RFA VISIT TO THE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Fourteen RFA Members toured the University Special Collections and Archives on November 3, 2023. Many thanks to Development Director, Robin Schimandle for organizing the tour and to our guides Kimberly Anderson, Ph.D., Director of Distinctive Collections, Elspeth Olson, Outreach and Public Services Archivist, Jessica Maddox, Accessioning Archivist, and Rebecca Sparagowski, Sesquicentennial Archivist, for their presentations and answering our endless questions!

Our tour started in the Reading Room on the third floor of the Mathewson Knowledge Center.

Pictured from left: Rebecca Sparagowski, Sesquicentennial Archivist, Phil Boardman, Robin Schimandle, Library Development Director, Kathy Boardman, Kent Ervin, Judith Sugar, Bill Sparkman, Pierre Mousset-Jones

Jim Richardson (center) looks at archived photographs, while Rich Schweickert (left) and Glenn Miller listen to Kimberly Anderson's presentation.

From left: Jessica Maddox, Accessioning Archivist, Elspeth Olson, Outreach & Public Services Archivist, and Kimberly Anderson, Ph.D., Director of Distinctive Collections - our primary guides through the collection.

Here are some of the items set out for our group.

November 1, 1923, edition of the U of N Sagebrush.

Le Mans Breviary, circa 1440s, donated by Gareth Hughes.

Getting to touch the pages and see the fine grid lines and pen marks in this entirely hand lettered/painted volume was a thrill. Few of us will create something that others will be touching and admiring nearly 600 years from now.

Original Shakespeare folios, also donated by Gareth Hughes.

Page from The Moore of Venice.

Bookcloth from the Victorian era may have contained arsenic and copper, providing the vivid emerald green color. It may have also made book covers and linings poisonous! The Poison Book Project | International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (iiconservation.org)

This work - True to Life - by printer Julie Chen redefines the word "book". The "pages" are changed by sliding the wooden numbered bars up or down, which changes the image.

Craft in America - Artist - Julie Chen

This scepter was created by the Art Department under the direction of Craig Sheppard and donated by Nevada Alumni in 1959.

While gloves were set out for handling of this item because silver tarnishes easily, we learned that gloves are no longer recommended for handling fragile items such as books and manuscripts, as the gloves create lint and also pick up dust and dirt particles which are then transferred to the objects when handling. Clean hands and a light touch are now what's recommended.

Made from Nevada silver and decorated with silver dollars minted at the Carson City Mint.

MARS - The Mathewson Automated Retrieval System at the Knowledge Center is a robotic system that houses many of the older, low-use books, journals, and other materials. These materials were formerly shelved in the stacks in Getchell Library, Special Collections, the Business & Government Information Center, Life & Health Sciences Library, as well as in the off-site storage facility.

Bins are mechanically retrieved from their storage location through computer command. Each bin can hold about 4 cubic feet of materials.

While we couldn't get exact dimensions, each wall contains hundreds of 4 cubic ft. bins. The system has multiple layers of security, and the storage area sits on earthquake proof plates. It looks and feels a little sci-fi.

Stairs to the third floor of the Mathewson Knowledge Center acknowledge the university's sesquicentennial anniversary. The observance officially kicked off October 12, 2023.

The last part of the tour was a self-guided look at displays depicting UNR's 150 years of "Inspiring Excellence". Members are encouraged to take an hour or two and just walk around the public areas of the second and third floors to see the many photographs, story boards, and interesting artifacts on display through October 12, 2024. Exhibits will change periodically, so return visits are encouraged!

Members are also encouraged to periodically check out the UNR 150 website for great stories, old photos, and historic timelines - 150 Years of Nevada History | Sesquicentennial Celebration | University of Nevada, Reno (unr.edu)

UNR campus and surrounding area, 1930. The view is looking north, with the quad appearing center right. It was a much smaller place back then! The Western Nevada Historic Photo Collection

Then and Now | Compare Historical Locations on Campus | Sesquicentennial Celebration | University of Nevada, Reno (unr.edu)

Interested in doing some online research or finding old photos? One place to start is the UNR Digital Archives - Home | University of Nevada, Reno | Digital Archive (dgicloud.com)

Typing in the search word "aerial", for example, brings up the following page: Search Content | University of Nevada, Reno | Digital Archive (dgicloud.com) A sidebar shows types of content and number of items. In this case, 682 total items, 252 campus images, 224 images of Lake Tahoe, etc.

Thanks again to Program Chair, Glenn Miller, for another great outing!

RFA is open to any retired administrative or academic faculty member. Members receive invitations to monthly programs, as well as occasional outings, tours, and special events.

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