New Oral History Collections: October 2017

We’re highlighting several of our newly processed oral history collections!

Schwartzkopf, Louis A., 1946-. Oral History Interview and Collection, 2017. SMHC Manuscript Collection 260.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc260.html

The Louis A. Schwartzkopf collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Schwartzkopf and Daardi Sizemore in June 2017. In this interview, Schwartzkopf talks about his career at Minnesota State University Mankato as a Physics faculty member from 1982 through 2010, technology at the university, and historical events. Also included in this collection is a biographical form and photograph of Schwartzkopf.


Wortman, Allen L., 1935-. Oral History Interview and Collection, 2017. SMHC Manuscript Collection 261.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc261.html

The Allen L. Wortman collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Wortman and Anne Stenzel in June 2017. In this interview, Wortman talks about his career, friends, and experiences at Mankato State University as a Music Department faculty member from 1966 through 1995. Also included in this collection is a biographical form, a photograph of Wortman, and a listing of his theatre performances.


Bernhagen, William R., 1940-. Oral History Interview, 2007. SMHC Manuscript Collection 262.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc262.html

The William R. Bernhagen collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Bernhagen and Marsha Danielson in April 2007. In this interview, Bernhagen talks about his family, his education, and his career at Minnesota State University Mankato in University Advancement and as a faculty member in the Urban and Regional Studies Institute.


Tiede, Clayton H., 1925-. Oral History Interview, 2007. SMHC Manuscript Collection 263.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc263.html

The Clayton H. Tiede collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Tiede and Marsha Danielson in April 2007. In this interview, Tiede talks about his family, his education, and his career at Mankato State University as a Music Department faculty member, assistant band director and marching band director from 1960 through 1990.


Berge, Diane A., 1952-. Oral History Interview and Collection, 1993-2017. SMHC Manuscript Collection 264.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc264.html

The Diane A. Berge collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Berge and Anne Stenzel in June 2017. In this interview, Berge talks about her career, friends, and experiences as a student and Admissions Office staff member at Minnesota State University Mankato. Also included in this collection is a resume, photographs of Berge, and a newspaper clipping.


Preska, Margaret R., 1938-. Oral History Interview, 2012. SMHC Manuscript Collection 265.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc265.html

The Preska collection consists of an audio CD and a biographical form for an oral history interview conducted between Preska and Ashley Portra in 2012. In this interview, Preska talks about her career at Mankato State College as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Equal Opportunity Officer from 1975 to 1979 and President from 1979 to 1992. Specifically, Preska shares memories about Marie Bruce and her own involvement in the Greek community.


Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives! Are you interested in viewing the two collections mentioned above? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit.

Book Handling: Spine Damage Prevention

The Preservation department at Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Memorial Library actively receives and seeks out damaged books within the collections every day. Many damaged books that we work with have causes due to typical wear and tear but there are also numerous items in the collections whose damages are entirely preventable…which is why we need your help! This series will cover things our patrons and staff can do to help prolong the life of books so they can keep doing what they do best, be accessed and read by all!

Let us begin with one of our primary culprits of preventable issues: Spine Damage. 

Books with torn, cracked or broken spines come in more often than any other problem. You may be wondering why this is:

Imagine finding the perfect book for your current project, research paper or leisurely reading. Or imagine being a staff member who is assisting a patron with book retrieval. Think about how you pull a book off a shelf. Did you mentally just pull the book by the top of the spine? If yes, you are not alone. Most people do this. Unfortunately, the deceptive little tab on the top of a book’s spine is not very strong. In fact, it will break off completely if pulled on too many times (or even just once!).

The good news is that you can change this destructive habit and still access books easily.

Here’s what you can do:

The general rule of thumb is “Push, Don’t Pull.” What does that mean?

Grasp your book by the center instead of the top of the spine.
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com

In order to save the spine from damage, you can start by pushing in the books on both sides of the desired book. Once you have done so, you can easily grasp the desired book around the center so you are holding onto either side of the book covers rather than the spine. Then you can pull the book off the shelf without causing any damage. Success!

This is one small, simple change will save many books without decreasing their value or cost us money repairing such an avoidable defect so we can keep mending the items that need it most instead!

Do you know another way to prevent spine damage? Comment below!

Jamie Dalbey is a Preservation and Government Documents Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Learn more about Preservation here.

New 2017 Addition to Homecoming Stories

The 2017 Homecoming oral history videos are online and available for viewing! You can view the videos here: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3Ahomecoming.




A screenshot of Homecoming 2017 interviews in ARCH.

The University Archives collects oral histories to preserve the history of Homecoming at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Former and current Minnesota State University, Mankato students, faculty and staff are interviewed at Homecoming events with an iPad on a monopod. Most oral history videos are 1-3 minutes long.

This collection exists in two different locations:

1. The University Archives holds the physical materials created and collected during the course of the project. View the collection guide here: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1808.html.
2. ARCH, University Archives Digital Collections holds the oral history videos. View the collection here: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3Ahomecoming.

Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives! Are you interested in viewing this collection? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/info/contact.html.




Mee Xiong is an Archives Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Hall of Champions: New Maverick Women’s Softball 2017 NCAA Division II National Champions Memorabilia Added

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions, an exhibit located in the Taylor Center reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

Coley Ries’ Maverick Women’s Softball uniform

Recent additions to the Hall of Champions includes a softball base, ball and glove, a 2017 signed team poster, and pitcher Coley Ries’ uniform.  Ries went 5-0 and threw all 35 innings in five consecutive days at the NCAA Division II tournament, leading her team to the program’s first National Championship title.  Ries was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, the 2017 NFCA Player of the Year, D2CCA Pitcher of the Year, received NFCA and D2CCA All-American First Team accolades, named D2CCA Central Region Scholar Athlete of the Year, and received CoSIDA Academic All-American team honors while fashioning a 3.70 GPA in Mass Media.  

Still have questions?  Never hesitate to contact the University Archives at 507-389-1029 or archives@mnsu.edu.  

New Cornerstone Addition of The Children’s House: A Review of a Decade of Prekindergarten Education in a Laboratory Setting on a University Campus.

Recently added to Cornerstone is a digitized copy of Darlene Janovy’s 1982 thesis titled The Children’s House: A Review of a Decade of Prekindergarten Education in a Laboratory Setting on a University Campus.  This thesis traced the development of The Children's House from its establishment in 1972 to the close of the 1981-82 school year and used historical data to document the development and progress of the program through a combination of sources including records found in the University Archives. 

Children playing on playground, teachers supervising, 

Mankato State College, circa 1970s. 
Image courtesy of University Archives, 

Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

Today, the Children’s House at Minnesota State University, Mankato provides early learning opportunities and all-day care for infants through preschoolers and is nationally accredited by the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). 

A young boy and girl playing at the Children's House,
Mankato State University, 1977. 
Image courtesy of University Archives,
Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Interested in learning more about the Children’s House at Minnesota State University, Mankato?  Contact the University Archives at 507-389-1029 or archives@mnsu.edu.   

Collection Highlight: Homecoming Stories!

A screenshot of Homecoming week interviews in ARCH.

Have you seen University Archives and Library staff walking around with our iPad-on-a-stick?

During Homecoming week the University Archives collects oral histories to preserve the history of Homecoming at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Former and current Minnesota State Mankato students, faculty and staff are interviewed at different Homecoming events with an iPad on a monopod. Most oral history videos are 1-3 minutes long.

This collection exists in two different locations:

1. The University Archives holds the physical materials created and collected during the course of the project. View the collection guide here: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1808.html.
2. ARCH, University Archives Digital Collections holds the oral history videos. View the collection here: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3Ahomecoming.

 

A few notable 2015 videos include:

• Student Events Team member Natalie Garten and Associate Director for Student Activities Greg Wilkins interviewed during the 2015 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A48975
• MSU Dance Team interviewed during the 2015 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A51895
• Alum Dorothy Kiner during the 2015 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A48993

 

A few notable 2016 videos include:

• Student Freeman Colemand and Chase Hilding during the 2016 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A61731
• Alum Ashley Gooler during the 2016 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A62055
• Student Carthan Fears during the 2016 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A61754’

Stay tuned for the 2017 videos!

Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives!
Are you interested in viewing this collection? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/info/contact.html


Mee Xiong is an Archives Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Hall of Champions: School of Nursing Cap and Pin

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of the School of Nursing Cap and Pin in the Hall of Champions exhibit case.

School of Nursing Cap and Pin bestowed upon graduation. The first capping ceremony was held in 1954 and continued to the 1980s. Caps themselves were worn as part of the student nurse uniform until the 1980s, when most nurses stopped wearing their caps due to cleanliness problems and workday inconveniences. The pinning ceremony first occurred in 1956 and continues to this day. With the caps no longer being an identifying symbol, the pin serves as the lasting and sustainable symbol of all graduates of Minnesota State University, Mankato, School of Nursing.

Information about Nurse's caps and pins obtained from the book Celebrating the first fifty years : an interpretive essay: https://mplus.mnpals.net/vufind/Record/002879357/Holdings.

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.

Hall of Champions: Two Greek Paddles representing Minnesota State Mankato's Greek community

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of two Greek Paddles in the Hall of Champions.

Two Greek Paddles representing the Greek community of Minnesota State University, Mankato. These two symbolic paddles are from the Alpha Beta Mu Ma fraternity, founded in 1957 at Mankato State College, and the Kappa Theta Chapter of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority chartered in 1966 at Mankato State College. Information about Minnesota State University, Mankato's Greek community obtained from Our Chapters: Celebrating 50 Years of Leadership, Scholarship, Service and Friendship.

Learn more about Greek Life at http://www.mnsu.edu/activities/greek/.

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.

Hall of Champions: 1979-80 NCAA Division II National Championship Men's Hockey Trophy

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of the 1979-80 NCAA Division II National Championship Men's Hockey Trophy in the Hall of Champions.

1979-80 NCAA Division II National Championship Men's Hockey Trophy - Team coached by Don Brose. Minnesota State Mankato has had hockey since the 1969-70 season, when Don Brose started the program. The first teams played outdoors and used old football jerseys for uniforms. But within 10 years, Brose and the Mavericks were celebrating an NCAA Division II national championship. Additional information about the history of the men's Hockey Team is available in the August 2012 issue of Today Magazine.

Women's Hockey jersey #17 worn by Minnesota State Mankato, varsity hockey player Jenna Hewitt (Anoka, Minn.), who scored 2-4--6 in 114 games played.

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.