Butler University. Anyone who has spent any time in Indianapolis has heard about this wonderful educational establishment. Its christening name in 1850 was the North Western Christian University. Ovid Butler donated twenty acres of his own land downtown for the site of the university. Years before any of these events, around 1823, Ovid Butler was […]
Our digital collections have a new look! In early September our digital collection database, powered by OCLC’s CONTENTdm, underwent an upgrade to its user experience. Some of the improvements include enhanced viewing of images, more customization options such as maps, simplified display of information and much more. The look of our CONTENTdm site may have […]
I recently cataloged programs for Chautauqua gatherings in several cities throughout the state of Indiana: Delphi, Greensburg and Connersville. This inspired me to learn about the Chautauqua movement, which was popular in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and brought culture and entertainment to many communities. The Chautauqua Institution, originally […]
Though the types of characters they portrayed were different, James Dean and Martin Landau became friends almost from first sight. Both the farm kid from Fairmont, Indiana, and the political cartoonist from New York City aspired to become serious actors in the city that could either spell fame or disappointment. Dean graduated from high school […]
Summer is officially in full swing, and after a rough few months, many of us are eager to spend some quality time with Mother Nature. Hiking, camping, biking, gardening, swimming, fishing… the options are as entertaining as they are endless. Plus, there’s an added bonus: it’s easy to practice safe social distancing in the great […]
There’s a certain amount of nostalgia that can be provoked by a still image, that’s why so many people love browsing the Indiana Historical (IHS) digital image collections. But a historic moving image or film can augment that feeling of nostalgia. The combination of movement, sound (in some cases), and a range of expressions can […]
You know how people have #relationshipgoals or #squadgoals? Well, I have #summergoals, and all my ideal summer dreams are thanks to the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller Family and their dreamy compound in Windermere, Muskoka, Canada. Clear blue waters, piney trees, cooler temperatures, picturesque homes, boating around Lake Rosseau on a wooden Runabout, and meals al fresco. It is […]
Through my years of service in the library, archival and museum profession, I’ve fielded a plethora of questions from visitors, researchers and the media. Invariably, among the most frequent of queries asked of curators and collection managers by audiences focused on superlatives—oldest, biggest, best—is: “What is your favorite thing in the collection?” The prompting of […]
Before the building closed in March, I cataloged a very unique printed item: Fashions of the Hour, by Janaléne, Inc. I hate to admit it, but this album sat on a shelf in my office for quite some time. It required original cataloging, and because it was so different from anything I had cataloged before, […]
Many have been taking greater advantage of opportunities recently presented at home to sift through cupboards, closets, attic storage spaces and other nooks and crannies to uncover what is there. Assessing memorabilia and the cumulative legacies of material boxed up, stuffed into corners and drawers, or placed on shelves for safekeeping is not a simple […]
