Category: Research Assistance

Digital Collections, Research Assistance

Historical images for the President’s office

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Three clusters of historical images represent Medical, Coral Gables, and RSMAS campuses (left to right)
Three clusters of historical images represent Medical, Coral Gables, and RSMAS campuses (left to right)

The University Archives was delighted to provide research assistance and high-resolution images over the last summer for the Campus Planning & Development colleagues, who were asked to select iconic images of the University of Miami to decorate President Frenk’s office. Please see the three clusters of the images selected by the Office that represent the Medical Campus, Coral Gables Campus, and RSMAS Campus (left to right).

We hold more than half a million images of the University from the 1920s to late 1970s. A small portion of the collection (approximately 78,000 images) was digitized and made accessible to the public in 2010 at our website UM Historical Photo Collection for the first time. Today, you can see those historical images everywhere at several prominent places on the Gables campus as well as in many University publications.

Lots of colleagues in the university know we are good at “old” stuff, but soon we will announce a new massive collection of more recent materials from the 1980s to the early 2000s, which was donated by the University Communications in 2013. The collection contains images, videos, publications, and press clippings, which will be a tremendous help for the schools and departments to research their organizational history. Please contact us for further assistance for the new collection.

Research Assistance

Research assistance for the video “Tribute to President Foote”

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Official portraits of the past five presidents, which are kept at the University Archives, are one of the most important historical materials of the University of Miami.
Official portraits of the past five presidents, which are kept at the University Archives, are one of the most important historical materials of the University of Miami.

The University Archives is proud to have provided research assistance and materials for the University Communications to create the compelling video “Tribute to President Foote.” Please go to the links below for the article and the video.

eVeritas article “Tad Foote Remembered”
Video “Tribute to President Foote” on Youtube

Two colleagues from the office visited us several times in April and spent hours to film our historical memorabilia, such as the Presidential Medal worn by the first four presidents and the official portrait of President Foote, as well as researched our vast collection of historical images for the project and for the Foote family, which are shown throughout the presentation.

We used to tell patrons until recently that research assistance for Foote and Shalala years was not possible, but that is not true anymore because of the newly processed “UM University Communications Collection” in approximately 130 linear feet. You can expect a wide variety of materials in the collection, such as images, video recordings, university publications, and press releases generated by the University Communications on 4,000 topics from the 1980s to the 2000s.

This massive collection is going to be as important as the UM Historical Photograph Collection and UM Office of the President Records for the University of Miami when our patrons will research for U’s centennial celebrations as well as anniversaries and celebrations at the schools and departments of the university. We would like to thank the colleagues of the University Communications, who trusted us and let us archive their invaluable materials.

The collection, donated in 75 large moving boxes in 2013, is now neatly organized by approximately 4.000 topics and housed in acid free archival folders and boxes. Richter provides optimal environment for storage of our archival collections in the library as well as the offsite storage facility.
The collection, donated in 75 large moving boxes in 2013, is now neatly organized by approximately 4.000 topics and housed in acid free archival folders and boxes. Richter provides optimal environment for storage of our archival collections in the library as well as the offsite storage facility.
Ask the Archivist, Research Assistance

Ask the Archivist: What does the Seal of the University mean?

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The Miami Hurricane, August 5. 1966 article on UM's New Seal
The Miami Hurricane, August 5. 1966 article on UM’s New Seal

Last week, an alumnae contacted me to find out the meaning of the palm tree and the sun in the University Seal. My immediate guess was they stand for subtropical weather and year round sunshine of Miami, but I was wrong! They represent “tree of knowledge” and “sun of wisdom” according to a trusted historical resource of the University.

How did I find the answer? I searched The Miami Hurricane Archive Online with keywords “seal,” “palm,” and “sun,” and I was able to find the answer right away. Please click here to read the full article about the meaning of the Great Seal.

Instruction for Usage of the University Seal
Usage of the University Seal is restricted. source: http://www6.miami.edu/umidentity/logos.html
Research Assistance

Research Assistance for the Miller School of Medicine’s Anniversary Video

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First Graduation Ceremony for the 26 students of the School of Medicine took place on June 11, 1956 at Dinner Key Auditorium.
First Graduation Ceremony for the 26 students of the School of Medicine took place on June 11, 1956 at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Coconut Grove. University of Miami Historical Photograph Collection

Our predecessors provided research assistance for the Miller School of Medicine’s golden anniversary commemorative publication “A Tradition of Caring: Discovery, Knowledge, and Healing” published in 2003. 12 years later, we assisted two colleagues from the Medical Development Office in December 2015 and January 2016 research our materials on their first graduating class of 1956.

Last week, we received an email from the colleagues informing that they finished creating a video titled “Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Graduation of the Class of 1956.” Please go to the link below to watch the video. The moving video makes us proud to be part of the University of Miami, and the archivists and the librarians at the University of Miami Libraries hope that the school will continue archiving with us to celebrate their anniversaries and achievements in the future.

Video Presentation “Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Graduation of the Class of 1956”
(*University Archives received the Office’s permission to share the video with our patrons.)

1956 IBIS and Commencement Program
1956 Ibis yearbook and June 11, 1956 Commencement Program are a few examples of the materials available on the subject at the Archives. The UM Office of the President Records and the School of Medicine Records provide in-depth historical information on the School. We can also offer excellent collection of historical images from the UM Historical Photograph Collections (1920s to 1970s) and the UM University Communications Collection (1980s to 2000s)
Miller School of Medicine’s golden anniversary publication “A Tradition of Caring: Discovery, Knowledge, and Healing” published in 2003