Catholic Research Resources Alliance Symposium and Annual Meeting

CARA members and other interested persons are invited to attend the Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA) Symposium and Annual Meeting. The mission of CRRA is to support global access to Catholic research resources, and the symposium’s goal is to provide a forum for scholarly exchange and discussion around issues of concern related to access to particular resources. This year’s theme for the symposium is “Bringing the Created Toward the Creator: Liturgical Art and Design After Vatican II.”

The symposium and annual meeting will take place at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago on June 1st and 2nd. Registration is free. Breakfast and lunch are included, and complimentary parking is available.

WHEN: STARTS: Monday, June 1, 2015 at 9:00 AM. ENDS: Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 12:15 PM
WHERE: Catholic Theological Union, 5416 S. Cornell Ave, Chicago IL 60615
WHAT: Catholic Research Resources Alliance Symposium and Annual Meeting "Bringing the Created Toward the Creator: Liturgical Art and Design After Vatican II"

• Explore the changes inspired by Vatican II on liturgical arts and design.
• Engage scholars and students on their discovery and use of such resources — what do researchers and practitioners want and use? 
• Explore the preservation of and access to the archives of liturgical designers and artists.
• The symposium keynote speaker will be John Buscemi, a leading liturgical artist. Other featured speakers include scholars, educators, and curators of liturgical arts collections.

To register for this event, please visit CTU’s website. 

For more information, contact:

Lisa Gonzalez

Electronic Resources Librarian, CTU

lgonzalez@ctu.edu

773.371.5463

National Endowment for the Humanities Awards AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library $300,000 Grant

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced yesterday $22.8 million in grants for 232 humanities projects, the second round of NEH grant awards this fiscal year. Named as one of the recipients, the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library was awarded $300,000 in grant funding for a Humanities Collections and Reference Resources implementation of a project entitled Spreading the Word: Expanding Access to African American Religious Archival Collections at the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library.

The Library’s Archives Research Center and Digital Services Unit will organize, describe, digitize, and prepare for research access fourteen collections of rare materials on African-American religion spanning from the late 19th century to early 20th century, and from the 1950s to 2000s. The project entails the arrangement and description of 126 linear feet of archival records and personal papers and the digitization of 2,139 photos and 1,163 video and audio recordings from these collections.

“We’re excited to be awarded a grant for the Spreading the Word project which will increase accessibility and use of collections containing significant – yet currently underutilized – documentation of African Americans and religion. Through this invaluable funding from NEH, we aim to enhance humanities scholarship by connecting researchers throughout the world to many audio and visual holdings previously unheard and unseen,” said Andrea Jackson, head of the Archives Research Center.

About the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
The AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library serves the research and information needs of four historically Black colleges and universities: Clark Atlanta University, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Recently renovated, the Library features collaborative learning and study spaces, state-of-the-art technology, an exhibition hall, and a premier Archives Research Center. To learn more, visit www.auctr.edu or contact 404-978-2000.

A Visit to the Regenstein Library

University of Chicago's Regenstein Library

On March 17, 2015, several CARA members were invited to tour the Special Collections Research Center at the University of Chicago's Regenstein Library. We were hosted by Patricia Gibbons, Head of Collections Management. The highlight of the tour was the chance to see the high-density underground storage space in the Mansueto Library.

Dome of Mansueto Library. Photo by Kathleen Gormley.

Opened in 2011, the Mansueto Library "includes cutting-edge facilities for research, digitization of printed materials, and preservation of library holdings" (source). Underneath the library, books and archival material are stored in 50-foot tall racks and are "paged" by an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS).

Mansueto Library's underground high-density storage with 50-foot tall racks containing metal bins holding books and archival material. When items are requested, the yellow crane of the ASRS pulls the bins out and lifts them up to the receiving area.
Photo by Kathleen Gormley.

Seeing the ASRS in action felt almost like being in a sci-fi movie--the future of archives is now!

Special thanks to Newland Smith of the Archives of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago for arranging the tour.