid to childbearing and child rearing practices as sites of inclusion and exclusion along the lines of gender, race, class, and citizenship. I will use this research to convert my dissertation into a book manuscript and to publish an article in a peer-reviewed journal in history. Biography Heather Sinclair has a background in professional midwifery and activism and received her Ph.D. in history in 2016 from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her dissertation is entitled “Birth City: Race and Violence in the History of Childbirth and Midwifery in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Borderlands, 1907-2013.” She is currently a lecturer in history and women’s studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. She received a B.A. in history and certificate in women’s studies from Duke University.

Posted: 06/22/2017

The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Robin Roe

Robin Roe is a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M University and received her BA and MA in History from Texas A&M University. Her dissertation examines how media used weather-related natural disasters in Texas and the Southwest border region in the early Twentieth Century to manipulate public perceptions of race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, and class, and how some of those victims contested that manipulation. She is a veteran of the U. S. Air Force and has worked as a copy editor and in the computer industry before beginning her graduate work. She is particularly interested in the potential of digital humanities for historical research. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee Robin L. Roe Project Title On the Borders of Disaster Project Description This portion of On the Borders of Disaster compares English-language newspaper reports about a major 1921 flood with Spanish-language newspaper reports of that flood to analyze how one group contested the dominant narrative that cast the victims as passive and helpless. What emerges are two very different accounts of the disaster, manipulated not by lies but by selective inclusion and omission. This article will become a crucial chapter of my dissertation. Biography Robin L. Roe is a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M University and received her BA and MA in History from Texas A&M University. Her dissertation examines how media used weather-related natural disasters in Texas and the Southwest border region in the early Twentieth Century to manipulate public perceptions of race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, and class, and how some of those victims contested that manipulation. She is a veteran of the U. S. Air Force and has worked as a copy editor and in the computer industry before beginning her graduate work. She is particularly interested in the potential of digital humanities for historical research.

Posted: 06/22/2017

The UNT Special Collections 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Matthew Carr

Matthew Carr is a student in Columbia University’s political science Ph.D .program. His research focuses on American political institutions. He’s working on a project – which makes extensive use of archival resources – collecting state-level political party platforms from 1960 through the present day, in order to trace the evolution of party development. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee Matthew Carr Project Title Origins of the Culture War: Social Issues in State Party Platforms, 1960-2016 Project Description Beginning sometime in the late 20th century, social issues that previously had played little role in party division came to separate one party from the other. Republican and Democratic elites staked out opposing positions on a range of issues–including abortion, gay rights, the role of religion in the public sphere, and gun control–and party electorates today are sharply polarized over these issues. Drawing on a massive new dataset, we test the proposition that – by the time national parties and elites took positions on social issues – the parties were already constrained by state-level position-taking, and that the origins of social issues in the states came earlier than in national platforms. Biography Matthew Carr is a student in Columbia University’s political science Ph.D .program. His research focuses on American political institutions. He’s working on a project – which makes extensive use of archival resources – collecting state-level political party platforms from 1960 through the present day, in order to trace the evolution of party development.

Posted: 06/16/2017

The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Tiffany J. González

Tiffany J. González grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and in North Richland Hills, Texas. Currently she is a doctoral candidate in the department of history at Texas A&M University. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in History from Texas Tech University. In the 2017-2018 academic year, Tiffany will conduct more research and begin the writing phase for the dissertation. Her work has received support from the Texas State Historical Association, the East Texas Historical Association, the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education, and now the Portal to Texas History. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee Tiffany J. Gonzalez Project Title The Globalization of the Latina Political Movement since the 1970s Project Description Tiffany’s project tells the story of the earliest Chicana/Latina politicians elected to office, the National Chicana Political Caucus, and the international feminist movement since in the 1970s. Her work elevates the field of American political history because of its analysis of the U.S. Latina political movement. Biography Tiffany J. González grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and in North Richland Hills, Texas. Currently she is a doctoral candidate in the department of history at Texas A&M University. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in History from Texas Tech University. In the 2017-2018 academic year, Tiffany will conduct more research and begin the writing phase for the dissertation. Her work has received support from the Texas State Historical Association, the East Texas Historical Association, the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education, and now the Portal to Texas History.

Posted: 06/16/2017

The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Gregg Cantrell

Gregg Cantrell holds the Erma and Ralph Lowe Chair in Texas History at Texas Christian University. He is the author of several books and articles, including Stephen F. Austin: Empresario of Texas. He is a coauthor of the bestselling Texas History textbook, The History of Texas, coauthored with Robert A. Calvert and Arnoldo De León. In 2013-2014 he was president of the Texas State Historical Association, and he is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee Gregg Cantrell Project Title The People’s Revolt: Texas Populists and the Roots of American Liberalism Project Description This project is a history of the Texas Populist Party of the 1890s. Populism was arguably the most successful and important third-party movement in American History, and Texas was the birthplace of Populism and home to more Populists than any other state. The ideas of Texas Populists were instrumental in the shaping of American liberalism in the twentieth century. Biography Gregg Cantrell holds the Erma and Ralph Lowe Chair in Texas History at Texas Christian University. He is the author of several books and articles, including Stephen F. Austin: Empresario of Texas. He is a coauthor of the bestselling Texas History textbook, The History of Texas, coauthored with Robert A. Calvert and Arnoldo De León. In 2013-2014 he was president of the Texas State Historical Association, and he is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters.

Posted: 06/16/2017

The UNT Special Collections 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Stacey Jocoy

Posted: 06/16/2017

The UNT Special Collections 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Wesley G. Phelps

Posted: 06/16/2017

The UNT Special Collections 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee - Laura Lee Oviedo

Laura Lee Oviedo is a native of Pharr, Texas and is currently a Ph.D. student of history at Texas A&M University. Laura’s dissertation employs a comparative framework to examine the Militarization of Mexican and Puerto Rican Women’s Lives during World War II and the Politics of Race, Class, Gender, and Citizenship. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2017 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2017 Research Fellowship Awardee Laura Lee Oviedo Project Title Militarization of Mexican and Puerto Rican Women’s Lives during World War II and the Politics of Race, Class, Gender, and Citizenship Project Description Laura’s project, The Militarization of Mexican and Puerto Rican Women’s Lives during World War II and the Politics of Race, Class, Gender, and Citizenship, utilizes a gendered lens of militarization in order to better understand the structural and ideological forces that shaped ethnic Mexican and Puerto Rican women’s lived experiences, social Laura Lee Oviedo is a native of Pharr, Texas and is currently a PhD student of history at Texas A&M University. Her research utilizes interdisciplinary and relational approaches to study the experiences of Latina/os in the United States, U.S./Mexico borderlands, Chicana/Latina feminisms and labor, identity politics, race/ethnic relations, and the relationship between war, citizenship, and gender. Laura’s dissertation employs a comparative framework to examine the Militarization of Mexican and Puerto Rican Women’s Lives during World War II and the Politics of Race, Class, Gender, and Citizenship. She has been hosted as a visiting scholar at the Institute for Caribbean Studies at the University of Puerto Rico and has presented her research at the American Sociological Association, National Women’s Studies Association, National Association of Chicana and Chicano Scholars, Dale Center for the Study of War & Society, Texas State Historical Association, among others.relations, ideologies, and practices during a heavily militarized climate in the mid-twentieth century. Most importantly, it examines the roles of these mujeres as cultural consumers and producers, sex workers, (in)formal wage laborers, as soldiers in the newly formed auxiliary units of the U.S. military (Women’s Army Corps, WAVES, etc), and as wives and mothers of military soldiers. Biography Laura Lee Oviedo is a native of Pharr, Texas and is currently a Ph.D. student of history at Texas A&M University. Her research utilizes interdisciplinary and relational approaches to study the experiences of Latina/os in the United States, U.S./Mexico borderlands, Chicana/Latina feminisms and labor, identity politics, race/ethnic relations, and the relationship between war, citizenship, and gender. Laura’s dissertation employs a comparative framework to examine the Militarization of Mexican and Puerto Rican Women’s Lives during World War II and the Politics of Race, Class, Gender, and Citizenship. She has been hosted as a visiting scholar at the Institute for Caribbean Studies at the University of Puerto Rico and has presented her research at the American Sociological Association, National Women’s Studies Association, National Association of Chicana and Chicano Scholars, Dale Center for the Study of War & Society, Texas State Historical Association, among others.

Posted: 06/16/2017

UNT Scholarly Works Milestone - One Million Uses

Posted: 06/09/2017

PRIDE: LGBTQ+ Resources & Support

Posted: 06/08/2017

UNT Scholarly Works Outstanding Contributor Award 2017 Winners

About the Award Sponsored by the UNT Libraries, the 2017 UNT Scholarly Works Outstanding Contributor Award recognizes contributors whose items included in the UNT Scholarly Works institutional repository were accessed the most frequently and/or had the highest number of downloads. Awards are made in two categories: UNT Libraries Employees and Other UNT Community Members. Previous winners were ineligible. 2017 Winners Dr. Mark A. Vosvick Mark Vosvick is a behavioral scientist and associate professor of counseling psychology in UNT’s College of Arts and Sciences. Vosvick trained at Yale, Rutgers, Harvard, Stanford and the Medical College of Wisconsin before coming to UNT. Vosvick mentors both undergraduate and graduate students in research on psychosocial issues related to health and wellness in ethnic, racial, gender and sexual minority communities. Vosvick’s mentoring philosophy is holistic in that in addition to discipline content, he believes professional behavior and identity formation are all part of the educational process. As part of this philosophy, he encourages his students to give back through community engagement. From April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017, Dr. Vosvick has contributed 63 items with a total of 276 uses during this period. His contributions include large-format posters produced through the Center for Psychosocial Health Research, in collaboration with graduate and undergraduate students, including several McNair Scholars. These items demonstrate the wide breadth of research conducted by his lab, their commitment to community engagement, and the numerous opportunities provided for mentorship and collaboration. You can view Dr. Vosvick’s works within the UNT Scholarly Works Collection. Dr. Catherine Sassen Catherine Sassen is the Principal Catalog Librarian at the University of North Texas Libraries. Previously she served as a catalog librarian at Georgia State University. She received her B.A. from the University of Montana, and her M.L.S. and Ph.D. from UNT. She has published and presented on cataloging, assessment, career development and indexing. From April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017, Dr. Sassen has contributed 7 items with a total of 230 uses during this period. These contributions include not only her refereed journal articles, but also the data, survey instruments, bibliographies, and even authority record examples. This supplemental data allows users to gain a better understanding of the research she and her collaborators have conducted in library assessment and cataloging practices. You can view Dr. Sassen’s works within the UNT Scholarly Works Collection.

Posted: 06/01/2017

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with UNT Libraries

Posted: 04/14/2017

Global Citizens Month - April 2017

For the month of April, UNT will provide: “A variety of events, activities, and performances held across campus to educate students, faculty, staff and community members about world cultures and celebrations, diversity, internationalization and more”. See the UNT International April 2017 Calendar of events for more information. Library Events National Library Week events Date: April 3 - April 15 The Human Library Date: April 6 from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. Location: Willis Library Forum Reel to Real Classics Discussion and Screening “The Immigrant” (Charlie Chaplin, silent, 1917) Date: April 26 from 5:00 - 6:00 pm Location: Willis Library, Room 340 Post and Intro Podcast Books The UNT Libraries contain multiple resources related to globalization and society, international education, and literature. Browse Subject Headings: World Citizenship, Multiculturalism In Literature Minorities in literature, Ethnic groups in literature, Immigrants in literature Group identity in literature, Ethnicity in literature Additional Resources A few print sources can currently be found on the Willis Library 1st floor Book Drop (available for check out): Educating global citizens in colleges and universities: challenges and opportunities Celebrations around the world: a multicultural handbook Our Feet Walk the Sky: Women of the South Asian Diaspora Becoming World Wise: A Guide to Global Learning Braided lives: an anthology of multicultural American writing Latina self-portraits: interviews with contemporary women writers The Americas of Asian American literature: gendered fictions of nation and transnation You can also browse our Willis 1FL Graphic Novels and current reading in our McNaughton lease books (bookshelf next to room 136). See Also UNT International #YouAreWelcomeHere video February Monthly Books display: All Are Welcome In The Library Pieces on Earth: A Celebration of World Culture and Literature monthly archived book list. Thanks (on behalf of the Global Citizens Committee)! ~ Lilly Ramin

Posted: 04/01/2017

National Library Week 2017

Posted: 03/27/2017

International Jazz Day

Posted: 03/20/2017

woman looking at camera surrounded by text

Three Questions with Laura Forsberg

Laura Forsberg is currently a long-term National Endowment for the Humanities fellow at the Huntington Library. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2015 and has taught at Concordia University Texas since 2014. Her articles on Victorian literature and culture have been published in Victorian Studies, SEL: Studies in English Literature 1600-1900 and Papers of the Bibliographical Society. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Unique Collections play a vital role in my research by opening up a new dimension of nineteenth-century culture. I’m currently completing a book that is tentatively entitled Worlds Beyond: Miniatures in the Victorian Age, which examines a widespread Victorian fascination with miniature things, including paintings, microscopes, fairies, toys and books. The Unique Collections at UNT and other archives around the country have allowed me to examine hundreds of nineteenth-century miniature books – including some of the 2000+ volumes in UNT’s miniature book collection. The miniature books in UNT’s collections include works that reflect the extraordinary craftsmanship that was required in miniature book production. In order to print the extremely rare Galileo a Madama Cristina di Lorena (1615), an 1896 book measuring just ½ by ¾ of an inch in size, typesetters handset 2 ½ point type (remember that our normal font is 12 point). In the process, both the compositor and the typesetter ruined their eyesight. The question is: why make a book like this? As I held the volume in the palm of my hand, one answer became clear: the reduction in scale renders this volume an object of pure enchantment. Galileo’s letter about the nature of the heavens has been condensed to half the size of a postage stamp. Libraries are digitizing more and more of their resources. In general, this is a great thing and it has been helpful for other parts of my research. But my work also testifies to the continuing importance of physical resources and spaces like the UNT Special Collections, where researchers and students can see and encounter rare materials first-hand. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? I started graduate school with a textual approach to literature; I read books and poems and analyzed the relationship between content and form. Discovering the Unique Collections was part of a larger shift in my thinking, in which I began to focus on how literature fits into broader patterns in culture. In my current research, I not only analyze literary texts, but also “read” Victorian objects. Miniature books are particularly interesting objects to study because we can read both the text and the object – and sometimes they say different things! Miniature reference volumes, like The Little Lexicon, or, Multum in Parvo of the English Language, often explain how useful they are to readers. When I hold the object in my hand, however, I can see it’s very inconvenient to use; I struggle to turn thin pages, to hold the book open without blocking the type, and to read the tiny font. The book is, in fact, much less useful than it claims to be. This suggests that buyers probably purchased it because they were enchanted by its form and not because they found it useful. These insights are helpful not just for my research, but also for my teaching. All of my English courses now incorporate elements of visual and material analysis; my students spend time thinking about how we can interpret the material qualities of objects that we typically take for granted. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Many of us, when we see a miniature object or thing, automatically respond to it as “cute” or categorize it as a curiosity. I hope that my research causes people to look beyond this instinctual response – especially when the object is historical or hand crafted. How was it made? Why? What labor went into its production and why on earth would someone devote so much effort to making such a tiny thing? By describing an object as cute or by categorizing it as a curiosity, we dismiss the oddity of things rather than seeking to interpret it. I hope that my project inspires others to look more closely at miniature objects and at material things more generally – including both books and artifacts – and to discover the often-overlooked richness of the material past. I also hope others draw from my project a sense of the excitement of working on materials that have rarely been discussed. In my own case, lots of individuals collect miniature books and a few bibliographers have written authoritative guides to the subject. I am, however, one of the first literary critics to think about these materials at length. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do so – and I hope many others will follow in thinking about marvelous collections like the one held by the UNT Special Collections. Laura Forsberg is currently a long-term National Endowment for the Humanities fellow at the Huntington Library. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2015 and has taught at Concordia University Texas since 2014. Her articles on Victorian literature and culture have been published in Victorian Studies, SEL: Studies in English Literature 1600-1900 and Papers of the Bibliographical Society.

Posted: 03/16/2017

UNT Libraries renews membership in the Center for Research Libraries

Posted: 03/14/2017

Three Questions with Linzee Kull McCray

Linzee Kull McCray is a writer and independent curator with a focus on art, textiles, and craft. She was a writer and editor of publications for the University of Iowa, has a master’s degree in journalism from the University, and taught magazine writing and reporting to UI journalism students. Her writing appears regularly in magazines and online. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections your teaching, learning or research? In 2016, I was working on a book about cotton commodity bags, better known as feed sacks. (The bags, which originally were white or had a company logo on them, were sewn from dress print fabrics beginning in the late 1930s through the early 1960s. They held everything from animal feed and agricultural seed to flour, sugar, and salt and were sometimes the sole source of fabric for rural families. Women used them to create curtains, diapers, dishtowels, dresses, quilts, and much more.) The Portal enabled me to search by subject and gave me a window into rural life in Texas—the number of small-town newspapers was astonishing, as was the news they covered. Feed sacks featured prominently in the “women’s sections” of papers and sometimes showed up on the front page, alongside more traditional news items. Having access to these newspapers gave me a detailed glimpse into the lives of rural and small town residents and allowed me to share stories like this with readers: “Alongside articles on wildcat wells and factory inspections, the front page of the March 21, 1935 Corrigan Press from Texas included the story ‘Mrs. Peebles Makes Mattress Cover.’ A member of the Lime Ridge Home Demonstration Club, Mrs. R.S. Peebles washed, bleached, and pressed eight feed sacks to make a mattress cover, ‘which can be removed and washed at any time.’ …Mrs. Peebles frugality was applauded. ‘Since buttons from discarded garments were used to fasten it at one end, the only cost of the well made substantial cover was the thread used in making it.’” Mrs. Peebles efforts inspired other women, who began saving fertilizer sacks to make similar items. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Because feed sacks were used all over the United States, I was especially pleased to have access to newspapers from a region other than where I live—I live in Iowa City, Iowa. It reminded me of the possibilities of broadening the scope of my study to additional regions and states where similar resources might be available. And I love sharing the Portal with people who are interested in digging further into the topic, or who are simply interested in day-to-day rural life in the early and mid 20th-century. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Textiles and their use in rural life is a way to focus on women’s history. While some men certainly sewed, the majority of feed sack use in the home was by women. Feed sacks interest me from a number of perspectives: The fabric designs are rich and varied (more than 18,000 different fabrics have been documented, and there are many, many more. I love that women took the time to use feed sacks to create beauty, especially when they were already occupied with cooking, gardening, and raising children and chickens, among other tasks. Feed sacks represent recognition by manufacturers of women’s importance in deciding where and how their family’s precious financial resources would be spent. There are myriad stories of husbands and sons being sent to the feed store with a swatch of fabric in hand and the instructions to buy two more sacks of fabric just like it. (It took three to four bags to create the average woman’s dress). Women may not have been considered breadwinners, but cotton bag manufacturers’ marketing efforts were squarely directed at the housewife and not her husband. The power of women was clear, even if it wasn’t directly acknowledged. In addition, I used the substantial resources of the Briscoe Center for American History while visiting Austin in January, 2016. I hope that Texans appreciate the amazing collections at their disposal, as well as the knowledgeable staff members who help the pubic make use of them. Linzee Kull McCray is a writer and independent curator with a focus on art, textiles, and craft. She is the author of Feed Sacks: The Colourful History of a Frugal Fabric (UPPERCASE, Calgary, Canada, 2016). She was a writer and editor of publications for the University of Iowa, has a master’s degree in journalism from the University, and taught magazine writing and reporting to UI journalism students. Her writing appears regularly in magazines and online. Her book Art Quilts of the Midwest (University of Iowa Press, 2015) has been the subject of exhibitions at the International Quilt Study Center and Museum (Lincoln, NE), the National Quilt Museum (Paducah, KY), and the Iowa Quilt Museum (Winterset, IA). It will be on view at the Texas Quilt Museum (LaGrange, TX) from June 29 to October 1, 2017.

Posted: 03/01/2017

Three Questions with Tom Phillips

Tom Phillips is an independent historian and has a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin. His special interest is African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army between the end of the Civil War and the early 1900s. He is the co-author of a book about these troops, The Black Regulars, 1866-1898, published by the University of Oklahoma Press in 2001. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using The Portal to Texas History at UNT Libraries. How important is the Portal in your teaching, learning or research? Very: I am researching the late 1881 court martial of Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper held at Fort Davis, Texas. He was the first African American graduate of West Point (1877) and the first black commissioned army officer. Much of my research has focused on newspaper accounts of this case. I’m a late-comer to the Portal, but arrived familiar with other digitized historical newspaper archives, especially Chronicling America from the Library of Congress. The Texas Portal has allowed me to fully research how Texas newspapers reported on Lt. Flipper. I have found a wide range of text, especially editorial views, in the state daily and weekly press. This local perspective is a very important element in my research. How has the Portal changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? No changes: but a continued and deeper application of research methods/skills (with a much- needed dose of luck and pure chance) that I’ve used for many years. I still travel to archives and libraries and rely on materials obtained through Interlibrary Loan. The Texas Portal and similar sites allow me to quickly find the “good stuff” from the comfort of my home office. Early in my research such discoveries would have required hours of squinting while scrolling through reels of microfilm or inhaling the dust of old printer’s ink and newsprint paper when turning pages in brittle original bound volumes of period newspapers. No more: now the items I’m looking for appear on my computer screen, and with the added and very welcome bonus of yellow underlining of the search word (s). What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Back in the 60s when I was an American History grad student I learned that “doing history” meant finding often obscure, over looked or long-forgotten pieces of information and then properly placing them in the overall national historic mosaic. My research is a process of searching, sometimes finding-sometimes not, sifting and winnowing, and then trying to organize and make sense of what I’ve found. My use of Texas Portal has once again shown me that there are more sources to mine and filter into my ongoing research. But…the ease and speed of using Texas Portal comes with a downside. I constantly have to force myself to stay on point and not use search words about subjects which have no relation to my research. Lieutenant Flipper’s story is of primary interest, but I can be easily distracted by reports of local crime, political hanky-panky (lots of both in 1880s Texas) and those wonderful period advertisement for $1 bottles of magic elixir that will cure everything from flat feet to lumbago to dandruff. Tom Phillips is an independent historian and has a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin. His special interest is African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army between the end of the Civil War and the early 1900s. He is the co-author of a book about these troops, The Black Regulars, 1866-1898, published by the University of Oklahoma Press in 2001.

Posted: 02/27/2017

Three Questions with Thomas Labé

Thomas Labé enjoys a multifaceted career as a pianist, recording artist, published scholar and educator. Performing, teaching and presenting have taken him to all seven continents. He has been at the forefront of bringing his passion for music to the classroom, the hybrid and the online learning environments in the most vital and effective ways possible. He has given presentations on the creative use of technology for teaching at several eLearning conferences ranging from Oklahoma to Hong Kong. He is currently Professor of Music (piano) at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? I have almost been living in the Willis Music Library at the University of North Texas every Saturday for the past two years while working on my openly-licensed music appreciation textbook. When it is completed this spring it will consist of a fully searchable, printable online page-flipping textbook which is completely integrated with a responsive website and an online multimedia pronouncing lexicon. All materials will be available for use in the classroom, on any computer or portable device, for hybrid and online instruction and available for student access 24/7. The textbook itself runs to almost 5,000 pages and combined with the website there are over 2,000 high definition images, graphics and links to hundreds of video and audio files. Because it is openly-licensed it will be absolutely free for instructors and students to use worldwide. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? I build dedicated responsive websites for all the courses that I teach. I also require my students to go paperless and learn basic graphics and website coding skills. All that said, I believe strongly in the power of print and/or print available as electronic resources. The most reliable information is still published in print form, issued by reputable publishing houses and which have gone through rigorous scholarly and editorial review. There is also something unique about walking through library stacks: you can discover things that no internet search will ever uncover. At times I have been at the Willis Music Library and been overwhelmed at how much literature has been written about music, more literature I believe than on any other human endeavor. What do you want others to know about your research, teaching or learning? Music appreciation is the most unique general education course on a college campus because every single student entering the class has already developed an intense relationship with the subject, music. You simply cannot say that about any other course on a college campus. So for me it is all about meeting the students in their individual relationship with music and working to expand horizons. I am hoping that my textbook/website complex will help in expanding those horizons. Thomas Labé enjoys a multifaceted career as a pianist, recording artist, published scholar and educator. Performing, teaching and presenting have taken him to all seven continents. A prize winner in numerous international piano competitions, his Carnegie Hall debut in 1987 was singled out by The New York Times as the “most interesting among the weeks’ debutants.” His first solo piano recording, The Virtuoso Johann Strauss, received a “Best of the Year” citation. He has been at the forefront of bringing his passion for music to the classroom, the hybrid and the online learning environments in the most vital and effective ways possible. He has given presentations on the creative use of technology for teaching at several eLearning conferences ranging from Oklahoma to Hong Kong. He is currently Professor of Music (piano) at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Posted: 02/23/2017

Happy Birthday J.S. Bach

Posted: 02/20/2017

Texas Digital Newspaper Program reaches 5 Million Pages

Posted: 02/16/2017

UNT Day of DH Call for Participants

A Day in the Life of the Digital Humanities (Day of DH) is an international celebration of technology in the service of the humanities. Join UNT librarians, faculty, staff, and students April 5, 2017 to learn about digital humanities concepts, projects, and tools. Help us build a great line up of speakers, workshops, and collaborative events. All UNT faculty, staff and students are welcome to participate and propose sessions. A Day in the Life of the Digital Humanities ([Day of DH][]) is an international celebration of technology in the service of the humanities. Join UNT librarians, faculty, staff, and students April 5, 2017 to learn about digital humanities concepts, projects, and tools. We define “digital humanities” broadly, and welcome digital scholarship practitioners from any discipline to contribute. Class projects, early stage projects, inquiries, and theoretical interventions are also welcome. Help us build a great line up of speakers, workshops, and collaborative events. All UNT faculty, staff and students are welcome to participate and propose sessions. Some ways you can contribute: Write a “Day in the Life” blog post or record a video describing a day in your life in digital humanities. Propose a hands-on workshop on a freely available tool for doing DH work. Propose a demo of a commercially available tool for doing DH work. Propose a workshop on digital pedagogy. Organize a panel of lightning talks highlighting different projects, strategies or ideas. Got other ideas? Tell us about them! Use this form to propose your contribution. Feel free to propose more than one (so if you do a workshop, you can also do a blog post about it, or anything else, too). Deadline for proposals is March 15, 2017. Questions? Please email digitalfrontiers@unt.edu Blog and video posts will be shared on the DH @ UNT blog. You can also follow @DH_UNT on Twitter for relevant news and updates. Sponsored by the UNT Libraries Digital Humanities and Collaborative Programs Unit, the UNT Libraries Digital Scholarship Work Group, the Critical Digital Pedagogy Faculty Network, and Digital Frontiers.

Posted: 02/16/2017

Random Acts of Kindness Week

Posted: 02/10/2017

All Are Welcome In The Library

In support of our mission to provide leadership in innovation and learning, the Public Services Division of the University of North Texas Libraries affirms the principles described in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Core Values of Librarianship. We are committed to welcoming the entire UNT community, in all its diversity, to enjoy the information and services provided by the Libraries. A message from the Public Services Division of the UNT Libraries to the UNT Community In support of our mission to provide leadership in innovation and learning, the Public Services Division of the University of North Texas Libraries affirms the principles described in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Core Values of Librarianship. We are committed to welcoming the entire UNT community, in all its diversity, to enjoy the information and services provided by the Libraries. Members of the UNT community, or their friends and families, may be facing difficulty in light of recent changes in the nation’s political climate. Students needing information regarding changes in their residency status are encouraged to contact the following organizations: American Civil Liberties Union of Texas There are also a variety of resources available to UNT students. Any student concerned for their safety should contact the UNT Police Department. (940) 565-3000. In the event of an emergency, do not hesitate to call 911. The Care Team is available to assist in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of students and members of the UNT community. Counseling and Testing Services provides comprehensive psychological services to students. UNT International provides support for UNT’s international student and scholar community. The Division of Institutional Equity & Diversity works to create an inclusive environment at UNT. Student Legal Services offers a wide variety of legal guidance. Faculty and staff have access to free short-term, confidential counseling services through the UNT Employee Assistance Program. 1-800-343-3822 You can also Ask Us and we will do our best to help you find the information and resources you need. We are careful to ensure that our collections provide diverse points of view and perspectives, and information about different cultures. Visit our Monthly Books Display near the service desk, and visit the Forum Exhibit in Room 140 in Willis Library to see just a few of the diverse books in our collections. Find a book about your culture, or read a book about a culture you don’t know. Don’t see what you want? Please, Ask Us! Finally, part of our mission is to provide our students and the community with access to credible information, and to help them develop the skills to evaluate the information they consume. UNT Librarians developed a Media Literacy Guide to help our students and the wider community navigate the challenging information landscape. Our Reference and Subject Librarians are also available to help, either at the service desk, or by appointment. The UNT Libraries are here to serve the entire UNT community, and we want all of our students, faculty, and staff to know that you are welcome in the library.

Posted: 02/07/2017

Exploring the Edges, Pushing the Boundaries: Digital Frontiers 2017 Call for Proposals

Posted: 02/07/2017

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Posted: 01/30/2017

Level Up for Mario Day with UNT Libraries

Posted: 01/27/2017

Celebrate National Freedom Day with UNT Libraries

Posted: 01/25/2017

Chinese New Year

January 28, 2017 marks the dawn of the Year of the Rooster! You can learn all about Chinese New Year history, traditions, and celebrations from the resources available from UNT Libraries. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a significant part of Chinese culture and tradition. It marks the the resetting of the lunar calendar, and every year is represented by one of twelve animals that symbolize different traits and luck for the new year. These rotate in a cyclical manner, with each sign resurfacing every 12 years. This Saturday, January 28, marks this change in the lunar calendar and the start of a new year. UNT Libraries has a wealth of resources relating to the New Year as well as Chinese culture. You can: Watch a documentary from the Media Library Read a book about the Chinese New Year Learn all about China’s history and growth Listen to music inspired by Chinese culture from the Music Library Traditions People across China and around the world celebrate the New Year by visiting family, feasting, and engaging in an extended period of optimism and hope for prosperity. Schools and universities in China take a break, and the 40 days surrounding the holiday mark the largest annual human migration on the planet - approximately 3.7 billion trips in total. The New Year’s Eve dinner is an important component of the festivities. Eight or nine dishes are usually served, as those numbers are considered lucky. Common foods served at dinner are dumplings and fish, which symbolize prosperity. Luck is integral to New Year traditions, with red, a famously lucky color, adorning decorations and clothing. Elders and adults give “red packets,” or red envelopes containing money, to young children to bring them good fortune in the new year. To avoid bad luck, people avoid taking medicine, sweeping, and needlework among other things on New Year’s Day. Certain gifts, such as clocks and knives, are taboo on this day, as they represent the bestowing of bad luck on the receiver. China is not the only place that celebrates the renewal of the lunar year; other places that observe the holiday include Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines. Many people within the United States as well as around the world outside Asia also celebrate. The Year of the Fire Rooster On January 28, the Year of the Monkey will end and the Year of the Rooster will officially begin. In the Chinese zodiac, the rooster is honest, energetic, intelligent, flamboyant, flexible, diverse and confident. What makes 2017 even more special is that it’s specifically the year of the Fire Rooster, which hasn’t featured since 1957.The fire rooster symbolizes power and resourcefulness as well as vivacity, vanity, and outspokenness. Other types of roosters include Wood, Water, Earth, and Gold Roosters. According to common belief, when the zodiac sign of your birth comes around, you are guaranteed bad luck for the year and must try to avoid it by wearing something red given to you by an elder.

Posted: 01/24/2017

Descendant of Davy Crockett Finds Family Photo on UNT's Portal to Texas History

Posted: 01/13/2017

Five Things You Should Know About University Libraries

Posted: 01/11/2017

Squirrel Appreciation Day

Posted: 01/04/2017

Three Questions with Liz Carmack

Liz Carmack is a writer, editor, researcher and consultant. She authored Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide and Rodeo Austin: Blue Ribbons, Buckin’ Broncs and Big Dreams, both published by Texas A&M University Press. Liz serves as Senior Communications Specialist for the Texas Association of Counties in Austin. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Oklahoma State University and her master’s degree in mass communications from the University of Leicester in Leicester, England. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? During the early phase of writing my book, Rodeo Austin: Blue Ribbons, Buckin’ Broncs and Big Dreams, the portal was one of the first places I turned as I began researching the topic. Rodeo Austin, a nonprofit that raises funds for college scholarships through a livestock show, auction and rodeo, had no early records of its organization, so the portal was invaluable to my research. I was able to search broadly on the portal, looking for any evidence of early livestock shows and rodeos in Texas. What I found established the historical context for the show’s founding in 1940 and led me to further sources that helped flesh out the full story. Today, my colleagues at the Texas Association of Counties and I use the portal to hunt for historic images related to Texas and county government and use them in our publications, such as our annual report to members. I also use the portal when researching stories about county history for our bi-monthly magazine, County. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Because the portal is so comprehensive, I often start my research there. The results can provide clues to help me flesh out the bigger story, lead me to other sources of research, confirm a fact I’m double-checking, or deliver the exact piece of information or photo I’m seeking. The portal was limited in scope when I wrote my first book, Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide, so I didn’t rely upon it for the project. If I were researching that topic today, the portal would probably save me hours of time and effort. What do you want others to know about your research? In my current position at the Texas Association of Counties I write a series called Historical Highlights that focuses on the history of particular counties and how county governments work to preserve it. The information I glean from the portal often ends up in those articles in County magazine. You can find them at www.county.org/magazine. Just click the Historical Highlights link. Liz Carmack is a writer, editor, researcher and consultant. She authored [Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide][] and Rodeo Austin: Blue Ribbons, Buckin’ Broncs and Big Dreams, both published by Texas A&M University Press. Liz serves as Senior Communications Specialist for the Texas Association of Counties in Austin. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Oklahoma State University and her master’s degree in mass communications from the University of Leicester in Leicester, England.

Posted: 12/13/2016

Paws & Relax a Big Success

Posted: 12/13/2016

black and white photograph of a smiling man

Three Questions with Andrew Yox

Dr. Andrew Yox is the Honors Director at Northeast Texas Community College. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? My 1983 University of Chicago dissertation involved day-by-day microfilm research on German-American newspapers. What a privilege it is by contrast to get on the Portal of Texas History. We have an honors program devoted to research and we do a lot of work in Texas history, both for the production of feature-length films (Query our website at NTCC Honors for Texas history films), and for essays. We at the same time lack a comprehensive research library within an hour of our campus. The Portal to Texas History comes to our rescue each year, with a dissertation on Pappy O’Daniel, an article from the Houston Post, or magnificent 1850 speech by Texas Senator, Thomas Jefferson Rusk. Now I can suggest much more unusual topics to my students, and also get them started with a few finds of the collection. Ana Krahmer of the Digital Newspaper Unit has been a great catalyst as well in bringing us to new frontiers of knowledge. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Thanks to the Unique Collections we have become much more bold about research, and much more willing to direct students to new fields of work. We have amassed seven State of Texas Caldwell Awards, a Smallwood, several awards of the Great Plains Honors Council, and several publications in Touchstone, published by the Texas State Historical Association, in recent years being able to launch out into the wonderland of primary documents provided by the Portal to Texas History. We also have presented work consistently at the National Collegiate Honors Council. Not every state has these kind of resources, so I believe scholars from our small community college now have some advantages. What do you want others to know about your research? We note that at some point in the early twentieth-century, high school athletics crossed over from a peripheral to a mainstream activity for small towns in Texas. We believe that there are many aspects of regional culture that are ignored, many questions that go un-researched, and questions to which a substantial population craves answers. Through our films and essays in Texas history we hope to supply not only a kind of regional cultural experience, but to provide our students with a chance to present, publish, and win various awards. One ultimate aftereffect of the Portal to Texas History is that our students have been averaging three-four national awards a year. Dr. Andrew Yox is the Honors Director at Northeast Texas Community College

Posted: 12/07/2016

Christmas Card Day

Posted: 11/18/2016

New Resource! British Periodicals 2 and 3

British Periodicals Online provides access to the searchable, full text of hundreds of periodicals from the late seventeenth century to the early twentieth, comprising millions of high-resolution facsimile page images. Topics covered include literature, philosophy, history, science, the social sciences, music, art, drama, archeology and architecture. In addition to our British Periodicals 1 collection from ProQuest, British Periodicals 2 & 3 are now available. This resource offers page images and searchable full text for nearly 500 British periodicals published from the seventeenth century through to the twentieth century. Search now across all three collections at once. British Periodicals Collection I consists of more than 160 journals that comprise the ProQuest microfilm collection Early British Periodicals. Topics covered include literature, philosophy, history, science, the fine arts, and the social sciences. British Periodicals Collection II consists of more than 300 journals from the ProQuest microfilm collections English Literary Periodicals and British Periodicals in the Creative Arts together with additional titles, amounting to almost 3 million pages. Topics covered include literature, music, art, drama, archeology, and architecture. British Periodicals Collection III focuses on the first half of the twentieth century. It contains popular periodicals of the period and were highly influential in their mix of news/politics, miscellany, art, photography, literature and comedy/satire, while launching the careers of many leading artists/illustrators of the age. All of this material is available in page image format with fully searchable text. Users can filter results by article type and download articles as either PDFs or JPEG page images. Each facsimile page from Collections I-II is available in high-resolution gray scale, providing scholars with an authentic and nuanced record of the printed source. Collection III introduces full color images where color was present in the original print volume.

Posted: 11/15/2016

International Education Week comes to UNT Libraries

International Education Week is a global effort to engage individuals, institutions, and communities to strive for increased cooperation through education. Learn how you can get involved with UNT Libraries! Every year during the second week in November, the United States celebrates International Education Week. Hosted as a joint effort between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, this event aims to “celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.” This year it will run from November 14 to November 18. Participation in International Education Week revolves around advancing international education and awareness. UNT Libraries have a ton of resources available to help you expand your knowledge and open your mind to a growing global world through the study of international education and literature]. You can get involved with IEW on social media or the events connected with UNT. A calendar of UNT events is posted on the UNT International website. International Education Part of International Education Week includes participation in exchange programs that promote international education. The UNT Libraries has resources that relate to six different areas of international education: Comparative librarianship Cross-cultural orientation Intellectual cooperation International baccalaureate Internationalism Student exchange programs Literature Literature is one of the most important facets of education, as it has the ability to expose us to different ways of thinking and help us empathize with those whom we wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Much like Elie Wiesel’s Night trilogy, a memoir detailing his experiences in a Nazi concentration camps, taught us about one of humanity’s darkest moments, so can literature bring to life our shared experiences, fostering empathy and breeding compassion. Other popular classics from around the world are available at UNT Libraries, some in print or e-book. Examples include, but are not limited to, Nobel Prize in Literature Winners Gabriel García Márquez One Hundred Years of Solitude (Columbia) The Stranger by Albert Camus (France), View with a grain of sand: selected poems of Wislawa Szymborka (Poland) and many more. The UNT Libraries contain multiple resources about literature as it relates to globalization and society. Some selected resources can be found on the Willis Library Book Drop to give you an idea of authors: The Routledge Companion to World Literature The Norton Anthology of World Literature World Literature, world Culture You can also browse our Willis 1FL Graphic Novels and current reading in our McNaughton lease books (bookshelf next to room 136). Social Media To really get in the spirit of International Education Week and spread the word, consider getting involved in the world of social media. Like UNT International on Facebook RSVP to UNT International Education Week to stay updated.

Posted: 10/31/2016

Celebrate Origami Day with UNT Libraries

Posted: 10/26/2016

Celebrate International Animation Day with UNT Libraries

Posted: 10/24/2016

Open Access Week 2016: What's Brewing at UNT?

Posted: 10/17/2016

Celebrate Black Poetry Day with UNT Libraries

Posted: 10/13/2016

October 14 is National Dessert Day

Posted: 10/13/2016

Happy Red Planet Day!

Posted: 10/05/2016

UNT Libraries' Digital Newspaper Unit Receives a TexTreasures Grant

Posted: 09/12/2016

UNT Libraries: The Final Frontier

Posted: 09/08/2016

Dean's Innovation Grant 2016: What's Brewing at UNT?

Academia meets happy hour in this effort to engage faculty with library resources and services with a backdrop of beer and hors d’oeuvres. The goal of this project was to promote faculty engagement with library resources on a local and global level through the use of two showcase-style events, one per long semester. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, formerly known as the Green Light To Greatness Award, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2016 Awardees Pamela Andrews, Greg Hardin, Susan Smith Project Title What’s Brewing at UNT? Project Description Academia meets happy hour in this effort to engage faculty with library resources and services with a backdrop of beer and hors d’oeuvres. The goal of this project was to promote faculty engagement with library resources on a local and global level through the use of two showcase-style events, one per long semester. It was inspired by a similar project conducted at the University of Dayton, which created a “low-key, happy hour showcase for faculty and library employees to mingle and discuss library initiatives.” Beer-tasting stations and a bigger emphasis on non-print material are meant to encourage faculty to interact with the material and each other, informing them about the Libraries’ services and resources in a fun and relaxing environment. Contributor Biographies Pamela Andrews is a Repository Librarian in the Digital Curation Unit. She has a Master of Science in Library and Information Science from Florida State University and a Master of Arts from the University of Central Florida. Greg Hardin is the Information Literacy Coordinator in Library Learning Service. He has a Master of Library Science in Library and Information Studies from TWU. Susan Smith, Ph.D. is the Head of Library and Research Support Services. She has a Ph.D. in Public and Urban Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Library Science in Library and Information Studies from the University of Oklahoma

Posted: 09/07/2016

UNT Libraries Receives Another NEH Newspaper Award

Posted: 09/02/2016

Gear Up for Football Season with the UNT Digital Library

Posted: 08/31/2016

Three Questions with Tyler Thompson

Tyler Thompson is a doctoral candidate in the Department of History at Texas A&M University. He received his bachelors and masters in history from UT-San Antonio. Tyler’s dissertation examines how racial and gendered rhetoric underscored conquest across Texas which was justified in subsequent myths and memories of the history of the state. He was born in Austin, Texas and plans to teach and research for a university when he graduates. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The UNT Portal to Texas History has been a crucial aspect of research throughout my academic career. I am incredibly grateful for its wealth of resources including historical newspapers, almanacs, and photographs. The website is simple to navigate and easily accessible for researchers. As an undergraduate student, I utilized the Portal for my senior seminar paper on Native American representations in Texas, and subsequently used this paper as a writing sample for graduate school applications. In graduate school, I turned to the UNT Portal again for a research seminar, and I was lucky enough to have that essay published as a peer-reviewed journal article in the Journal of South Texas. I am currently using the UNT Portal to strengthen my dissertation, “Representations of American Indians in Texas Memory and Mythology, 1875-1936.” The Portal resources have helped develop my primary source base and have contributed to my analysis of how Texans collectively memorialized and represented Native Americans as a justification for conquest throughout the Texas Panhandle. As a teaching assistant, I assisted in a class project in which the students in a Texas History course drew from the UNT Portal to research and write an essay on an aspect of local Texas History that they found interesting. Many students chose their hometowns, and wrote on diverse topics such as baseball, railroads, Klan violence, bank robberies, and natural disasters. It was enlightening to read their eclectic responses. I witnessed the students develop analytical skills as researchers and gain a deeper understanding of the past through the assignment. I plan to implement a similar strategy in my own classroom as an educator. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The UNT Portal has strengthened my primary source base for my dissertation research. The helpful search filters and the substantial amount of material have reinforced my argument as well. The Portal has become a starting place for me when I broach a new angle in my writing and research. One of the first things I now consider is how Texas newspapers represented and discussed specific topics. I am excited to continue using the Portal for teaching purposes. The digital format is a perfect tool for twenty-first century classrooms, and is very user-friendly for students. I think the Portal material is suitable for independent essay assignments as well as collaborative group projects in which students work together to build a presentation for the class. The Portal encourages creativity, teamwork, and builds useful skills that students will use beyond their course in history, politics, et cetera. What do you want others to know about your research? Representations and memories of Native people continued long after their violent removal from Texas. I have found that these representations often centered on representing the indigenous population in ways that justified the conquest of the region. Significantly, these representations changed over time, and Anglo Texans used sites of memory to perpetuate a narrative that placed their actions in a favorable light. I think it is also important to highlight the fact that Native people responded in creative ways to these representations. For instance, I found several newspaper articles in the Portal that referred Kiowa men making speeches after a 1916 Wild West Show. They used this platform to influence Anglo Texans, and participate in the ways individuals collectively remembered historical events. Tyler Thompson is a doctoral candidate in the Department of History at Texas A&M University. He received his bachelors and masters in history from UT-San Antonio. Tyler’s dissertation examines how racial and gendered rhetoric underscored conquest across Texas which was justified in subsequent myths and memories of the history of the state. He was born in Austin, Texas and plans to teach and research for a university when he graduates.

Posted: 08/16/2016

Three Questions with Dennis Michael Mims

Dennis Michael Mims is a doctoral candidate at University of Texas at Dallas. He received his B.A. in Historical Studies from UT Dallas and his M.S. in History from University of North Texas. After completing his Ph.D., he plans on having a career in academia. Dennis Michael plans on teaching and researching and writing about civil rights and social movements. He is a native Texan who comes from a close-knit family that lives here in the DFW Metroplex. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) archive in Special Collections at the University of North Texas (UNT) and the Portal to Texas History are highly important to my dissertation research. My dissertation is a history of Dallas’ LGBT community. It spans four decades. The current title of my dissertation is A Queer History of Dallas: The Formation, Development, and Integration of Big D’s LGBT Community, 1965-2005. The large LGBT archive is important to my research because it contains a wide array of primary source materials. The Portal to Texas History is important because it also contains some primary source materials, photographs, and the Dallas Voice, the three-decade old newspaper that covers Dallas’ LGBT community. I knew about the LGBT archive when it was located at the Resource Center in Oaklawn. Even though I had checked out some books from the Resource Center’s library, I had never gone through its archive. Shortly after I started in the doctoral program at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), the LGBT archive was donated to UNT. I was happy to hear about UNT’s acquisition of the archive because I thought that once the university received it, it would be organized very well which meant it would be easy to utilize. I was correct in my thinking about how Special Collections would organize the archive. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The amount of source material in Unique Collections has influenced my approach to my project. For example, the LGBT archive in Special Collections at UNT is a large one that contains several subsections. Because of the size of the archive, I have had to think closely about what I want to put in the history that I am writing and what will be left out of it. Even though this is a challenge for me, it is not bad at all. I think that it is safe to say that most historians prefer the problem of having too much source material to work with than too little. Special Collections and the Portal to Texas History have also made me think about the illustrations that will be employed in my dissertation. I knew that I would use a certain amount of photos in my project, however, after I started going through Special Collections and the Portal to Texas History, I began to think more closely about the pictures that will be used in the history that I am writing. Regarding illustrations, I have the same challenge that I have with documents in Special Collections. I have to decide which ones will be part of my dissertation, and the ones that will not. What do you want others to know about your research? There are a few things that I would like for others to know about my research and learning. First, I want to share that I have been married to this topic for a decade. I wrote my first seminar paper on the Cathedral of Hope in the spring of 2006. That was followed by a seminar paper on Penal Code Section 21.06 and the Baker v. Wade case in the fall of 2006. I completed my master’s thesis about Cathedral of Hope in 2009. While doing these projects, I conducted a number of oral histories related to the history of Dallas’ LGBT community. I share all of this to explain that because I have been connected to this project for so long, I had an idea of what to look for when I began my research; I also had a general idea of what kind of history I wanted to write. Second, even though I had an idea of the kind of history that I wanted to produce, some of the information that I found in Special Collections and on the Portal to Texas History caused me to rethink the approach that I was taking on my dissertation because of the new things that I have been learning. Third, I think that anyone who undertakes a major research project should be open to the possibility of producing a different kind of history than he or she had originally imagined. Dennis Michael Mims is a doctoral candidate at University of Texas at Dallas. He received his B.A. in Historical Studies from UT Dallas and his M.S. in History from University of North Texas. After completing his Ph.D., he plans on having a career in academia. Dennis Michael plans on teaching and researching and writing about civil rights and social movements. He is a native Texan who comes from a close-knit family that lives here in the DFW Metroplex.

Posted: 08/08/2016

We Hardly Knew Ye: Celebrating the VCR with UNT Media Library

Posted: 08/08/2016

Celebrate 20 Years of George R.R. Martin

Posted: 08/05/2016

The Portal to Texas History 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee - David J. Cameron

David J. Cameron is a doctoral candidate in Chicano/Latino and Twentieth-Century United States History at Texas A&M University His project Race and Religion in the Bayou City: Latino/a, African American, and Anglo Baptists in Houston’s Long Civil Rights Movement examines how the intersections of race and religion in the Bayou City shaped Houston-area Baptists’ participation in the struggle for civil rights through religious associations, churches, and leaders. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee David J. Cameron Project Title Race and Religion in the Bayou City: Latino/a, African American, and Anglo Baptists in Houston’s Long Civil Rights Movement Project Description In his dissertation, “Race and Religion in the Bayou City: Latino/a, African American, and Anglo Baptists in Houston’s Long Civil Rights Movement,” David J. Cameron examines how the intersections of race and religion in the Bayou City shaped Houston-area Baptists’ participation in the struggle for civil rights through religious associations, churches, and leaders. This examination reveals how African American and Mexican American Baptists have resisted and challenged racial inequality in the twentieth century, as well as how those in power have at times used religion to uphold and protect white privilege and inequality. Biography David J. Cameron is a doctoral candidate in Chicano/Latino and Twentieth-Century United States History at Texas A&M University in College Station. He is currently writing his dissertation, “Race and Religion in the Bayou City: Latino/a, African American, and Anglo Baptists in Houston’s Long Civil Rights Movement,” which he will defend in the spring of 2017. His research on the intersections of race and religion in Chicano/Latino, African American, Southwestern, Texas, and Southern history has appeared in The Southwestern Historical Quarterly and Baptist History and Heritage. He has presented on these themes at the annual meetings of the Western History Association and the Texas State Historical Association, as well as the Third Bi-Annual Sal Castro Memorial Conference on Chicano Movement Historiography at UC-Santa Barbara.

Posted: 07/19/2016

Pokemon Go

Posted: 07/15/2016

UNT Scholarly Works Outstanding Contributor Award 2016 Winners

Posted: 07/14/2016

The Portal to Texas History 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee - Tyler Thompson

Posted: 07/08/2016

The Portal to Texas History 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee - Dennis Michael Mims

Posted: 06/30/2016

Three Questions with Ben Davis

Ben Davis’ work investigates the social experience of architecture by documenting the historic structures that have accommodated cultural rituals for over 150 years in Texas. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Portal provides the only material available on the web, in a centralized location, able to allow visual comparisons of historic architecture in Texas through the Texas Historical Commission’s Historic Resources Survey collection. I am excited for the potential of this collection as scholars and researchers begin to discern patterns in architectural trends across the state and contextualize these trends by comparing the photographs from the THC survey to other material in the Portal. There is not another resource in the state able to provide such a robust research experience. I look forward to becoming more familiar with other collections in the Portal as this remarkable resource continues to grow. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Using the Portal has made me aware of the various types of material that can augment architectural research, for instance keyword searches have revealed valuable information buried within documents I would not have otherwise thought to search. In developing the stories associated with some of Texas’ earliest structures I was able to learn more about the people for whom they were built and in some cases the people who built them through family papers and biographical essays. I was then able to compare these stories of the lives of the people who lived and worked in antebellum buildings with county level records to develop a more resolved idea of the uses and functions vernacular buildings in Texas were designed to perform. What do you want others to know about your research? The Portal is an incredible resource and for me was only the starting point of an even longer journey to visit the sites and structures I found in the THC survey collection. As I began to document the buildings contained within the survey, recorded in the 1970s, as way of illustrating age and change in Texas communities I was struck by the novelty of a collection looking back on itself and by the potential for filling in the gaps in the previous survey. In this way I realized that the Portal, and all collections, are organic and constantly growing. By making this material available to the public the potential for development and growth is limitless! On the left is an image from the THC collection and on the right is an image that I made. Ben Davis’ work investigates the social experience of architecture by documenting the historic structures that have accommodated cultural rituals for over 150 years in Texas. Davis uses traditional photographic methods as well as contemporary digital technology. His work is included in the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University. He was the recipient of the Priddy Scholarship at the University of North Texas in 2012, and the CVAD Student Project Award Fund in 2013. Davis’ work has been exhibited in venues across the United States including: Photo Center NW (WA), The Center for Fine Art Photography (CO), and in numerous solo shows in Texas. Davis is currently working in conjunction with the Gregg County Historical Association to document antebellum homes in East Texas for a book publication. Davis was born in Houston Texas in 1981. In 2007 he moved to Kerrville Texas to attend Schreiner University where he received a B.A. in Creative Arts. Davis currently lives in Denton Texas where he completed his MFA in Photography and is currently working toward an MS-LS (library science) in Archival Studies & Imaging Technology. Davis makes frequent excursions to East Texas to document the region’s remaining vernacular buildings and to maintain relationships with friends and family.

Posted: 06/30/2016

Three Questions with Breylin Becton

Breylin Becton is a recent graduate from UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism. He graduated with a BA in Journalism with a focus in broadcast and a minor in political science. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The unique collections hosted on UNT’s Digital Library were essential to my academic success in a variety of ways. I began working as a student assistant at Eagle Commons Library in the summer of 2014. My job has been to create and revise the metadata for Congressional Research Service Reports. So in that sense, the opportunity to work on the collection actually helped fund my education. However, as I began to grow more familiar with the collection I realized how useful the CRS reports could be in regards to research for school projects. From that point on, there were very few essays or articles I wrote in which I didn’t directly cite, or at least find other key sources by using the Digital Library and the CRS reports. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? As someone who studies news media and political science you would think this would have been a no brainer for me, but having access to the CRS Reports really helped expand my understanding of just how many facets of our everyday life are directly affected by public policy. It also gave me a better understanding of the history of the political climate and public opinion surrounding important policy issues like social security, welfare, trade agreements, counterterrorism, and environmental protection. Now when tasked with a writing project, my brain often goes to policy first as a frame for understanding social issues, rather than the other way around. What do you want others to know about your research? This isn’t so much about me personally, but I want to let everyone know that UNT’s Unique Collections, both physical and digital can be great resources even if you don’t have a specific goal or task in mind. There have been several times where I found creative inspiration while just idly perusing all the interesting documents available in various collections. There’s something very entertaining about skimming through old maps, outdated UNT magazines, and other documents that shine a light on what life used to be like here in Denton and beyond. Breylin Becton is a recent graduate from UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism. He graduated with a BA in Journalism with a focus in broadcast and a minor in political science. He is a self-avowed public radio/podcast nerd.

Posted: 06/01/2016

The UNT Special Collections 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee - Hillary Anderson

Hillary Anderson is a PhD candidate in History at Texas A&M University. Her project Radicalizing the South: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in 1970s Liberation Movements seeks to locate subaltern voices that add depth, richness, a fresh geography, and complexity to the historical narrative of civil rights in the 1970s. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee Hillary Anderson Project Title Radicalizing the South: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in 1970s Liberation Movements Project Description My doctoral research focuses on the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality in the United States (US) South during the 1970s in the Black Power movement, radical feminism, and gay liberation. This project seeks to locate subaltern voices that add depth, richness, a fresh geography, and complexity to the historical narrative of civil rights in the 1970s. Biography Hillary Anderson is a PhD candidate in History at Texas A&M University. She received her bachelor’s in Art and History and master’s degree in History from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Before returning for her PhD, she taught junior high and high school for several years, receiving recognition as Teacher of the Year in 2010. She has presented papers on various aspects of LGBT History at the Texas State Historical Association Meeting (2016), and the National Women’s Studies Association Conference (2015), among others. She looks forward to the research the UNT Libraries Fellowship will allow her to do.

Posted: 05/09/2016

The UNT Special Collections 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee - Nancy E. Baker

Nancy E. Baker earned her Ph.D. in History from Harvard University. Her project Texas Feminist Legal Reformers in the 20th Century focuses on Texas feminist legal reformers who modernized the state’s laws, bringing Texas from worst in the nation for women to first in the nation to have a unified, reformed Family Code of law. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee Dr. Nancy E. Baker Project Title Texas Feminist Legal Reformers in the 20th Century Project Description My research focuses on Texas feminist legal reformers who modernized the state’s laws, bringing Texas from worst in the nation for women to first in the nation to have a unified, reformed Family Code of law. While at UNT, I will be conducting research in the papers of Sarah Hughes, a lawyer, state legislator, and federal judge who led the campaign that in 1954 secured women’s right to serve on juries. Hughes was an essential mentor to other Texas feminists, including Louise Raggio, who was responsible for the Marital Property Act of 1967, which paved the way for the Texas Equal Legal Rights Amendment. Biography Nancy E. Baker earned her Ph.D. in History from Harvard University. She is an Associate Professor of History at Sam Houston State University, where she has won awards for her teaching. She has published articles and chapters on the Equal Rights Amendment, conservative and right-wing women in 20th-century Texas, and Hermine Tobolowsky (“mother of the Texas ERA”). Currently, she is finishing revisions on a book on the Equal Rights Amendment and working on a book on Texas feminist legal reformers in the 20th century.

Posted: 05/09/2016

The UNT Special Collections 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee - Chris Babits

Chris Babits is a Ph.D. student in History at the University of Texas at Austin. His project To Cure a Sinful Nation: A Cultural and Intellectual History of Conversion Therapy in the United States from the Second World War to the Present Day is a history of the conversion therapy movement that helps us understand how religion and scientific inquiry intersect as well as the changing norms on gender and sexuality from the early Cold War into post-9/11 America. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2016 Research Fellowship Awardee Chris Babits Project Title To Cure a Sinful Nation: A Cultural and Intellectual History of Conversion Therapy in the United States from the Second World War to the Present Day Project Description Conversion therapy, which aims to “cure” men and women of their homosexuality, was a common practice until the psychiatric establishment removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders in 1973. As it grew more popular in the American South and Southwest, conversion therapy came under political fire for being religious moralizing in disguise. “To Cure a Sinful Nation” is a history of the conversion therapy movement that helps us understand how religion and scientific inquiry intersect as well as the changing norms on gender and sexuality from the early Cold War into post-9/11 America. Biography Chris Babits is a Ph.D. student in History at the University of Texas at Austin. His research examines the intersections of religion, psychiatry, and sexuality in twentieth-century America. He earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s in History from Clark University. Chris will spend 2016-2017 conducting dissertation research. In addition to the University of North Texas Special Collections Fellowship, he has been awarded a Columbia University Libraries Research Award, the Albert M. Greenfield Fellowship from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and a Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives’ Lynn E. May Research Study Grant.

Posted: 05/09/2016

The Innovative ETD Award 2016 Winner

We are pleased to present the 2016 UNT Innovative ETD award to Jonathan C. Vogt. In his thesis exhibition entitled Static Bustle: Patterns Achieved through Repetitive Processes, he explores relationships between visual art and sound through experiments with new and traditional media, including sound, video, digital images, prints, and fibers. Jonathan C. Vogt, Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Printmaking, College of Visual Arts and Design, Department of Studio (May 2015) Jon Vogt graduated from UNT in 2015 with a Masters of Fine Arts in Printmaking. In his thesis exhibition entitled [Static Bustle: Patterns Achieved through Repetitive Processes][Jonathan C. Vogt, Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Printmaking, College of Visual Arts and Design, Department of Studio (May 2015)], Jonathan Vogt explores relationships between visual art and sound through experiments with new and traditional media, including sound, video, digital images, prints, and fibers. Through strategic processes of layering and repetition, Jonathan seamlessly unifies this remarkable range of media into an accessible and cohesive vision. Jonathan’s successful use of creative, innovated technologies to enhance the scholarly and popular impact of his thesis, as stated by his nominator and advisor, “surpasses that of all of the graduate students I have encountered in my thirteen-year tenure at CVAD and as professional artist in the discipline-at-large.” Jonathan’s innovative approach to digital and post-digital technologies began in CVAD’s Fab Lab, where he used a laser engraver to make patterned matrices for a series of hand-pulled prints called Band. He provided a demonstration at The Factory, UNT Libraries’ makerspace, in February 2015. He has since gone on to teach Printmaking at the University of Georgia where he is implementing an electronic equipment checkout area for students and faculty. Jon received a BFA from Iowa State University and a Professional Printer’s Certificate from the Tamarind Institute for Lithography. Jon continues to integrate electronic media into his artwork as he investigates the intersections of sound and visual art. Jon Vogt exhibits nationally and has been awarded numerous merits for his achievements. We are pleased to present the 2016 UNT Innovative ETD award to Jonathan C. Vogt.

Posted: 05/06/2016

Three Questions with Derek Pyle

Derek Pyle is a senior jazz studies major at UNT, where he plays lead trombone in the Two O’Clock Lab Band and U-Tubes Jazz Trombone Ensemble. After graduating from UNT, Derek plans on pursuing a Masters Degree in Studio Music and Jazz Performance at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Unique Collections in UNT’s Music Library have been very important in my work as a student, performer, and ensemble leader. During the summer of 2015, I requested access to the Maynard Ferguson Collection, brought to UNT in 2008, for the purpose of once again performing the actual sheet music performed by Maynard Ferguson throughout his career. This led to the formation of the Maynard Ferguson Tribute Band in 2015, which was originally a group that performed in the jazz studies course Jazz Chamber Music. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Many parts of the MF Collection’s songs were lost, destroyed, or never finished over the course of Ferguson’s career. For example, Matt Wallace’s composition “Omaha” was memorized by each member of the band from a single, concert score written with a blue ink pen in 1987. In order for this song to be performed again, I had to re-notate the score to create individual parts for each member of the MF Tribute Band to read. What do you want others to know about your research? A world-famous jazz trumpeter and bandleader, Maynard Ferguson recorded nearly 70 studio albums as a bandleader from 1950-2006. His music library grew to over 700 compositions and arrangements, which were all placed into storage after Ferguson’s death in 2006. The Maynard Ferguson Tribute Band has performed everything from big band songs from the 1950’s to jazz-rock fusion songs from the 1980’s. Our ultimate goal as a group and tribute band is to pay as much respect to the composers and original recordings as we possibly can. We recently recorded an alternate arrangement of the song “Jack Usage” at the Panhandle House and Recording Studios in Denton that had not been previously recorded by Maynard Ferguson’s band. Derek Pyle is a senior jazz studies major at UNT, where he plays lead trombone in the Two O’Clock Lab Band and U-Tubes Jazz Trombone Ensemble. A freelance trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator, he has performed with notable artists such as John Clayton, Tito Puente, Jr., Tom “Bones” Malone, John Fedchock, Arturo Sandoval, Jon Faddis, Greg Gisbert, and Bernard Wright. After graduating from UNT, Derek plans on pursuing a Masters Degree in Studio Music and Jazz Performance at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Posted: 05/03/2016

UNT Press Honored by Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum Board

Posted: 05/03/2016

Dean's Innovation Grant 2016: Revving Up for Research

Revving Up for Research’s goal is to support Assistant Librarians from their initial appointment through their third year and help them build research skills and grow professionally. This is accomplished through group mentoring, where one mentor oversees several protégés and guides them in their professional development. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, formerly known as the Green Light To Greatness Award, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2016 Awardees Karen Harker, Catherine Sassen, Erin O’Toole, Beth Thomsett-Scott, Jesse Hamner Project Title Revving Up for Research: DIG Demonstration Proposal 2016 Project Description Revving Up for Research’s goal is to support Assistant Librarians from their initial appointment through their third year and help them build research skills and grow professionally. This is accomplished through group mentoring, where one mentor oversees several protégés and guides them in their professional development. Contributor Biographies Karen Harker is the Collection Assessment Librarian. She holds a Master of Public Health from University of Texas School of Public Health and a Master of Library Science from TWU. Catherine Sassen, Ph.D. is the Principal Cataloger in Cataloging and Metadata Services. She received both her Ph.D. and Master of Library Science from UNT Erin O’Toole is the Science Reference Librarian in Library Research Support Services. She holds a Master of Library Science from TWU and a Master of Public Health from University of Utah Medical School. Beth Thomsett-Scott is the Science and Engineering Librarian at UNT Libraries’ Discovery Park. She has a Master of Library and Information science from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Science from the University of Manitoba. Jesse Hamner, Ph.D. is the Director of Research and Assessment for the University Libraries Dean’s Office. He has a Ph.D. in Political Science and a Master of Arts from Emory University, as well as a Master of Science in Geology from the University of Alabama.

Posted: 05/01/2016

Dean's Innovation Grant 2016: Using technology to enhance discovery

Posted: 05/01/2016

Dean's Innovation Grant 2016: The TX-Gender Project for Libraries – Phase II

The first phase of this project focused largely on research and examining the relationships between libraries and their transgender patrons. In this second phase of the TX-Gender Project for Libraries, researchers explored how to better serve UNT’s transgender population by conducting focus groups and equipping librarians with the tools to make library resources accessible to everyone. It is centered on understanding this relationship between the Texas transgender community and librarians, specifically perceptions and information-seeking behaviors. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, formerly known as the Green Light To Greatness Award, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2016 Awardees Julie Leuzinger, Jennifer Rowe, Spencer Keralis, Kathleen Hobson, K.R. Roberto Project Title The TX-Gender Project for Libraries – Phase II Project Description The first phase of this project focused largely on research and examining the relationships between libraries and their transgender patrons. In this second phase of the TX-Gender Project for Libraries, researchers explored how to better serve UNT’s transgender population by conducting focus groups and equipping librarians with the tools to make library resources accessible to everyone. It is centered on understanding this relationship between the Texas transgender community and librarians, specifically perceptions and information-seeking behaviors. Contributor Biographies Julie Leuzinger is the Department Head for the University Libraries Learning Services. She holds a master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University in Library Science. Jennifer Rowe is the Social Sciences and Community Engagement Librarian for the University Libraries Government Information Connection. She has a Master of Library Science from UNT. Spencer Keralis, Ph.D. is the Digital Humanities Coordinator for University Libraries Public Services. He has a Ph.D. in English and American Literature and a Master of Arts in English and American literature, both from New York University. Kathleen Hobson is the Director for the UNT Pride Alliance. She and Mr. Roberto both served as advisors and assisted in data analysis. K.R. Roberto works in the College of Information at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He and Ms. Hobson both served as advisors to this project and assisted in data analysis.

Posted: 05/01/2016

Dean's Innovation Grant 2016: How do I know if it's useful if I can't even get it to open?

Posted: 05/01/2016

Dean's Innovation Grant 2016: Cost and Feasibility of FADGI Compliance

Posted: 05/01/2016

Dean's Innovation Grant 2016: Are print books REALLY dead?

Even in today’s technology-based world, people who are known as “digital natives” still prefer print books to e-books. E-books are perceived to be useful in an academic setting, but there are still gaps in this kind of research. This study aimed to understand and collect data on the usefulness of e-books and how students respond to them. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, formerly known as the Green Light To Greatness Award, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2016 Awardees Susan Smith, Erin Miller, Allyson Rodriguez Project Title Are print books REALLY dead?: Exploring the relationship between the technology acceptance model and the use of e-books at a large research university Project Description Even in today’s technology-based world, people who are known as “digital natives” still prefer print books to e-books. E-books are perceived to be useful in an academic setting, but there are still gaps in this kind of research. This study aimed to understand and collect data on the usefulness of e-books and how students respond to them. To do this, researchers provide incentives to encourage people to take surveys related to library usage and reading habits, specifically in the context of the Technology Acceptance Model, which found that faculty members who perceived e-books as easier to use were more likely to accept and use them Contributor Biographies Susan Smith, Ph.D. is the Head of Library and Research Support Services. She has a Ph.D. in Public and Urban Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Library Science from the University of Oklahoma in Library and Information Studies. Erin Miller is the Head of the Media Library. She received her Master of Library Science from the University of Kentucky. Allyson Rodriguez is the Strategic Collections Librarian for Collection Development. She received her Master of Library Science and her Graduate Academic Certificate in Advanced Management in Libraries and Information Agencies from UNT.

Posted: 05/01/2016

Three Questions with Mylynka Kilgore Cardona, Map Curator

Mylynka Kilgore Cardona holds a PhD in Transatlantic History from The University of Texas at Arlington. She has a background in historical cartography, Atlantic revolutions, and intercultural transfers. She is currently a map curator at the Texas General Land Office, Archives and Records Division in Austin. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? I first learned of the Portal while working on my PhD at UT-Arlington and several maps from our Special Collections were in the process of digitization at UNT. While an adjunct professor at UTA, I used the Portal to help round out my lecture notes and directed students to it as a valuable resource for their projects. Now that I am a map curator at the Texas General Land Office (GLO) I refer to the Portal often when investigating any of the 40,000+ maps in our archives. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal has helped me to locate items I would not otherwise have had access to and has spawned new interests, giving me topics to pursue both personally and professionally. Having access to the scanned maps aids my work at the GLO - researching the items in our collection, gathering information for map collectors whose maps we have digitized, and helping me answer questions for our customers. The Portal is a source that I use so often I have it in the bookmarks bar on my home screen on my work computer! For my own research, access to newspapers from the nineteenth-century are the most helpful as I add material to my book manuscript. What do you want others to know about your research? Now that I am at the GLO my historical focus has shifted to include more Texas history. Thankfully my background in transatlantic history and historical cartography dovetails nicely with this. My ongoing study of nineteenth-century “lady travellers” can only broaden and deepen with the inclusion of Texas and the Portal will definitely help with that. I am currently working on converting my doctoral dissertation, “The Six Lives of Alexandrine Tinne,” to a book manuscript and doing additional research for that project. Mylynka Kilgore Cardona holds a PhD in Transatlantic History from The University of Texas at Arlington. She has a background in historical cartography, Atlantic revolutions, and intercultural transfers. Her 2015 dissertation “The Six Lives of Alexandrine Tinne” looked at the Dutchwoman’s explorations on the Nile River in the 1850s and 60s and the uses of her image/story/life after her 1869 death. Cardona has taught courses in both world and US history, nineteenth-century women travelers, and women’s and gender studies. She is currently a map curator at the Texas General Land Office, Archives and Records Division in Austin.

Posted: 04/19/2016

Three Questions with Paul Christensen

Paul Christensen and his wife Donna founded Omega Productions in March of 1973. The Company specializes in live concert television specials, as well as live concert CD recordings. Omega also provides live event production and consulting services to the Entertainment and Sports Industries. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? In 2010, my wife and I moved to Palacios and the Texas Gulf Coast. We purchased a commercial building built just after the town was founded, in 1909. After restoring the structure we wanted to explore the history, since all we had heard were rumors. About the same time, the local library had arranged with the UNT Digital Projects Unit to scan the past issues of the Palacios Beacon newspaper from 1911 to 1965. The issues would appear in the Portal to Texas History and be key word searchable. The past issues of the Beacon proved to be invaluable to our research. The information we discovered allowed us to locate the name of the original builder of the building. In addition, we were able to discover the names of various tenants as well as events related to the building. Our research eventually led to the State of Texas selecting the structure as a Registered Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL), a status which might not have been possible without access to the Portal to Texas History. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal is the first source I use besides Google. It is quite responsive and user friendly. I appreciate the definition quality of the scans. I recently discovered a 32 page Historic and Progress Edition of the Palacios Beacon from October 19, 1939. I was able to download each page as a high resolution 1500x1969 graphic file. Because of the high scan quality we were able to re-create the special 1939 Historical Edition of the Beacon assembling an 11” x 17” tabloid pdf which was printed and bound. The commemorative edition was used as a gift to the Publisher of the Beacon for his Father’s support of the scanning project. What do you want others to know about your research? My wife and I are simple history and architecture enthusiasts. We are blessed to be living in such a great city as Palacios and to be living in a building with so much history. Paul Christensen and his wife Donna founded Omega Productions in March of 1973. The Company specializes in live concert television specials, as well as live concert CD recordings. Omega also provides live event production and consulting services to the Entertainment and Sports Industries. The Christensens co-produce all their projects working as a team… an approach they believe is responsible for the success of 48 years of marriage and 43+ years of award winning production excellence. The Christensens live south of Houston on the Texas Gulf Coast. During the company’s 43+ year history, Paul Christensen and his wife Donna and their staff have worked with over 300 of the best known personalities in the business: comedy stars such as Bob Hope, Steve Allen, Jack Lemmon and David Brenner; Broadway legends like Ben Vereen, Tommy Tune, Lena Horne and Chita Rivera; film artists Michael Keaton, Charlton Heston, Jimmy Stewart and Dennis Quaid and music legends like Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. Their work has crossed all lines of music… from the jazz of Ramsey Lewis, Dizzy Gillespie, Michael Franks and Al Jarreau; the rock of U2, Van Halen, Little Feat and Neil Young; the country of Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, George Jones and Garth Brooks; the blues of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bobbie Blue Bland and Robert Cray; the R&B and funk sounds of The Neville Brothers, The Meters, The Commodores and Johnnie Taylor, to the gospel sounds of Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond and the Mississippi Mass Choir.

Posted: 04/11/2016

Three Questions with Jean Ann Cantore - Editor, Texas Techsan

Jean Ann Cantore is editor of Texas Techsan magazine at the Texas Tech Alumni Association. For the past 19 years, she has worked on the magazine, but prior to that position, she ran a writing center for engineering students and served as a development officer at Texas Tech. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? For the past 12-plus years, I have been researching my family history. All eight of the basic lines in my family tree converge in Texas. Discovering the Portal to Texas History has been a boon to my genealogical work, as I have found information about relatives in the Portal that I would not have had access to previously. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? A number of my family members have lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, East Texas and Northeast Texas, dating back to the mid-to-late 1800s. Whether I am looking for information on an individual or a particular family in Texas, one of my first stops after establishing basic facts is the Portal. Every time I visit it, I learn something new and often make an unexpected discovery. What do you want others to know about your research? The extensive newspaper collection on the Portal to Texas History has been helpful for collecting factual information as well as providing insight into everyday life. Older newspapers, and particularly those in smaller communities, often have run more extensive articles about marriages, accomplishments and deaths than modern newspapers do. The slice-of-life that newspapers provide is wonderful. I look forward to learning more as more collections are added. Jean Ann Cantore is editor of Texas Techsan magazine at the Texas Tech Alumni Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English (technical writing) and Spanish and a master’s degree in English (comparative literature) from Texas Tech University. For the past 19 years, she has worked on the magazine, but prior to that position, she ran a writing center for engineering students and served as a development officer at Texas Tech. Her genealogical research has led her to discover ancestors who came to The Colonies from England in the early 1600s, settling in Jamestowne. She also has ancestors who helped settle Oklahoma Territory. Many of her relatives have served in the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War and wars in the 20th Century.

Posted: 03/30/2016

Three Questions with Rusty Williams, Writer-Historian

Texas A&M University Press will publish Rusty Williams’s The Red River Bridge War: A Texas Oklahoma Border Battle in June 2016. Rusty is also the author of My Old Confederate Home: A Respectable Place for Civil War Veterans (University Press of Kentucky) and Historic Photos of Dallas in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s (Turner Publishing). Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? As a writer-historian, I find the Portal more valuable with every day as you add more newspapers, photos, magazines, books, and other historical materials. History is based on fact, and the more facts a researcher can wade through, the more illuminating and interesting history becomes. The primary source material shared by the Portal Partners and presented by The Portal to Texas History is essential to me when writing Texas’ history. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? The Portal has helped me accelerate the pace of my book research while broadening the list of resources I can research efficiently. The Morris Memorial Library in Claude, Texas, is a beautiful facility, and the research librarians are eager to help. But it’s hard to justify an eleven-hour round trip from Dallas to Claude and back to study three weeks of 1931 newspaper coverage in the Claude News in their files. Now, though, with just a few keystrokes, I can study those old issues without leaving home, thanks to the Tocker Foundation and the Portal to Texas History. Easy access to those online resources allows me to write of history in a way that’s fuller and (I hope) more entertaining. What do you want others to know about your research? I tell of history through the stories of people who lived it, and I thrive on finding those “little” characters who witness great events and have a unique way of understanding them. Much newspaper coverage of the 1931 Texas-Oklahoma Red River bridge war—the subject of my upcoming book—saw the armed conflict as a regional comic opera. The editor of the Claude News, on the other hand, saw the bridge war as a class struggle, an armed conflict played out along the banks of the Red River. I likely never would’ve heard this editor’s voice if it had remained trapped on eighty-five-year-old newsprint. But the Portal to Texas History and its generous partners allowed me to hear that long-gone editor and assure that his voice would be heard again. [][] Texas A&M University Press will publish Rusty Williams’s The Red River Bridge War: A Texas Oklahoma Border Battle in June 2016. Rusty is also the author of My Old Confederate Home: A Respectable Place for Civil War Veterans (University Press of Kentucky) and Historic Photos of Dallas in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s (Turner Publishing). Rusty currently lives in Dallas and can be reached at rusty@rustywilliamsauthor.com. []: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth348689/m1/2/?q=claude%20news%20july%2031,%201931

Posted: 03/21/2016

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) Honors UNT Libraries

Posted: 03/09/2016

UNT Libraries Asks for Public's Help to Win $500,000 NEH Challenge Grant

The University of North Texas Libraries is asking for the public’s help to receive a $500,000 challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The University of North Texas Libraries is asking for the public’s help to receive a $500,000 challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Over the next five years, the university is tasked with raising $1.5 million – funds that would expand an endowment for the library’s most popular resource: The Portal to Texas History website. To donate, visit the NEH Challenge Grant website. The portal provides free public access and acts as digital storage space for millions of the state’s historical materials. The site makes it easy to access materials — from war photos and government documents to rare maps and old newspapers — that would otherwise be tucked away in libraries and museums, and thereby would only be accessible to teachers, schoolchildren, historians and community members who lived nearby or could travel to the libraries and museums. Each year, more than 6 million users from around the world tap into the site’s 7.5 million files, which include: More than 11,000 investigation records, photographs and hand-written journals related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Documents are housed online in the John F. Kennedy Memorial Collection and Dallas Police Department Historical Records/Case Files. The landmark archive of the first television news program in Texas, as shown through photos, video and scripts from 1948 to 1980. The NBC 5/KXAS (WBAP) Television News Collection documents historical news events throughout North Texas and the development of broadcast news. The José L. Castillo Photograph Collection, the John J. Herrera Papers and the Texas Cultures Online Collection, which highlight the Latino community through art, political events, protests and other events. The Black Academy of Arts and Letters Collection, which features posters, programs, video recordings and photos that showcase Academy Award nominees, Grammy winners, jazz musicians and other entertainers. Maps, census records, news clippings and photographs that can assist amateurs and professionals with genealogy research. UNT News Service Article by: Monique Bird Featured news item image: From left to right, Fox Hastings, Bea Kirnan, Ruth Roach, unknown, Lorena Trickey (possibly), and Prairie Rose Henderson. The postcard comes from the Ruth Scantlin Roach Salmon Collection, which showcases the life of the world champion rodeo performer, and it is one of millions of documents available on UNT’s Portal to Texas History. Photo courtesy of UNT Special Collections.

Posted: 03/01/2016

Digital Frontiers Receives ACH Sponsorship

Posted: 01/13/2016

Mini-grants to support UNT faculty in bringing their out-of-print works back into circulation

Posted: 01/07/2016

Through the Lenses of Ray Bankston and Don Shugart: Horse Photos from the UNT Libraries

The University of North Texas Libraries have acquired hundreds of thousands of photos from two photographers, Ray Bankston and Don Shugart, who documented the horse ranching industry for decades. They’ve compiled a selection of the photos into a book, Through the Lenses of Ray Bankston and Don Shugart. You may not know it, but Denton County is home to one of the largest concentrations of horse ranches in the world. There are over 350 such ranches in Denton County and many more in the surrounding North Texas area. In addition to housing one of the largest concentrations in the world, it’s also home to a huge diversity of horses. Thoroughbreds, American Quarter Horses, Arabians and Appaloosas can all be found. The University of North Texas Libraries have acquired hundreds of thousands of photos from two photographers, Ray Bankston and Don Shugart, who documented the horse ranching industry for decades. They’ve compiled a selection of the photos into a book, “Through the Lenses of Ray Bankston and Don Shugart.” The book will be available for purchase online in December. “I think it gives readers a glimpse into the history of horse ranching, which is such a big part of the north Texas economy,” said Kevin Hawkins, associate librarian at UNT. He said equine enthusiasts “will have a chance to see some photos of some ancestors of today’s most prominent horses.” Hawkins helped coordinate the production of the book. Part of his role at UNT is to promote the unique collections that UNT Libraries houses. “Through the Lenses of Ray Bankston and Don Shugart” is the first book UNT Libraries is producing to do that. “It’s a rich set of materials that we think most people don’t know exists,” Hawkins said. Dana Lodge, the director of sales at the Denton Convention and Visitors Bureau, directs tours of the horse ranches in the area and is an expert on the industry. She said the main reason there are so many horse ranches in the area is the sandy loam soil of the North Texas region. Mud is bad for horse hooves, and it can damage a horse’s health and show quality. But sandy loam soil drains immediately and neutralizes that threat to the horses. That’s what allows the industry and community to thrive in North Texas. “I think it’s a really large part of our history,” Lodge said. “It’s our largest source of agricultural economic income. It’s a really important, viable industry. And people don’t realize its right here in our own back yard. ‘Through the Lenses’ shows an awareness that the horse ranch industry is here and how important it is to us.” Don Shugart started photographing horses in 1972. He’s a Dallas-Fort Worth native but now lives in Oklahoma where he continues to add to his collection of equine photography. Shugart specializes in horse portraits, which may sound easier than it actually is. For every shot, Shugart had to make sure the horse looked perfect: straight legs, no stray hairs, eyes on the camera and head held high. “There were times I wanted to kill them, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Shugart said. “It’s kind of nice being able to make a living doing what you enjoy. I enjoy meeting the people that own them and ride them. It’s always my goal to make their horses look better than they are.” Shugart said he got into horse photography because there was always an event going on in the area that needed a photographer. Ray Bankston had been working the scene for a decade by the time Shugart arrived, but they were able to work together in harmony. “You have to realize there are so many horse people around, no one photographer is going to satisfy all of them,” Shugart said. “We were in competition but we weren’t in competition at the same time. I’ve helped him, he’s helped me. We have a real good relationship.” Bankston said he entered the industry by accident. He had been interested in photography since the 7th grade, but it wasn’t until a man asked him to take a photo of the winning horse at a race he was attending that Bankston realized he might make a career of it. After the race, Bankston took the photos of the horse and began walking off. The man stopped him and told Bankston he wanted a copy of the photo. Bankston got the specifications and then walked off again. The man stopped him again and asked, “Hey, don’t you want your money?” Bankston nodded his head in surprise. “How much do you charge?” the man asked him. Bankston didn’t have an answer. “Well, I normally pay $3.50 for the first copy and then $3 every copy after that,” the man said. Bankston agreed and walked away from the deal with $12.50. Another man approached him and asked him to shoot some photos of his horse as well. Bankston, ever the businessman, replied, “Sure, it’s $3.50 for the first copy and then $3 for every copy after that.” It was all business after that. Bankston bought a mobile home that he converted into a black room. He and his wife, Joyce, who together formed Dalco Photography, would go out to the horse shows and develop the photos on site for customers. “She did all the work, I just took the pictures,” Bankston said. “I couldn’t have done it without her. She printed the pictures and handled all the business. I wouldn’t be able to make it without her.” Sally Harrison, who has documented the North Texas horse ranch scene as a writer and photographer for years, wrote the introduction and captions for the book. She said the majority of her work came through working through UNT Libraries extensive collection of photographs, documenting the photos and identifying the horses in each photo. She spent long days at the Special Collections library looking over the photos with a desk lamp on and a magnifying glass in her hand. “I think a lot of people that are interested in horses will be interested in seeing some of these images have never been published before,” Harrison said. “I think it will be interesting for the general public too because of the cowboy and the American image contained in the photos. This is a nice collection of the last half of the last century, and it shows how the times have changed.” Article by Caleb Downs, UNT News Service Featured Image: Man roping calf at North Texas Cutting Horse Association Finals. Photo credit: Ray Bankston, 1963.

Posted: 12/17/2015

Doug Campbell Receives ALA's I Love My Librarian Award

Posted: 12/04/2015

Mean Green Mapped

The University of North Texas Libraries are proud to unveil Mean Green Mapped! Mean Green Mapped is an interactive web map utilizing GIS software to illustrate UNT’s history through photographs and other media. Using historic maps, aerials and photographs, we seek to generate interest in the resources available at UNT Libraries and to commemorate UNT’s 125 years of service to students and community. The Project The University of North Texas Libraries are proud to unveil Mean Green Mapped! Mean Green Mapped is an interactive web map utilizing GIS software to illustrate UNT’s history through photographs and other media. Using historic maps, aerials and photographs, we seek to generate interest in the resources available at UNT Libraries and to commemorate UNT’s 125 years of service to students and community. Using the ArcGIS Online platform, visitors will be able to see points of buildings, both existing and historic, in their place in time with historic and modern photographs. Additionally, historic maps dating back to 1891 and aerial photography captured as early as the 1940s will further demonstrate how campus has evolved over time. This particular presentation of UNT’s resources has not been attempted before. Hopefully, you will enjoy your visit! Continuing Work There are many avenues of research as well as sources for new, relevant materials for this project. We will continue to explore and expand resources as they are identified. We also acknowledge that there may be gaps in the data or conflicting information based upon what we currently have digitized. This project is intended to be a living document that brings together the collective resources of the UNT Libraries, alumni and the Denton community. For example, in the next phase of the project, one element we would like to include is music samples to enrich the photography and maps we already have since UNT has a world-renowned music program, notably jazz. Additional maps that were not able to be georeferenced for the web map are: Bulletin of NTSU, 1968 Bulletin of NTSU, 1976 UNT Campus Map, 1999 UNT Campus and Parking Map, 2014-2015 Tell Us More If you have photographs or stories you would like to share, please contact gis@unt.edu. In fact, the more contributions we have, the more interesting Mean Green Mapped will be! We look forward to hearing from you. Project Team Roberta Sittel – Head, Eagle Commons Library and Government Documents Librarian Douglas Burns – GIS Librarian Arya Hackney – GIS Student Assistant Garret Rumohr – Web Services System Administrator Contributors Historical information, data, maps, and photography are provided by UNT Libraries, with a special thanks to the UNT Libraries Special Collections team for providing access to archival materials. The UNT Libraries Digital Projects Unit provided assistance by digitizing archival materials, which will be made publicly available on the Portal to Texas History. Modern photography has been provided by UNT’s Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing (URCM). Hardware and software support has been provided by UNT Libraries Technology and Computer Operations (Lib-TACO) and UNT Facilities. Support for Mean Green Mapped has also come from a 2015 Green Light to Greatness grant award. Software Software utilized to support this project includes: ArcMap 10.3, ArcServer 10.3, ArcGIS Online (Organizational Account) and GlobalMapper 16.2. Resources La Forte, Robert S., and Richard L. Himmel. Down the corridor of years: A centennial history of the University of North Texas in photographs, 1890-1990. 1st ed. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 1989. Rogers, James L. 2002. The story of North Texas: From Texas Normal College, 1890, to the University of North Texas system, 2001. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2002. “The Portal to Texas History.” University of North Texas Libraries. Last modified September 29, 2015. https://texashistory.unt.edu/ “University Libraries.” University of North Texas Libraries. Accessed October 09, 2015. http://www.library.unt.edu/ “University Relations, Communications & Marketing.” University Relations, Communications & Marketing. Accessed October 09, 2015. http://urcm.unt.edu/ Please Note Please note that, while every effort was made to ensure accuracy of data, the quality of information varies and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Posted: 11/19/2015

Three Questions with Ryan Skinnell, Assistant Professor at San José State University

Ryan Skinnell is an assistant professor of Rhetoric and Composition in the Department of English at San José State University. He was formerly an assistant professor in the English Department at the University of North Texas, where he taught courses in the rhetoric and writing concentration. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Unique Collections have become very important to my research, learning, and teaching. I first started working in UNT’s Rare Books and Archives when I was researching for a book that I am finishing about the history of writing instruction in normal schools. The archival materials about UNT’s early history, including course catalogs and administrative materials, were really crucial to the success of that project. In the process of doing that research, I also started to think about the pedagogical value of students working with those materials, but I didn’t have a clear plan for bringing UNT’s Special Collections into my courses. Then, a few years ago I got involved in a project with some of my colleagues, Gabriel Cervantes, Dahlia Porter, and Kelly Wisecup. The project involved researching ways that bureaucracy structures human knowledge. For instance, we were curious about how bureaucratic forms, like taxonomies or membership applications, shape how human beings think and act. During the course of that project, we started to work with Special Collections librarians to curate a special exhibit to display some of our findings. For the exhibit, called “Bureaucracy: A Love Story,” we drew materials from the Rare Books and Archives collections that illustrated bureaucratic knowledge. Part of the process involved describing the materials for the physical exhibit and for an online exhibit (https://exhibits.library.unt.edu/bureaucracy-love-story/). Dr. Porter and I thought it was a good chance to design assignments for courses we were teaching in Fall 2014 to get students into the Special Collections to do research on the materials we selected and contribute to the special exhibit. All the students participated and really did amazing work. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? I suppose the biggest change has been my attitude toward to separation of my research and from students’ research. That is, I’ve always conceived of my research as somewhat different from the kinds of research I want students to do in my classes. Mostly this is because my research is pretty specialized and the research I assign tends to be much more generally applicable. But working with students on the bureaucracy exhibit pushed me to rethink that separation and whether it is even useful. What do you want others to know about your research? As I said, my research is relatively specialized—I study the history of writing instruction in American colleges and universities and have related research in bureaucracy and institutional rhetoric—basically how institutions use language like boilerplate to accomplish goals. At a glance, these areas of study are pretty dry, and in fact, it is not uncommon for people to call the things I study boring. What I tell those people, and what I want others to know, is that boring things are worth studying because they are boring. If studying bureaucracy has taught me anything, it is that boring things are only boring because they are so common as to be taken for granted. As a result, boring things can set limits on the things we think, the ways we act, and the values we hold. What I hope my research does is bring those things back into view so we can decide if we really think those limits are good or necessary. Ryan Skinnell is an assistant professor of Rhetoric and Composition in the Department of English at San José State University. He was formerly an assistant professor in the English Department at the University of North Texas, where he taught courses in the rhetoric and writing concentration. While he was at UNT, he also taught a “writing for publication” faculty seminar in Islamabad, Pakistan as part of partnership between the University of North Texas and the National University of Modern Languages-Islamabad. He is the co-editor of What We Wish We’d Known: Negotiating Graduate School (Fountainhead Press, 2015), and his monograph, Conceding Composition: An Alternative History of Composition’s Institutional Fortunes, is forthcoming with Utah State University Press.

Posted: 11/19/2015

UNT Libraries support editors who declare independence from commercial publishers

Posted: 11/17/2015

Cathy Nelson Hartman to Retire in December

Cathy Nelson Hartman will retire after a distinguished career at UNT at the end of December 2015. Recently, Cathy Nelson Hartman announced her decision to retire after a fruitful, visionary and distinguished career at UNT. She will be with us until the end of December 2015, and in 2016 will be continuing on in a volunteer capacity on the Library Advocacy Board. Her impact on her discipline at the local, national, and international levels is demonstrated through more than $6 million in externally funded projects and research and leadership in professional organizations. Cathy started her career at UNT in 1995 as a Documents Librarian in the Government Documents department, and her time there was dedicated to the fundamental principle that the public has the right to reliable and permanent public access to government information regardless of format. Through her leadership, UNT forged partnerships at multiple levels to preserve the public record. The Texas Secretary of State’s office worked with Cathy to preserve and provide permanent access to the Texas Register, and a formal partnership with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission further secured important Texas state electronic records. At the national level, UNT is known in the Government Documents field for two ground-breaking programs she initiated, the CyberCemetery and the End-of-Term Presidential web harvests of the .gov domain. The CyberCemetery captured the websites of defunct federal agencies and commissions, and UNT alone held a copy of this information critical to the national record. Due to Cathy’s foresight in preserving vital government-related digital collections, the UNT Libraries exist as one of only ten Affiliated Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and is one of only three universities in the U.S. to hold that distinction, along with the U.S. Naval Academy and West Point. In 2015, the U.S. Government Printing Office named UNT as the Library of the Year. In 2002, Hartman launched her boldest initiative, The Portal to Texas History, a collaborative effort between Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies and educators to present Texas History materials online. Brenda Gunn with UT’s Dolph Briscoe Center for American History notes that, “Most historical documents never receive one moment of attention outside of an archives reading room.” Cathy forever changed that paradigm by placing unique, historically significant materials online for anyone to access. Since its humble inception, the Portal has grown to include over 300 cultural heritage partners across Texas and provides online access to nearly seven million digital files encompassing the rich history of our state. With over 600,000 visitors a month, the Portal serves up iconic treasures of Texas history to a global audience. In recognition of her national leadership in digital preservation, in 2011, Cathy was elected to the board of the International Internet Preservation Consortium, and in 2013 she served as the Chair of the Board. Nationally and internationally recognized in her field, a few of her awards include being named a “Digital Preservation Pioneer” by Library of Congress, and honored with a Documents to the People Award by the American Library Association and several other awards from professional associations. She’s also served on Advisory Boards for the Federal Depository Library Council (Chair, 2002-03), the Goddard Space Flight Center Library, as co-Chair of the National Digital Stewardship Alliance Content Working Group, Texas Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council, the preservation metadata standards group - PREMIS, and as founder of the Texas Heritage Digitization Initiative. As a Principal Investigator, Cathy was awarded grants from foundations, state and national agencies totaling over six million dollars in external funding during her career. She served as the Asst. Dean for Digital and Information Technologies from 2005-10, and became Associate Dean in 2010, taking on a pivotal role in managing library operations. In addition to bringing in substantial funding for UNT, Cathy has also given back. In 2012, she established the Cathy Nelson Hartman Portal to Texas History Endowment to enable UNT to extend the impact of the Portal by creating a permanent, sustainable source of income. Cathy’s exemplary service as a leader and visionary have impacted the information landscape, and brought positive recognition to UNT at the state, national, and international level. Please plan to join us on Thursday, December 10 at Harvest House in Denton at 5:00 p.m. and help us celebrate the extraordinary career of Cathy Nelson Hartman. Harvest House is located at 331 E Hickory St, 940-218-6148. We hope to see you there!

Posted: 11/16/2015

Three Questions with Olivier Burtin, Doctoral Student at Princeton University

Olivier Burtin is a fifth-year graduate student in History at Princeton University. He graduated from Sciences Po (Paris) in 2011 with a M.A. in History. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? I am writing a doctoral dissertation about the American Legion and veterans’ politics from World War II to the Vietnam era. A central goal of my project is to be more than just the institutional history of one organization and to use the Legion as a window into the broader cultural, political, and social dynamics of the “veteran community” in the postwar era. This is why, although I have conducted extensive research at the Legion’s own national archives in Indianapolis, I did not want to limit my perspective to these documents. Not only did I seek to avoid uncritically reproducing the “view from within” that this kind of organizational archives inescapably conveys, but I sought to tell a story that would not be only about the national level of the Legion’s bureaucracy. For all these reasons, I have put particular emphasis on gathering archives from some of the Legion’s local Posts and state chapters, as well as individual collections of the Legion’s National Commanders. Only a handful of the latter are available for the post-World War II period, which is why I was very happy to be able to visit Alvin Owsley’s at UNT. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Owsley was National Commander of the Legion in 1922-1923 and remained involved in the group’s activities throughout his life. His correspondence with other high-level Legion leaders provided me with invaluable insights into the inner workings of a group notorious (at the time) for being dominated by an elite core of “kingmakers.” More specifically, I sought to document his role as the Chairman of the Legion’s Americanism Endowment Fund. This fund was created in 1943 with an initial endowment of ten million dollars, in an effort to spread pro-business and anti-communist ideas in the United States in partnership with the National Association of Manufacturers. I am not aware of anyone having done prior research on the Fund, and the Owsley Collection contained the essential documents that I needed to determine its impact on postwar politics. What do you want others to know about your research? I am always surprised at how under-researched the history of U.S military veterans in the 20th century is. When I started my dissertation two years ago, I only had a vague idea that this field had been somewhat neglected by historians. I realize now that we have barely even touched the surface. There is so much to explore, in fact, that I had to decide early on where to put the limits of my project. If I had tried to be comprehensive, the result would probably have been not one but two or three dissertations. On the other hand, this challenge is precisely what I find most exciting about my research. I am not merely interpreting familiar events in an innovative way: rather, every chapter that I write is about something completely new that you won’t find in textbooks or even in the secondary literature on the period. Hopefully, more scholars will become interested in this topic in the future and help fill in the gaps that I was unable to cover. Olivier Burtin is a fifth-year graduate student in History at Princeton University. He graduated from Sciences Po (Paris) in 2011 with a M.A. in History.

Posted: 11/10/2015

Do you have a piece of UNT history? We need your help!

Posted: 11/04/2015

Three Questions with Mark Vosvick, UNT Assoc. Professor of Counseling Psychology

Dr. Mark Vosvick is a behavioral scientist and associate professor of counseling psychology in UNT’s College of Arts and Sciences. Vosvick trained at Yale, Rutgers, Harvard, Stanford and the Medical College of Wisconsin before coming to UNT. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The UNT LGBT Archive of the South is an important collection of primary source documents for my teaching and research. As the director the LGBT Studies Program at UNT, the Archive is a resource I send students to who are preparing for various classes that address issues relevant to sexual and gender minorities, particularly here in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. I teach two seminar courses, Biopsychosocial Issues in HIV/AIDS and Psychosocial Issues in LGBT Communities, in the Psychology department that prepares psychology majors and doctoral students to better work in the future with sexual and gender minorities by exploring the social, psychological and environmental complexities faced by members of these communities. The Archive provides a window for students into the realities of living in the South for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. The resource is invaluable to students who want to gain a deeper understanding of the stressors and barriers to care that this community experiences. As the director of the UNT Center for Psychosocial Health Research, my research program focuses on psychological and social health of people living with HIV/AIDS and/or people who identify as a sexual or gender minority. The rich material in the Archive provides context to my researchers about the populations here in DFW that we study. As more material in the collection is digitized access to these materials for research purposes is enhanced. Understanding the day-to-day circumstances that LGBT people experience in the South help researchers better develop interventions tailored to the communities here in DFW. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Most importantly, the LGBT Archive of the South allows students, researchers and healthcare providers to access material that documents the unique negative and positive experiences, over time, that members of the LGBT communities experience. Just as historically health researchers studied men and then inappropriately generalized findings to women, much research in the U.S. that draws samples from the U.S. coastal cities, ignores the geographic and cultural differences that sexual and gender minorities experience. The Archive can facilitate researchers and healthcare providers gaining insight into the unique factors (e.g. southern conservatism, the bible belt) that require LGBT communities to develop specialized coping strategies to manage the stressors associated with living in the South. Additionally, the creative ways documented in the Archive in which these communities have developed resilience to minority stress can offer important lessons for developing interventions that can be effective. The geographic and cultural influences to the psychological and social wellness has not been carefully studied and the Archive is an excellent resource to clarify the relevance of Southern living for LGBT people. What do you want others to know about your research? Now that people living with HIV/AIDS are living longer and enjoying more full lives, quality of life becomes an important dimension to target. The Center for Psychosocial Health Research explores how quality of life can be enhanced by managing stress, developing resilience and improving overall wellness.Similarly, we conduct research in communities closely tied to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. – the LGBT and ethnic/racial communities. We are finding that the day-to-day stressors of living as a minority, regardless of seropositive status, are important contributors to wellness in these communities. Our objective is to identify factors that may be ameliorated through targeted interventions for these communities to improve overall quality of life. Dr. Mark Vosvick is a behavioral scientist and associate professor of counseling psychology in UNT’s College of Arts and Sciences. Vosvick trained at Yale, Rutgers, Harvard, Stanford and the Medical College of Wisconsin before coming to UNT. As a health psychologist, he directs the Center for Psychosocial Health Research, which is touted as the only Center of its kind in the South.Under his leadership, the Center trains undergraduate and graduate students in the behavioral sciences related to health and wellness in ethnic, racial, gender and sexual minority communities and provides education on HIV/AIDS research locally, nationally, and internationally. In 2009, Vosvick became the co-director of UNT’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Studies Program which enables students to explore the role of gender and sexual minorities in modern society across diverse disciplines. He also was instrumental in the UNT Libraries’ acquisition of the archives of the Resource Center Dallas (RCD), a major collection tracing 60 years of the history of the LGBT social movements in the North Texas region. The collection, the UNT LGBT Archive of the South, constitutes the largest single archive of this kind in existence.

Posted: 11/03/2015

UNT Libraries' TRAC Conformance Document Released

The UNT Libraries’ Digital Collections have completed a self-audit of their digital repository policies, documentation, and infrastructure in accordance with the Trustworthy Repositories Audit & Certification: Criteria and Checklist (TRAC). The UNT Libraries are proud to announce that the UNT Libraries’ Digital Collections have completed a self-audit of their digital repository policies, documentation, and infrastructure in accordance with the Trustworthy Repositories Audit & Certification: Criteria and Checklist (TRAC). The goal of this audit was to formalize processes and create documentation necessary for the operation of a trusted digital repository. All documentation related to the process is available on the Digital Libraries Division’s Trusted Digital Repository web page. UNT Libraries: TRAC Conformance Document serves as an audit of the activities and methodologies behind the preservation of and access to content in the UNT Libraries’ Digital Collections. The audit examined two major infrastructure pieces: the Coda repository system, used for preservation services, and the Aubrey system, which provides public access to digital resources through The Portal to Texas History, the UNT Digital Library, and the Gateway to Oklahoma History. Download PDF The team involved with this audit included the following participants: Mark Phillips, Assistant Dean for Digital Libraries Hannah Tarver, Department Head, Digital Projects Unit Ana Krahmer, Head, Digital Newspaper Unit Daniel Alemneh, Head, Digital Curation Unit Laura Waugh, Repository Librarian for Scholarly Works In addition to those listed above, numerous individuals throughout the UNT Libraries contributed to the documentation effort. This self-audit was completed in partnership with the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries, whose team is moving toward completion of a similar audit process on University of Florida’s Digital Collections and its associated infrastructure. After completing their respective self-audits, these two institutions will create and perform a peer-review process for each other, with the end goal of developing a viable, replicable process that other institutions can use in their own peer-review audit processes.

Posted: 11/02/2015

Three Questions with Blerim Elmazi, UNT Undergraduate Student

Blerim Elmazi is a senior at the University of North Texas double majoring in Political Science and History. He is a member of the UNT Honors College and is currently writing a thesis on third parties and campaign finance in American politics. After graduation he will attend law school in the fall semester. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The UNT Special Collections provides an exciting experience for both beginning researchers and veterans in the research field. While researching the Mansfield desegregation crisis I, and several other students, were able to use oral histories, transcripts, video, and other media available in Special Collections. Most, if not all, of this collection had never been researched, making this a truly original research experience. Giving students the opportunity to research and explore these collections gives them a refreshing outlook on what education should be all about. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Unique Collections at UNT have opened my eyes to how much unexplored information we have here at UNT in several different fields, including history. UNT’s partnership with NBC’s KXAS collection has opened the door for more research into the future for students, professors, and researchers in general. I learned to better navigate through large collections, many of which contain thousands of pieces of information. Experience with this collection makes a student better understand how thorough and extensive historical research has to be. What do you want others to know about your research? My experience with the collection dealt with the Mansfield desegregation crisis that occurred in 1956. Besides utilizing the UNT Special Collections, I also was able to look through important memorandums, newspapers, and press releases of the incident at the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin, Texas. If anyone is interested to learn more about the Mansfield Crisis, or the history of desegregation in Texas in general, they should visit mansfieldcrisis.omeka.net. This project was a great collaborative effort and much of its success is due to our great mentors, Dr. Moye and Dr. Torget. Blerim Elmazi is a senior at the University of North Texas double majoring in Political Science and History. He is a member of the UNT Honors College and is currently writing a thesis on third parties and campaign finance in American politics. After graduation he will attend law school in the fall semester.

Posted: 10/28/2015

Three Questions with Elise Clements, 8th Grade Student

Elise Clements is an 8th grade student at Strickland Middle School. For her Girl Scout Silver Award, she wanted to have a historical marker made for Miss Beulah Ann Harriss. On October 24, 2014 she received notification that her narrative on Miss Harriss was selected to receive a Texas Historical Commission Undertold Story Marker. On October 25, 2015 a dedication ceremony will be held in the City of Denton Quakertown Park. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? When I started my project two years ago, which was to have a Texas Historical Commission historical marker made for Miss Beulah Harriss, I had no idea where to start. Through the UNT Digital Library and the Portal to Texas History, I was able to tell her life’s history from the time she came into Texas in 1914, to become the first physical education teacher at the North Texas State Normal College to her death in 1977. Through the early Yucca Yearbooks of North Texas State Normal School I was able to discover the history of how she started the first Girl Scout Troop in Denton in 1917 at the college and actually see pictures of some of the early troops. There were pieces of her early years in Girl Scouts that had not been documented. With the help of these online resources I was able to fill in those missing pieces. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? I’ve learned to never be afraid to ask questions. When we contacted the UNT Archives to see if they had any information on Miss Harriss, I discovered they had some of her collection of Green Jackets and P.E. Bloomers. I was able to actually hold a piece of her history, which brought her story to life for me. I recently discovered that the archives also had her scrapbook and they placed it in the UNT: The First 50 Years Exhibit. I was able to view the exhibit online. What do you want others to know about your research? Never let people discourage you to do a project because they think you are too young. No one thought I could complete my project. The information was there for me, all of it was indexed, thanks to the UNT Digital Library and the Portal to Texas History. All I had to do was collect it, put it in order, and document it. Not only was I able to have a Texas Historical Commission Marker made for Miss Harriss, but UNT realized the many contributions she had made to the college. They are also having a marker made for her that will document the Harriss Gymnasium, which was named after her. Elise Clements is an 8th grade student at Strickland Middle School. For her Girl Scout Silver Award, she wanted to have a historical marker made for Miss Beulah Ann Harriss. She began her research in the fall of 2013 at the age of 12. On October 24, 2014 she received notification that her narrative on Miss Harriss was selected to receive a Texas Historical Commission Undertold Story Marker. On October 25, 2015 a dedication ceremony will be held in the City of Denton Quakertown Park. The Beulah A. Harriss marker will be placed near the location where the Girl Scout Little House once stood.

Posted: 10/21/2015

Write Like An Expert: Featured Books At Discovery Park Library

Posted: 10/16/2015

Three Questions with Dr. Andrew Torget, UNT Historian and Pioneer in Digital Scholarship

Andrew J. Torget is a historian of nineteenth-century North America I the UNT history department. A veteran of pioneering work in digital scholarship, he has been a featured speaker at Harvard, Stanford, Rice, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and the Library of Congress. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The holdings of the UNT Libraries, particularly their digital archives, are absolutely central to my work. It would have been simply impossible for me to write my most recent book, Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, without the unique collections of the UNT library. The massive digital newspapers collection, the cataloging and accessibility of almost-impossible-to-find archival resources like Stephen F. Austin’s unpublished letters, makes all the difference for a historian such as myself. I have made discoveries in these records that change how I understand and write about the past. In terms of my teaching, these collections have allowed me to build new research-focused courses for my students. In the spring of 2013, for example, I taught a graduate course focused on runaway slave ads in the Library’s digital newspaper collection. This past spring, I co-taught a course on the civil rights era in Texas, which relied heavily on the massive KXAS TV News archive that our Library acquired from NBC5. Relying on that amazing resource – and the tremendous work of the Library staff to make it accessible – a group of UNT undergraduate and graduate students were able to build a terrific online museum focused on the fight over civil rights in Texas during the 1950s. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? It has enabled me to do research and teaching projects that would have otherwise been impossible. Three years ago, for example, I launched a new digital humanities project geared to take advantage of the tremendous wealth of the Library’s digital newspaper collection. Mapping Texts is an effort to combine text-mining and data visualization in order to detect meaningful language patters scattered across millions of words in the digitized Texas newspapers – to see, in other words, if we could find large-scale patterns in this massive archive that have long eluded scholars. This project was also sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and has gone on to garner a great deal of national attention. What do you want others to know about your research? My research and teaching are a deep blend of new digital research methods and traditional historical archival work, both of which depend so heavily on the unique collections made available by the UNT library. Quite simply, I could do none of it without these amazing collections. Andrew J. Torget is a historian of nineteenth-century North America I the UNT history department. A veteran of pioneering work in digital scholarship, he has been a featured speaker at Harvard, Stanford, Rice, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and the Library of Congress. In 2011, he was named the inaugural David J. Weber Research Fellow at the Clements Center for Southwest Studies at Southern Methodist University. His most recent book is Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850 (University of North Carolina Press, 2015).

Posted: 10/13/2015

The Portal to Texas History 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee - Evan C. Rothera

Evan C. Rothera is a doctoral candidate in the History Department at The Pennsylvania State University. His project ‘There are in Texas men who have suffered much’: Reconstruction in the Lone Star State examines how Reconstruction unfolded, at the state and local levels, in Texas. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee Evan C. Rothera Project Title ‘There are in Texas men who have suffered much’: Reconstruction in the Lone Star State Project Description In contrast to studies of Reconstruction that focus on national politics, my project, “‘There are in Texas men who have suffered much’: Reconstruction in the Lone Star State,” examines how Reconstruction unfolded, at the state and local levels, in Texas. This analysis allows me to make comparisons with reconstructions in Argentina and Mexico and consider broader questions such as: did the fact that the United States had a fully functioning two-party system have anything to do with differing attitudes toward violence in the three countries and what role did the Constitution of each country play in this process? This project will shed new light on Reconstruction in the United States as well as placing Reconstruction in comparative perspective with other reconstructions in the Western Hemisphere. Biography Evan C. Rothera is a doctoral candidate in the History Department at The Pennsylvania State University. His dissertation analyzes reconstructions in the United States, Mexico, and Argentina. He has presented his research at numerous conferences and received the Outstanding Paper by a Graduate Student Award from the Society of Civil War Historians for his paper “‘Our South American Cousin’: Domingo F. Sarmiento and the Case for Comparative Reconstructions.” He has published an article in The Journal of Mississippi History, as well as numerous book reviews.

Posted: 10/09/2015

The Portal to Texas History 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee - Nakia Parker

Nakia Parker is completing her third year in the history doctoral program at the University of Texas. Her project Trails of Tears and Freedom: Slavery, Migration, and Emancipation in the Southwest Borderlands, 1830-1887 chronicles the lived experiences and migration patterns of enslaved people of African and Black Indian descent in Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw slaveholding communities in Arkansas, Indian Territory, and Texas between the time of Indian Removal to the passage of the Dawes Act of 1887. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 The Portal to Texas History Research Fellowship. Research using the Portal is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about the opportunities that research with large digital library collections can enable. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of The Portal to Texas History. The Portal to Texas History 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee Nakia Parker Project Title Trails of Tears and Freedom: Slavery, Migration, and Emancipation in the Southwest Borderlands, 1830-1887 Project Description My proposed dissertation project “Trails of Tears and Freedom: Slavery, Migration, and Emancipation in the Southwest Borderlands 1830-1887” chronicles the lived experiences and migration patterns of enslaved people of African and Black Indian descent in Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw slaveholding communities in Arkansas, Indian Territory, and Texas between the time of Indian Removal to the passage of the Dawes Act of 1887. This locale was a volatile and contested space and home to a confluence of people and cultures. Through an examination of government and plantation records, newspaper accounts, and slave narratives, I argue that while enslaved people who lived in this area remained especially vulnerable to overt, spectacular acts of violence such as raids from the Comanche, this geographic space also offered diverse opportunities for bondpeople to engage in resistance, establish kinship ties with surrounding native polities, and attain freedom. Exploring enslaved life on this antebellum frontier—a space neither completely “southern” nor “western”— will demonstrate how these literal and figurative margins molded interactions and shaped the lives of the enslaved individuals who lived in this dynamic region. Biography Nakia Parker is completing her third year in the history doctoral program at the University of Texas in Austin under the direction of Dr. Daina Ramey Berry. Her research interests include Native American slaveholding and captivity practices in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas during the nineteenth century, gender, antebellum Southern history, and memory studies. She completed her undergraduate degree in history at the State University of New York at New Paltz, where she graduated summa cum laude. Last year, she was elected the National Graduate Student Representative for the Association of Black Women Historians. In March 2015, she was awarded a C.M. Caldwell Memorial Award for Excellence in Historical Research by the Texas State Historical Association for her paper “Bold, Bad Notorious” Hal Geiger: Politics, Violence, and Defiance in Reconstruction Era East Texas.”

Posted: 10/09/2015

The UNT Special Collections 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee - William A. Taylor

William A. Taylor is Assistant Professor of Security Studies at Angelo State University. His project In the Service of Democracy: American Military Service from World War II to the Present will contribute to a chapter in a broader work on American military service from World War II to the present. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee William A. Taylor Project Title In the Service of Democracy: American Military Service from World War II to the Present Project Description The resulting research would contribute to a latter chapter in a broader work on American military service from World War II to the present. The book explores such issues in three ways. First, it examines the proper balance between national security and individual liberty within American democracy. Second, the book explores the place and role of military service within American society through the words and actions of various individuals and groups. Third, the book explores the relationship between citizenship and military service within American democracy. Biography Dr. William A. Taylor is Assistant Professor of Security Studies at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. Taylor won grants from the Society for Military History, Harry S. Truman Library Institute, and Angelo State University Faculty Research Enhancement Program, and a George C. Marshall/Baruch fellowship to research Every Citizen a Soldier: The Campaign for Universal Military Training after World War II (Texas A&M University Press, 2014). Taylor maintains research interests in military service, military history, civil-military relations, security studies, grand strategy, and defense policy. Taylor has also contributed to nine other books and has published more than 40 reference articles and book reviews. His work has appeared in Journal of American History, Choice, Joint Force Quarterly, Journal of Military History, US Naval Institute Proceedings, On Point: The Journal of Army History, Maryland Historical Magazine, Human Rights Review, Michigan War Studies Review, Journal of America’s Military Past, US Military History Review, African Studies Quarterly, and H-Net Reviews, among others.

Posted: 10/09/2015

The UNT Special Collections 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee - Laura Forsberg

Laura Forsberg is a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in English at Harvard University. Her project The Victorian Miniature Book shows how the miniature book re-enchants familiar works and transports the reader from the dull world of full-sized reality into an expansive realm of minute possibility. The University of North Texas Libraries invite applications for the 2016 UNT Special Collections Research Fellowship. Research in special collections is relevant to studies in a variety of disciplines including history, journalism, political science, geography, fine art, art history and American studies. We encourage applicants to think creatively about new uses for special collections. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for publication and the best use of special collections at UNT Libraries. The UNT Special Collections 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee Laura Forsberg Project Title The Victorian Miniature Book Project Description During the nineteenth-century, publishers began to produce a profusion of miniature books, including thumb bibles, alphabets, almanacs, fairy tales and books of history. Despite their minute proportions (miniature books typically measure less than three inches in size), these volumes functioned in the Victorian period as imaginative tokens of expansive knowledge. Using the extensive collection of miniature books and related archival materials in the University of North Texas Special Collections, I show how the miniature book re-enchants familiar works and transports the reader from the dull world of full-sized reality into an expansive realm of minute possibility. Biography Laura Forsberg is a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in English at Harvard University. Her dissertation on “The Miniature and Victorian Literature” seeks to restore size as a major category of the imagination in the Victorian age by examining miniature paintings, dolls, fairies, microscopes and miniature books in the literature and culture of the period. While Ms. Forsberg’s primary interest is in the Victorian novel, she also studies and teaches children’s literature, book history, poetry and medievalism. She has articles being published this year in both Victorian Studies and SEL: Studies in English Literature 1600-1900. She currently lives in Austin, Texas and works as an adjunct faculty member at Concordia University.

Posted: 10/09/2015

40 Million Uses and Counting

Posted: 10/08/2015

Three Questions with Caitlin Chegwidden, UNT Undergraduate Student

Caitlin Chegwidden is a junior at the University of North Texas majoring in History with a minor in Psychology. She is involved with the center for Leadership and Service on campus and is a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity. She is also the Director of Archives for her chapter. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? As a student here at UNT I have found that the special collections are essential to my learning and research. I first began to utilize our unique collections while writing research papers for my upper level history courses, specifically the Portal to Texas History. The amount of resources that can be found within this collection is astonishing and I have only begun to tap into them. In the spring of 2015 I was able to enroll in a history course that exclusively dealt with the civil rights movement in Texas. This course was taught as a direct response to the newly acquired KXAS-NBC 5 News Collection. The purpose of this class was to create an online museum analyzing the importance of the crisis at Mansfield High School. During this course I spent a considerable amount of time doing research over the KXAS-NBC 5 News Collection and found that without this collection we would have missed out on a unique aspect of the crisis. In fact, because the information found in the KXAS-NBC 5 News Collection was so abundant we decided to create an entirely new exhibit just with resources from this collection. As a researcher the information that can be found within our collections at UNT is vital to the understanding of our history. The research that I have done with special collections has allowed me to grow a greater passion for my field of study. I am proud to attend a university that supplies these truly unique collections. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Our collections here at UNT have changed the way I approach my research because of the ease at which I can access the information. Being able to access these collections so easily allows me to research more because I’m not spending time tracking down these archives at various locations. UNT is in the process of digitizing the KXAS-NBC 5 News Collection. The News Scripts and News Clips found in this archive are essential to the research that I have done for my various history classes. These collections have made my research significantly easier. What do you want others to know about your research? The research that I have done so far in my college career would not have been possible without the UNT special and digital collections, specifically the KXAS-NBC 5 News Collection and The Portal to Texas History. The news coverage found in the KXAS archive is essential to understanding the crisis at Mansfield High because these are the stories that the everyday citizens of Texas were exposed to. Even though only a small portion of these news clips have been digitized this collection offers us a unique account of the events that took place at Mansfield high school. Caitlin Chegwidden is a junior at the University of North Texas majoring in History with a minor in Psychology. She is involved with the center for Leadership and Service on campus and is a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity. She is also the Director of Archives for her chapter.

Posted: 10/07/2015

The Portal to Texas History 2015 Research Fellowship Awardee - Ben Davis

Posted: 10/06/2015

Three Questions with John Murphy, Professor of Jazz History

< John Murphy attended UNT from 1981-1986. He joined the UNT Jazz Studies faculty in 2001, and began serving as chair in 2008. Using the UNT Libraries is one of his favorite things to do. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? The Music Library’s Unique Collections are very important in my work. I use them in every class I teach: jazz history for undergraduates and graduate students and jazz analysis and research methods for graduate students. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Because we have the unique collections, we can go into more depth and do more with primary sources. For example, I assign my students to use the unique collections to work directly with scores of songs and stock arrangements. When we listen to Lester Young’s solo on “Shoe Shine Boy” we can learn more about that tune by examining the stock arrangement and the original sheet music. When we read music theorist Allen Forte’s analysis of the song “Alone Together”, which uses the composer’s piano harmonization, we can see that it in the original sheet music. What do you want others to know about your research? One point I try to make with every class as students begin research projects in the UNT library is that the library is more than books, CDs, and journals, more than citation formats: it represents the accumulated work of many people, including people in our community like the late Bob Rogers, whose years of volunteer work enable us to search the WFAA and WBAP collections and to search the collections of jazz songbooks by tune title. Students have the contents of donated collections of recordings to use because former Music Library Head Morris Martin drove the van to pick up these Unique Collections from donors. The music librarians he mentored carry on this work. Librarians do the essential work of preserving and organizing our cultural knowledge. Without them learning at a university would not be possible. Regarding my own research: two library items represent my contributions to the scholarly conversation about Brazilian music: Music in Brazil: experiencing music, expressing culture and Cavalo-marinho pernambucano. John Murphy attended UNT from 1981-1986, did a bunch of stuff you can read about here. He joined the UNT Jazz Studies faculty in 2001, and began serving as chair in 2008. Using the UNT library is one of his favorite things to do.

Posted: 09/29/2015

Banned Books Week Programming

Posted: 09/27/2015

New System Enhances Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) Submission and Management

The Toulouse Graduate School and the UNT Libraries are pleased to announce the implementation of Vireo, an online thesis/dissertation tool which will enable graduate students to turn in all required materials online. This fall changes are coming to the way UNT’s graduate degree candidates submit their completed theses and dissertations. The Toulouse Graduate School (TGS) and the UNT Libraries are pleased to announce the implementation of Vireo, an online thesis/dissertation submission tool which will enable graduate students to turn in all required materials online—from anywhere—doing away with the need for hard copy delivery. According to Daniel Alemneh, UNT Libraries Digital Curation Coordinator, Vireo will make the ETD submission process fully electronic by providing a simple and intuitive online interface. That means the workflow involved in ETDs lifecycle management—ranging from submission by students to approval by the respective departments and graduate office to publication in UNT’s digital repository and ProQuest—will be more efficient. What’s more, “all stakeholders will be able to see the status of a particular thesis or dissertation simultaneously. It’s really seamless.” Vireo implementation is scheduled to occur in two phases, coinciding with fall 2015 and spring 2016 graduation. Students from the following colleges who are planning to graduate fall 2015 will use Vireo for their submissions, beginning October 1, 2015: College of Business College of Information College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism College of Public Affairs and Community Service College of Visual Arts and Design Mayborn School of Journalism Toulouse Graduate School (for interdisciplinary masters students) The submission deadline for fall graduation is October 23, 2015; Vireo will remain available after this date to students in these colleges who are eligible for the rollover deadline of December 3 (May 2016 graduation). Beginning March 1, 2016, students from all colleges (CAS, COE, CoEng, and CoM, plus the initial 7) planning to graduate in May 2016 will use Vireo to submit materials. [NOTE: Students who already submitted by rollover deadline are excluded; Vireo prevents students from submitting twice.] Vireo is an open-source software application created by Texas A&M University and the Texas Digital Library (TDL), and is specifically designed to be very user-friendly. Guidance documents are available on the Toulouse Graduate School’s website; in addition, the Texas Digital Library will handle any technical issues students or faculty may experience. You can find TDL’s student help videos at http://vireoetd.org/vireo/support/vireo-3-0-help-videos/. After submission, the review/approval process will continue to be handled by the graduate school. Final copies will be placed in the Libraries’ online repository where they can be readily accessed by scholars from around the world. Special thanks to Jill Kleister, Graduate Reader, UNT Toulouse Graduate School, and Dr. Daniel Alemneh, Digital Curation Coordinator, UNT Libraries

Posted: 09/18/2015

Three Questions with Todd Moye, UNT Professor of History

Todd Moye is a Professor of History at UNT and the Director of the UNT Oral History Program. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? I can say without exaggeration that my current research would be impossible without the worlds UNT’s Unique Collections have opened to me, and my teaching would be much poorer. I was not trained as a Texas historian, but last year, after writing three books on the history of civil rights movements outside of Texas, I jumped into Lone Star State history with both feet. The Portal to Texas History and other resources within Unique Collections have enabled me to come up to speed much, much faster than I would have been able to otherwise by opening a treasure trove of other scholars’ research and primary sources that have yet to be exploited. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? I was lucky enough to co-teach a course on the Civil Rights Movement in Texas with my colleague Dr. Andrew Torget in the Spring 2015 semester. We built the entire course around undergraduates’ original research in UNT’s KXAS Collection, the Portal to Texas History, and other materials in UNT Special Collections and other archives. It was the most rewarding experience I have ever had as an educator, and I’m positive that our students consider it the best and most important class they will ever take at UNT. It would be impossible to design all of my undergraduate courses around original research, but I have managed to use some aspect of Unique Collections—interviews from the UNT Oral History Collection, newspaper articles from the Portal to Texas History, etc.—in some way in nearly every class I have taught in the UNT History Department since 2005. Making primary sources available to students and helping them work through the contradictions and new possibilities they find there gets to the very heart of liberal arts education. I can’t imagine how I would be able to accomplish this—I certainly couldn’t accomplish it on a large scale—without having such easy access to these collections. What do you want others to know about your research? I’d like to show off the product of my students’ research from the Civil Rights Movement in Texas class, an online museum of the Mansfield Crisis: http://mansfieldcrisis.omeka.net/. I could not be prouder of it! Todd Moye is a Professor of History at UNT and the Director of the UNT Oral History Program.

Posted: 09/17/2015

UNT Libraries partners with Sigma Tau Delta for the Banned Books Readout

The University of North Texas Libraries joins Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, to present the Banned Books Readout! UNT students, faculty, and staff, and the Denton community are invited to join us to read from your favorite banned or challenged book. Sign up here to read! Young Adult books are the focus of the 2015 Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read. “Young Adult books are challenged more frequently than any other type of book,” said Judith Platt, chair of the American Library Association Banned Books Week National Committee. “These are the books that speak most immediately to young people, dealing with many of the difficult issues that arise in their own lives, or in the lives of their friends. These are the books that give young readers the ability to safely explore the sometimes scary real world. This Banned Books Week is a call to action, to remind everyone that young people need to be allowed the freedom to read widely, to read books that are relevant for them, and to be able to make their own reading choices.” Banned Books Week is the national book community’s annual celebration of the freedom to read. Hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2015 celebration will be held September 27-October 3. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982 according to the American Library Association. There were 311 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2014, and many more go unreported. The readout will take place Tuesday, September 29, 2015, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Library Mall behind the book sculpture near Jody’s Fountain. Voter registration will be available at the event! The Banned Books Readout is free and open to the public. For information on visiting the UNT campus, please go to Parking and Transportation Services. For additional information on Sigma Tau Delta, visit their webpage.

Posted: 09/09/2015

Three Questions with Karen Wisely, UNT Doctoral Student

Karen Wisely is a Ph.D. candidate from the History Department of the University of North Texas whose dissertation topic is the formation of LGBT community in Dallas. She discusses the importance of the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries to her research. Three Questions is an initiative to share the value that our faculty, students, and others in the UNT community derive from using the Unique Collections at UNT Libraries. How important are Unique Collections in your teaching, learning or research? I am in the midst of writing a dissertation on the development of the Dallas gay community to complete requirements for a doctorate in history. The Resource Center LGBT Collection of the UNT Libraries is vital to my research. There are over 600 boxes in the collection, covering virtually every organized activity of the Dallas community from 1940 to the present. This collection and the cataloguing of it in such quick order have really made my dissertation possible. How have Unique Collections changed the way you approach your research, teaching or learning? Prior to the collection being obtained by the UNT Libraries, it resided in various storage facilities in Dallas. The boxes were stacked on top of each other, the labeling was sporadic, and access was severely limited. Now, thanks to the work of the UNT Archives staff, I can sit at home in front of my computer, browse through the detailed finding aid, email the staff which box I need to look at, and it will be waiting for me the next time I visit the library. This convenience has allowed me to be much more focused in what I’m researching. What do you want others to know about your research? The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is one of the top ten largest urban areas in the country and home to one of the most vibrant and active LGBT communities in the United States, and even the world. Yet, because of the difficulties in accessing this collection prior to UNT obtaining it, no one has written anything about its history. It was a stroke of luck that, just as I was ready to dive in and do heavy-duty research, this collection moved to UNT where the wonderful staff had it organized and ready for use in less than a year. If it had been this easy to use before, I would probably be researching a different topic. Karen Wisely is a Ph.D. candidate from the History Department of the University of North Texas whose dissertation topic is the formation of LGBT community in Dallas. This work follows up on her Master’s thesis on the same topic. She is a three-time recipient of the C.M. Caldwell Memorial Award, sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association, which recognizes excellence in historical research and writing on Texas or local history topics. She has presented papers at the Oral History Association’s annual meeting and, most recently, at the East Texas Historical Association’s meeting. Currently, she is a teaching fellow with the History Department where she has taught numerous sections of the American History survey.

Posted: 09/08/2015

Irma E.L. Sephas: First African-American undergraduate student at the University of North Texas

Posted: 08/27/2015

UNT's Collection of CRS Reports Surpasses 20,000

This month the University of North Texas reached 20,077 reports in its CRS Reports collection available through the UNT Digital Library. CRS, or Congressional Research Service, Reports are materials commissioned by Congress and produced by a division of the Library of Congress. CRS Reports are funded by tax dollars but are not readily available to the public. As noted in a recent New York Times Op-Ed, CRS Reports are “not classified. They’re nonpartisan. And unlike many government reports, they’re fairly easy to understand.” To ensure availability of these valuable resources, students and staff of UNT’s Government Information Connection work to find, preserve and provide access to CRS Reports through the UNT Digital Library. CRS Reports include short reports, long reports and issue briefs in topic areas of public policy, foreign relations, domestic affairs, and science and industry and are a free and valuable resource for undergraduate, graduate and faculty research. With reports dating from the mid-1970s, this collection offers historic and current looks at trends and issues in domestic and foreign policy. In the last five years, the UNT CRS Report collection has seen over 1 million uses. Here’s a rundown of the 5 most accessed reports. 1.The Labor Market during the Great Depression and the Current Recession, 2009 – total uses 13,025 2.9/11 Terrorism: Global Economic Costs, 2005 – total uses 10,251 3.Glass-Steagall Act: Commercial vs. Investment Banking, 1987 – total uses 7,032 4.Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2006: A Fact Sheet on Department of Defense Authority to Train and Equip Foreign Military Forces, 2008 – total uses 6,776 5.Tax Reform Act of 1986: Public Law 99-514, 1986 – total uses 5,322 Calls are often issued to Congress to make these reports public. Until Congress acts to make CRS Reports easily accessible for public consumption, and even after, UNT will continue to collect and provide access to CRS Reports.

Posted: 08/17/2015

NEW! LGBT Thought & Culture

Posted: 08/12/2015

New Items Available in the Barbara C. Jordan Archives Digital Collection

New historic documents, photographs, and scrapbooks are now available in the Barbara C. Jordan Archives digital collection through the Portal to Texas History. “I never wanted to be run-of-the-mill.” –Barbara Jordan1 Jordan at Texas Senate. (Photo by uncredited photographer, 5” x 7”, black and white. ca. 1972. Courtesy of Texas Southern University Special Collections.) First African-American woman in the Texas Senate. First African-American woman elected to the Legislature since 1883. First African-American woman from the South to be elected to U.S. Congress. These are just a few of the accomplishments documented in the Barbara C. Jordan Archives collection now available in The Portal to Texas History. This collection was made available by the Texas Southern University Special Collections and the University of North Texas Libraries’ digital collections. Barbara Charline Jordan was born February 21, 1936 in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Texas Southern University with a degree in political science and later received her law degree from Boston University in She served her first term in the Texas Legislature in 1966, and in 1972, was elected to the United States House of Representatives where she served until 1979. Following her political career, Jordan joined the University of Texas at Austin as a professor and held the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy. Known to be a “rigorous mentor and a dedicated professor,” Jordan accumulated many honors before her death in 1996 including thirty-three honorary doctorates and national awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the title “Role Model of the Century” in 1999 by Texas Monthly magazine.2 “Today we are not being petty, we are trying to be big because the task we have before us is a big one.”– From Jordan’s speech before the House Judiciary Committee, July 25, 1974. Providing access to documents depicting the extensive and rich career of this American stateswoman has been no small task. In addition to photographs, The Portal to Texas History now contains materials from Jordan’s time in the Texas Senate, many of her speeches, and scrapbooks compiled from 1967 to 1980. The documents provide a behind-the-scenes look at Jordan’s drafting process including handwritten, teleprompter, and typed copies of her speeches. The collection has provided access to such famous compositions as “Civil Liberties: Inoperative? Inaudible? Unintelligible? Expletive Deleted?,” the speech given at Howard University’s Commencement on May 11, 1974 as she prepared for the Judicial Committee Hearing on the Impeachment of Richard Nixon; a draft of the famous Judiciary Committee Speech she gave on July 25, 1974, and her keynote address remarks at the Democratic National Convention in 1976. Jordan at a Judiciary Hearing, #13. (Photo by Dev O’Neill, 6.5” x 8.5”, black and white. Courtesy of Texas Southern University Special Collections.) Dinner for Astronauts, Governor’s Mansion, October 17, 1970. (Photo by uncredited photographer. [Barbara Jordan Scrapbook, July-October, 1970], Sequence 79, https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth616618/, University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History. Crediting Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas.) Inside each of the 37 scrapbooks are correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photos documenting Jordan’s statements, engagements, and accomplishments. Some examples include this article paying homage to the astronauts of the first lunar landing and the news feature “‘Black Rose’ of Texas Not Awed by Historic Role.” Viewers of this part of the collection will be able to get a sense of the culture and media representation of the late 1960’s and 70’s. These materials were digitized with grant funding through a Rescuing Texas History mini-grant awarded by UNT in 2013 and another grant awarded by the Tocker Foundation in 2014.The digital Barbara C. Jordan Archives collection now includes nearly two thousand items and is expected to grow as further funding is secured. Efforts to acquire grants to digitize more material recording Jordan’s time in Congress, her correspondence, and photos are already under way. Meanwhile, digital collection visitors are encouraged to visit in person the physical items at Texas Southern University’s Special Collections. Notes Francis X. Clines, “Barbara Jordan Dies at 59; Her Voice Stirred the Nation,” New York Times, January 18, 1996, http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/18/us/barbara-jordan-dies-at-59-her-voice-stirred-the-nation.html. Max Sherman, ed., Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth with Eloquent Thunder (Austin, TX: University of Texas Press), 1. Special Thanks to Gary J. Chaffee at Texas Southern University Special Collections

Posted: 08/10/2015

UNT Libraries Participate in U.S.-Ethiopian Universities Innovative Partnerships Program

UNT and Texas A&M Libraries worked with professionals from Jimma, Mettu, and Addis Ababa Universities in Ethiopia toward a goal of improving the institutions’ digital repositories. UNT Libraries received a U.S. Department of State grant to establish innovative collaborations and partnerships with Jimma and Mettu Universities in Ethiopia. In February 2015, Daniel Alemneh, UNT Libraries Digital Curation Coordinator and College of Information Adjunct Professor, and Mark Phillips, UNT Assistant Dean for Digital Libraries, traveled to Ethiopia to meet with Jimma University officials. Based on needs identified during this kickoff meeting, Jimma University organized training in collaboration with University of North Texas, Texas A&M University, and Texas Digital Library, with support from the United States Embassy in Addis Ababa. Daniel Alemneh returned in July along with James Creel, Texas A&M Libraries Senior Lead Software Applications Developer, to provide training on open access and institutional repositories; electronic thesis and dissertation (ETD) lifecycle management; and advanced DSpace administration, configuration and customization. DSpace is an open source repository software package typically used for creating open access repositories for scholarly and/or published digital content. The main focus of the training was improving the institutional repository of the universities through the employment of this software’s functionalities. More than 40 professionals from Jimma University, Mettu University, and Addis Ababa University attended the four-day training session at Jimma University in Jimma, Ethiopia. The participants were able to install and manage their own servers on Windows and Linux platforms and experiment hands-on with controlling access, metadata, submission, and information discovery interfaces. The excellent computing facilities and expert technical support at Jimma University made these technical accomplishments possible. The primary goal of the[U.S. Department of State grant was to establish innovative partnerships between higher education institutions in Ethiopia and in the U.S. The specific objectives were to: grow mutually beneficial and sustainable partnerships between U.S. and Ethiopian universities and colleges introduce new higher education institutions to U.S. and Ethiopian partnerships strengthen the skills and experience of faculty and administrators in both countries in developing and implementing partnerships Related News Sources: [Five U.S.-Ethiopian Universities Partnerships to Receive U.S. Embassy Seed Money Grants][1] [UNT Libraries awarded U.S. Department of State Grant][U.S. Department of State grant] [JU hosts a Training on DSpace Software][participants]

Posted: 07/30/2015

UNT Libraries Digitize Dallas Voice

Posted: 07/17/2015

Harper Lee: From Mockingbird to Watchman

Posted: 07/15/2015

History-making "Austin 12" LGBT Archive Acquired by the UNT Libraries

Posted: 07/07/2015

Bernan Press Digital Library

Posted: 07/06/2015

Grants for non-tenure-track faculty available for publishing with Eagle Editions

Posted: 07/01/2015

Libraries create new publishing service for UNT community

Posted: 06/26/2015

UNT Libraries Award Research Fellowships

Posted: 06/15/2015

UNT Libraries' METS Profile Now Registered with Library of Congress

For six years the UNT Libraries have used METS to serialize digital objects. Now our local implementation has been accepted by the METS community and registered with the Library of Congress. History of METS In the digital library world there is a metadata standard called the Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS). This standard has been in development in the digital library community for over a decade with roots back to the early Making of America II project in 1998. Currently, the standard is maintained in the Network Development and MARC Standards Office of the Library of Congress. But what is it? The METS format allows digital libraries to encode information about digital objects in a way that can be read and deciphered by others in the digital library world. METS has seven main areas that act as containers for information common across digital objects. These containers include: METS header - metsHdr Descriptive Metadata - dmdSec Administrative Metadata - amdSec File Section - fileSec Structural Map - structMap Structural Links - structLink Behavioral - behaviorSec Using these different containers to encode and serialize metadata about the attributes of a digital object allow practitioners in the digital library area to have a consistent way of denoting, presenting, and building systems with a common format. METS Profiles One of the challenges with METS is that each organization that implements METS will do it in a slightly different way because of local needs. To make this sustainable the METS community has a standardized way of describing how an institution uses METS: what it requires, makes optional, and forbids in its implementation. An organization can register its profile with the Library of Congress where it will be evaluated by the METS Editorial Board, and by the METS community before it is formally accepted as a METS Profile. So what’s the news? In the UNT Libraries we have been using METS to serialize our digital objects for the past six years, and we’ve finally gone through the process of having our local METS implementation accepted by the METS Editorial Board, the METS community, and the Library of Congress as the newest METS Profiles. Ours is the 45th profile to be accepted over the past decade or so. If you are interested in seeing the profile, here is the link (warning, big blob of XML): http://www.loc.gov/standards/mets/profiles/00000045.xml We formalized our use of METS in this METS Profile as part of a self-audit of our repository infrastructure as we work to document how we are a trusted digital repository. For additional information about METS, take a look at the Library of Congress site: http://www.loc.gov/standards/mets/ For the news release at the Library of Congress, see: http://www.loc.gov/standards/mets/news052115.html

Posted: 06/11/2015

A Scurry of Squirrels in the Digital Collections

Posted: 06/05/2015

The Innovative ETD Award 2015 Winner

Dr. Matthew Sutherlin is the Innovative ETD Award 2015 Winner. Matthew Evans Sutherlin, Doctor of Philosophy (Art Education), College of Visual Arts and Design (August 2010): In his doctoral dissertation entitled: “image”/ “i” / “nation”: A Theory and Practice of Becoming an A/r/tographer,” Dr. Matthew Sutherlin played on the concept of the imagination and produced an arts-based dissertation to rethink assumptions of self. He argues that embracing technological models may produce students who are illiterate in the “proper” methods of communication. With rapid technological change, some fear traditions in their “original” form may be lost. Practices such as trying to recapture the artist’s intent should be abandoned as a way of opening up literacy discourse to multiple narratives. Failing to critically explore the possibilities of emerging models of thinking, teaching, and learning in a technological culture can produce a loss equal to the loss of tradition. Dr. Sutherlin’s research showed that through reflexive application the imagination is split-allowing connections and disconnections through practice. By engaging in its application the teacher and students became better able to formulate new ways of negotiating curricula, literacy practice, and artistic production. Dr. Matthew Sutherlin is currently the Chair of Curriculum and Instruction at Henderson State University. Originally from El Dorado, Arkansas, Dr. Sutherlin obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Central Arkansas, Master of Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his Ph.D. in Art Education from the University of North Texas. Dr. Sutherlin continues to investigate new media literacies, mashups and remix culture, game-based learning, maker education and design thinking. His most recent article on new media methods of assessment “(Un)Charted Cartographies: Mapping Networked Avatars” was published last year in the Journal of Social Theory in Art Education. Currently, Dr. Sutherlin is working on the development of an after-school program for students in Southwest Arkansas that deals with STE[A]M education. Students in this program will learn coding, 3D printing, and design thinking through game-based and maker methodologies. We are pleased to present the 2015 UNT Innovative ETD award to Dr. Matthew Evans Sutherlin.

Posted: 06/02/2015

UNT Scholarly Works Outstanding Contributor Award 2015 Winners

Posted: 06/01/2015

Pet Therapy During Finals Week

Posted: 05/15/2015

Mini-Grants Help Rescue Texas History

Learn about the history of the Rescuing Texas History Mini-Grant Program at UNT Libraries. Established in 2002, The Portal to Texas History (Portal), began with the mission to provide students and lifelong learners a digital gateway to primary source materials held in Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections. One way in which the Digital Libraries Division has worked towards achieving this mission is through the Rescuing Texas History (RTH) grant program. Originally called Rescuing Texas History through the Digitization of At-risk Photographs and Maps, RTH has enabled the Portal to be populated with a rich variety of unique materials for public access. This mini-grant program is open to institutions and individuals who own historic Texas-related materials. Grant winners, called partners, enjoy the benefits of having their materials digitized, described, and hosted on The Portal to Texas History. After digitization, the original materials are returned to partners along with digital copies for their own use. The program began in 2006 with nineteen applications and 11 funded projects. It was originally funded with a $7,500 grant from the Summerlee Foundation of Dallas. The funds are spent on the wages of our imaging and metadata workers, costs of hosting the images, and mailing of materials. So far, RTH has digitized over 37,000 items for 130 partners. Many partners have gone on to apply for and receive larger funding for bigger projects. One example is the Tocker Foundation Grant won by Texas Southern University to digitize speeches and scrapbooks from their Barbara Jordan Archive. Concordia University also received a Texas State Library and Archives TexTreasures grant to digitize over 600 of their university’s Texas Records. After providing access to their materials in the Portal, many partners have also received the benefit of increased reprint and licensing requests for their images to be used in books and documentaries . Thanks to RTH, institutions such as the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas Municipal Archives have allowed access to collections relating to the John F. Kennedy Assassination and Bonnie and Clyde. Today the Rescuing Texas History program is funded by the UNT Libraries. Current and future partners are encouraged to apply for $1000 grants to digitize newspapers, photographs, books, documents and other materials deemed valuable to Texas history. For more information about partnering with the Portal, visit our program page. To apply for a 2015 RTH mini-grant, see our submission guidelines. You can browse the collections from previous RTH years: 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014

Posted: 05/13/2015

Make the Past Present with Historic Houston Post Issues in The Portal to Texas History

The Texas Digital Newspaper Program has added over 100,000 pages of the Houston Post A great deal of fun in adding primary source content to The Portal to Texas History is that we get to research newspapers and learn about the concrete effects they had on the world of the past. Very recently, the Texas Digital Newspaper Program (TDNP) has added a significant portion of the Houston Post run to its collection. Ranging from 1903 to 1923 and containing over 100,000 pages, this new addition enables us to step into the shoes of the people who lived through and shaped history in Texas, the U.S., and even worldwide. In other words, like all newspapers, these pages make the past current for present-day readers. This addition of the Houston Post represents a succeeding title to the earlier content of the Houston Daily Post, which is another collection in the TDNP. The Houston Daily Post formed in 1886, establishing itself as the premier paper in Houston, and one of the leading daily publications in Texas. The paper was led by future U.S. Senator Rienzi M. Johnston and business manager Julius L. Watson. Shortly after its formation the Houston Daily Post could claim a circulation of 6,000. By 1901, circulation had climbed to 14,207. The Daily Post maintained an $8.00 annual subscription rate. One of Johnston’s most inspired actions was recruiting William Sydney Porter, whom you may know better as O. Henry. In 1895, soon after reading an issue of O. Henry’s short-lived weekly, the Rolling Stone, Johnston arranged to hire Porter for the Daily Post. O. Henry’s various writing assignments included witty daily editorial columns appearing under the banner of, first, “Tales of the Town,” then, “Postscripts and Pencillings,” and finally, “Some Postscripts.” These articles ranged from a half to a full column and were typically unsigned. His last column for the Daily Post appeared on June 22, 1896. In September of 1900, the Houston Daily Post presented one of the most important Gulf Coast news stories of the early 20th century–the great Galveston Hurricane. Devastating one of the largest shipping ports in the world, the Galveston Hurricane was front page news for many issues of the daily Houston Post because Houston was the closest fully-operational city to cover the storm damage in Galveston. Articles in the Post about the hurricane began appearing shortly before it hit Galveston, with snippets on September 8th stating, “A tropical hurricane did damages on the Florida coast, driving two vessels ashore.” On September 10th, the Daily Post’s headline story announced, “THE FATE OF GALVESTON: ONE THOUSAND PERSONS DROWNED, KILLED, OR MISSING, IT IS ESTIMATED.” Throughout the month of September 1900, a common sight were lists of the dead showing the lives lost to the hurricane. As the September 11, 1900, issue states, “On the flotsam of bay and gulf are unidentified who reach the shore like seaweed floating on the ocean’s surface. Many have drifted out to the depths of the gulf to become prey for sharks and fishes. Others have floated to the shore, where, being unidentified they are consigned to mother earth from which they sprang without shroud or coffin or the customary burial rites. These are sad circumstances to chronicle, but they are true.” By the end of September, the hurricane still appeared in the news, though less prominently: “Texas Politics—State. Much progress has been made in rehabilitating Galveston. Governor Sayers is highly commendatory of the work being done at Galveston and by the Houston relief committee.” Houston Daily Post reporters became witnesses to history, unknowingly memorializing the people of Galveston in the form of newspaper articles commemorating the plight and loss in their closest neighboring city. In surprising comparison, the city of Houston, according to the September 10th issue of the Post, suffered only one lost human life, despite a great deal of property damage. In mid-1903 the newspaper changed its name to the Houston Post. By 1904, President McKinley had been assassinated and a new presidential election was front-page news. Alton B. Parker of New York was pitted against William Randolph Hearst for the Democratic Party nomination, winning in large part due to long years of service on the judicial bench combined with a closed-mouthed nature that seemed to indicate political neutrality. Endorsed by the Houston Post for the Democratic nomination, Alton Parker went on to lose to Theodore Roosevelt by a landslide in the general election. Despite such a tremendous loss, the two candidates showed good attitudes toward each other and the circumstances, according to the Houston Post: “President Roosevelt Did Not Expect to Receive the Large Majority Given Him,” and “Judge Parker Not Cast Down by Election Result. Congratulated President Roosevelt.” But time moved on. The newspaper office also pioneered modern printing through early adoption of the Mergenthaler linotype machine, a machine that dramatically increased production in the news industry. Facing the threat of a strike by his employees, the newspaper’s business manager, J. L. Watson, replaced human typesetters with this linotype machine, becoming only the third newspaper publisher in the country to implement this technology. Once it proved successful, Mr. Watson himself went into business selling the Mergenthaler machine to other publishers across the country, making a fortune in the process. At their peak, there were over 12,000 of the Mergenthaler linotype machines in use, making it an industry standard set by the Houston Post. You can learn more about these machines when you read “The Linotype’s Birthday,” from the April 18, 1911, issue of the Houston Post. The sinking of the steamship, the Lusitania, on May 7, 1915, represented a significant turn of events surrounding the Great War, or what we now refer to as World War I. In Houston, aside from the Associated Press announcements, the Post reported on prominent Texans who had sailed on the Lusitania, as well as on the loss to local industry: “Consignment for the Texas Bag and Fibre Company,” in the form of 1,500,000 yards of burlap “worth $65,000” to the corporation. Although the United States did not enter the war for another two years, the sinking of the Lusitania turned public opinion against Germany. And because everything old becomes new again, the June 24, 1923 issue of the Houston Post reprints O. Henry’s column from 1898, to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of his work at the Houston Daily Post. It’s very easy for us to read history books or to watch television documentaries, but they don’t resonate in the same way as newspapers. It is a completely different feeling to read first-hand, eyewitness accounts of events, to feel what those people went through as they watched history taking place. This feeling is something our students understand, and it is something researchers act on to better grasp how events shape the course of history. In the Texas Digital Newspaper Program we are constantly adding newspapers from any date in time to the Portal. Because we plan for newspapers to be freely accessible in the long term, it’s fun to imagine how future readers might use more recent issues to understand how we live now! –submitted by Ana Krahmer, Supervisor, Digital Newspaper Unit

Posted: 05/07/2015

Bernan Digital Press, Gale Legal Forms and eHRAF World Cultures

The library is currently offering trials of three different online resources - [Bernan Digital Press][], Gale LegalForms and eHRAF World Cultures. Trials give you the chance to have a say in what the library collection contains so please take a moment to evaluate these and provide feedback. Check out this vast array of legal, government, and statistical publications. Individual books may also be purchased through the platform. Subjects covered include population, race, employment, business information, education and much more.Titles can be read on a desktop, mobile, or tablet web browser and are available as long as you have an Internet connection. Included are two series to which we currently have standing orders: U.S. Databook and Country and City Extras. Gale LegalForms provides a comprehensive look at various types of legal documents. Our forms are “attorney forms” – officially approved forms actually used at a typical law firm, and very different from those documents found in form books that may not have been drafted by an attorney. LegalForms is also the only electronic reference to offer legal forms that are truly state-specific. Many of the forms and documents are available in Word or Adobe format and can be edited and used with minor modifications to suit users’ needs by simply “filling in the blanks” with relevant and accurate information. Completed sample forms are also included. The Law Digest content fully illuminates today’s leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, important documents and more. Legal issues are fully discussed in easy-to-understand language, including such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, physician-assisted suicide and thousands more. Access the trial at http://www.galetrials.com/default.aspx?TrialID=96235;ContactID=138071 until May 26, 2015. Please provide feedback with this brief survey or by emailing erin.miller@unt.edu. eHRAF World Cultures at a Glance:\ Collection of documents (e.g. books, journal articles, monographs)\ Cultures organized by regions, subregions and subsistence types\ Powerful searching with cultures, subjects, keywords\ Detailed subject-indexing covering all aspects of social and cultural life\ One of eHRAF’s most powerful aspects is Advanced Search, where you can build a search using cultures, subjects and keywords. Access the trial at http://ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/ehrafe/ until June 26, 2015. Please provide feedback with this brief survey or by emailing erin.miller@unt.edu.

Posted: 05/05/2015

Dean's Innovation Grant 2015: Information-seeking behaviors of documentary filmmakers

Posted: 05/01/2015

Dean's Innovation Grant 2015: Table Top Game Processing and Preservation

Posted: 05/01/2015

Dean's Innovation Grant 2015: Investigations into the Third Dimension

Posted: 05/01/2015

Dean's Innovation Grant 2015: Historic UNT Webmap

Posted: 05/01/2015

Time Capsules Unearthed on University Day

On April 16 the University of North Texas community came together to celebrate our 55th annual University Day, the anniversary of the day our institution became a University. Prior to May 1961, the North Texas State College had already evolved from a Teacher Training Institute, to a Normal College, and into a Teachers College since its inception in 1890. Our transition from college to university became official following a vote by the Texas legislature and Governor Price Daniel‘s signature. In celebration, the first University Day was held on May 10th, 1961. University Day is now an annual event, celebrated on or around May in celebration of our community achieving this important milestone. In 1962, the United Students of North Texas (the student government association at the time), documented our first year as a university in a time capsule, filling it with items that reflected the activities and concerns of the campus they served. They buried the time capsule in front of the Administration Building as a gift to the future. A second time capsule was buried on University Day in 1988 to commemorate another significant University milestone: the seventh, and last name change, when we adopted our current moniker, the University of North Texas. Though buried over two decades apart, both capsules had one significant similarity: both were designed to be opened on University Day, 2015. The UNT president, along with a smattering of power tools and construction equipment, unearthed both capsules last week, and the Special Collections staff here at UNT Libraries was honored to be among the first to discover what fascinating treasures hid within. You can view a video of the unearthing here. Both capsules were well-preserved due to the materials used to house them. The 1962 capsule alone weighed over 350 pounds! Before they were buried, the artifacts in each capsule were carefully packed into a small copper box measuring 9 x 14 x 11 inches, then cast in either limestone (1962), or steel reinforced concrete (1988). Both boxes were buried in the flowerbed under the flagpole in front of the Hurley Administration building. Special Collections staff were happy to discover almost all the artifacts in the time capsule were in good condition. Due to the steel reinforcements of the 1988 box, University facilities used a water-saw to open the encasement. A small amount of water seeped inside the box, and some of the artifacts got wet. Our preservation Librarian, Jessica Phillips, took swift action to prevent any mold or deterioration, and the items spent the day undergoing various conservation treatments to prevent mold or other damage. The time capsules contained a number of interesting artifacts from the time periods they reflect. As librarians, we were overjoyed to find that BOTH time capsules contained books popular at the time they were buried. The 1962 capsule contained A copy of the 1961 yearbook, the Yucca An audio recording of a speech given by NTSU President Mathews The 1962 Honors Day program The student handbook * Multiple issues of the 1962 student newspaper, the Campus Chat Paperback editions of popular books The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 1984 by George Orwell The Pocket Library edition of Robert Frost’s Poems And, Profiles in Courage by President John F. Kennedy The 1988 capsule contained A copy of the 1988 yearbook, the Aerie A 1962 male NTSU Cheerleader uniform complete with a green and white pompom A VHS taped message from President Hurley to be viewed by the UNT Chancellor in 2015 * Multiple issues of the 1988 student newspaper, the NT Daily Memorabilia from campus blood drive activities: shirts, buttons, vampire teeth, stickers Paperback editions of popular books (donated by Paul Voertman) Bright Lights Big City by Jay McInerney Lonesome Dove by UNT alumnus Larry McMurtry The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom A color portrait of the 1988 NTSU Drumline and a sheet with the members’ contact info The artifacts in the time capsule will be processed by Special Collections staff in the coming months to make them available for an upcoming exhibit. Additional photos of the time capsules and archival photos from the burial of the time capsules are available on our blog: 125th Anniversary Archival Retrospective – by Courtney Jacobs

Posted: 04/28/2015

UNT Libraries Win TLA Branding Awards

Posted: 04/24/2015

The Innovative Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Award

Posted: 04/20/2015

UNT Scholarly Works Outstanding Contributor Award 2013 Winners

About the Award This award recognizes a researcher who has made significant contributions to the UNT Scholarly Works institutional repository over the last year (April 1st 2012 through March 31st 2013). Significance is determined by a variety of characteristics including: donating the entirety, or a major portion, of a researcher’s scholarly corpus; donating a large number of individual titles; or donating research materials that demonstrate a significant scientific advance or societal impact. Employees of the UNT Libraries are ineligible for this award. 2013 Winners Dr. William Acree Dr. William Acree is the chair and a professor in the UNT Chemistry Department. His research interests include solution thermodynamics, development of linear free energy relationships to describe partitioning phenomena of analytical, environmental, and biological importance, chromatographic separations on novel liquid crystalline stationary phases, and photophysical properties of large, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). His work involves a wide range of experimental and computational methods, including spectroscopy, chromatography, polarizing light microscopy, densimetry, and principal component analysis. Dr. William Acree’s research work is available in the UNT Scholarly Works institutional repository. Dr. Susan Brown Eve Dr. Susan Brown Eve is the associate dean of the UNT Honors College and a professor in the UNT Sociology and Applied Gerontology Department. Her research interests include access to healthcare services among vulnerable populations including older adults, children, victims of domestic violence, the poor, and the uninsured in the United States. She is the editor of a collected volume of original research on the health care systems of the United States, Great Britain, and Canada entitled The Canadian Health Care System: Lessons for the United States, Lanham, MD: University Press of America (1995). Dr. Susan Eve’s research work is available in the UNT Scholarly Works institutional repository.

Posted: 04/17/2015

UNT Scholarly Works Outstanding Contributor Award 2014 Winner

Posted: 04/17/2015

The Innovative ETD Award 2014 Winners

Jessica Fuentes, Master of Arts (Art Education), College of Visual Arts and Design (August 2013): In her master’s thesis entitled: “Learning From Each Other: Narrative Explorations of Art Museum Self-guided Materials,” Jessica Fuentes explored self-guided materials in art museums in the North Texas area. Jessica engaged in collaborative arts-based and arts-informed narrative inquiry with her six-year-old daughter, and then they created collaborative works of art based on their experiences, which acted as both data collection and analysis. Artist, mother, and educator, Jessica Fuentes holds a BA in Art and Performance from the University of Texas at Dallas and an MA in Art Education from the University of North Texas. Currently, she is the Director of Education for Art This Week, spearheading the development of educational videos and resources for young children. Jessica is also the Center for Creative Connections Gallery Coordinator at the Dallas Museum of Art, where she researches works of art and assists in the development of self-guided gallery activities. Art education is a passion for Jessica and it infuses her life; when not working, she is often with her daughter enjoying an art museum or making art in their home studio. Joshua Kimball Harris, Doctor of Philosophy (Composition), College of Music (December 2013): Sunken Monadnock is a scripted combination of three modular musical surfaces. In his Doctoral dissertation, entitled: “Sunken Monadnock: A composition for flute, clarinet, bassoon, violin, violoncello, electric guitar, piano, percussion, three female vocalists, and computer,” Joshua Harris incorporated visual metaphors including Shakir Hassan Al Said’s mystical semiotics, Jasper Johns’s crosshatch prints, and Wassily Kandinsky’s theory of abstraction. The circle and spiral, especially, play influential roles in Sunken Monadnock as reflected by musical applications of repetition, rotation, compression/rarefaction, and endlessness. The nature of the work’s formal counterpoint requires an innovative approach to the score, which consists of five sections, each of which reflects a different approach to the aural surface (i.e., to the traversal of time). The two outer sections are traditionally scored, but the three sections in the middle—labeled “Surfaces”—are played simultaneously by three subsets of the ensemble. The piece is approximately 22 minutes long. The UNT Libraries is pleased to present the 2014 UNT Libraries’ Most Innovative Dissertation award to Joshua Harris.

Posted: 04/16/2015

The Innovative ETD Award 2013 Winner

Posted: 04/16/2015

New Public Access Requirements for NSF-Funded Research / FASTR Introduced in Congress

Posted: 03/30/2015

Dreanna Belden Elected President of the Texas Association of Museums

Posted: 03/23/2015

UNT Libraries partner with the Pride Alliance to present Queer Zine Week

The UNT Libraries and the UNT Pride Alliance are excited to host a week’s worth of events celebrating queer zines and the people who make them. Featuring workshops and web chats with zine makers, zine librarians, and digital archivists preserving zines from around the country, Queer Zine Week has something for everyone! Monday, March 30, 6-7 p.m. Web chat with Kelly Shortandqueer of the Denver Zine Library (Eagle Commons Library, Sycamore Hall 119, and Online) The Denver Zine Library opened in 2003 and houses over 10,000 different zines from all over the world. They are an all-volunteer run nonprofit organization. Kelly Shortandqueer, a co-founder of the DZL, has been publishing shortandqueer zine since 2004, incorporating his queer and transgender identities into his writing about lots of other subjects. Tuesday, March 31, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Zine-Making Workshop with Spencer Keralis and Courtney Jacobs (UNT Pride Alliance, Sage Hall 328) Spencer and Courtney are rare book enthusiasts who love to teach others how to make books! Learn pamphlet stitch, and make your own zine. Wednesday, April 1, 5:30-9:00 p.m. QPOC Zine Forum with the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (UNT Willis Library, Forum 140) Cancelled Thursday, April 2, 6-7 p.m. Web chat with Milo from the Queer Zine Archive Project (NEW LOCATION: Willis Library, Room 229, and Online) Milo is one of the co-founders of QZAP, the Queer Zine Archive Project. Ze’s been making zines in some form or another since 1991, and has been facilitating QZAP for the past 10 years. QZAP started as a digital project and is currently housed in an apartment in Milwaukee. Comprising of 1200+ individual zines and pieces of ephemera, the collection covers 15 countries and has material in 12 different languages. Friday, April 3, 2-3 p.m. Web chat with Jennifer Hecker of the Austin Fanzine Project (NEW LOCATION: Willis Library, Room 229, and Online) The Austin Fanzine Project started as a digitization and transcription project intended to improve access to the documents of a recently-historical subculture – the Austin, Texas underground music scene of the 1990s. The project has blossomed into a sandbox for creative experimentation with digital archives and digital humanities methods and tools. Click here to view registration information for all online events. All events are free and open to the public. Visitors to campus, be sure get info on parking at UNT!

Posted: 03/19/2015

March 26: Promote & Organize your Research!

Posted: 03/11/2015

Omeka Exhibition Assignments for AEAH 5813: Visual Culture of Refugees and Migrants

In Fall semester 2014, Professor Jennifer Way in the department or Art History and Art Education invited UNT Libraries Public Services to collaborate on a classroom experiment to encourage her students to develop digital exhibits as an alternative to the traditional seminar paper. Digital Humanities Coordinator Spencer Keralis and Art Reference Librarian Rebecca Barham were embedded with Dr. Way’s graduate art history seminar. The students used Omeka, an online exhibit platform developed by the Roy Rozenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, to build their exhibits. Rebecca and Spencer delivered a series of mini-lectures for the students to introduce the platform, and to encourage the students to think about metadata, copyright, and fair use. Professor Way offered this reflection on the pilot project: The course topic involved questions concerning what visual representations tell us about refugees’ lives and identities, how and why representations emphasize certain things about refugees, how representational processes turn refugees into subjects, and for whom do they do this. I wanted students to develop research projects that inquired about these questions critically. Moreover, having the students each research and create an exhibition through Omeka was a great way for them to become involved with the very material that makes up visual representations – works of art, photographs, and photographs and other visual media that are published and distributed in mass print and electronic media. Omeka-based exhibitions provided a welcome alternative to writing papers, too. Importantly, creating these online exhibitions challenged students to pursue image-centered research, something that proved new to many of them. At the same time, students learned to develop narratives that situated their images in relevant historical, social and cultural contexts. By visiting with us over a nine week period, Spencer and Rebecca baby-stepped us into using Omeka. During each thirty minute visit, they taught us more about implementing Omeka’s capabilities and about related issues such as digital humanities, image archives, and copyright. Outside of class, students also connected with Rebecca for research assistance and with Spencer for fine tuning the construction of their exhibitions. The result was a wonderful range of projects delving deeply into course themes. The information and demonstrations that Spencer and Rebecca delivered always enriched our research and technology. Ultimately, Spencer and Rebecca gave us additional layers of learning and skills that we otherwise would not have had. I enjoyed the collaborative aspect and look forward to developing other projects that connect my courses and students with the UNT Libraries. Among the topics featured in students’ exhibits were Peter Hiatt’s exploration of refugees’ self-expressions on social media collected in “Hashtag Refugee,” and Jessica Burnham’s “Once a Lost Boy, Always a Lost Boy?” which collects book covers depicting Sudan’s refugee children. The Public Services Division is grateful to Dr. Way and her students for taking part in this experience with us and, like Dr. Way, look forward to further collaborations in the future.

Posted: 03/03/2015

UNT's Portal to Texas History Named as a National Medal for Museum and Library Service Finalist

UNT’s Portal to Texas History named as a National Medal for Museum and Library Service Finalist Share Your Story of how UNT’s Portal to Texas History has touched your life on the IMLS Facebook Page! The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in recognition of exceptional service to the community and for making a difference in the lives of individuals, families, and communities. We are grateful for the support and contributions of our more than 280 partners, and the UNT Portal to Texas History team is honored to be recognized as a finalist for the 2015 National Medal award. This year’s finalists include individual public libraries, special and research libraries, a zoo, science museums, botanical gardens, and many other types of institutions that exemplify the great diversity of libraries and museums across the country. This honor recognizes the contributions of the Portal to Texas History in engaging a broad public audience that includes our faculty and students, our collaborative partners, as well as a truly national and global audience. The online materials in the Portal are freely available to the public and encompass books, photographs, artifacts, posters, artwork, maps, newspapers, letters, manuscripts, video, audio, and other historic materials. We are grateful for your support and are honored to be recognized as a 2015 finalist. “Museums and libraries are the lifeblood of our communities, serving as trusted providers of critical resources, educational training, skills development, and civic and cultural enrichment,” said Maura Marx, acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “We salute UNT’s Portal to Texas History for exemplary leadership in promoting lifelong learning while engaging and inspiring the public.” “The Portal to Texas History enables access to the records, history, and culture of Texas,” said Dr. Martin Halbert, dean of UNT Libraries, “and it defines the important social context of our state in entirely new ways that have far-reaching impact.” The National Medal winners will be named later this spring, and representatives from winning institutions will travel to Washington, D.C., to be honored at the National Medal award ceremony. Winning institutions also receive a visit from StoryCorps, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs. UNT’s Portal to Texas History is one of 30 finalists, of which ten will receive the National Medal. In acknowledgement of the National Medal’s celebration of institutions that are committed to community service, IMLS will feature the finalists on social media platforms and provide an opportunity for you to Share Your Story on the IMLS Facebook page. Visit the IMLS Facebook page and Share Your Story today! About the UNT Libraries With more than 7 million print and digital cataloged items in six separate facilities, the UNT Libraries are the heart of learning and research at UNT. The UNT Libraries has been nationally and internationally recognized for its emphasis on digital preservation. The Portal to Texas History, created by the libraries in 2002, received the 2013 Project of the Year award from the Texas Library Association. It was also chosen as one of the best online resources for education in the humanities by the National Endowment for the Humanities and named a Service Hub by the Digital Public Library of America. About the Institute of Museum and Library Services The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted: 02/25/2015

Special Collections to house archives from The Black Academy of Arts and Letters

Posted: 02/05/2015

NBC 5 News at 6 PM features footage from NBC 5/KXAS News Collection

UNT Libraries house the complete news archive of NBC 5/KXAS (formerly WBAP), the oldest television news station in Texas. Most of the footage in the archive has not been seen since it originally aired, but a recent pilot project based at UNT makes news footage and scripts from five weeks in 1956 free to view online in the Portal to Texas History. Despite being small in scope, the pilot project demonstrates the rich historical content found in the NBC 5/KXAS Archive. During the week of January 12 - 16, 2015, the NBC 5 News at 6 PM featured footage from the NBC 5/KXAS Television News Collection pilot project. Each night reporters highlighted a different aspect of life in North Texas in 1956. Monday, January 12th: In a segment entitled “Big Things Ahead in DFW in 1956” DallasNews.com Digital Managing Editor Robert Wilonsky and NBC 5’s Brian Curtis demonstrated how the construction projects and concerns of 1956 shaped the north Texas we know today. Tuesday, January 13th: The struggle for civil rights was underway in North Texas in 1956. With segregation in place, African-American families faced challenges integrating into schools and neighborhoods. In his “North Texas in Black and White in 1956” segment, NBC 5’s Eric King introduced viewers to Lloyd Austin, now 91 years old, who experienced extreme persecution when his family moved to an all-white neighborhood in Fort Worth. Wednesday, January 14th: The year 1956 was one of the driest on record and Channel 5 filmed the results. Cooler temperatures brought rain but also severe weather. NBC 5 Chief Meteorologist David Finfrock shared the experiences of tornado victims and uncovered a town that no longer exists in “Covering Severe Storms in 1956.” Thursday, January 15th: In “Fashion Forward in the 50s” NBC 5’s Ellen Bryan showed the influence history had on women’s clothing and how Dallas icon Neiman Marcus played an important role in 1950s fashion. Myra Walker, Professor and Texas Fashion Collection Director at the University of North Texas contributed to this report. Friday, January 16th: “Eccentricities in North Texas” features a selection of human interest stories found in the NBC 5/KXAS archive, including a helicopter yo-yo, a rooster with horns, and a 38-year-old donut. Access to the NBC 5/KXAS Archive is extremely limited due to the fragile condition of the film and video. We need your help to raise the funds necessary to clear, repair, and digitize this important piece of North Texas history. The first phase of the digitization project involves the oldest portion of the archive, all on 16 mm film, dating from 1950-1979. It costs approximately $7,500 to digitize and permanently preserve one month of film. Please consider a tax deductible gift today to assist us in meeting our goal.

Posted: 01/28/2015

NEW! Ravel Law Database

Posted: 01/21/2015

UNT Libraries and Digital Frontiers sponsor Texas Digital Humanities Conference 2015

Posted: 01/20/2015

NEW! Accessible Archives

Posted: 01/20/2015

Digital Frontiers 2015 hosted by University of Texas at Dallas!

Posted: 01/20/2015

Music Library Receives the Gene Puerling Collection

In October, the Music Library received the collection of musical scores, instrumental arrangements and other memorabilia. The Gene Puerling Collection, will reside in the Special Collections section of UNT’s Music Library on the fourth floor of Willis Library. When she was a child, Jennifer Barnes just thought her parents had really cool friends. Now, the assistant professor of jazz studies realizes her dad was part of something bigger – something she has the opportunity to share with UNT students. That “something” is memorabilia from her father’s friend, Gene Puerling. Growing up, Barnes knew he was a smart guy with a witty sense of humor who sang and wrote arrangements for the vocal group in which they both sang. But, now she knows that Puerling was also a musical genius, a Grammy-award winning vocal arranger who was completely self-taught. Barnes’ father was part of two musical groups led by Puerling, The Hi-Lo’s and The Singers Unlimited. “They recorded their albums in Germany so our whole family went there,” Barnes remembered. “I was a kid so I didn’t really know the significance of what was happening musically. Turns out, there was amazing music going on.” Puerling wrote intricate, harmonically complex arrangements in his pieces for The Hi-Lo’s! and The Singers Unlimited. His work influenced countless future vocal groups, including The Beach Boys, The Manhattan Transfer, The Real Group and Take 6. Yet, he was not a formally trained musician. “He wasn’t trained to write music at the complexity level that he did,” Barnes noted. “He was writing completely by ear the kind of compositions that normally took people years and years of study to achieve. Other musicians I’ve talked to have trouble believing it.” Puerling’s widow, Helen, confirmed to Barnes that he could tap out, note by note, a song on the piano. He started his ritual by sitting down with a ham sandwich, then he’d begin to write. After his death in 2008, many universities and musicians wanted access to Puerling’s archives. However, it was the relationship with Barnes’ family and knowing that Puerling’s compositions and memorabilia will help the next generation of vocalists that piqued the interest of Helen Puerling. She was further encouraged to donate the collection to UNT because of the College of Music’s solid reputation and the fact that the Music Library has special collections of jazz legends Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson. The learn more, see the InHouse article From family friend to self-taught legend.

Posted: 12/16/2014

Discovering the Southwest Metroplex

UNT’s Special Collections department was awarded $164,400 through the Council on Library and Information Resources’ (CLIR) Hidden Collections program for the 2014-2016 project Post-War Industry and Development of the Southwest Metroplex. Hidden collections are those collections that reside within libraries, archives, or cultural heritage institutions; yet, are undiscoverable due to non-existent or inefficient description. The Special Collections department explored the hidden collections residing within UNT’s holdings and discovered several hidden collections that related to the explosive growth the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has experienced over the past 70 years. These previously undescribed or partially described collections included topics such as urban planning, politics, industry, housing, economics, industrial education and major infrastructure projects of the north Texas region such as the Superconducting Super Collider. Unlike many large American urban areas, the Dallas Fort Worth area is poorly represented in terms of collection development related to the postwar development of the region. Urban historians in particular point to the scarcity of available sources available on the topic resulting in a lack of serious scholarly research concentrated on DFW, one of the largest urban areas in the South and Southwest. Project staff immediately recognized the potential impact such collections could contribute to scholarly research and, with the assistance of the CLIR Hidden Collections grant, set about making these collections available and accessible. In addition to processing the hidden collections, project staff are publicizing the project and the collections it encompasses. A project blog is the primary outreach tool to being used to connect with the research community and public. The Discovering the Southwest Metroplex blog (https://blogs.library.unt.edu/southwest-metroplex) highlights UNT’s archival holdings by featuring some of the collections of the Post-War Industry and Development of the Southwest Metroplex project as well as other UNT collections that related to the topic. Potential topics for the blog postings are identified by the project archivist and student assistants as they process collections. They take note of any interesting finds they come across during descriptive activities that may appeal to the community and share these findings with special collections bloggers. Examples of the hidden collections and materials highlighted so far by blog posts include the winning proposal to bring the Superconducting Super Collider to Texas; early photographs of the DFW metroplex and DFW International Airport planning documents from the Lester Strother Texas Metro Collection; and documents pertaining to the Southwest Federal Regional Council from the Dr. John T. Thompson Papers collection. Blog posts also showcase previously processed collections held by UNT Special Collections that support the Postwar Industry and Development of the Southwest Metroplex theme. The most popular post is about the Frank Cuellar, Sr. Collection and describes the meteoric rise of the Cuellar family from running a small tamale booth at the Kaufman County Fair to head of the multimillion dollar El Chico corporation in the 1970s. Feedback concerning the blog has been so positive that the special collections department has determined to make the blog an ongoing activity after the projected completion date of the CLIR funded Hidden Collections project in April of 2016. Currently underway are efforts to revamp the UNT Libraries blog platform to allow for more customizable features per individual departments, better integrated image galleries and embedded video. Based on some of the feedback received from previous blog postings, another planned strategy is to begin reaching out directly to targeted communities via other social media avenues with links to postings that concern materials and collections that relate to those specific communities. The expectation is that these efforts will result in exposure to and interest in archival collections and primary source materials from communities where none previously existed. Jaime Janda, project archivist and Morgan Gieringer, head of special collections, will present a paper on this project and the Discovering the Southwest Metroplex blog at the 2015 CLIR Hidden Collections conference. The experiences being gained through UNT’s CLIR Hidden Collections project are transforming UNT Special Collections’ outreach endeavors. Through its ongoing efforts to “uncover” hidden collections, Special Collections are learning that sometimes just processing a collection is not enough, and that blogs and social media can help reveal our collections to entirely new audiences. – by Bridgett Tanner

Posted: 12/12/2014

Texas Digital Newspapers Feed Historical Research on Slavery

Historical researchers from several universities are using primary source material from Texas digital newspapers to study slavery in the years before the Civil War. One innovative project places runaway slave advertisements on Twitter and then links back to the newspapers to provide context. If you walk up to Dr. Andrew Torget at the University of North Texas and Dr. Caleb McDaniel at Rice University, ask them what they think of newspapers. These professors will start to talk to you about how they look at 19th-century newspaper issues over a series of years and use them as records for reading voting patterns or for learning about slavery in Texas. Torget, McDaniel, and their students have collaborated on extensive research on newspapers available in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program to build the Texas Runaway Ads (@TxRunawayAds) Twitter feed—displaying actual runaway slave advertisements that appeared in newspapers published between 1836 and 1860 such as the Telegraph and Texas Register, the Austin State Gazette, and the Clarksville Northern Standard. According to Torget, his UNT graduate students selected these specific titles because, “They represented the three main geographies of 1850s Texas—a southeast newspaper, a northeast newspaper, and a western paper.” Those geographical regions were centers of agricultural commerce in Texas during the mid-19th century, and their newspapers are some of the earliest available in the Texas Digital Newspaper Program. This collaborative project has had significant impacts for the students working with both Torget and McDaniel, particularly in terms of how the students are able to communicate across institutions to better understand the historical period. For example, one of the most interesting and surprising finds within the Texas Runaway Ads was an ad placed by William Marsh Rice, the founder of Rice University. According to McDaniel, “It’s a very rare, important glimpse into Rice’s relationship to slavery, especially since it names the enslaved woman, Merinda, who escaped from him.” The importance of collaboration was strongly evinced by the appearance of this advertisement: it was originally located by UNT graduate students, who were then able to notify their Rice counterparts. The Rice graduate students then contextualized its significance within the wider framework of Texas history during the 19th century. This type of primary source research gives students a first-hand account of events, thus allowing them to read from multiple perspectives of people in history: “Unfortunately, the primary sources on slavery in the United States are limited. These sources are usually written from the perspective of the slaveholder and often reduce slaves to their monetary value. This can make it difficult for historians to learn about the personal experiences, attitudes, and relationships of enslaved men and women. Among these primary sources, runaway advertisements offer one of the best glimpses into the names, personalities, and experiences of individual slaves, as well as into the institution of slavery as a whole” (http://ricedh.github.io/05-twitterbot.html). The Runaway Slave Ads project goes one step further by displaying the text from ads on current social media, Twitter (https://twitter.com/TxRunawayAds). According to Dr. McDaniel, “We decided that placing the ads in social media streams, rather than on websites with standalone images of the ads, would more closely resemble the context in which they originally appeared—surrounded by other ads and quotidian news content.” During the 19th-century, and well into the 20th-century, newspapers were the social media of the day. Commonplace were ads about who visited whom in which town, who was recovering from what illness, and even who had run away from a slaveholder. According to Dr. Torget, “The idea of exploring and mapping these ads through digital means seemed to open the door to new insights into what runaway slave ads might be able to tell us about both Texas and slavery during the years before the Civil War.” The Texas Runaway Ads, in aggregate, is intended to help current researchers connect the names of people who were slaves with their geographic locations and, sometimes, family members. These ads are already opening channels of communication across the history discipline to broaden our understanding of the 19th-century before the Civil War, as Seth Rockman, Professor of History at Brown University, states on his Twitter feed. A similar project by Kyle Ainsworth out of Stephen F. Austin University is the Texas Runaway Slave Project. Intended to document the names of individual runaway slaves, this project also uses newspapers from the Texas Digital Newspaper Program with the goal of providing identity to those people about whom little primary source evidence exists. The Texas Runaway Ads and the Runaway Slave Project utilize open source technology intended to help people in the research community use digital tools to aggregate significant historical information in one place. This type of aggregation builds awareness of life in the past, provides faculty researchers with a platform for developing classroom materials, and gives students the opportunity to trace individuals across different ad postings, geographic locations, and activities. For example, the Texas Runaway Ads Twitter feed displays the runaway ads, one per tweet, and includes a link back to the original newspaper from which the individual ad originates. Any users of the feed can then use the aggregation of the ads via the feed to trace specific names, counties, or dates, but can also directly link to the newspaper page to get a rich context of an individual case. The Texas Digital Newspaper Program is dedicated to supporting any kind of research. The work that Drs. Torget and McDaniel and their students are doing exemplifies how digital humanities research can broaden our vision into the past and can open new communication pathways across research disciplines.

Posted: 10/31/2014

Honors College Releases the 2014 Issue of The Eagle Feather

Posted: 10/08/2014

Pierrot Players to Perform Rare Work

Posted: 09/16/2014

Texas Digital Newspaper Program: Two Million Pages Preserved

Posted: 09/04/2014

Digitized Book Images and Macaque Copyright Ownership

Historic Copyright Friendly Book Images Kalev Leetaru recently uploaded to Flickr 2.6 million fully-tagged images and drawings from various books. This endeavor is part of the Internet Archive Organization’s scanning process. Since each image is tagged, users can efficiently search for and locate images using simple keyword searches. Leetaru hopes this digital archive will serve as a historical archive that will serve those needing images. Hopefully, others will follow in uploading images that can be freely utilized by others. One option I might encourage others to include when uploading such images is to include a Creative Commons license on these items so that any doubt of subsequent use is assuaged. Macaque Selfie Most everyone read or heard about the Celebes crested macaque in Sulawesi, Indonesia taking selfies with David Slater’s camera. Now, a legal dispute exists to determine who owns the photos created by the macaques, and not by Slater. Slater of course claims that his “toil and trouble” lead to the creation of these photos, and thus he advocates it does not matter that he did not actually create the photos (he did not press the button on the camera that lead to the creation of the photo, the macaques pressed the button). In essence, Slater claims his extensive travel to the volcanic tropical forest in Sulawesi, Indonesia, and his travel through this area’s humid and dense jungle equated to his “toil and trouble.” However, in the United States anyway, a couple of problems exist in claiming copyright ownership over images created by a macaque. One such problem is that in most countries it is well established that only humans may own copyright. Further, only a creator may have copyright protection. Thus, if a macaque creates a photo, logically, no copyright exists. If animals were to own copyright one can imagine the unintended consequences. For example, if a fish rearranges the rocks at the bottom of an aquarium, and this arrangement is fixed for certain period of time, does the fish now own the copyright for this arrangement (mimicking copyright in a sculpture)? And on and on and on, this could become ludicrous. Another barrier to Slater owning copyright to these macaque produced images is that it is long established, per the Feist case, that sweat of the brow, or Slater’s “toil and trouble” does not by itself earn copyright protection. More than just sweat of the brow is mandatory, such as some modicum of originality, and more specifically some modicum of originality created from a human not a macaque. Thus, most copyright attorneys that practice in the academic industry see this story as a perfect example as to why the public domain exists, and why sometimes many creations have no owners. When an item technically does not belong to anyone, this is not a bad thing. It is actually very positive. Think of all of the creative endeavors that could result from these macaque selfies, or from other alleged animal creations (fish rearranging rocks). However, many IP attorneys outside of the academy are supporting Slater’s claim that he is entitled to the copyright of these macaque produced images. One other aspect to keep in mind is that the images were created in Indonesia, thus Indonesian law applies. It will be interesting to see whether this case progresses in the courts, and the possible judicial outcomes.

Posted: 09/02/2014

Student Computer Labs Network - Print Credit

Posted: 08/26/2014

Two Cases Decided by the Supremes Today

Today, the Supreme Court released its opinion in the American Broadcasting v. Aereo case. Aereo had sold to subscribers a technology that permitted subscribers to watch television programs via the Internet at approximately the same time the programs were broadcast over the air. The Supremes decided this was copyright infringement. They concluded in this manner by determining, based on the current 1976 Copyright Act, that such dissemination of the broadcast programs equated to a “performance “ “to the public.” As part of the general bundle of copyrights, copyright holders have the sole authority to perform their copyrighted works in public. Therefore, today the Court analyzed whether Aereo had committed copyright infringement by “performing” copyrighted works “to the public.” In determining whether Aereo had made a performance, the Court cited the Transmit Clause that conveys transmitting a performance occurs when it is communicated by any device or process whereby images or sounds are received beyond the place from which they are sent. Thus, the Court determined Aereo’s dissemination of the programing was a performance because it was receiving and making a copy of broadcasts from another location. Then, Aereo subscribers could watch said broadcasts when they wanted. The Court further reasoned that when an Aereo subscriber wants to watch a program, Aereo then streamed the program over the Internet to that subscriber. Aereo therefore communicated to the subscriber via a device or process the programs images and sounds. Therefore, Aereo in effect transmitted a performance whenever its subscribers watch a program. Did Aereo perform these copyrighted works in public? The Court held yes, because the Copyright Act declares that an entity performs publicly when it performs at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances are gathered. Thus, the Court reasoned “public” consists of a large group of people outside of family and friends. The Court further reasoned that it did not matter that subscribers may be spread out over large geographic locations, the receiving of the content is still by the “public.” This is because the Transmit Clause conveys that an entity may perform publicly whether the members of the public capable of receiving the performance receive it in the same place or in separate places and at the same time or at different times. Thus, the Court held that Aereo performed copyrighted works to the public without permission or paying for a license. Also, today, in Riley v. California, the Supremes held that police need a warrant to search cell phones. In this decision, the Court noted that privacy outweighs this type of a search; law enforcement has the technological means of tracking suspicious phones; and due to the large storage capacity of modern phones, such a search would give way to an enormous digital record that might not outweigh one’s privacy. Forbes has a good blog post about this case.

Posted: 06/25/2014

Portal to Texas History Named First Service Hub in the Southwest

Posted: 06/20/2014

Hathi Trust Digital Library Wins on Appeal

Yesterday, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals decided four issues that support library usage of copyrighted works via fair use. The court held that 1. creating copies of copyrighted works for the purpose of making a full-text searchable database, and 2. providing those works fully accessible to individuals with disabilities are both legal under the fair use doctrine. Further, the court held that 3. the Authors Guild did not have standing to sue on behalf of other copyright holders, and 4. the issue of whether it is copyright infringement for the Hathi Trust Digital Library (HTDL) to digitize orphan works is for now a moot point, and not ripe for adjudication. Creating a full-text searchable database is fair use The court agreed with the district court that the HTDL utilization of copyrighted works to create a full-text searchable database is fair use. The Authors Guild argued that the copies themselves equated to infringement and that the database presented a security risk in that hackers could breach the database and obtain copies of copyrighted works and disseminate them freely. The court disagreed with both of these assertions, and reasoned 1. when using the database only snippet views are shown, and valid and reliable security software is implemented such as “choke,” which prevents inappropriate amounts of a document to be displayed and it thwarts mass downloads of documents. The court also heavily relied on transformative use, which I wrote about last week. Most courts currently examining copyright infringement issues are following the current judicial trend of deeming copying of copyrighted materials fair use when said use is transformative. This appellate court described in great detail that transformative use occurs when a subsequent user creates a derivative of an original work that serves a separate purpose, creates a different character, or generates a new use. This court also echoed other courts in opining that when a derivative is transformational (first factor of fair use), the other three factors do not hold as much weigh in the fair use analysis. That statement is very important for libraries, as libraries often make copies of protected works but the copies create transformative purposes. The court referenced several recent cases that followed these lines of transformational reasoning: Perfect 10, Inc., 508 F.3d at 1165; Arriba Soft Corp., 336 25 F.3d at 819; and A.V. ex rel. Vanderhye v. iParadigms, LLC, 562 F.3d 630, 639‐40. Providing these works to disabled individuals is fair use In deciding whether providing access to the copies of copyrighted works for disabled individuals is infringement, the court held such copying and provision of access was not transformational. The court reasoned that such copying did not create a new purpose, character, use… of the material. In other words, the original creation of the work was to disseminate information to a reader. The court cited other cases that reasoned that changing formats such as translations of a work from English to Spanish, or creating an audio book from a print book, are merely derivatives, not serving a new purpose, character, or use. However, the court held that such use is still fair use, and it cited legislative history and another case that stated “Making a derivative of a copyrighted work for the convenience of a blind person is expressly identified by the House Committee Report as an example of fair use, with no suggestion that anything more than a purpose to entertain or to inform need motivate the copying.” Sony Corp. of Am., 464 U.S. at 15 455 n.40. The court also referenced legislative history that declared The House Committee Report that accompanied codification of the fair use doctrine in the Copyright Act of 1976 expressly stated that making copies accessible “for the use of blind persons” posed a “special instance illustrating the application of the fair use doctrine . . . .” The court also reasoned that publishers usually do not make copies of works for the disabled, and authors usually forgo any royalties that are generated for such copies. Further, the number of accessible books currently available for the blind are approximately only a few hundred thousand, thus the market effect of such copying and access to benefit disabled individuals would be miniscule. Therefore, the court held such use is fair use. I do not completely agree that making copies for disabled individuals in not a transformational use. I am not sure other judges or justices would agree either. I do not think translations of a work, or changing formats of a work (print to audio-book) is the same endeavor as changing a print or digital work to an interface with which a disabled individual may interact. However, I suppose fair use was reached in this case based on legislative history, so perhaps the judge’s analysis is not as important to most, as long as the correct decision was made. Preservation and orphan works The court mandated that the district court reevaluate the standing issue regarding whether the HTDL can preserve digital copies of the books in this collection in perpetuity. The appellate court noted that the district court never determined whether the Authors Guild had standing to adjudicate this claim. In essence, a plaintiff has standing to sue if they have a legitimate interest in a case. For example, when Michael Jackson died, many of his family members filed lawsuits to receive the money and other legal rights to his property, and they were entitled to lawfully sue Jackson’s estate because they were his legal heirs, or they had contracts with him… However, I could not have sued to obtain notoriety rights or money from his estate because I was not mentioned in his will, I was not a blood relative… So, I would not have had standing to sue his estate. Similarly, in this case, the court notes that § 501 of the Copyright Act does not permit copyright holders to choose third parties to bring suits on their behalf. Thus, the actual copyright holders should have brought suit in regard to the preservation claim, not the Authors Guild, which does not have standing. As a side note, the copyright holders still could file suit for this preservation claim. Orphan works project In this part of the lawsuit, the Authors Guild was basically claiming that if the HTDL ever proceeded with offering orphan works for public view then whatever procedures they implemented would equate to copyright infringement. The court seemed to find such an allegation ludicrous, and rejected the issue as not being ripe for adjudication. In other words, since the HTDL is not currently offering digital access to orphan works no hardship is being presented to unknown copyright holders. The court reasoned that how could anyone know whether the procedures utilized to implement an orphan works distribution would equate to infringement when the project has been on hold. The courts refused to play soothsayers on this issue. In sum, this case is another great win for fair use and libraries. I do not completely agree with the analysis regarding whether providing access to disabled people is transformational, but it was deemed fair use none-the-less. Also, looking ahead, this decision may foretell how the Google Books case will be analyzed and decided. Also, one or both of these cases (HTDL and Google Books) may end up at the Supreme Court level. I think it would be a gamble for the Authors Guild to appeal to that level (and the Supreme Court may not even take the case on appeal), but they are well funded and they may do so. I look forward to seeing how the Google Books appeal reads.

Posted: 06/11/2014

Beastie Boys, Libraries, and Copyright

Yesterday, a New York City jury awarded the Beastie Boys 1.7 million in a copyright infringement case against Monster Energy Drink. Monster apparently admitted to using Beastie Boys songs in an online advertising video without the still living Beastie Boys and the estate of Adam Yauch’s permission. The result of this case is odd when juxtaposed with a lawsuit filed by the Beastie Boys in November of 2013 against GoldieBlox, Inc. that alleged GoldieBlox, Inc. inappropriately used adaptations of the Beastie Boys’ song Girls to promote GoldieBlox toys for girls. In the GoldieBlox case, GoldieBlox successfully argued that its song adaptation was a parody of the Beastie Boys song Girls. In essence, GoldieBlox argued that its version of the song promoted women’s rights, whereas the Beastie Boys version of Girls was demeaning to women. The parties in the GoldieBlox case ultimately settled and the case was dismissed with prejudice. The GoldieBlox case presented many issues such as: 1. Can one make a parody of a parody? The original song created and performed by the Beastie Boys was considered a parody. 2. Is this second parody transformative, and thus does it create a transformative market? 3. How do ancillary legal issues affect copyright infringement cases? I think the answer to the first question is, yes, one may make a parody of a parody. As long as the second parody is poking fun of the initial creation, by definition, it is still a parody. The second question is troubling in regard to how the Monster case was ultimately decided. In the GoldieBlox case, it was assumed the Beastie Boys settled because the GoldieBlox version of the song probably created a parody that was transformative, and thus created a transformative market that did not compete against the Beastie Boys market for their version of the song Girls. Numerous courts have followed the current trend of allowing subsequent creators to use and tweak copyrighted items, and deemed such use as fair use, as long as their new creation is transformative, and it thus creates a transformative market. Perhaps the difference between the Monster and GoldieBlox cases is that Monster did not create their own version of the Beastie Boys song, unlike GoldieBlox. However, our third point, how do ancillary legal issues affect copyright infringement cases is relevant in both cases. Adam Yauch, a former and now deceased member of Beastie Boys, wrote in his will that the Beastie Boys would not license their music for advertising. In the GoldieBlox case, this seemed to weigh in favor of giving permission to GoldieBlox to create their own version of Girls and use it as they deemed necessary, because the explicit statement in Adam’s will seemed to clearly mandate that there is no readily available licensing apparatus with which to garner permission to use the Beastie Boys songs. However, the New York jury in the Monster case seemed to read the explicit statement in Adam’s will as meaning, Monster should have asked for permission to use the song Girls. It will be interesting to see whether this case is appealed. For libraries, the GoldieBlox case offers further support for the trend gaining judicial support that when someone uses a copyrighted item in a transformative way that subsequently creates a transformative market, this is considered fair use. This trend is especially gaining momentum in the non-profit world, such as libraries. However, the Monster case reminds us that other legal issues such as probate (in this case possibly licenses, although it is debatable), can affect our decision in how to use copyrighted materials.

Posted: 06/06/2014

The Resource Center LGBT Collection: 50 Years of LGBT History

Posted: 06/04/2014

Bonnie and Clyde

Posted: 05/23/2014

Music and Copyright

Dealing with copyrights in music always presents interesting conundrums. First, music usually has two separate copyrights, one for the musical score ©, and one for the musical sound recording ℗. Thus, like real estate (receiving mineral rights and above-the-land real property rights), when one is dealing with music, he or she must take into account both types of copyrights. A common challenge posed to libraries manifests when an acquisition of a musical item occurs, and the library or the educational institution it serves wants to post the music somewhere, perhaps in a special collections display. The librarian may have ensured during the acquisition that the donor signed over his or her rights to the musical score. However, if the rights holders to the sound recording (usually the recording studio) do not sign over their rights to the donee (the library), then the library does not have permission from the recording studio to place the item in the special collection. Of course, the librarian might be able to rely on fair use, or another statutory exception, or obtain permission form the recording studio. That said, the pertinent point is one needs to be cognizant of the fact music usually presents two separate copyrights: The creator(s) of the musical score, and the creator(s) of the sound recording. To further complicate matters, each of these separate copyrights may be further owned by multiple parties. Most musical bands create a contract at the formation of the band (after it reaches a certain notion of notoriety, starts making real money) that details how much percentage each band member owns of the band (e.g., 25%, 25%, 25%, 25%). This agreement also depicts how much copyright each band member owns. Also, the recording studio’s copyright may be broken into various percentages as well. Thus, to utilize a copyrighted song written by such a band, one would have to obtain numerous copyrights to ensure proper use, or rely on a statutory exception. Of course, many performing rights societies now make this easy by allowing one to pay a license to ensure (as much as possible) that all rights holders receive their royalty. Some of these rights societies consist of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music International (BMI), and the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC). Fair use is also always an option as well. Other interesting notes about music and copyright include: Sound recordings were not given federal copyright protection in the United States until February 15, 1972. Thus, before that date, music was only subject to one federal copyright. However, most states issued some form of copyright protection for sound recordings pre February 15, 1972, and this copyright protection was usually issued in perpetuity, so it is much more restrictive than federal law. Thus, when a question arises about the use of a sound recording, it is important to attempt to decipher the date of the recording, and then whether it has state or federal copyright protection. XM Radio, for example, is currently being sued for allegedly never paying pre-1972 sound recording royalties to rights holders (they apparently did pay the royalties for the musical composition copyright). An amendment to the current United States Copyright Act in 1995 added a right to the exclusive “bundle of copyrights” given to creators of works. This right is known as the right to perform sound recordings by means of digital audio transmission. This right normally is relevant to restaurants or other public venues that perform sound recordings via digital audio transmission, and these entities also may exercise some statutory exceptions based on their venue configurations and technology used to make such a performance. However, for libraries, this right rears its head when the library houses certain sound recordings and wants to perform them publicly or via a virtual classroom. For example, interestingly, the TEACH Act 110(2) mandates that one may perform nondramatic musical works in distance education, but dramatic works may only be performed in reasonable and limited portions via distance education. Of course, both of these performances could be performed in full in face-to-face classes via section 110(1), which gives permission to “perform music.” Thus, the question is often broached, what is “reasonable and limited portions” for virtual educational use? Yet, this question has never been answered clearly by Congress or by the courts. So, fair use is probably the best bet when dealing with such an issue. Another interesting caveat when dealing with music is the statutory distinction between a sound recording and musical score for purposes of library preservation and Interlibrary Loan. For example, section 108, which governs library copying of copyrighted works for preservation, ILL, and personal study, only allows libraries to make copies of the musical scores for preservation and replacement, yet the rules allow for more liberal use when a library copies a sound recording with no accompanying music. For example, a library could copy printed sheet music and store it for preservation, but it could not copy it and disseminate it via ILL, based on section 108. However, keep in mind the library probably could copy the same sheet music and distribute it via ILL based on section 107 (fair use). In another example, a library could copy a sound recording of a presidential speech and disseminate it via ILL based on section 108 because the presidential speech does not consist of a musical composition. These are just a few examples of the fun mental labyrinths presented when copyright and the use of music collide. The take home points are to remember music usually has two separate copyrights with possibly multiple copyrights holders (although performance rights societies can sometimes simplify this matter), regardless of when the musical composition was created; look at state law pre February 15, 1972; an exclusive copyright for music includes the right to perform sound recordings by means of digital audio transmission; and sound recordings and musical compositions are sometimes dealt with differently under section 108, which dictates library preservation, ILL, and personal study use of copyrighted works.

Posted: 05/16/2014

Dr. Martin Halbert Receives 2014 TDL Award

Posted: 05/05/2014

Librarians Ride in TLA's First Cycling for Libraries Event

Posted: 05/02/2014

Dean's Innovation Grant 2014: Expanding UNT's Digital Libraries Reach to Africa

UNT prides itself on its diversity and its cooperation with international students and organizations. As such, the UNT Libraries collaborated with Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia to explore the feasibility and implementation of online education and digital libraries at AAU. The University of North Texas Libraries’ Dean’s Innovation Grant, formerly known as the Green Light To Greatness Award, provides funding to research and projects within the UNT Libraries that promote scholarship and contribute to the gathering of knowledge that helps improve our libraries, our university, and the community. Dean’s Innovation Grant 2014 Awardees Daniel Alemneh, Mark Phillips Project Title Expanding UNT’s Digital Libraries Reach to Africa: Facilitating Collaboration between Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) and UNT via Digital Projects Project Description UNT prides itself on its diversity and its cooperation with international students and organizations. The UNT Libraries collaborated with Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia to explore the feasibility and implementation of online education and digital libraries at AAU. At the heart of this project was the desire to follow up on the digital libraries at AAU and see how they could integrate certain digital library efforts for the Ethiopian campus. The main projects on the table are The Portal to Texas History Model, the building of a storage facility for storing digital materials that would be optimized for the East African climate, and promoting open access for educational institutions in the region. Contributor Biographies Daniel Alemneh, Ph.D. is the Supervisor for the Digital Curation Unit. He has a Ph.D. in Information Science and a post-master’s degree in digital imaging from UNT and a Master of Library Science from the University of Sheffield in the UK. His bachelor’s degree was in library and information science from the University of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Mark Phillips is the Assistant Dean for Digital Libraries. He received his Master of Library Science from UNT.

Posted: 05/01/2014

Authors Guild, Inc. v. Google, Inc., 954 F. Supp. 282 (S.D.N.Y 2013) and Fair Use Revisited

In revisiting this case, we remember that Google entered into agreements with numerous libraries such as Harvard University, the New York Public Library, and the Library of Congress to digitize millions of print books maintained in the collections of these libraries. Although most of the books Google scanned were out of print, the majority were still protected by copyright. However, each of the books protected by copyright and scanned by Google were only displayed via three snippet views as a result of a Google books search. Each snippet view also referred researchers to potential sellers of the books, such as Amazon.com. Google additionally created several limitations for each snippet view. Some of these limitations included only displaying one snippet view per page, no more than three snippet views were accessible regardless of how many times a user searched for a book, and at least one out of every ten pages of a book was redacted. The Authors Guild objected to the scanning of the books in these various collections and sued Google alleging that Google committed copyright infringement by scanning the books, giving digital copies to the participating libraries (each partner library received a digital copy of each of their own books that was scanned), and by displaying portions of books via search engine results. The district court held that such scanning was not copyright infringement, served a social utility, and was instead fair use. This case is now on appeal. In retrospect, some interesting insights manifested from this case. One of these interesting insights discussed at the Ball State Copyright Conference I attended last week was that the district court ruled in favor of fair use because Google used the copyrighted materials for a transformative purpose (for a purpose separate from the original creators’ purpose). The authors and publishers created these works to distribute information and to make money, whereas, Google used the works to create a searchable index and a location tool, which offered a new social value. Further, this transformative use created a transformative market, so it did not directly compete with the market served by the original creation. The court further noted that Google was really not directly benefiting monetarily from this transformative use. More importantly, this case and other recent cases indicated that when a court deemed a use of a copyrighted work as being transformative, the other three factors seemed to fall by the wayside. Why? The transformative purpose meets the first factor of fair use (purpose of use). Additionally, the transformative purpose creates a transformative market, thus the use complies with the fourth factor of fair use (the effect on the original market) and the transformative use does not directly compete with the original market; and the transformative use usually assuages any negative manifested issues in regard to how much of a work is used (the third factor), because the transformative nature of the use nullifies any lengthy use of the original item. In sum, when a copyrighted item is used in a genuinely transformative manner, the judicial branch is consistently changing the way it analyzes fair use. The more transformative a use, the more the concerns with commercial effect and how much of an item is used becomes less important. Therefore, this is a reminder, that for now, fair use and transformative use is a fruitful tool for libraries to utilize when using copyrighted items. Although Congress is currently reviewing the modern Copyright Act, and it may issue a proposed new Act in one of the next sessions, the Judicial Branch’s current interpretation of fair use is greatly benefiting libraries in America. Therefore, it might not be a bad result for libraries if Congress leaves the current Copyright Act as-is.

Posted: 05/01/2014

Dean's Innovation Grant 2014: Second Floor Space Planning

Posted: 05/01/2014

Dean's Innovation Grant 2014: MINES for Libraries

Posted: 05/01/2014

Dean's Innovation Grant 2014: Experimental Fundraising Initiatives

Posted: 05/01/2014

Assistant Dean for Public Services Suzanne Sears Receives Two TLA Awards

Posted: 04/25/2014

UNT Known for Making Information Accessible in the Digital Age

Posted: 04/18/2014

Fire Museum of Texas Patch Collection

Posted: 03/28/2014

Publishing Models and Open Access

SCOAP3 Two catalysts of the advent of open access include decreasing library budgets and increasing publisher fees. Consequently, publishers and libraries are experimenting with various fee and payment models to better serve their respective customers. One horizon library payment model is called the Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics (SCOAP3). SCOAP3 consists of a consortium of libraries, funding agencies, and research centers located in over two-dozen countries that are aggregating funds to pay publisher costs to enable selective High-Energy Physics journals to become available via gold open access. Subsequently, publishers of these journals offer lower subscription fees to the contributors who help subsidize the SCOAP3 endeavor. Further, the articles published in these High-Energy Physics Journals are licensed with a CC-BY Creative Commons license, and thus this license alerts potential users that these articles may be further distributed, tweaked, used for commercial or non-commercial purposes, used for any educational endeavor (making paper or digital copies for students…), or for any other purpose as long as proper attribution is given. Articles that are published using SCOAP3 funds are also placed into the SCOAP3 Repository, which creates even greater reliable access to valid information. Cengage and McGraw Hill Publishers are also experimenting with new conduits of offering educational information. I recently attended a luncheon sponsored by Cengage Learning at the University of North Texas Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign (CLEAR). At this luncheon, Cengage introduced a couple of products to meet the changing needs of students. In displaying this new product, Cengage cited research that claimed many students simply cannot afford to purchase expensive print textbooks, and even if text books are purchased, students rarely read the content inside. Therefore, Cengage is experimenting with an interactive digital interface that offers some text, interfaces similar to Second Life where students can construct items, digital venues in which students may participate in augmented reality science labs, and digital locations where students may interact with other students online. I attended another luncheon with CLEAR that was sponsored by McGraw Hill. McGraw Hill also is experimenting with interactive digital content called McGraw Hill Connect that is subject specific and that can be implemented for one or two academic periods. Such content offers interactive videos, audio, and text; and is offered in lieu of print textbooks. It additionally proffers periodic reviews and quizzes to help students ensure they know materials before taking an exam, and the quizzes also assist professors in remaining cognizant of student progress. Which is the better approach? These separate approaches do not equally meet the needs of information seekers. SCOAP3, although a gold open access platform, is an innovative way to help users effectively locate needed information. Although a truly green open access platform is preferred, SCOAP3 provides an acceptable compromise that helps create a wider dissemination of High-Energy Physics information, especially with each article being deposited into the SCOAP3 Repository. Also, by using Creative Commons licenses, potential users are immediately cognizant that they may use this content for most any purpose as long as they give proper attribution to the author. Although the Cengage and McGraw Hill approaches are both interesting, neither method really encourages the widespread dissemination of needed information. Realizing this publisher created content is not paid for by a consortium such as SCOAP3, the only individuals who can view this content are those registered in a specific class at UNT, and those registered students must have a password to view and interact with the content. The Cengage and McGraw Hill content also are not licensed with a Creative Commons license, which further prevents the widespread flow of dissemination. Additionally, an interesting note brought up by a representative at CLEAR is that currently less than one percent of the students at UNT purchase digital content at the UNT bookstore. If students’ materials are offered via digital venues, a large majority of UNT students supposedly choose not to purchase it. The publishers at the luncheon countered this statistic and suggested that a majority of students nation-wide are not purchasing print content either. It seems to me, both pieces of evidence that suggest students are not purchasing course required content (whether print or digital) support the creation of more green open access platforms that deliver students gratis, easily located, valid and reliable information. This is the type of access for which the Coalition of Open Access Policy Institutions (COAPI) continues to advocate, and I think it is the type of access we all should continue to demand. Perhaps if such content were more readily available, then regardless of the format, students would be more likely to use the content and better their educational opportunities.

Posted: 03/12/2014

North Texas State Normal College Scrapbook

Posted: 02/17/2014

The Cat's Out of the Bag: Recent Acquisitions in Special Collections

Posted: 02/17/2014

Best Picture Oscar Nominee Has Ties to UNT Libraries

Posted: 02/10/2014

Anti-Valentine Books - February Book Display

Posted: 02/06/2014

2013 Artists' Books Competition Exhibit

Posted: 01/31/2014

A Hearing Regarding Fair Use and Baby Steps Toward Open Access

Subcommittee Hearing Regarding Fair Use Yesterday, the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet of the Judiciary Committee heard testimony regarding fair use. This testimony was in response to the actions of some members of Congress currently considering whether to propose a bill to statutorily expand or minimize fair use. The individuals who testified at the hearing yesterday included Professor Peter Jaszi, the faculty director of the Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Clinic at the American University Washington College of Law; Professor June Besek, the Executive Director of the Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts at the Columbia Law School; Ms. Naomi Novik an author and co-founder of the Organization for Transformative Works; Mr. David Lowery, a singer, songwriter, and lecturer at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia; and Mr. Kurt Wimmer, the General Counsel at the Newspaper Association of America. Each of these individuals offered written and oral testimony that covered the full gamut of how numerous individuals believe how fair use should be applied to new digital technologies. Before examining some of the testimony given by these individuals, let us quickly reexamine the doctrine of fair use. According to the doctrine of fair use, one may use another creator’s copyrighted work, or portion of their work when the subsequent user meets the standards laid out in the fair use test. Also remember, although originally created by case law, fair use is a statute that has been passed by Congress. In general, if one meets three or more of the four prongs in the statutory fair use test, he or she should feel confident in using a copyrighted work. If one meets only two prongs of the test, there is some risk involved. If one meets only one or less of the prongs of the fair use test, then one should look to similar items that meet the fair use test, that are licensed for use with a Creative Commons license, that are designated as open access, or one should return to the tabula rasa and commence a new path. In reviewing the above-mentioned statute, some members of Congress recently stated they would like to either expand or contract the doctrine of fair use, hence the subcommittee hearing yesterday. As predicted, the testimony at this hearing varied as some quipped pro-expansion comments and others advocated for contraction in the utilization of fair use. For example, Kurt Wimmer’s testimony seemed to suggest he believed fair use was working well with the transition of print newspapers to a digital format. Naomi Novik, who co-founded the Organization for Transformative Works advocated that fair use should be expanded and strengthened to meet the needs of new digital technologies. Whereas, Professor June Besek at the Columbia Law School advocated for a contraction of fair use warning that interpreting the fair use doctrine with few boundaries to what a subsequent user may do with a copyrighted work is worrisome. Despite the attention to the hearing yesterday, it is unlikely Congress will amend the fair use doctrine any time soon. For one thing, this current Congress does not have a stellar record of passing a lot of legislation. If an amendment did pass, it likely would be tacked on to a larger piece of legislation. However, not tweaking fair use, for now anyway, is probably positive for libraries. Remember when legislation is passed it is up to our courts to interpret the legislation, and that interpretation is usually to what citizens, libraries, and other entities are supposed to adhere. Today, despite various appeals and possible negative oral argument at the appellate level, it still appears that the progress of such cases as Cambridge University Press v. Becker and the Authors Guild v HathiTrust reveal positive headway for libraries and the academy’s use of materials for educational purposes via fair use. Further, for those who do not like the manner in which fair use is currently being implemented, have you ever heard the saying “the devil you know is better than the devil you do not know?” In other words, if Congress tweaks or issues a massive overhaul of the fair use doctrine the courts would ultimately be given a fresh stab at interpreting such newly revised legislation. Since the judicial progress of cases interpreting our current version of the fair use statute is mostly pro-use, if you will, it might behoove libraries if Congress leaves fair use as is, for now, and instead consider offering a more liberal approach to section 108 of title 17 of the United States Code. Such liberalization of this statute could offer more explicit latitude for libraries to digitize content and make it publicly available. Also, it would be helpful if Congress would give more consideration to passing legislation that strengthens open access without extended embargoes. Omnibus Appropriations Bill Speaking of open access, Congress recently passed an Omnibus Appropriations Bill that is a step in the right direction in improving access to taxpayer-funded research. This legislation directs federal agencies (with research budgets more than $100 million per year) within Labor, Health, and Human Services and Education to provide online access to articles funded by that research, however, these articles may be subjected to a 12 month embargo. This legislation is more legally robust than the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Directive on Public Access issued by President Obama a few months ago, however, it is hopeful Congress will soon consider putting forth legislation that promotes open access and does not permit such extended embargoes. For example SPARC is currently calling for this law to be strengthened by decreasing the embargo period to 6 months, making access to these materials available via a centralized repository, and providing universal access to these materials.

Posted: 01/29/2014

Disseminating Information (Disinformation) With The Click Of A Button

The Internet and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter can present conundrums when juxtaposing them with the law as it is written, and certain individual posts. For example, in 2012, a libel lawsuit manifested after the American Career College terminated an employee. After termination, the ex-employee allegedly posted libelous information about the College on Wikipedia. As is noted in that case, in determining whether written statements are libelous, courts must weigh any real harm to the plaintiff against a defendant’s First Amendment right to free speech. Another concern in this case involved the potential for such alleged libelous statements to be copied, pasted, and disseminated to thousands or more individuals with a couple of clicks. Of course, all of which could be done by utilizing various social media platforms. These types of cases where an individual’s right to free speech and an entity’s (for-profit or not-for-profit) right to not be defiled in writing are becoming more prevalent. For example, in 2009 a student at Butler University posted statements to a personal blog that the University administration perceived as defamatory (libelous). The University administration initially sued the student, not knowing this student attended Butler University. Upon learning this student attended their own University, this lawsuit was apparently settled. It is noted that such a lawsuit and other similar cases challenge the standard of academic freedom of students, faculty, staff, and all members of academies established by Chief Justice Earl Warren in his comments conveyed in Sweezy v. New Hampshire decided in 1957. Sweezy v. New Hampshire, 354 U.S. 234 (1957). Two other apropos lawsuits filed a few weeks ago further illustrate the free speech/libel dilemma. These two cases are pending in Texas and involve family arguments, employment disputes, and alleged libelous actions. One case involves an owner of a funeral home who is asking the Texas Supreme Court to issue a permanent injunction to prevent a family member from repeating (resending on Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia…, or posting to a website) ten specific statements deemed false by a Bastrop County jury. In a second case before the Texas Supreme Court, a business owner is asking the court to mandate a former employer to remove statements from two websites that are allegedly libelous. Why should we care about such libel lawsuits? Only one of the above-mentioned cases involves a non-profit university, however, such accusations of libelous conduct may become more common as instructors implement more Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 in their pedagogy. Also, students freely post about university related matters on their personal blogs, Facebook, and other social media sites, similar to the student at Butler. Further, the costs of these lawsuits can be astronomical. For example, in the funeral home case mentioned above, the jury awarded $4.5 million to the funeral home, due to the defendant’s alleged libelous statements. Even if a defendant is found not liable of defamation, attorney’s fees alone can be stellar. For example, in 2012, during a separate employment related libel case in Tarrant County, Texas, a court awarded the plaintiffs $14 million as damages. This award was overturned on appeal, yet the defendant’s legal fees totaled just over $1 million. The pertinent point is with the ease of disseminating information (disinformation), statements distributed electronically could be interpreted as defamatory by an audience. Thus, it is important to provide training to staff, faculty, students, and the greater university community regarding what is defamation (libel, slander), what is private information, and how to prevent a breach of either kind. Further, it is wise to provide training regarding what is and is not acceptable in regard to posting to blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other Web 2.0 sites. Additionally, pass along this training to students; closely monitor student posts in online courses; if a student makes a mistake, use the blunder as a teachable moment; create an internal retraining and/or judicial process to deal with alleged misconduct; create a centralized site that the university community may consult to educate themselves; and on this site offer a comment box on which individuals may post questions and receive answers to their queries. In sum, it is important to be cognizant of the different types of defamation in general: slander (spoken); libel (written). It is also wise to be careful what one puts in writing, but also defend your right to academic freedom in putting what you want in writing. Further, it is astute to educate students on such matters, and use any student missteps as educational opportunities for said students. It will additionally be interesting to discover how the Texas Supreme Court holds in the two above-mentioned cases, so that we may envisage how a similar scenario occurring in the academic library setting might result.

Posted: 01/15/2014

Doug Campbell - Embedded Librarian

Posted: 01/08/2014