Monday will be your last chance to see the Library’s most prized books and manuscripts for a while. Back in June 2012, many of The Huntington’s treasures went on temporary display in the Scott Galleries of American Art when the Library Exhibition Hall closed for a 16-month renovation (now moving … Continue reading
Category Archives: Library
Spirit in the Sky
This past Sunday, the Los Angeles Times published an article devoted to “Form and Landscape,” an online exhibition culled from 70,000 images that comprise The Huntington’s Southern California Edison archive. The article is a welcome capstone to those of us who spent several years (from 2006 to 2009, to be … Continue reading
COOKBOOK COLLECTION | Grandma’s Cooking
Another post in a series from the cataloger of the Anne M. Cranston cookbook collection, which consists of approximately 4,400 British and American cookbooks from the 19th and 20th centuries. In this series, Shelley shares fascinating recipes, quotes, kitchen solutions, and anecdotes she has uncovered in the collection. In his … Continue reading
EXHIBITIONS | One Easy Piece
Deciding what goes into a library exhibition is far more difficult than you might expect. After months of research in books and archival collections, you’re expected to concentrate all of that knowledge and insight into fewer than 100 items. In my case, the effort to select appropriate pieces often means … Continue reading
EXHIBITIONS | Welcome to Los Robles Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
I came across quite a few interesting pieces when I was researching my current exhibition, “Cultivating California: Founding Families of the San Marino Ranch.” When I was researching George S. Patton (senior), I stumbled upon an item that was begging to be displayed. On an onion-skin sheet dated April 26, … Continue reading
Bookended by a Pair of Awards
Earlier this month, Adria L. Imada won the annual Lawrence W. Levine Award from the Organization of American Historians for the best book in American cultural history, Aloha America: Hula Circuits through the U.S. Empire (Duke University Press). The awards committee noted: “Through nuanced readings of diverse bodies of evidence—interviews … Continue reading
Lasting Images
Today, we’re accustomed to female soldiers, but in 1886, it must have been quite a surprise to see this female Indian scout, rifle in hand, riding along with U.S. soldiers (at left). The U.S.-issued buckskin gloves look oversized and were possibly props of the studio photographer, A. Frank Randall. That … Continue reading
At the Top of the List
The Huntington lost a good friend and supporter recently when Carol Pearson passed away in her sleep on March 7, 2013. Carol first came to The Huntington in 1958 to work for the publications department. More than 50 years later, she was still seen frequently on campus, most recently volunteering … Continue reading
What is the Oldest Item in the Library?
This is one of the most common questions asked of the Library staff. The Gutenberg Bible, the Ellesmere Chaucer, and first editions of Shakespeare’s plays come to mind when considering famous older items in the Library’s collections. However, not many are aware that The Huntington holds an object dating to … Continue reading
Into the West
When David Igler first pondered writing a book about the Pacific Ocean, he admits he felt a little bit out to sea. “I was hoping to bring the Pacific into the framework of how we think about the early American West,” says Igler, associate professor of history at the University … Continue reading