Library Blogs

Newly cataloged for the Jewish Heritage Collection: a poster announcing the premier presentation in Philadelphia of the Yiddish play Milchume kalles (The Jewish War Brides) at the Arch Street Theater. Gift of Elliot H. Gertel.

Helen Castor tells the story of Joan of Arc in the context of her times. The book is a history of the part of the Hundred Years' War in which Joan played a major role, and it begins with the English victory at Agincourt in 1415. Castor writes about the political factions, and shifting alliances, in France at the time, and about how Joan's appearance at the French Dauphin's court, followed by her victory at Orléans in 1429, changed the course of the war. She also writes compellingly and movingly of Joan's trial. For biographical information about Joan, look elsewhere, but this book is excellent as a history of her times.

Undergraduates can apply to be a part of the Design Lab Team for the 2022-2023 academic year. The application deadline is Monday, September 5 and all applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Fill out the google form l and upload your resume using the link located at the bottom the post.

Newly cataloged for our Jewish Salonica Postcard Collection: Salonique, type de vieux juif – a historical postcard depicting an old Jewish man in traditional dress standing in the middle of a street in Salonica, the famous Balkan port-city located on the shore of the Aegen Sea. Some evidence from the picture allows us to established that it was taken between 1912-1917.

A student perspective on powerful learning experiences during the Michigan Library Scholars Internship Program. This capstone project is about the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow. It is a physical exhibition displayed in the Hatcher Library North Lobby from August 1st through October 27th, 2022.

Did you know the largest student-led powwow is hosted in Ann Arbor each year? And it will soon be celebrating it's 50th event. Learn more about how this intertribal, cultural celebration of indigenous culture grew from a small local powwow into one of the larges powwow's in North America. The Dance for Mother Earth exhibition in Hatcher's north entrance display cases not only explores the history of the powwow, but also connects students and library patrons with current resources and information on modern indigenous culture and issues.

A subcommittee of the Library Diversity Council was charged to evaluate and interrogate the role of policing in the University of Michigan Library. This post explores the evaluation and decision-making processes, while identifying the labor that goes into projects dealing with anti-racist culture change. The group’s research resulted in several recommendations shared with library leadership.

Classes often place a limit on what research is necessary for essays and tests, but the Michigan Library Scholars program gives its interns freedom to pursue any and all available information. This concept can be intimidating, but a necessary part of pursuing a career in academic scholarship. As a history and political-science major, this internship program has offered me the opportunity to pursue my own ideas and develop crucial skills.

During my university experience, I have been busy and rushed, running to one activity after another. I am pursuing a double major in History and Classical Archaeology while at the same time taking heavy course loads to graduate early. The Michigan Library Scholars Program was the first time I was able to slow down to study and appreciate a historical event. It gave me the opportunity to develop a lot of different skills, and gave me the confidence to move forward into the working world next year.

Working for the Elections in Africa Web Collection project as part of the Michigan Library Scholars Program helped me develop valuable skills in project management, technical web archiving abilities, and knowledge on African politics. Though there were obstacles in approaching the wide range of content and the limitations of the Archive-It tool, I greatly improved in my capacity to adapt and problem solve as a contributor to this project.