Admin

Airplane built by UM students

May 15, 2014September 21, 2018 Admin

It was a quiet afternoon a few days ago. My phone rang and I heard a raspy voice of an elderly patron. I heard him passionately telling me a story that he was in his 90s, he is retired for many years, his hobby is building model planes, and someone at a Washington DC museum gave him my phone number … I could not understand him at all. I heard some words like “airplane … U of M … early 30s … Lanier” in the conversation.

I finally figured out what this was about when he gave me the spelling of the word “Vacuplane” for the third time. I searched our digital collections by the keyword and found a dozen or so historical images and several newspaper clippings on the subject right away. I knew the University of Miami had an aviation training program in the past, but I did not know our students even built airplanes. Please see the image above with a note “Aviation courses at UM began in 1929 and ended in 1931. During that time students in Aviation built the Lanier XL-3 Vacuplane. It flew.” (It looks amazing!)

I copied the pictures and some diagrams of the plane and mailed them to the patron. I spent more time than I normally do for the request, because I enjoyed looking this up for myself. I wonder if the patron will give me a picture of the model he is going to create.

View Vacuplanes in the UM Historical Photograph Collection

Digital Collections, Events, In the News

Research on Diversity

April 24, 2014September 21, 2018 Admin

Diversity is a very important research subject for us. The question keeps coming back several times a year with slightly different angles depending on who is asking for what kind of research project.

The publication we use most is a history book “The University of Miami: A Golden Anniversary History, 1926-1976” written by Dr. Charlton W. Tebeau, 1904-2000, who was a professor at the UM, Chairman of the History Department, and a prominent historian of Florida. The chapter 12 of the book “Desegregation, Integration, and Minority” provides a perfect overview of the subject with many interesting historical facts and images.

Title page of the book “The University of Miami: A Golden Anniversary History, 1926-1976”

The University of Miami: A Golden Anniversary History, 1926-1976 in Richter’s Online Catalog

The Miami Hurricane, May 13, 1966 front page

The Miami Hurricane is also an excellent source for news and events on the subject. You could read articles on student protests on campus. Martin Luther King was invited to the University for a lecture in 1966.

The Miami Hurricane Archive Online, May 17, 1968 article on student protest

The Miami Hurricane Archive Online, May 13, 1966 article on Dr. King visited the university

Benjamin Hooks, NAACP Executive Director, speaking at Black Culture Week

The UM Historical Photograph Collection can offer you effective visual images related to the subject, such as Dr. King’s memorial service held on campus in spring 1968 and the Black Culture Week held on campus in the 1970s.

Historical images taken at the Black Culture Week in the 1970s

List of black facluty found in the 1974-75 Malaika Handbook

Also, we hold a collection titled “Malaika” published in the 1970s and 1980s by the United Black Students of the university. I used this collection recently for a patron who was looking for pictures of black faculty in the past. We would love to archive additional materials like this one if available.

Malaika, handbook written by and for the Black Students and faculty of the University of Miami, 1972-1985

Richter's exhibition Truth Marches On — Richter’s exhibition Truth Marches On

Lastly, we would like to tell you we were proud to be a part of the research and exhibition effort for the Black History Month Exhibition held at the library for the first time this year. Please go to the link below for the subjects and exhibits presented at the exhibition. This wonderful website was created by my colleague Natapol Phensiriphand, Information Specialist, Education & Outreach department.

Themes and exhibits presented at Richter’s Black Heritage Month Exhibiton

In the News

Tempo Part 2 ~ Meet the Former Managing Editor

April 7, 2014September 21, 2018 Admin

While digitizating the publication, a colleague found a webpage on Michael Dunn, 1934-1973, who was the Managing Editor of Tempo (his real name was Gary Miller). He later bacame a successful actor known for the role of Dr. Miguelito Loveless on the popular TV series The Wild Wild West in the 1960s.

Michael Dunn – as a Student at the University of Miami 1953-1956

19 year old Gary Miller is pictured above his “Thank You” article published in the May 1954 issue of Tempo (vol. 5, no. 6, May 1954, p. 2)

Please go to the link below for the Wiki page on the actor.

Wiki page on Michael Dunn

Digital Collections

Tempo – Milestone in Student Journalism

April 7, 2014September 21, 2018 Admin

Tempo Cover from the September-October 1961 issue

It is our great pleasure to announce that the entire issues of “Tempo” (or Miami Tempo in early years of the publication) magazine from October 1949 to April 1971 is digitized and full-text searchable at the link below.

Tempo Magazine

We think Tempo is historically significant publication in student journalism, and it’s an excellent teaching material on the university and student lifestyle in the time period.

In the News

First Three Directors of the UM Libraries

February 17, 2014September 21, 2018 Admin

I would like to share with you a very special picture of the first three directors of Richter Library below. The monumental picture was taken at Richter’s 1997 Holiday Party.

[Dr. McNeal (left), Mr. Bosseau (center), Mr. Rogers (right)]

We were able to locate the following names, titles, and dates of service in the “Library Roster (1947-)” in our collection.

1) Dr. Archie L. McNeal was the first Director served from 1952 to 1979. He was the director at the dedication of Richter Library in 1962.

2) Mr. Frank Rogers was the second Director from 1979 to 1997.

3) Mr. Don Bosseau was the Director of Libraries from 1997 to 2002.

4) Mr. William D. Walker was the Dean and University Librarian from 2003 to 2013.

5) Dr. Charles Eckman is the current Dean and University Librarian since December 2013.

Mr. William G. Harkins served as the first full-time Librarian of the University before Dr. McNeal from 1940 to 1952.

Please go to the link below for more about the library and its history. Opened in 1962, the Otto G. Richter Library at the University of Miami celebrated 50th anniversary in 2012.

http://library.miami.edu/50/