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  • New Employee Spotlight: Cassidy Meurer, Archivist for the Barry Bingham, Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph CollectionThis link opens in a new windowNov 20, 2024
    A woman examines an old photograph in an indoor setting. She is surrounded by art on the wall.

    As the new archivist for Archives and Special Collections’ Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection, Cassidy Meurer is dedicated to preserving and interpreting one of the most significant photographic archives of local history. Known for its extensive documentation of pivotal events and social movements in and around Louisville, the three-million-item collection is now under Meurer’s expert care, and her approach promises to bring new insights and a fresh perspective.

    One of Meurer’s key focuses is on uncovering and highlighting the less visible aspects of the collection. “A lot of the magic is in the negative collection. The print collection consists of images that were selected for publication, but the negatives hold the ones that didn’t make it to print. These negatives offer a more complete view of historical events and the photographers’ creative processes.”

    Recently, she discovered previously unseen images from significant events in Louisville’s history—especially at the University of Louisville—such as the 1969 Black Student Union protests and the anti-apartheid encampment of 1989. “I found a photo of a Black Student Union member sitting at the university president’s desk on the phone during the protests,” Meurer recalls. “It’s one of the most striking images I’ve seen so far. It’s a raw and powerful representation of what was going on at the time.”

    In her work, Meurer seeks to prioritize social justice. “If we weren’t given these materials, they were likely going to be thrown away. It’s incredibly important that we preserve them and make them accessible to the community. By doing so, we ensure that these stories are not lost and that future generations can learn from them.”

    Looking ahead, Meurer is excited about the potential of the Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection to support ongoing community and historical research. “There’s a lot hidden within this collection that speaks to Louisville’s history. I hope that students and researchers can draw inspiration from these materials and use them to inform and understand future social justice movements.”

    Cassidy Meurer’s stewardship of the Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection highlights her commitment to preserving and interpreting Louisville’s identity. Her work not only protects valuable historical documents but also enhances the Louisville community’s understanding of its past, present, and future.

  • Kornhauser Library becomes Kentucky’s first Patent and Trademark Resource CenterThis link opens in a new windowNov 6, 2024
    Two students sit in front of large windows in a modern library and work on computers with headphones on.

    The University of Louisville’s Kornhauser Health Sciences Library has been officially designated as a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), making it the first PTRC in Kentucky. This new designation positions Kornhauser as a valuable resource for inventors, researchers, and entrepreneurs across the region seeking to protect their intellectual property.

    As a PTRC, Kornhauser Health Sciences Library joins a nationwide network of libraries that support innovation by offering access to USPTO resources. Patrons will be able to receive guidance on patent and trademark research in addition to navigating complex intellectual property processes. The PTRC designation aligns with the University of Louisville’s 2024 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes driving economic growth through innovation and commercialization.

    “We will elevate the translation of ideas and inventions that benefit the well-being, culture, and economic prosperity of the Commonwealth,” writes Alex Glynn, a health sciences librarian at Kornhauser. “The University of Louisville is uniquely qualified to support inventors working to develop a commercialize ideas and technologies emerging from their research.”

    In addition to these offerings, the library will facilitate connections with other USPTO resources. With the nearest PTRCs located in Cincinnati, OH, and Indianapolis, IN, Kornhauser’s new designation will greatly expand access to patent and trademark services in the Louisville area to promote local innovation and economic impact.

    The PTRC’s launch aligns with the University of Louisville’s strategic emphasis on fostering research and economic prosperity in Kentucky. The PTRC program is expected to play a vital role in helping UofL drive forward intellectual property protection, entrepreneurial coaching, and product development initiatives.

  • New endcaps celebrate notable collections on Ekstrom Library’s third floorThis link opens in a new windowOct 2, 2024
    New endcaps featuring black and white photos of African American subjects span the edge of bookshelves on Ekstrom Library's third floor.

    We are excited to unveil new endcaps in Ekstrom Library, designed to highlight two important collections: the Granville A. Bunton African American Collection and the Multicultural Children’s Literature Collection. These endcaps not only draw attention to valuable resources but also contribute to the University Libraries’ ongoing efforts to create a welcoming environment that cultivates a sense of belonging for all.

    Rooted in the activism of Black students at the University of Louisville who demanded the inclusion of African American materials, the Granville A. Bunton African American Collection was established in the 1960s. The collection celebrates the richness of the African American experience and encompasses literature, history, and cultural works. Named in 1998 for Granville A. Bunton, a dedicated former Personnel Officer at University Libraries, the collection remains a critical resource for students across multiple disciplines.

    The Multicultural Children’s Literature Collection, also known as the Barbara S. Miller Collection, is a collaborative effort between the University Libraries and the College of Education and Human Development. It supports faculty and students by providing books and materials that emphasize multiculturalism and diverse perspectives.

    The new endcaps were created with assistance from the Office of Communications and Marketing and the Libraries’ Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group (DIAG). Photos were generously provided by Archives & Special Collections (ASC), featuring collections like Caufield and Shook, Louisville Defender, James Sydnor, and University of Louisville Images, as well as Simmons University Records.

    We are proud to showcase these two collections and invite you to visit the third floor of Ekstrom Library and explore the Granville A. Bunton African American Collection and the Multicultural Children’s Literature Collection.

  • New (and improved) digital collections document university’s historyThis link opens in a new windowSep 6, 2024

    All University of Louisville yearbooks, which were published in a variety of names and forms between 1909 and 1982 (although only sporadically in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1970s), are now available on the Internet Archive.

    Alumni and other researchers have been eager to access the complete set of digitized volumes after our Digital Collections website migration left them temporarily unavailable. The Libraries’ Technical Services department, which has been adding unique out-of-copyright publications to a University of Louisville collection in the Internet Archive, partnered with the Digital Initiatives department to provide a home for the orphaned yearbooks.

    The site’s page-turning display enhances the functionality of these volumes, which can be browsed or full-text searched.

    Some other institutions had already provided access to University of Louisville volumes found in their collections, so the link draws together all of the volumes in the Internet Archive, in chronological order, and includes a 1987 University of Louisville School of Medicine yearbook contributed by a public library.

    Yearbook pages of MLK's 1967 visit to UofL Brandeis School of Law
    Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1967 visit to University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law, as represented in the 1967 yearbook.

    A scrapbook documenting the history of Louisville Municipal College (LMC), which provided higher education to Black students from 1931-1951 before integration of the University of Louisville, has been added to Digital Collections. LMC Assistant Librarian Thelma S. Smith assembled the scrapbook around the time of the college’s absorption into the University of Louisville, compiling newspaper articles, photographs, programs, and administrative records to tell the story of the school’s history, students, faculty, academics, sports, and other events.

    The paper and glue used have not stood the test of time, and the physical scrapbook currently resides in two large flat boxes, with many of the artifacts loosely inserted between the original pages. Over forty years ago, University Archives and Records Center microfilmed the scrapbook, so we have referred to that version to digitally reassemble the page components, although some minor variations may persist.

    LMC scrapbook page with image of library and Librarian Hortense Young
    Photograph of Louisville Municipal College Library with librarian Hortense Houston Young behind the desk, Item Number ULUA 1973_260_pg_013 in the Louisville Municipal College (LMC) Scrapbook collection

    In the course of researching the scrapbook, an alert colleague noticed that an LMC education professor had written a report on segregated education in Louisville, under the auspices of the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). It has now been scanned and added to the Faculty Scholarship collection on ThinkIR, the University of Louisville’s Institutional Repository.

    All of these resources have been made freely available to a worldwide audience by the University of Louisville Libraries.

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