Exhibition

There is a Special Collections & Archives exhibition located in the display cases on the second floor of Fenwick Library, Wing A. The exhibition is entitled The Yellow Book and the Age of Decadence. The Yellow Book was a magazine, but published in a hard-bound book format. Its signature yellow cover with a black drawing was first created by the English artist, Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898). Beardsley's "sinister" art adorned the cover of the first four numbers and inside pages of the early issues. Although not associated with the magazine afterward, he set its tone. Notable writers that published in The Yellow Book include Max Beerbohn, Henry James, and W.B. Yeats. Even though The Yellow Book only ran for thirteen issues, it had a cultural impact wider than its limited run. The books in the exhibition are from the library of Professor Roger Lathbury who teaches in George Mason University's Department of English. The University Libraries is grateful for his generosity in allowing them to be exhibited.

The exhibit can be viewed via digital format at:
http://www.gmu.edu/library/specialcollections/yellowbook.html


Notable Research

Ourania Karoula, a doctoral candidate from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, began her dissertation research using SC&A's Federal Theatre Project Collection. Karoula will be in the United States for six weeks and plans on conducting most of her research in SC&A. Her focus is on the relationship of art and politics.


Staff Accomplishments

SC&A staff members, Paul Koda, Robert Vay, Anne Hakes, and Veronica Fletcher toured the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections & Archives Library at the University of Virginia. The tour was focused on facilities planning and proper design of a special collections library.


Recent Acquisitions

SC&A recently acquired scrapbooks, diaries, slides, video tapes, and other archival materials from the estate of Edith Ker. Ker was a well-renowned safari photographer, and many of her photographs of Africa and African wildlife have been used in children's books. Her husband, Donald Ker, owned Ker & Downey Safaris in Kenya. She was also president of the Society of Women Geographers. The most recent acquisition will be added to the Ker Collection already in SC&A, consisting of over 10,000 35 mm slides. SC&A is grateful to Jean Moretti, executor of the Ker estate and long time friend of Ms. Ker, who made the acquisition possible.