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From the Dean of Libraries - Summer 2013

Women Who Rock oral history archive, Distinguished Librarian, Cannery Workers and Farm Laborers Union photos online

With the Libraries at the crossroads of the University, I am aware that our “roads” extend beyond our campus to include the stories and histories of diverse communities. Our mission is to “connect people with knowledge,” and we do that through exhibits, events, and online collections.

We are proud to host the online Women Who Rock Digital Oral History Archive. In this issue of Libraries E-news, you will read about the female music pioneer Medusa, also known as the "Godmother of West Coast Hip Hop.”

Glenda Pearson, this year’s Distinguished Librarian Award winner and head of Libraries Microforms and Newspapers, spearheaded the Seattle Times Legacy Library project, transporting print archives requiring 1,060 linear feet of storage shelving for an estimated 2.5 million newspaper clippings.

Historical photos of Cannery Workers and Farm Laborers Union, Local 7 are available online, revealing names and faces identified through community events.

And I hope you find time to visit us on campus to see the inspiring exhibit, Dreamlogs: Artists' Books by Genie Shenk. Created by Book Arts and Rare Books Curator Sandra Kroupa, the exhibit reveals Shenk’s inspiration from each night's dream during 1982 in visual form.

The UW Libraries is filled with stories of cultural meaning and collective achievement.  By partnering with those who create and document community history, we ensure that these unique and compelling materials are freely available to students, faculty and staff, and the world.

Read more in the Libraries' Summer 2013 eNews.

- Lizabeth (Betsy) Wilson

Summer 2013