Special Collections & Archives Banner

You are here

Peek in the Stacks: ephemera

Lauretta, the Little Savoyard

Children's literature first appeared as a genre distinct from other kinds of literature in the 18th century, as the concept of "childhood" emerged in western society. Early works for children often included moral or religious messages, both to entertain child readers and educate them about commonly-held values and appropriate behavior...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

The Study of Bondage

Special Collections and Archives holds many books, periodicals, images, illustrations, and manuscript collections that are useful in the study of human sexuality. These resources span a broad array of topics, including both mainstream and what some might consider "alternative" sexual practices. One of the most interesting of these topics is...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

Curiosities, Rarities, and Ephemera in Special Collections and Archives

In general, archival collections are primarily made up of manuscript collections and published materials which are used for scholarly research. However, many collections also yield unusual and unique items in the form of rare ephemera, one of a kind or single issue publications, and curious objects that cannot be categorized. These items, captured through human ingenuity and inventiveness, reflect...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

The Campus Unrest Collections

The 1960s was a time when the status quo was quickly becoming unacceptable, and change seemed inevitable. By 1963, more than 16,000 American soldiers were stationed in South Vietnam with an even larger presence in Korea. Americans had grown tired of foreign wars, and protests grew as the Draft grew into a large concern for young people...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

William Hogarth: Painter, Printmaker, and Satirist

William Hogarth was an 18th century English painter and printmaker, best known for his satirical and moral works. In his early career, Hogarth worked as an engraver, decorating coats of arms, bookplates, and creating illustrations for books. While he started producing his own works in the early 1720s, he did not gain significant recognition until 1731, with the publication of his first moral work A Harlot’s Progress. This work and many later moral works typically consisted of a series of paintings that told a story...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

The Bell Family Collection

Kitty Bell, born in Paris, France, moved to Shanghai, China in the mid-1930s when she was adopted by a family who lived there. She was 8 years old when she arrived in Shanghai, and attended various schools as she grew up, including Sacred Heart in Shanghai. She also attended the Holy Ghost Convent in Tsingtao, a small seaport and industrial center on the Yellow Sea in northeast China....

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

Richard Bruland Bebop Records Art Posters Collection

Los Angeles is known for its music scene, with legendary clubs like the Troubadour and the Roxy hosting and even launching some of the biggest acts in the history of popular music. While many people think of Hollywood as the hub for rock music in LA, in the 1980s some of the best acts actually came to play half an hour away in Reseda in the San Fernando Valley. One block of Sherman Way in Reseda was home to some of the most iconic venues at the time, including Bebop Records and Fine Art, a small record store that doubled as a performance venue for the thriving underground music and art scene in the area. Special Collections and Archives holds the Richard Bruland Bebop Records Art Posters Collection, which documents...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

China Marines

The China Marines were originally defined as those who served as part of the 4th Marine Regiment assigned guard duty at the International Settlement in Shanghai from 1927 to 1941. Another group of Marines from the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions who were members of the U.S. occupying army in north China would also become known as China Marines. These Marines were stationed in China from 1945 to 1948...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries

California Tourism and Promotional Literature Collection

In honor of Spring Break, we pulled some materials from our collections that document vacation, travel, and recreational activities. Tourism and real estate promotion have been one of the primary reasons people decided to vacation and live in California, and staff in Special Collections have collected these promotional materials in the California Tourism and Promotional Literature Collection...

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries