What's New in Special Collections

Asian-Pacific Entertainers in Las Vegas Exhibit

2009-05-09T00:10:42Z

In celebration of Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, Special Collections has created an exhibit featuring historical photographs and documents on Asian-Pacific entertainers in Las Vegas over the years. Materials on display on the 3rd Floor of Lied Library include items such as this orignal program from the China Doll Revue which appeared at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino in 1959. Please stop by and take a look!

New Digital Project: Southern Nevada: The Boomtown Years, 1900-1925

2009-05-09T00:09:21Z

Our latest digital project - Southern Nevada: The Boomtown Years, 1900-1920-1925 -- is now live. Access this fabulous collection of digitzed photographs, correspondence, maps, ledgers, and more -- along with a teacher's guide providing activities for grades 3-12 in eleven subject areas -- at: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/boomtown

MayDay/Save Our Archives @ UNLV Special Collections

2009-05-09T00:06:58Z

In conjunction with the Society of American Archivists' "May Day / Save Our Archives" event, Conservator Michael Frazier and his staff have inventoried, consolidated, and re-positioned the disaster recovery supplies in Lied Library. These items would be used to salvage library and archival materials in the case of an emergency recovery event. Read more about May Day at: http://www.archivists.org/mayday/index.asp

Fishnets and Feathers: Forty Nine Years of the Folies Bergere in Las Vegas

2009-03-05T18:51:52Z

A colorful exhibit currently on display on the 3rd floor of Lied Library showcases material on the Folies Bergere held in UNLV Special Collections. The classic production show, which began its run at the Tropicana Hotel in December 1959, is one of the last remaining shows to feature the iconic Las Vegas showgirl in all her glory, and the longest running show in Vegas history. It is scheduled to close this month on March 28. Stop by for a walk down memory lane that features programs and photographs from Special Collections documenting this significant part of Las Vegas entertainment history.

The Art of Miniature Books: an exhibit of miniature books by Jill Timm

2009-01-29T21:56:43Z

A new exhibit in the display case just outside of Special Collections celebrates the art of miniature books. Such a book is usually considered to be one which is no more than three inches in size--height, width or thickness. Traditionally hand-made, miniature books incorporate a variety of media and styles of paper and binding. Like the larger artists' books, miniature books are personal expressions by the artist drawing from personal experiences.

This collection of miniature books were designed by book artist, Jill Timm, for her Mystical Places Press and express her love of nature especially of the west and southwest. Using a variety of media from 3-D photographs, handmade papers, and stones, Timm has created a remarkably eclectic oeuvre using a wide variety of book making skills. It is the art of the book in miniature.

-- Peter Michel

New Special Collections Search Box

2009-01-09T20:30:49Z

Check out the new UNLV Special Collections searchable database for manuscripts, photographs, and oral histories. Our new database allows for universal searching through all of our primary source collections. Please take the time to do some test searches and let us know what you think. More linked finding aids will soon be available.

New ContentDM Digital Collection!

2008-12-05T00:45:26Z

The online exhibit "Welcome Home Howard; or Whatever Became of the Daring Aviator?" has been revamped and recreated as a new ContentDM digital collection. In ContenDM, the collection will have greater search capabilities and features.

This collection features photographic images and portraits documenting Howard Hughes. There are 180 images selected from two collections: The Howard Hughes Collection and the Hughes Electronics Collection. All collections are housed at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the Special Collections at the University Libraries.

Welcome Home, Howard!: or Whatever Became of the Daring Aviator? began as a web exhibit created by Special Collections to showcase its Howard Hughes collections in the wake of the publicity surrounding Martin Scorsese's 2004 biopic about Howard Hughes, The Aviator. The photographs and documents were selected, and the contextual narrative written by Peter Michel, Director of Special Collections.

Enjoy this and other digital collections on the Special Collections website.

Howard Cannon Exhibit on 3rd Floor - Lied Library

2008-10-06T22:06:42Z

Check out the exhibit on Nevada Senator Howard Cannon (1912-2002) on Lied Library's 3rd Floor. A decorated World War II pilot, Howard Cannon served as Las Vegas city attorney before he was elected to the US Senate in 1958. He would go on to serve four terms as a US Senator and was responsible for the passage of several significant pieces of legislation that affected both Nevada and the nation. He is the subject of a new biography by Michael Vernetti - Senator Howard Cannon of Nevada. Vernetti researched the book using the Cannon Papers which were donated to Special Collections in 1983 and are housed in the University Libraries. Photographs for the exhibit were drawn from the Howard Cannon photo collection which is housed in Special Collections.

Nevada Archives Month!

2008-10-06T19:43:22Z

October is Nevada Archives Month. The Nevada State Library and Archives have put together a fantastic web site that allows you to enjoy the history of our state. It includes treasure hunts, proclamations, and an archives resource center. Take time to see what a wonderful and diverse past our state has to offer.

Nevada Archives Month Events

2008-09-24T20:33:00Z

Two special events will be held at the University Libraries in honor of Nevada Archives Month in October.

A booksigning and talk by Michael Vernetti, author of Senator Howard Cannon of Nevada, will take place on October 2 at 5:30pm in Lied Library's Extended Study Room. Vernetti did extensive research for his book in the Cannon papers which are housed in UNLV Special Collections.

Dr. Larry Gragg, PhD, Curators' Teaching Professor | History and Political Science at Missouri University of Science and Technology will present a lecture "There Were Few Solid Facts to Get in the Way": Popular Perceptions of Bugsy Siegel as Founding Father of Las Vegas on October 23 at 7:30pm in Lied Library's Extended Study Room. Gragg was a March 2008 Visiting Gaming Research Fellow in UNLV Special Collections and has done extensive research on the history of the promotion of Las Vegas.

Refreshments will be served at both events. Please join us.

Nevada Archives Month celebrates archives and records repositories in the state of Nevada and their work in preserving the state's documentary heritage for present and future generations.

New Virtual Exhibit!

2008-09-09T21:15:18Z

The Special Collections houses one of the largest menu collections in the United States. The menus date as far back as the 19th century and come from some of the finest restaurants in Europe. The Menu Collections virtual exhibit contains over 60 scanned menus for your enjoyment. This exhibit includes menus from various Las Vegas restaurants, as well.

Preservation/Conservation Laboratory Open House

2008-08-20T18:47:32Z

Hey, it's been a long time since we've seen you.

We want to fix that!

The Preservation/Conservation Laboratory is having an open house, for all library staff.

Date: Friday, September 12th, 2008.

Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Place: Special Collections at the Lied Library, on the 3rd floor.

Refreshments will be served.

And, we'll be conducting tours of THE LAB throughout the afternoon.

If you have never seen THE LAB, this is your chance.

If you haven't been up in a while, let us reintroduce you to preservation and conservation.

We are going to answer your questions about what we do and how we do it.

Everyone is welcome! So, if you have a few minutes, please stop by.

We hope to see you there.

University Archives Pages Updated

2008-06-17T18:54:16Z

Web pages for the University Archives within UNLV Special Collections have been completely revamped and updated just in time for UNLV's 50th Anniversary. The site now includes descriptions of the various record series that make up the University Archives including a complete list of publications. Other new parts of the site include FAQs about the university, a university history timeline, a buildings timeline, a president's timeline, and a bibliography of published works on UNLV. This page will continue to grow as we celebrate this momentous occasion in the university's history.

Collection Guides Online

2008-06-17T18:52:16Z

Guides to over 30 individual manuscript and archival collections held in Special Collections are now available online in EAD (Encoded Archival Description) the emerging professional standard for archival finding aids. Like the Library MARC record, EAD enables the standardization in controlled fields of collection information allowing searching within and across repositories.

Click on a link below to take you to an online guide:

AAUW	American War Mothers	Hilda Aplin
Donn Arden	Baneberry	Binion's Horsehoe
Ann Brewington	Eileen Brookman	Spencer and Georgia Butterfield
John and Florence Lee Cahlan	Campaign for Choice	Children's Service Guild
Clark County Economic Opportunity Board	Donald Clark	Cynthia Cunningham
Daughters of Union Veterans	Clarabelle Decker	Hazel Baker Denton
Thalia M. Dondero	Dorothy Dorothy	Nan Doughty
Ruby Duncan	Flora Dungan	Mesquite Club
Jerry Morlan	C.A. Earle Rinker	Ronzone Family Papers
Elmer Rusco	Sands Hotel	Harold & Mayme Stocker
Ann Valder	John Wittwer

Celebrating 50 Years!

2008-06-17T18:50:41Z

Come celebrate the university's 50th anniversary by learning more about it's extraordinary past. UNLV Special Collections has assembled a variety of historical material on the university this year. The material includes information regarding UNLV timelines, faqs, presidents, and an extensive bibiography.
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