These Scarlet Raptors nesting dolls are part of the Special Collections at Robeson Library.
After nearly 30 years, Julie Still retired from her role as a history liaison and special collections librarian. Following her retirement, I became the acting Paul Robeson Library liaison for history, world languages, and special collections. I am very excited to take on this role, and I am particularly looking forward to the work ahead in Robeson Special Collections as Rutgers University–Camden celebrates its centennial in 2026. Moreover, as an alum of the undergraduate history program (not quite a century ago!) I have both a personal and professional connection to Rutgers history.
The special collections housed at Robeson Library fall into three broad categories: ephemera and realia from campus history, campus publications, and collections from the Camden and South Jersey communities, including two haiku-related collections (Nick Virgilio Haiku Archive and the Pamela Miller Ness Fine Arts Haiku Collection). Since the campus was founded in 1926, we’ve had a number of student-produced newspapers, literary journals, and pamphlets, and the student newspapers are among my favorite items in the collection. These publications are a great primary source for campus history but also give insight into how the campus community responded to world events, including the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. On a lighter note, I often find myself reading the features sections to see what music and movies were popular with students during a particular era.
Building on Julie’s work, I plan to use my time in this role to promote the collection to Rutgers–Camden and beyond. With that goal in mind, Robeson Library is participating in Archives Month Philly, an annual event showcasing collections from throughout Greater Philadelphia. I saw this as an opportunity to create a small exhibit featuring highlights from the past century to share beyond the Rutgers community.
As part of the Distinctive Collections team, I enjoy our discussions on special collections policy and challenges, as well as the opportunity to promote our collection beyond Rutgers–Camden in the context of One Libraries. I hope to move forward with some of the digitization projects in the works, including making the campus newspaper The Gleaner and our theater bills available online. I also plan to work on collections guidelines for Camden. Of course, I look forward to collaborating with the Research Support Services team, and with my fellow liaisons and Rutgers faculty members in history and world languages.
