Three New Collections from University of Nevada, Reno

MWDL has recently added three great new collections from the University of Nevada, Reno Digital Collections. This trio of collections provide highlights from the University of Nevada, Reno Library Special Collections focusing on political history, social justice, and citizen action.

• Paul Laxalt and Ronald Reagan
• Maya Miller Papers
• Western Shoshone Defense Project

Photograph of Oro Nevada Mining Company Protests

Congratulations to University of Nevada Reno on their Digital Collections Redesign!

Digital Collections at MWDL Partner University of Nevada Reno have a new site! Check out the new portal and explore their great digital resources.

I was interested to see some of the new ways UNR is encouraging users to interact with their digital collections.

You can help identify people in photos on a Pinterest page with the UNR Photo Who's Who Project.

There's a new crowd-sourced transcription project available too. You can click and transcribe a page from the University of Nevada Reno Summer School Diary. I have to admit, as I was composing this blog post, I clicked over and transcribed a page. It is quick and easy to do!

I was also interested to see the new Reno Historical exhibit from UNR Special Collections, built in Omeka.

Congrats to UNR!

Clowns in the Mountain West Digital Library

Clowns! Does the idea of clowns fill you with happy thoughts of your childhood visit to the circus, or do you have Coulrophobia or the fear of clowns? Are the clowns in the MWDL happy or terrifying? Let's find out!

It will be no surprise that the Mountain West Digital Library has photographs of rodeo clowns.

This Rodeo Clown from the late 1930s is carrying a doll. From the Uintah County Library Thorne Photograph Collection. 

This clown photo from the Scottsdale Public Library is rather adorable:

Clowns in the 1995 Parada del Sol Parade. From the Scottsdale (AZ) Remembers: Recollections of our Past collection via the Arizona Memory Project

This clown looks very very sad:

Circus Clowns P.1 From the Utah State Historical Society Classified Photograph Collection

Here is a clown musical band!

Clown Musical Band, from the University of Nevada Las Vegas Southern Nevada: The Boomtown Years Collection

What happened to this student at the University of Nevada Reno? Did she make it to Clown College? It looks like she would be a perfect candidate for clown-related higher education.

Betty Dittmer, business major who planned to attend Clown College, from the University of Nevada Reno Campus Images collection

Have we inspired any clown related Halloween costumes? What's your favorite clown photo from a digital collection?

Sharks in MWDL

It is Shark Week! What can we find in MWDL about sharks?

Here is a photo of a Man standing with dead shark from Brigham Young University's incredible Edward K. Bryant Photo Collection.

Man standing with dead shark

Here is a photo from University of Nevada Reno Special collections of crew members hoisting a shark during a Mexican fishing cruise.

Haida crew members hoisting a shark

Does this silverware from the University of Utah's College of Architecture and Planning collection remind you of sharks?

"Shark" Pattern silverware

Jack London took photos of sharks during his voyage on the Snark! You can see more information about Jack London materials in Utah State University Special Collections in this finding aid Guide to the Jack London photograph collection 1905-1955. Then take a look at some examples from the Jack London Collection!

MWDL has over 900,000 records!

It is time to celebrate! MWDL has over 900,000 records!

Boy clearing hurdle (ca. 1911), University of Nevada, Reno Special Collections 

We have 903329 records in MWDL right now! Now, the big question is, when will we hit one million items?

Happy New Year from the Mountain West Digital Library!

The MWDL has plenty of fun digital collections that highlight New Year's celebrations! Take a trip to Kyoto and see some of the New Year's customs documented in the Marriott Library's Lennox and Catherine Tierney Photograph Collection. UNLV has a variety of New Year's Eve Dinner menus to browse.
UNLV Reno Special Collections has a great circa 1906 New Year's postcard from their Reno Postcards collection.

Featured Image: New Year's Dinner at the Feast House, by Rosamond Spicer, from the Arizona Memory Project and Arizona State Library's Tohono O'odham Photographs collection.