Mudd Manuscript Library Blog

Political cartoon exhibition reveals common themes of American presidential elections

2008-09-25T14:47:20Z

Through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009 · Milberg Gallery, Firestone Library Curator's tours of the exhibit on Sept. 28 and Nov. 2. at 3 p.m. An exhibition on view at Princeton University's Firestone Library confirms through paper and ink what many American voters already suspect: Although the political candidates may change, many issues remain the same. Titled "Sketching Their Characters: 150 Years of Political Cartoons From Andrew Jackson to George H.W. Bush," the exhibition features primarily original pen and ink editorial cartoons dating from 1828 to 1992 focusing on presidential elections. Works of Thomas Nast, among other notable political cartoonists, are on display in the library's Milberg Gallery until Sunday, Jan. 4. Questions about qualifications, the service or burden of past actions, the influence of money on the political process, backroom deals that subvert the will of the people and aspersions on the candidates themselves have tickled and outraged generations of cartoonists and their readers. Curators Jennifer Cole, Daniel Linke and Daniel Santamaria have selected items from three collections held at the Mudd Manuscript Library as well as the holdings of the Graphic Arts Division. "This was the most entertaining exhibition I have ever done," said Linke, who has curated more than a dozen. "Reviewing political cartoons from over the decades was like an illustrated political history lesson -- or a graphic novel." "Some of the cartoons are downright funny, but others will make you wonder if anything at all has really changed with American politics," Linke said. He noted two from 1904 in which both parties pursue independent voters and accuse the other of being in the pockets of "big money," which certainly could apply to today's political landscape. The ferocity of the attacks also has not changed, he said, pointing out those that attacked Franklin D. Roosevelt and his decision to run for a third term. "We think of FDR as a revered president, but these cartoons show that in his time, he had plenty of detractors," Linke said. A lecture by Rutgers history and journalism professor David Greenberg at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, in 101 McCormick Hall will precede a reception for the exhibition. Greenberg's first book, "Nixon's Shadow: The History of an Image" won the Washington Monthly Political Book Award and the American Journalism History Book Award. He is the recipient of the 2008 Hiett Prize in the Humanities. Awarded by the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, the prize recognizes a young scholar whose work shows exceptional promise. Hours for the exhibition are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. You may also see 11 of the 37 images on display at the Princeton Alumni Weekly's website.

IRT Subway Posters available online

2008-09-05T17:37:46Z

Digitizing The Subway Sun and The Elevated Express "No More Standing In Line", "New Tunnel to Brooklyn", "The Shrunken Nickel"...These are a few of the headlines in The Subway Sun and The Elevated Express which passengers read while riding on subway cars or elevated trains of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, New York City's first subway system, in the early twentieth century. A collection of 385 subway posters from the Interborough Rapid Transit Company has been digitized and is available on the Princeton University Library Digital Collections website: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/ns064606d The original prints are a part of the Ivy Lee Papers housed and maintained at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. The posters document developments in New York City transit and make a part of early advertising history available online. The Interborough Rapid Transit Company, also known as IRT, opened in 1904 in New York City. In 1916, IRT hired Ivy Ledbetter Lee, a leading public relations specialist and member of the Princeton Class of 1898, to promote the company over its new competitor, the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Company (BMT). Central to the advertising campaign were two series of posters called The Subway Sun and The Elevated Express, which appeared concurrently. The posters implemented Ivy Lee's innovative advertising philosophy to educate and inform by communicating directly with passengers, and to present facts and statistics instead of rhetoric. Several of the early posters are messages from IRT President Theodore P. Shonts. The message titled "Coal for Your Service" (1919) provided exact figures showing an 84 per cent increase in the cost of coal from 1916 to 1919. Other posters addressed pressing issues such as the rise in operating costs, congestion, and the need for a fare increase. In "All other prices have been going up" from 1925, a graphic by illustrator C.E. Millard depicted the rising price of food, rent, materials and wages in opposition to the static five-cent subway fare. Marketed as "The World's Safest Railroad", IRT often publicized safety and the development of time and labor saving devices. "No More Standing In Line" (1921) featured the new "Feather-Weight Pressure" Gate, which reduced the time spent waiting in line at the gates and the need for extra booth operators. Another issue, "Fire Proof" (1921), informed passengers that every part of the subway was fireproof from the subway cars to the stairs. The series began in 1918 and lasted until the company's decline in 1932, spanning major U.S. events such as World War I and the Great Depression. The third issue of The Subway Sun, titled "The Call to War" (1918), included a public service announcement notifying every man between the ages of 18 and 45 that he must register for the Draft. The posters also served as a way of announcing service changes or travel tips and of promoting New York City's local attractions. The series called "Time Savers" (1925) provided maps with routes that helped passengers avoid delays of street traffic. "Ride on the "L" and See New York" (1929) encouraged riders to enjoy the fresh air and sunlight on the elevated trains while viewing the sites of the City. To learn more about the IRT Subway Posters, listen to the Online Gallery Talk - "The World's Safest Railroad" How Ivy Lee Promoted New York's Subway System, 1916-1932 available on the New York Transit Museum website: http://www.transitmuseumeducation.org/100/schedule.html#ivylee

Mudd Library New Accessions, July 2008: More than Meets the Eye

2008-08-08T13:08:08Z

This month's highlighted accession is a Princeton University flag signed by director Michael Bay, Shia Lebouf, and other cast members of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (accession number: AR.2008.108) . To answer the most commonly asked question about this accession: Optimus Prime was, unfortunately, unavailable for the signing. The flag was obtained by the Communications Office while Transformers was filming in Princeton earlier in the summer and transferred to the University Archives. The list below includes information on items and collections accessioned in July 2008. Though they do not relate to future summer blockbusters, their evidential and/or informational value is at least as high as that of the Transformers flag. As always, anyone interested in additional information about the accessions listed below should contact the library through our general email account.

Public Policy Papers Council on Foreign Relations Records Accrual, 1996-1999 ML.2008.022 Princeton University Archives Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Student Photo-Identification Cards and Photographs, 1993-1997 AR.2008.086 Newspaper Clippings, Ephemera and Photographs of Princeton Alumni, 1963-1988 AR.2008.087 Constitution and By-Laws of the Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington, 1966 AR.2008.088 "Going Back" Fifty-Two Members of the Class of 1952 Revisit Their Undergraduate Days, undated AR.2008.089 Princeton Summer Theater Brochures and Promotional Correspondence, 2008 AR.2008.090 Princeton Summer Theater Promotional Materials and Newspaper Clippings, 2005-2007 AR.2008.091 Princetoniana Committee Oral History Project Accrual, 1994 AR.2008.092 Rockefeller College Student Academic Files, 2004-2008 AR.2008.093 Office of Communications Faculty Files, 1948-2008 AR.2008.094 Class of 1883, 45th Reunion Buttons and Princeton Lapel Pin, 1928, undated AR.2008.095 Grade and Attendance Book for History 102 Precepts, 1957 AR.2008.096 Fifth Year Record of the Class of 1906, 1912 AR.2008.097 Student Course Guides, 1978, 1985 AR.2008.098 Class of 1970 Alumni Materials and Henry Martin '48 File, 1945-2001 AR.2008.099 Office of Stewardship Scholarship Files for Classes 1909-1922, 1971-2000 AR.2008.100 Mathey College Student Academic Files, 1989-2008 AR.2008.101 Near Eastern Studies Department Records, 1976-1999 AR.2008.102 Theatre Intime Photographs, 1977-2001 AR.2008.103 Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Publications: "News" and "Hotline," 1997-2007 AR.2008.104 The Progressive Review, Correspondence File of John Oakes, 1982-1983 AR.2008.105 Law School of the College of New Jersey Document, 1846 AR.2008.106 Autograph Book Belonging to Charles Dunning, Class of 1883, 1883 AR.2008.107 Flag Signed by Director and Cast of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, 2008 AR.2008.108

From Diploma to Diplomat: Princeton exhibition honors John Foster Dulles

2008-08-01T17:05:00Z

"John Foster Dulles: From Diploma to Diplomat," a new exhibition at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, celebrates the centennial of John Foster Dulles' graduation from Princeton University in 1908 with a chronicle of his diplomatic career and his influence on U.S. foreign policy. The exhibition opens Monday, Aug. 11, and runs through Friday, Jan. 30. Based on the life and work of Dulles (1888-1959), it begins with his work while still a Princeton student as secretary-clerk of the China delegation at the Second Hague Peace Conference in 1907 and culminates with his service as secretary of state for President Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. Drawing predominantly from the John Foster Dulles Papers, as well as other related Mudd Library collections, the exhibition tracks his diplomatic career that spanned both World Wars and the Cold War. As a young diplomat, Dulles participated in the Treaty of Versailles negotiations after World War I. Following his involvement in studies on fostering world peace during the 1940s, he also served as the U.S. representative to the United Nations and negotiated several treaties for President Truman, including the Japanese Peace Treaty of 1951 which formally ended World War II. As Eisenhower's secretary of state, Dulles ushered in a period of hard-line diplomacy that shaped both the country's relationship with the Soviet Union and overall Cold War doctrine. ]]> John Foster Dulles Papers, 1860-1988, which document his entire public career and his influence on the formation of U.S. foreign policy, especially for the period when he was secretary of state, and include his correspondence files, as well as his writings, reports and memorabilia. The Mudd Manuscript Library holds several additional collections on Dulles, which are described in an online guide. Other papers housed at the Mudd Manuscript Library contain trace amounts of materials on him and can be located by searching the EAD finding aids page. "John Foster Dulles: From Diploma to Diplomat" is open to the public without charge from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. Starting in September, the library is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and, starting in mid-September, evening hours until 7:45 Wednesdays.

1748 Charter and Early Trustees Minutes Available Online.

2008-07-17T23:30:00Z

The earliest document held by the Princeton University Archives, the 1748 Charter of the College of New Jersey, along with the first two volumes of the University's Board of Trustees Minutes, have been digitized and are now available online through the Princeton University Library's Digital Collections website: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/7w62f826z Images of the documents are also linked from the online finding aid for the Board of Trustees Records: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/w66343618 The original charter, which has been lost, was issued in 1746 by John Hamilton, president of the Council of the Province of New Jersey, who was acting as governor at the time. Because Hamilton's authority was questioned, the legal status of the College came under attack, and a second charter was therefore issued in 1748 by Jonathan Belcher, newly appointed governor of the province. It corresponded, for the most part, to the charter of 1746, but it increased the maximum number of trustees from twelve to twenty-three, made the governor of New Jersey a trustee ex-officio, and stipulated that twelve trustees were to be inhabitants of the State of New Jersey. The charter granted the trustees and their successors full power and authority to acquire real and personal property, to erect buildings, to elect a president, tutors, professors, and other officers, to grant degrees, and to establish ordinances and laws. Volumes 1 and 2 of the Trustees minutes, which date from 1746 to 1823, contain a wealth of information about the personalities and activities of the young College of New Jersey. As these minutes date from the very beginning of the College, they address the multitude of issues and problems the trustees initially addressed. The minutes contain the names of officials, trustees, teachers, and students. They also provide a record of the major decisions of the College (such as the election of new presidents) as well as smaller ones (such as which foods the steward could sell to students and where the account books would be kept). Researchers will find information related to the standards for admission and graduation; legacies received; names of members of the graduating classes; names of recipients of honorary degrees; the list of books donated by Governor Jonathan Belcher; the hiring and firing of tutors; the selection and election of presidents; the purchase and sale of land; the establishment of accounting methods; the maintenance of the College facilities; fundraising efforts; the running of the Grammar School; the rate of board for students; and the continual hiring and firing of stewards. Perhaps the most frequent topic of discussion in the early records is the state of the College's finances. We hope to continue to digitize Trustee minutes as well other important records of the University in the coming years.

Mudd Library New Accessions: May/June 2008

2008-07-10T21:00:00Z

The list below includes information on items and collections accessioned in May and June 2008. As always, anyone interested in additional information about the accessions listed below should contact the library through our general email account.

Public Policy Papers John Van Antwerp MacMurray Films, circa 1926-1928 ML.2008.016 Allen Macy Dulles Papers, 1940-2007 ML.2008.017 United States Senators Photographic Negatives, 1956-1980. Includes images of Howard Alexander Smith '01, Bill Bradley '65 and George McGovern. ML.2008.018 Allen W. Dulles Papers Accrual, 1926-1968. Consists of correspondence between Allen Welsh Dulles and George Gaevernitz regarding the making of a film about Operation Sunrise in World War II. Also includes a document purported to be a forged Bank of England twenty pound note produced in a World War II era concentration camp. (see image below.) ML.2008.019 Marten Van Heuven Speaking Notes, 2007-2008 ML.2008.020 Margaret Snyder Papers Accrual, 1977-2005 ML.2008.021 Princeton University Archives Clarence Porter Cowles and Woodrow Wilson Digital Images, 2008 AR.2008.045 Class of 1873 Student Photograph Album, 1873 AR.2008.046 John Archibald Wheeler Digital Images, undated AR.2008.047 Michelle Obama Digital Image, circa 1985 AR.2008.048 Princeton Tiger Editorial Board Photograph, 1947 AR.2008.049 Class of 1909 Ceramic Mugs, undated AR.2008.050 Class of 1945 Mini-Reunion Trip Photographs and Letter, 2008 AR.2008.051 Photographs by Marie Bellis, 1969-1975 AR.2008.052 John Cobb Cooper Papers, 1917-1966 AR.2008.053 Physics Notebook of Robert H. Dicke, Class of 1939, circa 1935-1939 AR.2008.054 Princeton University Library Records Cotsen Children's Library Accrual, circa 2003-2004 AR.2008.055 Class of 1971 Twenty-fifth Reunion Survey Materials, 1990-1996 AR.2008.056 Stuart R. Stevenson Letter and Charter Club Document, 1917, 1943 AR.2008.059 Photocopied sources on James West Clark, Class of 1779, 1762-1996 AR.2008.060 Princeton University Store Bookmark, circa 1988 AR.2008.061 Digital Video Recording of Opening Reception for Robert Goheen Library Exhibit, 2006 AR.2008.062 Robert F. Goheen Memorial Service Programs and Audio Recordings, 2008 AR.2008.063 Opening Reception Program for Exhibition: The Alternative is Not Possible to Contemplate, Eleanor Roosevelt and a Vision of Freedom and Peace, 1985 AR.2008.064 Subject Index of the Library of Industrial Relations Section and J. Douglas Brown, A Record of Service Booklet, 1951-1959 AR.2008.065 Commencement Publications and Reunion Photograph, 1932-1946 AR.2008.066 Tom Reed Graphic Illustration: Dragons and Tigers and Dreams, Oh Yes! 2008 AR.2008.067 Reunions 2008 Program, Fan and Alumni Council Meeting Agenda, 2008 AR.2008.068 John Maclean, Jr. Papers Accrual, 1790-1890 AR.2008.069 Class of 1973, 35th Reunion Women's Bandana, 2008 AR.2008.070 Chronicle of News Coverage On the Planning and Opening of Whitman College, 2008 AR.2008.071 George A. Vaughn, Jr. Papers, 1941-1991 AR.2008.072 Class of 1978, 30th Reunion Potato Chip Bags, 2008 AR.2008.073 Princeton School Committee Slide Show, 1967-1975 AR.2008.074 Admissions Materials, 1940-1944 AR.2008.075 Programs for the Princeton's 16th Annual Summer Carillon Series, 2008 AR.2008.076 Digital Video Recordings of Reunion Activities and Lacrosse Game, 1927-1934 AR.2008.077 The Princeton Connection, A Century of Princetonians in Greensboro, Vermont, 1996-1999 AR.2008.078 Princeton Association of Northern Ohio Records, 2003-2007 AR.2008.079 Alumni Association Accrual, 1961-2008 AR.2008.080 Princeton University Library Records Cotsen Children's Library Accrual, 1996-2007 AR.2008.081 Dean of the College Student Academic Files and Tulane University Visiting Student Files, 1943-2008 AR.2008.082 Dean of the College Student Academic Files from Whitman College, circa 2004-2008 AR.2008.083 Dean of the College Student Academic Files from Forbes College, 2004-2008 AR.2008.084 Office of the Treasurer Finance Committee Meeting Materials, 1999-2003 AR.2008.085

Historical Postcard Collection available online

2008-07-09T22:51:39Z

The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library's Historical Postcard Collection has been digitized is now available online through the Princeton University Library's Digital Collections website: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/d217qp492 The Historical Postcard Collection consists of over 500 postcards documenting the buildings and environs of the Princeton University campus. Featuring both monochrome and color postcards, the bulk of the collection ranges in date from 1900 through the 1960s. Both unmarked and canceled postcards exist in the collection. ]]> http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/qn59q398k For more information contact Dan Santamaria, Assistant University Archivist for Technical Services.

New Accessions at the Mudd Library: April 2008

2008-05-19T15:00:00Z

As mentioned last month, Mudd staff will post lists of new accessions to the Princeton University Archives and Public Policy Papers each month. The list below includes information on items and collections accessioned in April 2008. As always, anyone interested in additional information about the accessions listed below should contact the library through our general email account. Public Policy Papers David A. Morse Papers Accrual, 1949-1972 ML.2008.012 Edwin S. Corwin Papers, Series 3, Professional Correspondence, Digital Files, 2008 ML.2008.013 Jessie Wilson Sayre Papers Digital Files, 2008 ML.2008.014 Charles Woodruff Yost Papers Accrual, 1933-1974 ML.2008.015 Princeton University Archives Class of 1936 60th Reunion Planning Materials for George Washington Program; Our Side of Paradise Manuscript by Gail Tirone; and a Class of 1871 Ribbon. AR.2008.034 Nassau Literary Magazine of October 1870; Record Books of the Class of 1871, Issues 10-15; and Photocopied Sources on Thomas Harvey Skinner Class of 1809 and Benjamin Skinner Lassiter Class of 1871. AR.2008.035 Campus Club Records, 1909-1976 Consists of drafts of the Campus Club Constitution as amended in 1976, a 1924 Certificate of Incorporation, and several financial documents relating to the mortgage of the Campus Club property. AR.2008.036 Office of the Treasurer Accrual, 1986-2006 AR.2008.037 Reunion Magnets, 1992-2006 AR.2008.038 Michelle L. (Robinson) Obama '85 Public Information File, 1985 Materials document Obama's participation in various campus activities during her undergraduate years at Princeton. AR.2008.039 Office of Communications Records, 1963-2008 AR.2008.040 Year Book of the Cannon Club, 1951 AR.2008.041 Princeton Sterling Silver Spoon, circa 1930s AR.2008.042 Antonin Scalia Talk, "The Role of the Courts in a Liberal Democracy," March 7, 2008 Talk given on the occasion of having been granted the American Whig-Cliosophic Society's 2008 James Madison Award for Distinguished Public Service. [Closed during Scalia's lifetime.] AR.2008.043 Center for Research on World Political Institutions Files, 1952-1958 AR.2008.044

Mudd in the News

2008-05-19T13:16:42Z

Since the start of the year, the Mudd Manuscript Library has been featured in a number of campus news stories, and here is a listing, link, and description for each of them: Mudd Manuscript Library Online Exhibits (Link to Mudd's Online Exhibitions) There Are Roses Too (Daily Princetonian column advises readers of what makes Princeton unique) Robert F. Goheen, 16th President Of Princeton, Dies At Age 88; Service Set For April 27 (Mentions interviews with President Goheen held at Mudd) U. Releases Obama '85's Senior Thesis (Notes that Mudd is the repository for all theses submitted by seniors graduating from Princeton University.) Archives Exhibition Documents Princeton's Transformation (Details Mudd's current Reunions-themed exhibit: "The Times They Are a Changin'". The exhibit captures the changes Princeton underwent from 1958-1983.) Princeton's Changing Times (More about Mudd's current exhibit: "The Times They Are a Changin'") Illuminating Lives: Berg Researches Wilson Biography While Teaching 'Life Writing' (Feature about Pulitzer Prize winning biographer A. Scott Berg '1971, who conducted research at Mudd for his upcoming biography on Woodrow Wilson) By The Numbers (Information about Mudd's completed Economics Papers processing project.) CIA Releases Classified Files Of Former Director (Notes that 8,000 pages of documents relating to Allen Dulles, Class of 1914, are now available on the Mudd web site.) Princeton Life Lists (Scott Berg emphasizes the value of holding an original manuscript like those at Mudd) Compiled by John DeLooper May 2008

Council on Foreign Relations historical sound recordings now available online

2008-05-16T13:22:14Z

Off-the-record remarks by heads of state and prominent diplomats can be heard in sound recordings of meetings held by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) that are now available to researchers online through the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. The digital audio from the meetings can be accessed via an electronic finding aid on the library's website. The records of the influential American foreign policy organization include more than 300 reel-to-reel tapes featuring speakers at their meeting programs. These recordings capture speeches given by international figures such as former U.S. President Harry Truman; former U.S. secretaries of state John Foster Dulles and Henry Kissinger; former heads of state Konrad Adenauer of West Germany, Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Yitzhak Rabin of Israel; and former U.S. national security adviser Brent Scowcroft. The meetings span 1953 to 1989 and open records are available immediately. (Records of CFR are closed for 25 years from the date of creation and audio files that currently are restricted will be opened on a yearly basis). ]]> Jennie Cole, began in December 2005. Mudd Library contracted with Safe Sound Archive in Philadelphia to transfer the audio from the reel-to-reel tapes onto digital copies. The copies are available through the Council on Foreign Relations Digital Sound Recordings Finding Aid, which contains information about each program, including the speaker(s), meeting title, date and length, along with links to audio of each available recording. The Council on Foreign Relations was founded in 1921 by businessmen, bankers and lawyers who were determined to keep the United States engaged in the world. Today CFR members aim to provide insights into international affairs and to develop new ideas for U.S. foreign policy, particularly national security and foreign economic policy, through study groups, roundtables and publications. CFR publishes Foreign Affairs, which has printed some of the most important articles about world affairs over the past several decades. The majority of CFR records were transferred to Mudd Library in 1998, a major acquisition for the University's collection of public policy papers. Noncurrent records of CFR are deposited annually at Mudd Library. Currently, the collection totals more than 400 linear feet -- or 800 boxes -- and includes records related to the management of the institution as well as the minutes of meetings and study groups. A finding aid for all of CFR records also is available on the library's website.

Kennan and Forrestal papers processing funded

2008-05-15T02:59:08Z

The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library is pleased to announce that the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) has awarded the library funding to process the George F. Kennan Papers and the James V. Forrestal Papers according to the best modern standards, making these important materials more accessible to researchers. This year the NHPRC awarded only four grants for detailed processing projects such as this one. Work on this project will commence in July, with completion set for June 30, 2009. Adriane Hanson, who last October completed processing of Mudd's economics collections, will manage the project. Both Kennan and Forrestal were important figures in shaping United States policy at the inception of the Cold War. Kennan, a diplomat and historian (pictured at left), is best known for his authoring of the "Long Telegram" and the subsequent "X" article in Foreign Affairs in which he advocated for a new course in U.S.-Soviet relations that became known as "containment." Kennan was involved in diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union throughout most of his distinguished career in the U.S. Foreign Service and as a historian analyzed the Soviet Union's history and politics. Forrestal was the first Secretary of Defense for the United States, overseeing the merger of the War Department with the Navy Department in 1947. Forrestal worked to re-structure America's defenses to confront the threat he perceived from the Soviet Union and through these efforts promoted the career of George Kennan. Researchers should note that only a small part of the George F. Kennan Papers are currently open. However, all of his papers will open on March 17, 2009. The James V. Forrestal Papers are open for research use now, though the collection's disorder hinders efficient access. During the course of the project, researchers should inquire about either collection's availability before traveling to the Mudd Library.

MARAC Finding Aid Awards

2008-05-06T14:00:00Z

I am pleased to announce that four Mudd finding aids have been awarded MARAC's 2008 Fredric M. Miller Finding Aid Award. The award, which comes with a $250 cash prize, has been given to the Mudd finding aids as a group and was presented at the Spring MARAC meeting last week. I submitted a representative sample for each of Mudd's major processing projects in 2007 - a list of the finding aids and projects is below. Please join me in congratulating the winners: Casey Babcock, Adriane Hanson, Jennie Cole, Dan Brennan, Rosalba Varallo, and Christie Lutz. This is also a nice bit of recognition for the last several years of work on EAD and finding aids that involved many of us in RBSC Technical Services, especially Cristela Garcia-Spitz and Don Thornbury and John Delaney in Firestone. Finding Aid Award Winners: NHPRC Economics Papers Processing Project: W. Arthur Lewis Papers: processing and finding aid by Adriane Hanson. New Jersey Historical Commission General Operating Support Grant: H. Alexander Smith Papers: processing and finding aid by Casey Babcock. Council on Foreign Relations Processing and Digitization Project: Council on Foreign Relations Digital Sound Recordings: processing, finding aid, and project management by Jennie Cole. Princeton University Archives Processing Project: Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs Records: processing and finding aid by Dan Brennan and Rosalba Varallo, processing supervision by Christie Lutz.

Meet John DeLooper

2008-04-24T21:46:54Z

Name: John DeLooper Title and Duties: Special Collections Assistant I provide public service at the reception desk, including registering patrons, recording the circulation of materials and photocopy orders, and assisting visitors to the Mudd Library with initial reference inquiries. I also respond to e-mail reference questions, and create and maintain databases that aid in the compilation of monthly statistics for Mudd's circulation and public service operations. In addition, I schedule classes and meetings in the library's classroom, and work on other assorted projects such as assembling exhibitions and the James A. Baker III Oral History Project. Recent projects: I contributed the 1983 case for the 2008 Alumni Exhibition, and created a new database to handle our circulation that will replace the old DOS-era system in use since 1992. Worked at Mudd since: August 2, 2007. Why I like my job/archives: I wanted to work in a library/archives setting because I enjoy helping others find information. Working with our collections is like working with history hands on, and I get to see the results of the work everybody puts in at the Mudd Library through the enthusiasm and joy researchers show when we help them find an unexpected resource or item. Favorite item/collection: Historical Photograph Collection--seeing how the university, its buildings, and students have changed over the years is a way to step into the past and make history feel alive. It is amazing to see both what has changed and how much remains constant.

What materials on the 1896 Olympics do you have?

2008-04-14T13:51:34Z

There are a number of collections at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library which document Princeton's connection to the Olympic movement of the late 19th century, as well as several related resources in the Manuscript Division at Firestone. What follows is a list of our major holdings which relate in some way to the topic, with links to finding aids and catalog records wherever possible. It is by no means exhaustive; however it should prove a useful starting point for research. Scrapbook Collection. Lane was one of the four Princetonians who participated in the 1896 Olympics and his scrapbooks document his undergraduate experience, leading up to and including the event. In addition to the scrapbooks, there are undergraduate alumni files for each of the undergraduates who participated in 1896 (Herbert Jameson, Francis A. Lane, Albert C. Tyler, and Robert Garrett). The alumni files document each individual's time as an undergraduate and an alumnus, and include clippings, biographical documents, and in some cases correspondence. Similar in content to the alumni files are the faculty files, one of which exists for William Sloane. There are also materials regarding the connection between Princeton and the Olympics in the Historical Subject File. See in particular Series 5: Athletics, Box 124. We also have the Joseph E. Raycroft Papers. Raycroft was Princeton University's Chairman of the Department of Health and Physical Education and was a member of the 1932 and 1936 Olympic Committees; however the collection also contains a photo album of Athens in 1896 which was presented to the Raycroft Library by Charles Caldwell. The Manuscript Division of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections also holds some collections which, though not directly related to the topic, may contain some supplementary materials. The Robert Garrett Papers primarily document Garrett's later life as a collector of rare manuscripts, however they may be useful in other ways. Similarly, there is William Sloane correspondence scattered in several other sets of papers, including the Alan Marquand Papers and the William Libbey Papers. I am unsure of the nature of this correspondence, however it may be worth a look. Information regarding research in the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections can be found at this website. I hope that this information has proven helpful, but if you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to let us know by contacting the library at the addresses or numbers listed below. Yours sincerely, Daniel Brennan
University Archives Assistant Project Archivist ]]>

Guide to Economics Collections Now Available

2008-04-10T14:00:00Z

One of the strengths of the Public Policy Papers at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library is 20th century economic thought and development. The Economics collections discussed here are now part of a guide to all of Mudd's economics collections, found here. The collections document economic activity on every settled continent and include the papers of important government officials and advisors, influential scholars, bankers and businessmen, and the records of for-profit and non-profit development and advocacy organizations. As a whole, they comprise a valuable resource for scholars to study American economic policy and the ideas of some of the leading economic minds of the 20th century and their impact on the emerging world economy, especially in developing nations. The collections are particularly strong in documenting the subject areas of public and international finance, economic development, United States foreign economic policies, and economic policies in Latin America.