MORGANTOWN — As the years pass, the condition of memorable pictures in the West Virginia Regional History Collection has declined.

That’s why Regional History Collection Curator and Director John Cuthbert and his staff decided to make the historic pictures available online through a digital photograph database called West Virginia History OnView. The Regional History Collection is located in West Virginia University’s Wise Library.

Main Street in Wheeling, West Virginia is underwater becasue of the huge flood of 1936.
Photo provided by the West Virginia Regional History Collection

The database will consist of the collection of West Virginia and regional historic photographs dating from the mid 19th century to the early 20th century. The photographs vary from scenes of the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers to events such as the great Wheeling flood of 1936.

The database was launched during WVU’s Mountaineer Week from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6, but Cuthbert said the database has been in working order since February.

“We didn’t want to make it public until we scanned and uploaded enough images onto the database for everyone to see,” Cuthbert said.

So far, the database contains 25,000 images scanned and uploaded onto the Web site, including 30 of Wheeling and 26 of Moundsville. Cuthbert said that more photos will be added over time but they are not looking to do the entire collection, which consists of more than 150,000 images.

“The West Virginia Collection has the finest collection of historical photographs relating to West Virginia in existence, WVRHC Curator John Cuthbert said. “We are now making the best of them available for viewing by anyone with Internet access.

The popular collection is used regularly by students and faculty at WVU and other institutions, researchers, historians, and members of the media. Pictures found often end up in term papers, classroom presentations, newspaper and magazine articles, and documentaries.

However, finding that one sought-after photograph has traditionally required a hefty investment of time, thought, and patience. The creation of the databases should alleviate much of the common frustrations.

First, Internet access brings convenience. Rather than making a trip to Morgantown, a researcher can simply search the database from the comfort of home or office.

The greatest advance, however, is the enhanced search capabilities. The new database incorporates detailed cataloging and descriptive information for each image, which will enable users to perform instantaneous searches on any word or combination of words.

Ken Fones-Wolf, an associate professor of history at WVU, has high expectations for the image database.

“Looking at the visual images of Wheeling over time, you really get a sense of under-lying changes that are going on — the way in which the town is growing, the way in which the town is changing. You can see evidence of the arrival of industry and immigrants, Fones-Wolf said. “You can read about it, but photographs really drive home those changes.”

The work behind the data-base was made possible by the Regional History Collection and Wise Library staff as well as the students who put in the time to scan and upload all the images so far within the database.

Fones-Wolf also said he is looking forward to using the database in his future teachings and projects.

“In the past, it was difficult to have access to the photo-graphs from short hours to the procedures of getting the photo-graphs from the files. Now, I can easily get it from my laptop in my office any time of the day I want it,” Fones-Wolf said.

He mentioned that the photo-graphs displayed online are also useful to high school students working on history projects or research papers.

“People can access the photographs from anywhere and it is much easier to get a hold of them. Also, there is a preservation side to this database that we can all appreciate,” Cuthbert said.

While the Regional Historiy Collection in Wise Library has traditionally served mostly academics, historians, and writers, Cuthbert anticipates a rush of citizens simply interested in their own heritage taking advantage of the new database. And he expects them to be pleased with what they find.

“It won’t matter where you are in West Virginia, there is going to be something on our site that’s going to resonate with everybody personally,” Cuthbert said.

To access the West Virginia History OnView, check out the Web site at http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/wvconline/digitalcollections.html.

Although most students rarely venture away from the first floor computer terminals in the Downtown Library Complex, Wise Library, the university’s orignial library before adding on, is actually home to a rather impressive selection of books. In addition to the characteristic selection of literature and scholastic texts, the collection is also attractive for those interested in old and rare books from all over the world.

Located on the sixth floor, the Rare Books Room contains a plethora of valuable texts that have either been donated to the library from outside sources or relocated from the main collection.

Harold Forbes, the collection’s curator, said the conservation of rare texts serves a dual purpose. “Our responsibilities are to maintain conditions for ideal preservation while allowing researchers to have access to the material,” Forbes said.

A majority of the books were donated in 1950 by Arthur S. Dayton, whose contribution includes most predominantly Shakespeare’s “Four Folios” and the works of several important 19th and 20th century American authors.

However, within the past few years, new collections have worked to showcase the room’s literary diversity. “We’ve got some really nice collections, including nearly 650 volumes of Isaac Asimov’s work,” Forbes said. “It’s about as complete a collection as you can find.”

The Rare Books Room most recently added two leather-bound hymnals that date back to the early 1400s. Although they have yet to be appraised, Forbes estimates their value at well over $10,000. “It was donated by William Bacon from St. Albans, W.Va., who was a lifelong book collector.

Although the room covers a broad assortment of subject matter – ranging from 15th century hymnals to mid-20th century science fiction – the collection is particularly strong in the areas of literature, history, religion, philosophy and natural history.

There is not a standardized method for determining a book’s status as a rare text, but Forbes suggested a number of possible features that can contribute. “Age is only a beginning point. The year 1800 is considered a watershed because before that, every book is hand-printed.”

Forbes said that demand and subject matter are ultimately better for judging rarity. “Rarity comes from demand. Being the first book about a subject can also be an important factor,” Forbes said.

Those interested in viewing the collection or using it for research purposes can’t simply walk in and pull a book off the shelf. The books are kept in a highly controlled environment to allow for their continued preservation.

“We wear gloves when we handle the books and maintain a constant temperature and humidity. If a book is in particularly bad shape, we’ll have a book conservationist come in.”

And as the collection continues to grow, students can be assured that the Rare Books Room will continue to preserve both the invaluable texts – and unprecedented literary history – of the old Wise Library.

The room is accessible by appointment only. For more information, visit www.libraries.wvu.edu/rarebooks.

West Virginia History OnView, a new digital photograph database launched during Mountaineer Week, provides online access to more than 5,000 historical photographs housed in the West Virginia and Regional History Collection. The database is expected to eventually swell to more than 25,000 images.

“The West Virginia Collection has the finest collection of historical photographs relating to West Virginia in existence,” WVRHC Curator John Cuthbert said. “We are now making the best of them available for viewing by anyone with Internet access.”

The popular collection, containing more than 150,000 images, is used regularly by students and faculty at WVU and other institutions, researchers, historians, and members of the media. Pictures found often end up in term papers, classroom presentations, newspaper and magazine articles, and documentaries. However, finding that one sought-after photograph has traditionally required a hefty investment of time, thought, and patience. The creation of the databases should alleviate much of the common frustrations.

First, Internet access brings convenience. Rather than making a trip to Morgantown, a researcher can simply search through the user-friendly database from the comforts of home or office. Gone also are the time limitations that stump people pressed to complete their work within the limited operational hours of the WVRHC.

The greatest advance, however, is surely the enhanced search capabilities. Broad subject headings and the absence of a cross-indexing system for the physical photograph collection confounded many users in the past. A researcher looking for a photo of a specific Morgantown business or school, for example, might have to had to wade through the entire Morgantown group of several hundred photos. If the desired photograph was a shot of a steamboat on the Monongahela River passing under the Westover Bridge, the photo might not even be housed in the Morgantown section but filed instead under steamboats, rivers, or bridges.

The new database, which incorporates detailed cataloging and descriptive information for each image, will enable users to perform instantaneous searches on any word or combination of words. The person hunting for that steamboat photo could find it through at least three paths: steamboats, rivers, or bridges. Or, if the photo has a description, a search would lock onto a word in that paragraph, such as the name of the boat, its owner, or any other identifying feature included.

Dr. Ken Fones-Wolf, an associate professor of history at WVU, has high expectations for the image database. His teaching and research work requires regular trips to the WVHC to search through the historic photographs for images capturing industry and other aspects of life in West Virginia.

“Looking at the visual images of Wheeling over time, you really get a sense of underlying changes that are going on – the way in which the town is growing, the way in which the town is changing. You can see evidence of the arrival of industry and immigrants,” Fones-Wolf said. “You can read about it, but photographs really drive home those changes.”

He anticipates the enhanced access to greatly enhance his and other researchers’ work because they will be able to find things they may not know to look for.

“I was aware of the salt industry, but now I can go to images in places that I wasn’t aware had been in the center of the salt industry, like Malden,” Fones-Wolf said. “It will be a goldmine.”

Only partially complete, the project has already required nearly a year’s dedication from multiple departments within the WVU Libraries. In building the databases, WVRHC staff members have scanned the photographs and Gordon Ernst, Libraries Cataloger, has edited the description of each image and created multiple subject headings to ensure accurate and comprehensive searches.

“The Library Systems Department and the Cataloging Department have worked very hard with the West Virginia Collection to bring this project to reality,” said Frances O’Brien, Dean of Libraries. “It is an excellent example of how library technology can enhance historical research. We are all very pleased with how this project turned out, and we know people in West Virginia will appreciate this glimpse of past life and culture.”

While the WVRHC in Wise Library has traditionally served mostly academics, historians, and writers, Cuthbert anticipates a rush of citizens simply interested in their own heritage taking advantage of the new database. And he expects them to be pleased with what they find.

“It won’t matter where you are in West Virginia, there is going to be something on our site that’s going to resonate with everybody personally,” Cuthbert said.

A construction crew will be working from midnight-9 a.m. Oct. 31 through Thanksgiving break. During this time, half-walls will be installed to separate the coffee area from the rest of the fourth floor.

Students will be able to study on the fourth floor. However, they may experience some noise from construction.

During Thanksgiving break, the crew will work during the day and cut an existing concrete floor so water lines and other needed utilities for the coffee shop may be installed. While students and employees may continue to use the library, it is expected to be noisier than usual on the second and fourth floors, and people may want to use the Evansdale Library or the White Hall computer lab instead.

The WVU community’s patience is appreciated during this project.

They offer full service during this period, including reference and access to restricted materials such as manuscripts, recordings, microfilm, etc.

The new hours are:

Mon-Sat 10am – 5pm
Tues 5pm – 9pm

The West Virginia and Regional History Collection is located on the sixth floor of the Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library, accessible through the Downtown Campus Library. It contains the largest collection of West Virginia materials in existence.

Sip on this. WVU students and employees will soon be able to enjoy a latte at the library.

Plans are in place to construct a coffee shop, complete with Starbucks products and food items, in the bay window area on the fourth floor of the Downtown Campus Library.

Construction on Eliza’s is set to begin Nov. 1 and should be completed by mid-February, Student Body President D.J. Casto announced during the Oct. 12 student Board of Governors meeting.

The coffee shop is named after Eliza J. Skinner, the first professionally trained librarian at WVU. She served as library director from 1897 until 1902, when she accepted a position with the Library of Congress.

Casto said the area will be large enough to seat 45 people, feature café-style tables and chairs and blend into the library’s existing decor.

Bookshelves will line some of the walls and house the current topics reading collection, and a limited number of newspapers may also be available for patron reading.

Hot and cold espresso drinks, freshly brewed gourmet coffee and tea, blended drinks to order, Italian sodas, hot chocolate, and bottled soft drinks, juice and water will be available for purchase. Eliza’s will also offer snacks.

Equipment and personnel are being provided by WVU Dining Services.

Tentative hours are Sunday-Wednesday from 3 p.m.-midnight and Thursday from 3-9 p.m. The shop will be closed on Friday and Saturday.

For students who like to spend a few extra hours studying, the Den will no longer be the only source for up-all-night coffee. Soon they will be able to grab a latte at the Downtown Library Complex.

Recently, plans were finalized on the construction of a new coffee shop, which will be added into the fourth floor bay window area.

Due to open in mid-February, the coffee shop, which will be known as Eliza’s, will serve Starbucks products and an assortment of different food items.

Construction on Eliza’s is due to begin on Nov. 1, as announced by Student Government Association President DJ Casto during a SGA Board of Governors meeting Wednesday.

Major construction will begin during Thanksgiving Break, so students will not face major issues in regards to studying before and during finals week.

“A temporary wall will be put up to block some of the noise from construction,” said Academic Affairs Administrator Dr. Nancy Lohmann, who served on the coffee shop committee.

“I think the addition of Eliza’s will be very beneficial to students,” said Casto, noting that the shop was a proposal of BOG member Jon Jaraiedi.

“We want it to serve as a type of workgroup area, where students can meet and talk,” he added.

Eliza’s was named after Eliza J. Skinner, the first professionally trained librarian at West Virginia University.

Skinner served as library director from 1897 until 1902. Her portrait and profile will be prominently placed in a central location of the shop.

Along with Casto, who served on the coffee shop committee, was Frances O’Brien, dean of libraries; Dr. Nancy Lohmann, academic affairs administrator; Kim Hartsell, senior facilities planner for WVU; and Michael Ellington, Mountainlair director.

Casto said the area in the coffee shop will be large enough to seat 45 people. The shop will also feature cafe- style tables and chairs, with an overall appeal to blend into the library’s existing decor.

Bookshelves will line the inside of the shop, highlighting current topic readings, and various newspapers will also be available.

CONTACT: Kristin Margolin, Student Government Association 304-550-2866
D.J. Casto, Student Government Association 304-293-4403

Sip on this. West Virginia University students and employees will soon be able to enjoy a latte at the library.

Plans are in place to construct a coffee shop, complete with Starbucks products and food items, in the bay window area on the fourth floor of the Downtown Campus Library.

Construction on Eliza’s is set to begin Nov. 1 and should be completed by mid-February, announced Student Body President D.J. Casto during Wednesday night’s (Oct. 12) student Board of Governors meeting in the Mountainlair.

“Since June, the Student Government Association has been working with the provost’s office, WVU administrators and library staff to create an area where students could enjoy a cup of coffee in the Downtown Campus Library,” said Casto, noting the shop is the initiative of BOG member Jon Jaraiedi. “The library is one of students’ favorite places to study and relax on campus. I think the addition of Eliza’s will be a welcome enhancement.”

The coffee shop is named after Eliza J. Skinner, the first professionally trained librarian at WVU who served as library director from 1897 until 1902, when she accepted a position with the Library of Congress. Her portrait and biography will be placed in a prominent location in the shop.

Casto said the area will be large enough to seat 45 people, feature café-style tables and chairs and blend into the library’s existing decor. Bookshelves will line some of the walls and house the current topics reading collection, and a limited number of newspapers may also be available for patron reading.

Hot and cold espresso drinks, freshly brewed gourmet coffee and tea, blended drinks to order, Italian sodas, hot chocolate, and bottled soft drinks, juice and water will be available for purchase.

Equipment and personnel are being provided by WVU Dining Services.

Eliza’s will also offer jumbo muffins, bagels, biscotti, oversized cookies and a variety of healthy snacks.

Students will be allowed to take drinks from the coffee shop into other areas of the library if they are in the proper container, Casto said.

Tentative hours are Sunday-Wednesday from 3 p.m.-midnight and Thursday from 3-9 p.m. The shop will be closed on Friday and Saturday.

jc/km/10/13/2005

WVU library opens monster-themed display in time for Halloween

WVU students considering creepy costumes for the quickly approaching Halloween season can visit the ground floor of the university’s downtown library for suggestions.

That’s where library staff has assembled four display cases of horror-related reading.

The theme of the exhibits actually is monsters, both in literature and film. Titles in the arrangement include classics such as “Jaws,” “Frankenstein,” and the “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.”

“I’m a horror fan and I’ve got a master’s in English so I decided to do monsters in literature,” Librarian Beth Toren said. Toren developed the display.

Toren said she actually began working on the display during the summer.

The display has been up for about two weeks and will run through the end of October.

In addition to gathering the requisite materials, such as books, DVDs and small figurines related to monster lit, Toren said she also tried to include controversial facts about all of the featured films and novels.

For instance, one case asks observers to consider how Disney’s film version of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” may have promoted negative perceptions of people with disabilities.

Other portions of the exhibit point people to gender-oriented criticisms of the Hitchcock film “Psycho,” and literature examining communistic themes in Jekyl and Hyde.

Displays on other floors of the downtown library are currently dedicated to Albert Einstein, banned books and insects.

An exhibit promoting the works of Appalachian poets should be up in time for Mountaineer Week, which begins the final weekend in October.

If you have an ILLiad account, all your information needs to be current, including your mailing and email addresses, phone number, and your WVUID (aka, 700 number). Providing current information guarantees that you will receive your interlibrary loan requests in the quickest time possible. So logon now.

If you’ve never used ILLiad, now may be the time for you to logon and register as a First Time ILLiad User. Interlibrary Loan can provide you with books and articles from journals that are not owned by the WVU Libraries. The Interlibrary Loan staff is able to get items from anywhere in the region or around the world. In the past, materials have arrived from as far away as Australia and China.

Let Interlibrary Loan help you meet your research needs!

-Hilary Fredette