Mudd Manuscript Library Blog

I am pleased to announce the creation of this blog to keep you up-to-date on the news and activities of the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. Watch this space or subscribe to our feed for news on new collections, exhibitions, finding aids and other information concerning activities related to the Princeton University Archives and the Public Policy Papers. The staff of the Mudd Library continues to work to make our holdings accessible in various ways using both traditional and new methods, and this blog will inform you about all that is available.

If you have any comments, please use our comment feature. We look forward to communicating with the University community and beyond through this blog.

Daniel J. Linke, University Archivist and Curator of Public Policy Papers

The University Archives has posted a working draft of Record Retention Guidelines and Schedules on its website at http://www.princeton.edu/records/ (You will need to enter your NetID to access the site.)

These schedules can help you and your staff more easily access record retention and document destruction guidelines for the common sets of records in your departments. This consolidates information from several sources and I hope you will find it easier to use.

Many University employees are responsible for maintaining university records so that the University complies with state and federal requirements. Even where retention of records is not legally required, there still may be important reasons to keep them for the proper administration and documentation of University business. The University encourages all supervisors to maintain good recordkeeping systems, whether in paper or electronic form or both.

If you have any questions, please email me or call 8-4333.

Dan Linke, University Archivist

Drawing from more than 1,600 photographs taken in rural China between 1913 and 1917, the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library at Princeton University is hosting an exhibition based on the collection of the American diplomat John Van Antwerp MacMurray (1881-1960). Nine Dragon Mountain near T’an Che Ssu, September 1914 (MacMurray Photograph Additions, Volume VI, #22)

“Capturing China, 1913-1929: Photographs, Films and Letters of Diplomat John Van Antwerp MacMurray” will be on view from Friday, Oct. 5, through Friday, Jan. 18, 2008. In addition to photos, the exhibit features sixteen-millimeter films shot by MacMurray in 1928. University of Pennsylvania historian Arthur Waldron, who has studied MacMurray’s work, delivered a well-received lecture at the exhibition’s opening on Saturday, Oct. 20.

MacMurray, a 1902 Princeton graduate, was secretary to the American Legation in Peking from 1913 to 1917 and served as U.S. ambassador from 1925 to 1929. In between, he served as counselor of the embassy in Japan from 1917 to 1919 and chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs in the State Department from 1919 to 1924. He also was a member of the American Commission to the International Conference on Limitation of Armaments in Washington, D.C., serving as principal adviser on Pacific and Far Eastern affairs from 1921 to 1922. MacMurray was a strong believer in international law, and in 1922 the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published his compilation of all treaties and agreements concerning China made between 1894 and 1919. His recommendations to enforce existing treaties rather than make concessions to the Chinese Nationalists, however, alienated him from his superiors and ultimately led to his resignation in 1929.

A wonderful end of the year gift came to the Princeton University Archives through the generosity of eight alumni who serve on the Princetoniana Committee. The item, a copybook from Class of 1836 graduate Samuel Humes Porter, was for sale on eBay. Dave Cleaves ‘78, the organizer of “pBay”—a group of alumni who collect Princetoniana—noted the item’s availability on Sunday, December 16, and by week’s end, led by Sev Onyshkevych ‘83 and joined by Steven Brown ‘77, Cleaves, Scott Clemons ‘90, Donald Farren ‘58, Cynthia Penney ‘83, Jonathan Sapan ‘04, and Frank Sloat ‘55, the copybook was on its way to the Archives.

Though small in size (3” x 5.25”), the book’s importance is due to its scarcity. The University Archives has very little documentation prior to 1855 due to the Nassau Hall fire that year, and next to nothing that documents individual students’ work. University Archivist Dan Linke reports that this is the first copybook from that era. The book includes lines of poems from Coleridge, Sidney, Spenser and Pope, as well as translations from Latin and Greek, all written in an exceptionally crisp hand. Porter’s penmanship was so fine that he worked several government clerkships before becoming a lawyer.

Due to extended deterioration of its binding, the book is currently being treated by the Preservation Lab and is unavailable for review, but it should be available in the Spring.

In 1968 “A Different Kick” marked a Triangle milestone. It featured the first female undergraduate to be cast in a Club show, Sue Jean Lee ‘70, above, with Fred Davis ‘70 (left) and George Cowen ‘69 (right).

“Times They Are A-Changin,’ ” the new exhibition at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, draws upon the library’s holdings to look back on a transformative era in the University’s history — the years between 1958 and 1983. The exhibition opens Friday, Feb. 22, and runs through Tuesday, July 15.

Using a montage of photographs, the exhibition describes in visual terms the changing order of life on campus: coeducation, the rise of computing technology, the formation of new academic departments, the restructuring of residential life, political activism by Princeton students during the 1960s and 1970s, and the vast changes that occurred to the campus physically, during President Robert Goheen’s tenure particularly.

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.

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).

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

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.

“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.

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.

In honor of the centennial of John Foster Dulles’s graduation from Princeton University, the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library in conjunction with the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs presents Chris Tudda, author of The Truth is Our Weapon: The Rhetorical Diplomacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower and John Foster Dulles. Tudda will speak on Monday, November 10, 2008, 4:30 p.m., Woodrow Wilson School, Bowl 10. A reception at Mudd Library follows the talk where the exhibition “John Foster Dulles: From Diploma to Diplomat” is on view.

Chris Tudda is a Historian in the Declassification and Publishing Division in the Office of the Historian, Department of State, where he declassifies manuscripts for the Foreign Relations of the United States series and co-produces the Office’s internet-only publications. He is also currently compiling a volume on the Carter Administration’s United Nations and Arms Control policies for FRUS. He earned a B.A. from the University of Vermont in 1987 and the Ph.D. from American University in 2002. He is the author of The Truth is our Weapon: The Rhetorical Diplomacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower and John Foster Dulles published by Louisiana State University in April 2006. He is the author of the forthcoming book chapter, “The Devil’s Advocate: Robert Bowie, Western European Integration, and the German Problem, 1953-54,” in Anna K. Nelson, ed., Foreign Policies and the Men who Made Them (Rowman & Littlefield, fall 2008). His article “A Messiah that will Never Come: British Reconciliation Efforts, American Independence, and Revolutionary War Diplomacy,” will be published in the winter issue of Diplomatic History. He is currently researching a reassessment of American Revolutionary War Diplomacy and writing a history of U.S.-China relations during the first Nixon administration.

The Mudd Manuscript Library was pleased to learn that its blog was named one of the “100 Blogs That Will Make You Smarter” by Online Universities.com. See for yourself—look under the section “Higher Education”.

According to their own website, The Prox “is a blog about campus life, issues, and events at Princeton University hosted by The Daily Princetonian and written by staff from several departments, including Opinion and Web.” We like it because it has a recurring section entitled “Diggin’ in the Mudd” that features materials from our holdings. Authored by Martha Vega, she also photographs and then posts items to the site, and, most important from our point of view, gives us credit! One fun feature of the blog is that certain phrases and sentences are written but struck-out like this, so that you can read the straight news or a more sarcastic interpretation. I guess this is so Martha doesn’t ruin her chances to work for the Wall Street Journal some day.

The recent issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly has an article by Mark F. Bernstein ‘83 on Princeton and the 1918 flu epidemic entitled “Why Princeton was spared.” Within the article, Bernstein cites the University of Michigan’s Center for the History of Medicine 2005 study on the pandemic for which Mudd Library provided documents. The Center’s website has scanned these and other documents from the National Archives, as well as clippings from the Princeton Packet. These materials explain how Princeton responded to an epidemic that claimed millions of lives worldwide, yet the University escaped with no loss of life. (The fact that Princeton could have just been lucky is not ruled out.) The episode is more than a historical curiosity; it has also been examined by those interested in modern threats like bioterrorism and possible new pandemics like avian flu and demonstrates one of the values of archival records.

Since December 16, the Mudd Library’s elevator has been out-of-service, as the 32-year old system is undergoing an upgrade. Scheduled to be unavailable until the end of January, patrons are advised that box retrieval may take longer than the usual 10 minutes and that patrons may be asked to limit the number of boxes recalled at any one time, depending on circumstances. Pictured in this blog entry are (from top): the elevator in its present state as seen from the first floor; the old hydraulic controller after it was removed from the elevator closet; and the current means of gaining access to our stacks.

A wonderful end of the year gift came to the Princeton University Archives through the generosity of four alumni who serve on the Princetoniana Committee. The item, a photo album from a Class of 1904 graduate, was for sale on eBay. Donald Farren ‘58 noted its availability and joined by Dave Cleaves ‘78, Scott Clemons ‘90, and Sev Onyshkevych ‘83, saw that it made its way to the Archives.

The seller had advertised the Woodrow Wilson image (right) but had made no mention of the image of Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain whose photograph was on the same page (below). The images were taken during Wilson’s inauguration as Princeton president in October 1902, and another image of Wilson taken that day is also found within the book.

The volume, compiled by William Alsop Bours, also contains numerous candid shots of undergraduate student life, including Princeton buildings, snow scenes, students, dormitories, sporting and social events, as well as a set of pictures from a trip to Rome. The volume has been added to the Historical Photgraph Collection, Student Album series.

The richness and depth of the collections of the Princeton University Archives are the focus of “‘The Best Old Place of All’: Treasures From the Princeton University Archives,” a new exhibition at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library opening Friday, Feb. 20.

The exhibition coincides with the yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the University Archives and features some of the most historically significant documents and objects from the collection alongside seldom-seen treasures. It will run through Friday, Jan. 29.

“The goal of this exhibition is to illustrate the University’s long and impressive history and, in doing so, to celebrate and reflect upon the vital role of the University Archives in preserving and documenting that record,” said University Archivist Dan Linke.

Featured in the exhibition are documents, photographs and objects from the University Archives covering the time of the institution’s founding to the modern era. A page from the 1783 minutes of the Board of Trustees contains the trustees’ request that George Washington sit for a portrait so that they might replace the work of King George that was destroyed in the Battle of Princeton. Nearby, a draft of then-University President Woodrow Wilson’s vehement argument on the matter of the location of the Graduate College hints at another battle fought on campus more than a century later.

Many of the objects capture the ever-changing nature of student life and academics at Princeton. Early course examinations, class schedules and a set of handwritten student lecture notes from the time of John Witherspoon (who was University president from 1768 to 1794) exemplify how, though times may have changed, the purpose of the typical Princeton student has remained largely the same. One notable exception to that credo can be seen in the form of a so-called “cheating cuff,” which hearkens back to the days before the Honor Code. Early 20th-century football programs and photographs from Triangle Club shows point to extracurricular pursuits.

In addition to paper documents and photographs, “‘The Best Old Place of All’” draws upon the extensive memorabilia collection of the University Archives. Items such as canes, clay pipes and the Reunion jacket of Adlai Stevenson — the influential politician and diplomat who graduated from Princeton in 1922 — are all a part of the University’s heritage. Other objects such as the discus that 1897 alumnus Robert Garrett threw in the 1896 Athens Olympics and a blackball box used during eating club “bicker” selections represent some of many curiosities that have found their way into the archives in the last 50 years.

Summer Student Workers Sought

If you would like to work with historical documents while learning more about Princeton history and public policy, this job is for you.

The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library is now hiring for full-time summer positions (36.25 hours per week) at $11.35/hour.

Applicants must be currently enrolled Princeton University Students, and should possess a strong attention to detail, work independently, quickly, and reliably, as well as demonstrate care for fragile items.

Contact us via the following methods to learn more.

Phone: 609.258.6345

Fax: 609.258.3385

E-mail: lutz@princeton.edu

The Mudd Manuscript Library blog has garnered another honor as it was listed on the Associate Degree website as one of the 100+ blogs to Inspire the Creative Genius Inside of You. Click here. How these sites find us and monitor us, we don’t know, but we sure appreciate the publicity.

The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, in conjunction with Princeton University’s Office of Communications, has just added its first videos to the University’s YouTube Channel. In the coming months, the Mudd Library plans to post a variety of audiovisual materials to the University’s two YouTube Channels, with items chosen from both the University Archives and Public Policy Papers.

Our first video chronicles the May 20, 1963 move of Corwin Hall to its current location across from Wallace Hall and Robertson Hall. After nearly two months of planning, Corwin Hall (then known as Wilson Hall), was pushed along steel tracks for 12 hours from its location on Washington Road in order to make room for the new Robertson Hall. Shot on 8 mm film, this video shows a time lapse of the move. For more details about this move, please see this entry in the Princeton Companion.

The Princeton University continued its 50th anniversary celebration by exhibiting the University’s 1748 Charter during Reunions Weekend on May 29th and 30th. More than 128 alumni, staff, and family members came out to view Mudd’s 2009 exhibition entitled The Best Old Place of All, featuring a variety of treasures from the archives on display. But undoubtedly the penultimate public display of the University Charter was the main draw. While always available online at the Princeton University Digital Library, the parchment original will only be showcased once more on Saturday, October 10, with no other public viewing planned before the University’s 300th Anniversary celebration in 2046.

As part of Princeton University’s ongoing goal of expanding building accessibility, Mudd’s wheelchair ramp is scheduled to be upgraded starting on Monday, July 13, 2009.

This project is expected to take four weeks to complete. The first part of the construction involves the removal of the old ramp, which is expected to last three to four days. The initial removal work will involve jackhammers, which of course are very noisy. Please note that the ramp is immediately adjacent to Mudd’s reading room and the jackhammering will certainly be noticeable from within the reading room. During this time, Mudd staff will provide ear plugs for any patrons upon request.

During the construction period, any patrons who require an access ramp should enter Sherrerd Hall, adjacent to Mudd, and then exit through its east door, through which access to Mudd’s front door is possible.

If you have any questions about the construction or Mudd’s accessibility, please feel free to contact us at 609-258-6345 or mudd@princeton.edu.

Early this year, staff from the University’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), in preparing for the move to the new chemistry building, found a filing cabinet in the Frick Laboratory (currently home of the Chemistry Department) containing material related to Princeton’s involvement with the Manhattan Project. (While the common perception of the Manhattan Project is that it was physicists doing the work, a great part of the effort involved chemists too.) Many of the documents were labeled as classified, though some were stamped with Declassified stamps from the 1950s. EHS Director Garth Walters sought advice from the General Counsel’s office and Val Fitch (emeritus professor who worked in Los Alamos during the war). Fitch did not believe any of the documents were still classified, but until that was definitively determined, the General Counsel’s office suggested that a more secure place be found for the cabinet, and hence a call to the Mudd Library in March.

The Princeton University Archives at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10.

The library will grant public access to its collections storage areas for archivist-led tours, offering visitors an extraordinary firsthand look at more than 250 years’ worth of collected University history and lore. The rarely exhibited 1748 charter of the College of New Jersey also will be on display. This piece of parchment, which is stamped with the royal seal of King George II, stands as the University’s founding document and is a cornerstone of the archives’ collections.

(Photo by Roel Muňoz.)

Also on display during the open house will be ”’The Best Old Place of All’: Treasures from the Princeton University Archives,” a commemorative exhibition featuring some of the most historically significant documents and objects from the archives collections alongside seldom-seen treasures. Highlights include the earliest diploma (from a member of the Class of 1749, the second class to graduate from Princeton), a set of handwritten student lecture notes from the time of John Witherspoon, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s grade card.

The Princeton University Archives officially was established in October 1959 to collect records created by University faculty, staff and students. These records document University administration, the development of academic departments and programs, and student life. The University Archives consists of more than 15,000 linear feet of records. Since 1976 it has been housed in the Mudd Manuscript Library, where a sophisticated security system, environmental controls and a Halon fire suppression system ensure the protection and preservation of the library’s holdings. The library serves more than 5,000 researchers each year and currently is in the midst of several processing initiatives aimed at increasing digital access to the collections for remote users around the world.

The Mudd Manuscript Library is located at 65 Olden St. Open house tours will begin at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon. Additional information about the library, its programs and its holdings is available at http://www.princeton.edu/mudd.

The W. Arthur Lewis Papers were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in July 2009. Sir William Arthur Lewis was a pioneer in the field of development economics and a leading authority on economic growth.

Professor William A. Lewis (center) with Chief C.D. Akran, Western Nigeria Minister of Economic Planning and Chief J.A. Oshuntoken, Western Nigeria Minister of Lands and Labour, circa 1956 in London

His academic work ranged from an interest in economic planning in industrialized countries to an interest in economic development of developing countries and an interest in the international trading system. He also served as the United Nations Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as the Deputy Managing Director of the United Nations Special Fund, and also as the Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies and as the founding president of the Caribbean Development Bank.

Lewis also broke several racial barriers during his career. In 1979, he became the first man of color to be awarded an academic Nobel Prize (Economics) for his analysis of not only economic growth but also the structural transformation of the economies of Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Memory of the World Programme was started in 1992 to “guard against collective amnesia by calling upon the preservation of the valuable archives holdings and library collections all over the world ensuring their wide dissemination.” UNESCO has many programs to promote the preservation, access, and awareness of the importance of archival and library collections around the world. The Register, begun in 1996, is composed of descriptions of collections of world significance. Thirty-five collections were added to the Register this year, including the Diaries of Anne Frank, the Magna Carta, and the League of Nations Archives. The Lewis Papers were submitted for consideration to the Register by the National Archives Authority of Saint Lucia.

-Adriane Hanson

Posted by John DeLooper on November 18, 2009 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

UNESCO Memory of the World Certificate Awarded to Mudd in recognition of the William Arthur Lewis Papers