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Inside Spencer: The KSRL Blog

Books on a shelf

Welcome to the Kenneth Spencer Research Library blog! As the special collections and archives library at the University of Kansas, Spencer is home to remarkable and diverse collections of rare and unique items. Explore the blog to learn about the work we do and the materials we collect.

Creepy, Curious, and Cursed Collections at Spencer Research Library

October 30th, 2023

Happy Halloween all you screechers, screamers, and hollerers! We’ve also been celebrating over here at Kenneth Spencer Research Library in the best we know how: combing the KU Libraries online catalog and finding what cursed history we can find. We asked our student workers to recommend their picks for items that best represent the spirit of Halloween. They went beyond the safety of the Reading Room and braved the stacks to bring us these unsettling tomes and relics, but not everything is what it seems. Here are a few of our favorites!

Our very first recommendation comes from the Centron Corporation, a film production company founded right here in Lawrence, Kansas. Perhaps best known for their work in educational films, the company also had a hand in the cult classic horror film Carnival of Souls. Elly Masteller found this lovely portrait in the Centron Corporation records collection. This cheerful gentleman was used in a film to help encourage literacy and creative writing among children. Remember kids, he can’t get you if your nose is in a book!

Color photograph a smiling clown who is holding a large lollipop.
Production still of a clown from Reaching Your Reader, undated [circa 1985]. Centron Corporation Records. Call Number: RH MS Q514. Click image to enlarge.

Kathryn Sauder sent in our next recommendation, another artifact, but this time from the Thomas Woodson Poor papers. Poor was an Olympic high jumper who competed for the University of Kansas from 1921 to 1925 and placed fourth in the high jump at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Poor is also known for his lifelong crusade in helping children receive the polio vaccine after the tragic death of his daughter, Melinda Sue, from polio. One of the toys he used to do so was this monkey puppet, and while the puppet may look demonic, it helped save lives! Absolutely heartwarming, not chilling, but perhaps maybe do not look into its eyes for too long.

Photograph of a brown monkey with his hands in the air.
Monkey puppet, undated [circa 1955-1956]. Thomas Woodson Poor Papers. Call Number: RH MS 1568. Click image to enlarge.

Literary giant Samuel Taylor Coleridge brings us our next spooky item, recommended by Nile Russo: a copy of The Devil’s Walk, or alternatively titled The Devil’s Thoughts. The Devil cuts a dapper shape as he gets himself dressed in his Sunday’s best for a walk around the town. In this poem, the Devil offers commentary about passersby, questioning perhaps if mankind might be the scariest creature of all.

Black-and-white sketch of a demon cutting the devil's hair while he reads the newspaper in front of a mirror.
The illustration accompanying the title page of The Devil’s Walk: A Poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, 1830. Call Number: B4254. Click image to enlarge.

Molly Leonard recommended perhaps the most soul-wrenching item among our recommendations this year: a copy of Historie des diables de Loudun. This is a book about the Loudun possessions, a piece of history about an Ursuline convent being taken over by unusual behavior and visions attributed to demonic possession. In the end, through the intervention of Cardinal Richelieu, a local priest and decrier of Richelieu’s policies named Urbain Grandier was tried and executed for witchcraft in connection with the possessions. Again, and we can’t reiterate this enough, mankind might just be the scariest monster of all.

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Title page of Histoire des diables de Loudun, 1716. Call Number: B12841. Click image to enlarge.

And finally, Ian Strasma reminds us that Halloween isn’t only about creepy clowns, puppets and possessions, and dashingly dressed demons with this recommendation: a black cat found lurking in the Ronald Johnson collection (literary estate papers). The cat may be cute, but be careful that you do not cross him!

Polaroid pictures of a black cat doing various things.
“Cat photos,” undated [but timeless]. Ronald Johnson Collection (Literary Estate Papers). Call Number: MS 336. Click image to enlarge.

Best of luck out there as you begin finishing up semester and don’t be afraid to check out the many – completely safe, we promise – collections here at Kenneth Spencer Research Library!

Charissa Pincock
Processing Archivist

That’s Distinctive!: Samhain

October 27th, 2023

Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created the series because I genuinely believe there is something in our collections for everyone, whether you’re writing a paper or just want to have a look. “That’s Distinctive!” will provide a more lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique materials at Spencer – including items that many people may not realize the library holds. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

To continue our spooky journey through Spencer’s collections, this week I share Samhain or “All Hallowe’en.”: A Romantic Irish Cantata. As noted in the Concise Oxford Companion to Irish Literature, “Samhain had an important place in Celtic mythology as a time when the normal order is suspended to allow free passage between the natural and supernatural worlds.” As defined by Merriam-Webster, a cantata is “a composition for one or more voices usually comprising solos, duets, recitatives, and choruses and sung to an instrumental accompaniment.” This particular cantata was written and composed in 1902 expressly for the Dublin Musical Festival, or Feis Ceoil. Established in 1897, “Feis Ceoil Association promotes excellence in the learning and performance of music across all ages, levels and disciplines…Today, Feis Ceoil is an event of major significance in the development of musical talent in Ireland.” The festival now comprises 180 competitions with a diverse range of ages from seven years old and up.

Dr. Annie Patterson (1868-1934), who wrote the cantata, “composed sacred and secular cantatas, orchestral works and songs based on Irish themes. She also wrote poetry, essays, short stories as well as professional articles and books on music.” Working with Rev. Houston Collisson – the cantata’s composer – and others, Patterson co-founded the Feis Ceoil in 1897 as part of the broader Gaelic revival in Ireland.

No matter what you believe or how you celebrate, I wish everyone a safe and very happy Halloween! Next week we will share one last item in the spirit of October before returning to regular postings.

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The front cover and first two pages of Samhain or “All Hallowe’en.”: A Romantic Irish Cantata, 1902. Call Number: O’Hegarty D613. Click images to enlarge.

Tiffany McIntosh
Public Services

That’s Distinctive!: Gremlins, Hobgoblins, and Scamps

October 20th, 2023

Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created the series because I genuinely believe there is something in our collections for everyone, whether you’re writing a paper or just want to have a look. “That’s Distinctive!” will provide a more lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique materials at Spencer – including items that many people may not realize the library holds. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

Rolling on with our spooky theme for October, this week I share Imps, Demons, Hobgoblins, Witches, Fairies & Elves by Leonard Baskin. Baskin (1922-2000) is best known for his illustrations, graphic arts, and sculptures. The website of Seattle’s Davidson Galleries notes that he was “committed to figurative art in a time when the art world focused on abstract expressionism. His work emphasized portraiture and the human condition, often malformed, exaggerated, and animal-like.” A biography on the website of the Smithsonian American Art Museum states that “Baskin’s work is represented in the collections of major museums in the United States and Europe, including the National Gallery of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. His graphic art and sculpture have been shown in exhibitions in the United States, England, France, and Austria. He is also the recipient of numerous graphic-design awards, including the Special Medal of Merit from the American Institute of Graphic Arts.” Other works illustrated by Baskin include Hosie’s Alphabet, Gods and Heroes of the Greeks: The Library of Apollodorus, and Under the North Star. More on Leonard Baskin can be found on Wikipedia.

The book highlighted in today’s post was published in 1984 and shares illustrations portraying various creatures from other works and Baskin’s own imagination. This volume was one of over 150 Leonard Baskin-related items donated by collector John C. English, Professor Emeritus of History and Political Science at Baker University. Prof. English’s gift of his Baskin Collection included twenty-two volumes published by Baskin’s Gehenna Press, as well as fine press and commercial books containing work by Baskin, exhibition catalogues, and ephemera. Below we share images of a Gremlin, Bloody Bones, and the Imp of the Perverse.

Title and author's name in white text against a dark gray and black background. There is also a watercolor headshot of witch with a red hat, the top of which is a half moon with a face.
The front cover of Imps, Demons, Hobgoblins, Witches, Fairies & Elves by Leonard Baskin, 1984. The inside cover asks “have you ever seen a Gremlin or an Imp? Do you wonder that the Tooth Fairy really looks like?…Leonard Baskin intrigues, scares, tickles, edifies, and delights in the pages of this spirited book.” Call Number: Children C802. Click image to enlarge.
Small oval with a black background and colorful gremlin. The text reads "a gremlin is a tiny imp whose only purpose is to cause mischief."
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This image has text. Illustration of a large monster with a pointed nose and sharp teeth, covered in red fur or hair.
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This image has text. Illustration of a crouched green creature with a pointed head and nose, long thin tail, and sharp talons.
Illustrations and descriptions of a Gremlin (top), Bloody Bones (middle), and the Imp of the Perverse (bottom) in Imps, Demons, Hobgoblins, Witches, Fairies & Elves. Call Number: Children C802. Click images to enlarge.

Tiffany McIntosh
Public Services

Spencer’s Fang-tastic September-October Exhibit

October 11th, 2023

Stoker-ed about Halloween? Count get enough spooky stories? Excited to sink your teeth into this year’s Booktoberfest Community Read at Lawrence Public Library?

But of corpse!

Stop by and check out Spencer’s current short-term exhibit (ahem, exhi-bite) featuring a selection of materials by Bram Stoker, special editions of his novel Dracula, and copies of other early vampire stories. Highlights include:

  • the first installment of The Primrose Path, Stoker’s first novel that was initially published as a serial in 1875;
  • a handwritten draft of an unpublished article written and signed by Bram Stoker in 1887;
  • an early edition of the first fully realized vampire story in English; and
  • a copy of Dracula printed for servicemembers during World War II.
This image has text. Close-up view of items in an exhibit case.
An Armed Services Edition of Dracula, undated [circa 1945]. Call Number: AK178. Click image to enlarge.
Exhibit case with items and labels.
Bram Stoker materials on display. Click image to enlarge.

We hope to see you if you’re in our neck of the woods! The display is free and open to the public in Spencer’s North Gallery until October 31. Be sure to also download, print, and enjoy Spencer’s Halloween-inspired coloring pages and Frankenstein-themed MadLibs.

Caitlin Klepper
Head of Public Services

Fall Exhibit 2023: To the Great Variety of Readers: Celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio

September 28th, 2023

Spencer’s current exhibit is free and open to the public in the Exhibit Space through December 22nd. An online version of the exhibit is also available.

I’ve had the joy of working very closely with David Bergeron, Emeritus Professor of English, for several months as we prepare To the Great Variety of Readers: Celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the first exhibit piloting the David M. Bergeron and Geraldo Sousa Exhibit initiative.

Two people standing near the Shakespeare First Folio title graphic.
Beth M. Whittaker and David M. Bergeron. Click image to enlarge.

David and I had already been in conversation about exhibits as he and Geraldo developed their generous gift to support faculty research grounded in our collections. This project is very exciting to me, because I believe that exhibits are one of the best ways we can tell the stories of why libraries like this are important for a research university. We had bold ambitions to launch a call for proposals and a timeline, and then, as things happen, we encountered staff departures and a dean departure and all manner of other “reasons” progress was not made.

Luckily for all of us, David is a patient man. He approached me one morning and asked if the library had considered that this fall marked the 400th anniversary of the Shakespeare first folio. To be honest, I was unaware. We were still figuring out when we would have large scale exhibits, coming back from lockdown. The only fixed point on our exhibit schedule at that point was Fall of 2024, when we planned around the exciting centennial of the OTHER gorgeous library on campus, Watson. With David’s inspiration, we had the opportunity not only to work on an exhibit about this important milestone anniversary, but to test-drive collaborative exhibit processes prior to our launch of this program.

A book open to its title page; the facing page shows a black-and-white illustration of a bust framed by an elaborate border.
One of the items in the exhibit: Fifty Comedies and Tragedies by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, 1679. Click image to enlarge.

It has been a long time since I worked on a large-scale exhibit in Spencer’s exhibit space: 2018 to be exact, the magnificently fun 50 for 50. In the meantime, my colleagues have done a tremendous job of improving our exhibit processes. For those who don’t know, exhibit design is not as easy as picking which of our marvelous collections to put in a case. That’s the fun part. But it’s not all glamour, and I’d be happy to talk with anyone who wants to nerd out about digital file naming conventions and permissions to use images from other libraries and the perfect balance between font size for readability and size in the cases.

David and Geraldo’s gift is designed to encourage KU faculty to research in, and create exhibits from, the collections at Spencer Library. David isn’t the typical KU faculty member. For one thing, he’s a prolific author who uses our collections, and those of similar libraries, intensively in his research. For another, he’s continued this level of scholarly productivity into his retirement. So he has a lot of great ideas, and a lot of time on his hands, which is an exciting and terrifying combination. As I laid out the basic timeline of exhibit preparation from our end, he did not bat an eye.

Three exhibit cases interspersed with two cocktail tables, with the exhibit title graphic in the background.
A view of the exhibit To the Great Variety of Readers, with tables set up for the opening reception. Click image to enlarge.

We met roughly every other week to talk about the exhibit. He came up with a list of items very quickly, and not surprisingly, we couldn’t include it all. Spencer holds copies of thousands of significant literary works, but despite what you may hear from student guides on campus, KU Libraries does NOT hold a complete copy of the First Folio. While our friends at the Folger Shakespeare Library were open to lending us one of their many copies, they are closed for renovation.

But David has been gracious about our limitations, and very patient with me as I encouraged him to keep a lay reader in mind. We believe Shakespeare should be accessible to everyone, and so should Spencer Library’s exhibits.

Three people looking down at items in an exhibit case.
Visitors exploring the exhibit during the opening reception. Click image to enlarge.
A man standing and speaking before a large seated audience.
David M. Bergeron providing remarks at the exhibit opening reception in Spencer’s North Gallery. Click image to enlarge.

We also had fun planning an event, complete with the excuse I never knew I wanted to order cardboard Shakespeare standees. And finally, stay tuned as we develop more collaborative exhibits with KU faculty. The lessons we learned working with David on this project will make future exhibits easier for the recipients of David and Geraldo’s generosity.

Two men standing next to a cardboard standee of Shakespeare.
David M. Bergeron (center) and Geraldo Sousa (right) with William Shakespeare (left). Click image to enlarge.
A woman tanding next to a cardboard standee of Shakespeare.
Dean of KU Libraries Carol Smith with Shakespeare. Click image to enlarge.

Beth M. Whittaker
Associate Dean for Distinctive Collections
Director of Spencer Research Library