UNR Special Collections and University Archives

Exhibit poster with title, dates, and location, plus the exhibit description. The image is a slightly sepia-toned black and white image of early 20th century workmen building a portion of the Truckee Canal.

A new exhibit is going up on the third floor of the Knowledge Center! “New Acquisitions, 2020-2025” is a sampler platter of materials that have come to us since the start of 2020. It will be on display until the end of March - take a break from winter chill and come take a look!

A pile of discoloured tape strips on the right, next to a piece of paper on the left with an orange residue stain.

A warning from the past: if there is anything you would like to preserve long-term in good condition, please don't stick tape on it!

As tape deteriorates, it can discolour, become brittle, lose its adhesive strength, and leave a residue stain.

Enough to give an archivist nightmares! 👻

The physical portion of his senatorial papers opens for public research in less than a year! We’re already planning the exhibit.

Color-tinted portrait photograph of a woman in full Elizabeth I costume.

Black and white photo of a man being fitted for a medieval robe costume, mounted on light avocado-green matboard. The man is accompanied by two costumers and a stagehand moving furniture.

Watercolor sketch of a courtyard set design, for a production of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

🚨Last call to see the current exhibit! “Stage Craft: Reno Little Theater at 90” closes November 24! Come check us out on the 3rd floor of the Knowledge Center before then - this is a fun one, you don’t want to miss it. #archives

Not a dumb question! We don’t have much. Some smaller periodicals, mostly.

Always fun to teach undergrads how to use microfilm! #ArchivesLife #GLAMS

Hey #AcademicSky, how have you/your classes made use of your local archives recently? It's Friday and we're feeling chatty! #GLAMS #ArchivesLife

yes please!

Truly the best feeling.

This is a thing of beauty.

Title page: An History of Magic, Witchcraft, and Animal Magnetism, volume 1. J. C. Colquhoun, 1851.

Title page: An Examen of Witches, translated from 17th century French original. John Rodker, 1929.

Title Page: The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft. John Webster, 1677.

Title page: A Blow at Modern Sadducism. 1668.

It’s spooky season! Have you thought of exploring our witchy books? Mostly about witch trials, identification, etc., rather than spells, we have books going back to the 16th century on the topic. Super cool stuff!

Quick reminder that we (and the rest of the university) are closed tomorrow for Nevada Day! See you all Monday!

Yesterday's thread was fun--let's do another! October 23 was another important day in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Most histories focus on the drama of the Soviet ships approaching the quarantine line, but I want to talk about how that quarantine was established in the first place #History🗃️... (1/13)

Come join us on Saturday!

The Bruce and Nora James Visiting Scholar Award for the Study of Nevada Politics and Public Service | University Libraries | University of Nevada, Reno Learn more about and apply for the Bruce & Nora James Visiting Scholar Award for the Study of Nevada Politics and Public Service.

Application link: library.unr.edu/places/knowl...

Hey Archivists - do you have patrons interested in Western US politics and public service? We’re accepting applications for non-Nevadans to win a $5000 award to come do research in our collections!! Applications close in TWO WEEKS. Please share widely! #AskAnArchivist #PoliticalScience

What’s a collection you think should get more use?

Especially search our online catalogs! We’re so happy when people do some hunting in advance.

What's a collection you wish got more use?

hmmmm. I (the staff member running this account) do a lot of our public-facing stuff, like exhibits, providing research assistance (reference), and working with classes learning how to do archival research. I usually leave it there and answer any follow-up questions as they arrive. #AskAnArchivist

This, right here. We have these collections FOR YOU. Please use them!

What's a collection you wish got more use?

And then there's the maintenance of the digital archive, and the challenges presented by every system upgrade.

Yes. Absolutely this.

There's a video on our Facebook page, in fact! It's a pretty cool thing - three stories tall, and can go up to about 22 miles per hour. Not allowed to ride it, sadly. 😄 #AskAnArchivist

A favorite is of a leading lady in the 1930s who was so drunk that the director had to physically prop her up from behind the curtain during her opening speech.

Oh the stories are WILD. That's why we love it! It's excellent reading.

The answer to that changes frequently, but currently favorites include an oral history of a community theater troupe, an 1869 letter documenting a transcontinental railroad trip, and watercolor sketchbooks showing the mining boom communities of the late 19thC. #AskAnArchivist

We recommend against it, generally (though we can't speak for institutions with the infamous book made of Kraft singles). Tongue paper cuts are no joke, and we can't guarantee materials are clean! Traditionally printing type is made of a lead alloy, after all. #PleaseDoNotLickTheArchives