Unsung Women of Horticulture: Plant Talk and Walk Recap

Students in the garden, c. 1930s, image from the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women records, Special Collections Research Center

In honor of the first day of spring, we teamed up with the Office of Sustainability and the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University for a plant talk and walk on Main Campus.

Kathleen Salisbury speaks at Charles Library, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

We started the afternoon with a talk by Kathleen (Kathy) Salisbury, director of Ambler Arboretum, about the history of women of the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women, which became Ambler Campus. Kathy covered some of the most prominent women involved in the creation of the school all the way back to the founder, Jane Bowne Haines II, who started the school in 1910. She went on to share stories of Louise Carter Bush-Brown, Ernesta Drinker-Ballard, Letitia Glenn Biddle, and others involved in the school and related organizations, their accomplishments, and their efforts to further women’s rights.

Following Kathy’s talk, Margery Sly, director of the Special Collections Research Center, and Kimberly Tully, curator of rare books, shared information about the archives of the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture in our special collections. Items were on display in the back of the room for attendees to view following the remarks. 

Materials in our special collections, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

Liz Riedman, PhD Candidate in Geography and winner of the Office of Sustainability’s Graduate Research Award for Sustainability (GRASP), utilized the SCRC’s archival materials at Ambler for her research which seeks to challenge historical accounts of urban greening that overlook over the contributions of women in the past and present. This work gave important context for the historic untold stories of the women featured in Kathy’s talk, and further underscores the need to add diverse accounts to the archive.

Attendees view SCRC items on display, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

Missed the talk or just want to share it with a friend? View the recording on our website.

Kathleen Salisbury talks about the trees outside of Sullivan Hall, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

Next, we headed outside for a tour of trees on Main Campus. Caroline Burkholder, senior sustainability manager, joined us to share information about campus sustainability features and designs along the way. Kathy talked through the history of ginkgo trees. These large, sturdy trees have been around since the dinosaurs and have unique umbrella-shaped leaves that turn bright yellow in the fall. We also smelled the large oval leaves of the magnolia trees that are located right outside Charles Library!  

Kathleen Salisbury talks about the trees just outside of Charles Library, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

We hope you will join us the next time we invite Kathy back to Main Campus for a tour!  

Series Spotlight

The McLean Contributionship Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Endowed Lecture Series at Temple University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center

Now in its third year, The McLean Contributionship Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Endowed Lecture Series at Temple University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center was established to honor the McLean Contributionship’s long-standing commitment to the field of journalism and supporting access to our Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection. The series aims to reflect on the past, present, and future of American journalism, history, and culture. Take a look back with us on the journey of this series so far and get a preview of what’s coming up in our next installment of the series on March 30 (originally planned for February 28) with a panel on immigration and journalism!

About the collection

But first, let’s dive into what the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection is! The Collection is a key holding in our Special Collections Research Center’s Urban Archives, which documents the social, economic, political, and physical development of the greater Philadelphia region throughout the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin was the city’s daily evening newspaper from 1847 to 1982 and was owned by the McLean family from 1895 to 1982. It had the highest circulation of Philadelphia newspapers for 76 years and was once the largest evening newspaper in the United States. The Bulletin Collection was donated to us in 1982 and is used frequently by students, faculty, and visiting scholars and researchers. We are honored to preserve and provide access to this valuable archive documenting Philadelphia history, which includes the George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs.   

Past series topics

Christoper Malo speaking at our spring 2021 panel on Zoom

The series launched with a panel discussion in March 2021 focusing on Philadelphia Neighborhoods. Philadelphia Neighborhoods, part of the Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab at Klein College of Media and Communication, is a publication that produces and shares stories about the neighborhoods of Philadelphia. Speakers included Taylor Allen, PlanPhilly’s housing and community development reporter; Brian Creech, associate professor of journalism at Temple University’s Lew Klein College of Media and Communication; Christopher Malo, editor and program manager for PhiladelphiaNeighborhoods.com; and Jack O’Hara, director of Business Development and Marketing at MarketCounsel. View the program recording on our website. 

David Boardman poses question to panelists during the spring 2022 discussion

In March 2022, we continued the series with a panel about the future of local and national journalism. David Boardman, dean of the Klein College of Media and Communication, moderated the discussion on current trends in journalism. We were very excited to host a distinguished panel featuring Tracy Davidson, anchor/reporter for NBC10; Gabriel Escobar, editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer; Cherri Gregg, anchor/reporter for WHYY; and Aron Pilhofer, James B. Steele Chair of Journalism Innovation at Klein College of Media and Communication. View the lively discussion on our website

Later this semester: journalism and immigration panel

Clockwise from top left: Erika Guadalupe Núñez; Laura Benshoff photo by Jacob Rivkin; Heather Levi; Jeff Gammage photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer; and Blanca Pacheco photo courtesy New Sanctuary Movement

On March 30 at 4:00 pm over Zoom, the series continues with a panel on immigration coverage in journalism. In this installment, Dr. Heather Levi, professor in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University, will moderate. Joining us this year are Laura Benshoff, public radio reporter and producer; Jeff Gammage, reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer; Erika Guadalupe Núñez, executive director of Juntos; and Blanca Pacheco, co-director of New Sanctuary Movement. 

The McLean Contributionship Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Endowed Lecture Series is generously supported by The McLean Contributionship. We are grateful to The McLean Contributionship for making this possible.   

Thanks for reading! We hope to see you on March 30 for the next installment of this series. 

A look back on the fall programming season, plus a spring preview

Did you know that the Libraries host a free public programming series that is open to everyone each semester? Offerings include readings, concerts, workshops, our beloved Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection series, and more. Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, researcher, local Philadelphian, faculty or staff member, you’re invited to join us!

Viewing the Special Collections Research Center Exhibit, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

Last fall, our Beyond the Page programming series offered several programs that complemented our celebration of the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Collection, including a kickoff program with Murray Dubin and an exhibit in the Charles Library first floor exhibit space. The exhibit, “Our Greater Philadelphia Mishpachah: 50 Years of Documenting the Jewish Community,” remains on view until March 6. Stop in to view it before it’s gone! We also held a Midday Arts event with poet and writer Elaine Goldstein Terranova, CLA ‘61, which was paired with a pop-up exhibit in October in the Albert M. Greenfield Special Collections Research Center Reading Room featuring papers Terranova donated to the SCRC. 

Beyond the Notes performance at Charles Library, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

Our Beyond the Notes concerts returned in person last semester. The November concert remembered the 84th anniversary of the Kristallnacht (“Night of Broken Glass”) pogroms with stories of Austrian Jewish composers and librettists, performed by Boyer College of Music faculty member Daniel Neer and friends. It was such a pleasure to hear beautiful music in the Charles Library event space once again! 

Carmen Maria Machado signs books after reading, photo by Heidi Roland Photography

The Libraries and Press also collaborated with the Intellectual Heritage Program, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program on an event as part of Temple’s universitywide Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. Our event brought Philadelphia-based author Carmen Maria Machado to Charles Library for a conversation with Temple Professor Liz Moore. Both the event space and an overflow room filled up with audience members, and we also livestreamed the event.  

The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection continued to offer an exceptional semester of programming that included a Rev. Dr. Leon H. Sullivan centennial celebration and a conversation with Molefi K. Asante and Haki R. Madhubuti about Third World Press Foundation, the largest independent black-owned press in the United States that just celebrated 55 years. 

Interested in viewing a program recording from the fall? You can! Our website features program recordings going back many years. 

What’s coming up this spring 

We invite you to join us this spring in person and online as our series continues. At Charles Library, our programs will explore the experience of making a home in a new place. We’ll look at the stories of immigrants, refugees, and others who have left one home for another, and consider what it means to belong—and to be welcomed into new spaces.   

There is going to be a full lineup of Beyond the Notes concerts. Check the Performing Arts News blog for performance announcements. 

The Blockson Collection will present another installment of the Ione D. Vargus with special guest State Senator Vincent Hughes. They will also host a variety of author talks with Anneliese Bruner, Casarae Abdul-Ghani, Judy Juanita, Diane Turner, Suzanne Cloud and others. And of course, in April, the Bootsie Barnes Jazz Series is back and this year the guest is Gerald Veasley. The African Americans of the Twentieth Century in the Philadelphia Region: Known and Unknown exhibit will be available for viewing through June. The exhibit highlights known and unknown African American Philadelphians in the twentieth century, with an emphasis on the fourteen individuals profiled in BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered! 

Looking for a book club this spring? We have those too! Join us for lunchtime book discussions of Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast, Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid, and this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia selection. 

Stay in touch 

There’s so much more! Be sure to bookmark our events page to see our full spring lineup and sign up for our mailing list

Elaine Goldstein Terranova and Patrick Lawler participate in virtual Midday Arts Series

Our Midday Arts Series debuted in fall 2016 as a collaboration with the Intellectual Heritage department in order to celebrate the Temple creative writing community and connect directly with coursework in the College of Liberal Arts. Over the years, the series has welcomed Temple faculty, alumni, and friends, including Liz Moore, Andrea Clearfield, Tom McAllister, Ryan Eckes, Meg Lemieur, David Jackson Ambrose, Pattie McCarthy, Darla Himeles, Kai Davis, Herman Beavers, and more!

This fall, we welcomed two guests as part of the series.  

In September, Elaine Goldstein Terranova, CLA ‘61, read from her memoir The Diamond Cutter’s Daughter. Following the reading, Terranova was interviewed by Rebecca Alpert, professor emerita of religion at Temple University. The two discussed what it was like growing up in a Jewish family in Philadelphia. The reading and discussion was recorded and can be viewed on library.temple.edu/watchpastprograms

Terranova donated her papers to the Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center. They document her career as a poet, writer, editor, and teacher. To accompany the reading, we featured Terranova’s papers in a special pop-up exhibit during the month of October in the Albert M. Greenfield Special Collections Research Center Reading Room and held a book club discussion of the memoir. 

Pop-up exhibit photo by Kristen Rice

In October, Patrick Lawler presented Poemformances (poetry as performance) focused on a number of urgent issues: the environment, homelessness, gender issues, violence, race, and identity. 

Patrick Lawler

After his reading, Caroline Burkholder, sustainability manager, interviewed Patrick on his writing process, using humor to present series issues, and his inspiration. Catch the readings and conversation, now available on library.temple.edu/watchpastprograms

Jeff Lee, spring 2019, photo by Brae Howard

This series would not be possible without the support of the Intellectual Heritage department, and the collaboration of Professor Jeffrey Lee. We’re excited to see who will participate in the series over the coming semesters. Stay tuned! 

An Interview with Local Poet Ryan Eckes

On Wednesday, October 18, Temple alumnus and Philadelphia poet Ryan Eckes will participate in the Libraries’ Beyond the Page public programming series as the first featured artist in our Midday Arts Series. Join us at 1:00 PM in the Paley Library Lecture Hall (1210 Polett Walk, Ground Floor) to hear Ryan read from his latest manuscript, General Motors. All programs are free and open to all.

Ryan Eckes

I was lucky to catch up with Ryan ahead of his reading, to ask him about his work and life at Temple and in Philadelphia.

 

Beckie: Can you share with us the story of your journey from Temple grad student to published poet?

Ryan: I started in Temple’s MA poetry program in 2005 when I was 26. I wanted a break from waged work and more time to write poetry, and that’s what I got: two years of immersion in reading and writing—and teaching. A teaching assistantship paid for me to be there (which led to my work as an adjunct). Rachel Blau DuPlessis and Jena Osman were great teachers, as were a few classmates who remain friends today. The experience did not lead immediately or directly to any “success,” but I learned the importance of being in conversation with other writers. I overcame my shyness a bit and started going to more poetry readings to continue my education, which I regard as endless. Being part of a community of writers helps to sustain you over time, especially in a larger culture that does not value poetry or history.

B: In that time, you’ve also published two books and are working on your latest poetry manuscript, General Motors. This collection centers around labor and the influence of public and private transportation on city life. What made you interested in exploring these themes?

R: The book grew from my interest in the GM conspiracy to dismantle public transit in the 20th century, my family’s long history of working for SEPTA/PTC, and my own experience as a union activist and organizer. We live in an automobile society that has shaped just about every aspect of our lives, including the way we see one another, communicate with one another and dispose of one another. I’m interested in how the privatization of public goods and services impacts our relationships and our abilities to survive. In my writing I like to point at the injustices we live inside of and ask questions that make people aware of themselves. And I try to imagine better worlds—that’s the hardest part.

B: How would you describe being a working poet in the city of Philadelphia?

R: Fumbling with language in your head as you walk and ride through the city while also trying to get outside of your head. Fumbling with language in your head as you work your job while also trying to quit your job. Fumbling with language in your head as you talk to people while also trying to love those people. Fumbling with language in your head as you read and read and finally scribble the breath onto paper. Finally reading the poem out loud somewhere and feeling completely alive.

B: That’s such a fascinating insight into how ever-present language is in your daily life. I wonder about the Pew Fellowship you were awarded last year—congratulations by the way! What did that award enable you to do?

R: Thank you. The Pew has given me some very precious time to think and read and write. I’ve been able to finish writing a book that I would otherwise probably still be working on. The grant has allowed me to travel a bit, too. I visited Chile last year for the first time and got to hang out with my friend Carlos Soto-Román who introduced me to other poets there. That never would have happened on adjunct pay!

B: Yes, finding the time and space to work is so important! What other advice do you have for other aspiring poets?

R: My advice is to not think of yourself as an “aspiring” poet. I never did. After I fell in love with poetry, I just started writing and never stopped. I didn’t know where it was going to lead (still don’t). My advice is read widely and keep writing and don’t listen to people who say what you’re doing has no value—remember that capitalist culture is absurd. Stay in touch with the thing inside you that compels you to make something, and trust that thing. And don’t get an MFA unless the university pays for it.

Fall Public Programming at the Libraries, Beginning Sept. 20

Join us this fall for the Libraries’ free public programming series, Beyond the Page. This season features programs that explore the role of communities in our lives. How are we shaped by the language we use, the institutions we take part in, the places we’ve lived, and the people around us? The Beyond the Page series also consists of a variety of other programs, exhibitions, concerts, and events developed around timely topics and in collaboration with our on-and-off campus partners.

On Wednesday, September 20, check out our first themed program of the fall semester: Creating a Welcoming Campus Community in 2017. This program will ask us to consider: What does a welcoming campus look like? How can we build a campus community that is truly welcoming? Meet us at 12:00 PM in the Paley Library Lecture Hall (1210 Polett Walk, Ground Floor) for a conversation with Temple faculty, staff, students, and community leaders about the extent to which Temple is a welcoming place for international students, immigrants, and students and staff of all backgrounds.

This program takes place during the Welcoming America organization’s Welcoming Week. This annual series of events brings together immigrants, refugees, and native-born residents to raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone.

All programs are free and open to all, and make sure to check out our program schedule for updates and new programs as we move into fall.

Congratulations to the 2016-2017 Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award Winners

From left to right: Andrew Bertolazzi, Hasan Zaidi, Lauren Ruhnke, Jason Fontana, Monsurat Otolorin, David Spatichia, Rhiannon Bell; photo courtesy Brae Howard

Temple University Libraries congratulate the winners of the 2016-2017 Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards, which honor the best in undergraduate research across a wide spectrum of disciplines and research methods. The Awards are named for generous donor John H. Livingstone, SBM ‘49, who has supported undergraduate research for more than a decade.

The initiative, formerly known as the Library Prize for Undergraduate Research, began thirteen years ago and was expanded, reshaped, and renamed last year, to recognize a greater cross-section of the outstanding scholarly and creative work of our undergraduate students.

We celebrated the winners at an awards ceremony on April 25. Read on for the list of winners, along with their project titles and sponsoring professors. You can also watch the ceremony here.


Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award in the Humanities
Lauren Ruhnke
“Constructing Native Homosexuality in British India”
Faculty advisor: Mark Pollack

Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award in the Social Sciences
Jason Fontana
“The Immigrant Parent Disadvantage: Parent Linguistic Capital and Student School Performance”
Faculty advisor: Shanyang Zhao

Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematical (STEM) Disciplines
Hasan Zaidi
“Using Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Mechanisms to Improve Eye Moisture Over Extended Periods of Contact Lens Wear”
Faculty advisor: Joseph Danowsky

Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award in Creative Works and Media Production
Rhiannon Bell
“Retrospective Falsification – Run Away to Sweden”
Faculty advisor: Leah Modigliani

Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award for General Education Courses
Monsurat Otolorin and David Spatichia
“K-pop Subculture International Impact”
Faculty advisor: Rupananda Misra

Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award in Sustainability and the Environment
Andrew Bertolazzi
“Decentralized Methods of Water Treatment for Reuse of Residential Gray Water”
Faculty advisor: Joseph Danowsky


Photo courtesy Brae Howard

The Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards are generously sponsored by John H. Livingstone, SBM ‘49.

The Award in Sustainability and the Environment is generously sponsored by Gale, a Cengage Company.

Spring Semester Public Programming at the Libraries

spring_headerJoin us this semester for our Beyond the Page public programming series, as we continue to explore Seeing Stories: Visualizing Sustainable Citizenship. This series is co-curated by Temple Contemporary, Temple University’s Office of Sustainability, and Temple University Libraries, along with faculty and graduate students from the Tyler School of Art, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Center for the Cinematic and Performing Arts, and engages tangible, aesthetic, design, and activist practices that impact our environment.

Screenshot from Weedeater documentary, photo courtesy Eden Batki.

Screenshot from Weedeater documentary, photo courtesy Eden Batki.

Our first program in the series is a documentary screening of Weedeater, followed by a Q&A with director Eden Batki and the film’s subject, Nance Klehm. This program will take place Thursday, January 26 at 2:30 PM in the Paley Library Lecture Hall.

Other upcoming Seeing Stories programs include a discussion and workshop with the Land Art Generator Initiative (February 3-4); a panel discussion about sustaining creative energy with writer Hrag Vartanian, artist Sharon Louden, and curator Deana Haggag (March 3); and a conversation with landscape architect Kate Kennen (March 23). Visit our Beyond the Page website for the most up-to-date information.

María Mercedes Coroy (c), María Telón (l) in Ixcanul

María Mercedes Coroy (c), María Telón (l) in Ixcanul

We’re also continuing to collaborate with academic, community, and artistic partners to bring you a variety of other lectures, panels, exhibitions, concerts, and events to inspire and engage you. On Wednesday, February 1, we are partnering with the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Geography and Urban Studies Graduate Student Association to present Ixcanul, a Guatemalan film by Jayro Bustamante (2015). Please join us at 5:00 PM in the Paley Library Lecture Hall for this free screening.

All programs are free and open to all. Check out the program schedule as it becomes available and make sure to check back for updates and new programs as we move into spring.

Boyer Students Perform Music of the Great Migration

BTP_logo_blackOn Wednesday, November 30, Boyer College of Music and Dance students will present The Music of the Great Migration: A Student Performance. The program, produced as well as performed by students, is the result of their semester-long research of the culture, music, and history of this time period. This performance marks the culmination of their hard work, creativity, and talent and will begin at 12:00 PM in the Ground Floor Lecture Hall at Paley Library.

The Music of the Great Migration: A Student Performance features musical performances by: Noah Hockner-trumpet, Silas Irvine-piano, Josh Lee-Bari sax, Chris Lewis-tenor sax, Chris Oatts-alto sax, Nathan Pence-bass, and Donavan Pope-drums.

This performance is the final event in Temple University Libraries’ programming series The Music of the Great Migration, marking the 100th anniversary of the historic and culturally important movement of 6 million African Americans to the urban Northeast, Midwest, and West. This series featured musical performances, exhibitions, and film screenings, and encouraged students, faculty, and community members to enjoy the music of the Great Migration and participate in dialogues about the notable figures and history behind the music.

 

Here’s a look back at our semester of programming:

Coltrane Festival at the Bell Tower, photo courtesy of Ryan S. Brandenberg

Coltrane Festival at the Bell Tower, photo courtesy of Ryan S. Brandenberg

The Music of the Great Migration kicked off during Homecoming with the Coltrane Festival at the Bell Tower. Crowds gathered to enjoy the warm weather and the music of Philadelphia Jazz great John Coltrane as performed by the Chris Lewis Group, Bootsie Barnes Group, Tim Warfield Group, and Ben Schachter Group.

Coltrane Festival at the Bell Tower, photo courtesy of Ryan S. Brandenberg

Coltrane Festival at the Bell Tower, photo courtesy of Ryan S. Brandenberg

What Coltrane Means to Me panel discussion, photo courtesy Brae Howard

What Coltrane Means to Me panel discussion, photo courtesy Brae Howard

What Coltrane Means to Me: Musicians Discuss the Influence and Impact of the Jazz Great provided another opportunity to learn about John Coltrane and his continuing presence in Jazz music. Jazz musicians and critics shared their personal experiences with Coltrane’s innovative music and the impact it has had on their own work. The discussion was preceded by a Meet and Greet at the Blockson Collection.

What Coltrane Means to Me meet and greet at the Blockson Collection, photo courtesy Brae Howard

What Coltrane Means to Me meet and greet at the Blockson Collection, photo courtesy Brae Howard

 

While The Music of the Great Migration: A Student Performance is the final event in the programming series, there are still opportunities for you to explore the legacy of John Coltrane and the Great Migration. The Blockson Collection is currently exhibiting A Love Supreme, a collection of album covers, photographs, posters, and other heirlooms related to John Coltrane which will be on display through December. Also at the Blockson Collection is Lord I’m Moving On: Celebrating the Great Migration. This exhibition runs through January and tells the story of the Great Migration, with a special emphasis on Philadelphia. We encourage you to stop by the Blockson Collection to check out these exhibitions before the student performance.

The Music of the Great Migration is presented in collaboration with: the Philadelphia Jazz Project, Ars Nova Workshop, Boyer College of Music and Dance, and Scribe Video Center, with a special thanks to Terell Stafford, director of jazz studies and chair of instrumental studies at Boyer.

Upcoming Public Programs Center on Food, Social Justice, and Activism

BTP_logo_blackJoin us as we continue our Beyond the Page public programming series this fall. We look forward to presenting two upcoming programs that center around essential questions related to food, social justice, and activism. These programs explore food through social and cultural perspectives, including race and sexual politics. We hope to see you at the Paley Library Lecture Hall (1210 Polett Walk, Ground Floor) for:

  • Carol J. Adams on the Sexual Politics of Meat
    November 3
    The following week, Carol J. Adams, feminist, activist, and writer, comes to the Libraries on Thursday, November 3 at 2:30 PM. She will present a slideshow in which she analyzes images in popular culture through an ecofeminist approach, demonstrating the interconnected oppressions of sexism, racism, and speciesism.

Both of these programs are part of Seeing Stories: Visualizing Sustainable Citizenship, a series co-curated by Temple Contemporary and Temple University’s Office of Sustainability, along with faculty and graduate students from the Tyler School of Art, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Center for the Cinematic and Performing Arts.

Check out our full schedule of lectures, concerts, exhibits, panels, and more. As always, programs are free and open to all.