LMU Library News

Hannon Library Summer Exhibits: The Saraval Collection

The Class of 2012 graduated last weekend, and it's pretty quiet here on campus. 

But we have a vibrant variety of art and exhibitions on display in the library through July; we'll be featuring each exhibition in a series of blog posts over the next week.

The first is an exhibit of facsimiles of medieval manuscripts, brought to LMU through the efforts of the Jewish Studies Program. We are the first North American institution to host this display of fascinating and rare collection of Hebrew manuscripts, significant not only because they demonstrate the unique cultural heritage of the Jewish community, but also because they show the significant role that Poland and the Czech Republic played in preserving that heritage.

The Leon Vita Saraval (1771-1851) Collection was housed, until World War II, in the Jewish Theological Seminary in Breslau (Wroclaw), Poland. In 1938, the library of the Jewish Theological Seminary kept in its holdings 400 manuscripts and 30,000 volumes of prints. After the Reichskristallnacht, the library collection was confiscated by Gestapo and transferred to various locations, including Prague, where the Nazis were preparing a museum of an "vanished Jewish race." It was stored in a vault in the National Library at the Clementinum, where it gathered dust for four decades. The discovery of the manuscripts in the mid-1980s was heralded as a major international find. The collection was returned from Prague to Wroclaw in December 2004. It consists of 34 Hebrew manuscripts and five incunabula (in six volumes) that formed probably the most valuable part of the Saraval Collection. They span seven centuries, the oldest having been finished in 1284-85, the most recent one in 1833. They originated in various parts of Europe, North Africa and Middle East.

The Saraval Collection is on display in Hannon Library's Level 3 Atrium through June 29, 2012. Admission is free and open to the public, and the exhibition is accessible during all open library hours. 

 

The Heart, the Gift, and the Book

 

**Note to those studying in the library on Monday April 23. This special event will be taking place between 7-10 p.m. in the Von der Ahe Suite and the Level 3 Atrium. We apologize for any disruption to your studies during this time.**

The William H. Hannon Library is wrapping up LMU's Centennial year with a special exhibition and event that you won't want to miss. 

The Heart, the Gift, and the Book is the fourth and final exhibition honoring 100 years of Special Collections donors and the important treasures they entrusted to LMU. This exhibition, on display in the Department of Special Collections through June 30, presents first editions, exceptionally beautiful specimens, and historically noteworthy volumes from our rare book collections. 

And on Monday, April 23, you are invited to join the Hannon Library and the Marymount Institute for an unforgettable evening of music and performance followed by an exhibition viewing and reception celebrating Shakespeare's birthday and our copy of the First Folio. See below for more details, and RSVP by clicking here or calling Library Administration at 310-338-4593. (Space is limited!)

Reception sponsored by the Bellarmine Forum Centennial series, "Moving Forward, Looking Back: Imagining LMU's Next 100 Years."

 

 

Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things

The William H. Hannon Library is happy to host an exhibit created by the Marians Service Organization here at LMU.

Marians Service Organization has put together a photo gallery highlighting the important contributions women have made to our society. Instead of using iconic photographs of women throughout the ages, Marians has decided to focus on pictures of ordinary women who may have not been recognized for their contributions in such popularity. Women featured are politicians, scientists, athletes, and more. Photos range from the early 1900s into the new millennium. 

This wonderful gallery is located on the 1st floor of the library, in the hallway to the right of the circulation desk. Come and have a look!

Veil(s): An Extraordinary Photographic Experience

The William H. Hannon Library is honored to host the only West Coast venue for a beautiful, challenging photographic exhibit exploring perceptions of the veil from the 19th century to the present, and chronicling veiled women from all walks of life: Christian, Muslim, and Jewish. 

Veil(s) is open for viewing as of March 2, 2012, and will be on display in the library's level 3 atrium through March 25.

 

On March 14 at 6 p.m., all are invited to a panel discussion featuring LMU faculty Feryal Cherif (Political Science), Amir Hussain (Theological Studies), Nancy Jabbra (Women's Studies), and Rana Sharif (American Cultures). The talk, titled "Veil(s): Perception(s) and Misperception(s)" will be followed by a reception and exhibit viewing. Space is limited. Click here for more information and to RSVP. 

Veil(s) is a project of Lebanese American University's (LAU) Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab World. The exhibit is presented by the Southern California Alumni/ae Chapter of LAU in partnership with the LMU Department of Women's Studies and the William H. Hannon Library.

New Exhibit: Black History Month @ LMU

Black History Month is a time to pay special tribute to a group of Americans who have confronted adversity and fought for full citizenship in the U.S. and to remember the central role African Americans play in U.S. History.

This month,the library is hosting an exhibit from the Office of Black Student Services honoring Black History Month 2012.

The exhibit contains such artifacts as authentic shackles used during the slave trade, publications from LMU faculty about African American heros, artifacts concerning Black History from LMU's Special Collections, and more. The exhibit is located on the third floor of the William H. Hannon Library. Come up and take a look at some of the amazing items.

Along with the exhibit, the library has created a special Black History Month LibGuide! This guide includes a downloadable flyer from the Office of Black Student Services highlighting all of the exciting events taking place on campus this month to celebrate Black History Month as well as a list of African American clubs and organzations on campus cosponsoring these campus events. Check out the flyer and don't miss out on celebrating Black History Month with any of these fun and interesting events.

In addition to providing information about LMU campus events celebrating Black history, the guide also includes selected books and journals dedicated to exploring Black history and culture, web resources and organizations dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of Black history, and a special section dedicated to the theme for Black History Month 2012: Black Women in American Culture and History.

Don't let this month pass you by without a special visit the the Black History Month library exhibit, attending a special event on campus, or browsing through the Black History Month 2012 LibGuide to learn more about African American history and culture.

Exhibit: LMU Family of Schools & Sustainability

Starting on January 20, the LMU community is invited to view the 3rd annual LMU Family of Schools art exhibit showcasing K-5 students’ artistic interpretations of the theme “Sustainability.”

The exhibit will be on display in the third floor atrium of the William H. Hannon Library through February 3, 2012.

The LMU Family of Schools is dedicated to promoting student success and educational equity within the Westchester/Playa schools. For more information, please visit the FoS website, call 310-258-5472, or email fosinfo@lmu.edu.

New Exhibit: Sustaining Scholarship: Archival Collections at the William H. Hannon Library

Our Department of Archives and Special Collections continues to celebrate LMU’s Centennial with its series of exhibitions displaying the department’s different holdings, and honoring the university’s benefactors responsible for donating these holdings to us. This third installment, Sustaining Scholarship, is now open in Archives and Special Collections’ exhibit gallery until the end of March and focuses on archival collections at the William H. Hannon Library.

The exhibit highlights their historical and teaching value for the university and for the academic community and broader public. As true of our other holdings, many of the collections came to Loyola Marymount University through the donation of benefactors, many with a long history of support for the University. The University is grateful for their generosity that has enriched the academic and intellectual life of the library and consequently the university as a whole.

The collections receive extensive use not only from LMU faculty and students but also from researchers nationally and internationally because of their scholarly and research value in the humanities and the social sciences. The collections range from the personal papers of major Los Angeles families like the Dockweilers and the Workmans, to the literary materials and records of authors and playwrights, to sources documenting the history of the entertainment industry in Southern California. The materials in the collections vary and include photographs, financial records, printed ephemera, author’s rough drafts, diaries, maps, videotapes, and newspapers. 

Regardless of type, this is the stuff of research and inquiry, which the Department of Archives and Special Collections offers to students, scholars, and the public alike.

The Archives & Special Collections Gallery is located on level 3 of the Hannon Library. The gallery is open to all from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

 

 

Lions & Roses: LMU Centennial and the Tournament of Roses Parade

With LMU's Centennial float taking part in the 123rd Rose Parade, Hannon Library staff have used the library's collections to look at the colorful history of this world-famous event. This exhibit includes postcards from across the 20th century as well as a rare photo of the Loyola University marching band in the parade in 1938. Excerpts from the Los Angeles Times Historical database, one of the library's many electronic resources, provide background to the postcard images from the Dept. of Archives and Special Collections.

In addition, the Phoenix Decorating Company, designers of the LMU Centennial Float, graciously provided photographs of the float in production.

Located on Level 3 of the William H. Hannon Library, the Howard B. Fitzpatrick Court exhibit space is open during regular library hours. Don't miss this fascinating glimpse into the intertwined histories of two classic southern California institutions! 

Exhibit runs through January 18, 2012.

Top image credit: Flickr/LMU Alumni Association

Center image credit: LMU Department of Archives & Special Collections, Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection 

What's in the Vault? Archives & Special Collections Open House 11/15

On Tuesday, November 15th, the Department of Archives & Special Collections will be hosting a day-long Open House from 9am to 5pm. In addition to our current exhibit, Sustaining Splendor: Art and Artifacts from the Library’s Special Collections, we will be setting out a selection of favorite items from our University Archives, Manuscripts, and Rare Book collections. 

If you have ever been curious about what’s inside the vault at the William H. Hannon Library waiting for you, or how to request access to use materials in our reading room, this is your chance to talk with the collections curators.
 
Many of the Open House items will be "sneak peeks" to our upcoming Centennial exhibitions that continue to honor our 100 years of donors who gave fantastic gifts to the LMU Library.
 
Yes, we will have our amazing Shakespeare First Folio out on display. Yes also to our glorious Gutenberg Bible leaf, medieval manuscript leaves, and a volume of the magnificent Saint John's Bible Heritage Edition.
 
Added to these will be wonderful photographs and intriguing documents from the University Archives (ever wonder where the Centennial images on all those banners and brochures are coming from?) as well as from the Center for the Study of Los Angeles (CSLA) Research Collection and other important archival collections.
 
The Department of Archives & Special Collections is located on Level 3 of the William H. Hannon Library. The Open House is open to anyone over the age of 18, and to children supervised by an adult. No appointment or RSVP is necessary for this event.

For more information, please contact the Department of Archives  & Special Collections at 310.338.5710 or Special.Collections@lmu.edu.
 
Come spend part of your day on Tuesday exploring your university's treasures!  We hope to see you there.

Remembering the Holodomor

In 1932-33, 7 million Ukrainians starved to death. Unlike in numerous cases of famines in European history, caused by natural disasters, bad harvest, or consequences of wars, the Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933 was an artificial measure, undertaken by the regime of Joseph Stalin within the implementation of the Soviet project.

On Wednesday, November 16, the Huffington Ecumenical Institute is hosting an evening of liturgy and discussion centered on the Holodomor. At the event, Strangers No Longer: Ukrainian Catholics and Orthodox Remember the Holodomor, an ecumenical memorial service for the victims of the famine will be followed by reflections on the way in which memorializing the genocide has brought together Ukrainians of different faith traditions in the United States.

All are welcome to RSVP for the memorial event, but if you cannot make it on the 16th, between now and November 18 an exhibition examining the history and aftermath of the Holodomor, with testimony from survivors and reproductions of archival material, will be on display at the William H. Hannon Library. The exhibit begins in the lobby on Level 1, and continues on the Level 3 atrium.

Click here for library hours, directions, and parking information.

For more information about the Strangers No More event, contact Katherine Lash at 310.338.1917 or hei@lmu.edu.

To learn more about the Holodomor, visit this library research guide.