What's New In Special Collections

Understanding Architecture Through Special Collections, by Jimmy Chang and Tyler Stanger

As sixth year students in UNLV's School of Architecture, we are preparing research theses for our final year of studies in the Master's program. We are interested in urban history, Jimmy in how urban areas and architecture are portrayed in popular media and Tyler in the architectural development of Las Vegas.  In order to better understand the architectural history of Las Vegas, we are working this summer as interns for UNLV University Libraries Special Collections processing the Gary Guy Wilson and Martin Stern architectural records. It has been a lot of fun to learn from the work of these two influential architects as we discover, organize, rehouse, and describe their collected drawings.

Students from UNLV School of Architecture, Tyler Stanger and Jimmy Chang,…Read More

Six Secrets from Special Collections with Aaron Mayes

Aaron Mayes, Visual Materials Curator, Special Collections Division

In our Secrets from Special Collections series, UNLV Libraries Special Collections staff members reveal a few lesser-known aspects about the archives and offer up personal insight into research and discovery, sharing answers, based on their own experiences, to six intriguing questions. Here, Aaron Mayes, curator for visual materials, gives us a glimpse into life working among the rare treasures of the library.

1. When you first began working in Special Collections, what was the one item or collection that made your…Read More

Eadington Gaming Fellow Paul Franke: In Residence July 19 – August 16

Paul Franke is a doctoral candidate in history at the International Max Planck Research School for Moral Economies of Modern Societies and the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. His research interests are the history of gaming, urban history, the history of entertainment and pop-culture in both the USA and Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Franke’s current project is his dissertation “The Production of Monaco (1860-1960) and Las Vegas (1945-1976) as Sites of (Un)Moral…Read More

Shakespeare's First Folio On Exhibit in Special Collections - September 1-29

Shakespeare's First Folio (image courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library)

In little over a month and a half, one of the Shakespeare First Folios will go on display in the UNLV Libraries Special Collections reading room as part of the national tour of First Folio: The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare from the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C.  Accompanying it will be a number of interesting panels that will put the Folio into historical context, and provide information on the Bard himself, as well as…Read More

Behind the Scenes: Special Collections and Archives Calculator

UNLV mascot

Introducing the Rebel Archives Calculator

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries Special Collections Division is excited to introduce the Rebel Archives Calculator, a handy online tool developed by application programmer Carlos Lemus (UNLV undergraduate student in Computer Engineering) to help us better understand the physical extent of our archival collections. The Calculator simultaneously reports collection extents in cubic and linear feet, and includes a function that enables download of results as an…Read More

Six Secrets from Special Collections with Karla Irwin

Karla Irwin, Special Collections Librarian - UNLV Libraries Special Collections

In our Secrets from Special Collections series, UNLV Libraries Special Collections staff members reveal a few lesser-known aspects about the archives and offer up personal insight into research and discovery, sharing answers, based on their own experiences, to six intriguing questions. Here, Karla Irwin, Special Collections Librarian, gives us a glimpse into life working among the rare treasures of the library.

1. When you first began working in Special Collections, what was the one item or collection that made…Read More

Exhibit Highlights - Building UNLV's Performing Arts Center by Peter Michel

The Once and Future Campus: UNLV’s Mid-Century Modern Performing Arts Center : Visit the third floor of Lied Library outside of Special Collections to view an exhibit of fascinating photographs and drawings that chronicle the building of this campus landmark, curated by Peter Michel. 

The story behind the construction of the striking UNLV Performing Arts Center could be described as a particularly tortuous process compared to other campus buildings. In fact, the end result was something none of the original participants had imagined. Above is an original vision of architect James B. McDaniel.…Read More

New Faces in Special Collections

Please join us in welcoming a number of new faces to UNLV Libraries Special Collections!

Two new permanent staff members joined Special Collections during the spring semester: Tammi Kim and Aaron Mayes 

Aaron Mayes, Visual Materials Curator, is responsible for developing the print and digital photograph collections of the UNLV Libraries through photography projects that document the region, identifying and working with potential donors of photograph collections, and providing expertise on the acquisition, storage, preservation, digitization and access…Read More

Six Secrets from Special Collections with Carlos Lemus

Carlos Lemus, Application Programmer, UNLV Libraries Special Collections. (Next to Carlos is a cutout of Carmella Rickman from the Carmella Rickman Papers, MS-00541)

In our Secrets from Special Collections series, UNLV Libraries Special Collections staff members reveal a few lesser-known aspects about the archives and offer up personal insight into research and discovery, sharing answers, based on their own experiences, to six intriguing questions. Here, Carlos Lemus, Application Programmer, gives us a glimpse into life working among the rare treasures of the library and the system that stores the maps to these treasures.

When you first began working in…Read More

First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare on Exhibit at UNLV Libraries Special Collections : September 1 - 29

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries was recently selected as Nevada’s host site for First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare, on tour from the Folger Shakespeare Library, a national traveling exhibition of the Shakespeare First Folio, one of the world’s most treasured books. The First Folio exhibition will be open to the public September 1-29, 2016.

“The UNLV University Libraries is excited that Southern Nevada will be able to experience first-hand the wonder and rareness of the First Folio,” said Michelle Light, Director of Special Collections. “…Read More

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