Magazines and Journals Reflect and Promote Change

Norberto Angeletti and Alberto Oliva argue this in their Magazines that Make History: Their Origins, Development, and Influence (University of Florida Press, 2004) Lockwood Book Collection PN4832.A54 2004. This lavishly illustrated and remarkably intelligent book covers Time, Der Spiegel, Life, Paris Match, National Geographic, Reader’s Digest, iHola!, and People. The unique contributions of each title – its place in history and its history -- are noted, along with its distinguishing typographical and aesthetic style. The power of chance, the opportunity of the market, and the personalities of editors are explored. Who was on the cover of Time in 1938? And what was the controversy? How many times did Marilyn Monroe’s unforgettable face and form grace the cover of Life? And what things – style, format, and attitude -- have made Reader’s Digest so popular across the years? The answers are in this book, which is definitely not designed for the coffee table, although it might do well there.

What these authors do for popular titles library historian Margaret F. Stieg does for historical journals in her 1986 The Origin and Development of Scholarly Historical Journals (University of Alabama Press) Lockwood Book Collection D13.S835 1986. Among the titles discussed are the Mississippi Valley Historical Review (now the Journal of American History) and the Journal of Southern History. Separate chapters discuss the spread of scholarly journals, geographical specialization, topical specialization, interdisciplinary historical periodicals. and political influences. Much attention is devoted to European journals. If you’re interested in the history of scholarly communication, you’ll find this title interesting.

For a history of American periodicals see Frank Mott’s A History of American Magazines, 1741-1930 (Harvard University Press, 1938-1968), Lockwood Reference Collection PN4877.M63. This title is so critical that it is also available in digital form, consult the catalog. For an amazing and suggestive taste of our periodical past (to 1900) visit the American Periodicals Series Online, http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/aps.html.

For a quick scan of the diversity of current journals (as well as magazines) see the annotated Magazines for Libraries: For the General Reader and School, Junior College, College, University and Public Libraries, 10th edition (Bowker, 2000) Lockwood Reference Collection Z6941.K2 2000. To identify the historical journals we hold in paper format do the subject search history—periodicals. To identify the history journals we have in electronic form go to Electronic Journal Holdings -- http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/ft.html- and select Browse by Subject Headings, then select Humanities and Reference, and proceed appropriately. To scan a wider universe of currently published titles, not restricted by what we own, go to Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory -- http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/ulrichs.html -- select Browse, then Subject, and then History (note there are many subject headings for History). Unfortunately, none of these apporaches is 100% irreproachable.

Wondering how to identify serials (which include magazines, journals, and newpapers) no longer published? We'll consider this in another post. If you've ever spent a sigificant period of time working with serials I'm sure you'll agree that they and the work can sometimes become a little surreal. Ask a serials cataloger for comment.

If you need an article in a journal we do not own, do not despair, there are options. One of the most common is interlibrary loan. It’s fast and free and you can submit a request electronically and receive the requested item electronically as well. Go to http://ulilliad.lib.buffalo.edu/illiad/.

What do you like to eat? Or, do you know where your next meal is coming from?

Interested in the history of food? Well, if you’re not interested in what you eat, what I can say! You’re missing something. For some of us – anyway – food origins are almost as exciting as taste (palate) and taste (culture). Are the two meanings really the same? What’s your taste?

There are wonderful Web sites to begin some preliminary culinary archaeology – and there are now some major topical encyclopedias as well. First the Web sites: A nice way to begin is by visiting The Food Timeline, http://www.foodtimeline.org/. Which explanation seems most reasonable to you for the origin of the brownie? Even if you’re not a teacher, be sure to also visit The Food Timeline’s Resources for Food History Lessons, http://www.foodtimeline.org/food2.html. When was Mr. Potato Head born? I had one, I remember him fondly. About.Com generally offers interesting and reliable information and the Food History offering is no exception, http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpotatochip.htm. See also the offering of the International Guild of Hospitality and Restaurant Managers, it will guide you to a variety of exhibits as well as informational pieces, http://www.hospitalityguild.com/History/history_of_food10.htm#Diners%20Club.
Some foods would just not be the same without -- arguably -- America’s favorite condiment . . . but where did ketchup come from? Incidentally, participate in some regional food history (is this stuff really food?) by visiting the Jello Museum and Gallery in beautiful Le Roy (an easy drive from Buffalo and an even easier click). Jello’s popularity is a tribute to tenacity and marketing know how – if you can’t image what I mean, be sure to visit http://www.jellomuseum.com/. If you’d like to keep up with food history and would appreciate a little guidance as you explore the topic, you’ll like Food History News, http://www.foodhistorynews.com/index.html.

Well worth the time are visits to three sources: The Oxford Companion to Food (Oxford, 1999), Lockwood and UGL Reference Tx349.D38.1999; Encyclopedia of Food and Culture (Scribner, 2003), Lockwood Reference GT2850.E53.2003; and Nectar and Ambrosia: An Encyclopedia of Food in World Mythology (ABC-CLIO, 2000), Lockwood Reference GR498.A53.2000. Right on target is the marvelous and delectable Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America (Oxford, 2004), UGL Reference TX349.E45.2004. Some of these sources are available online, check the catalog for availability. To search thousands of encyclopedias and other reference sources that contain entries on food use Reference Universe, http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/refuniverse.html. Sometimes using this source can produce something akin to a revelation. You'd never think of looking in some of the places in which this tool uncovers value.

To search for books on American food history a good basic search in keyword mode is food.su. and history.su. and United States.su. Take a look at the subject headings of the books retrieved and you'll get ideas for subject heading searches. The basic subject heading search is simple, food--history.

Finally, to find articles on American food history use America: History and Life (American and Canadian history), http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/am_history_life.html. Typing the given term in the designated Subject field retrieves the indicated number of citations: food (1,427), drink (13), restaurant (19), beer (47), coffee (59), tea (46), soft drink (13), nutrition (164), and food consumption (for diet, 359).

Bon appetit! We cancelled the magazine -- sorry -- 1974-1998, Lockwood Periodical Collection TX633.B65. But I hear Julia Child uttering the phrase, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?node=entertainment/profile&id=1069033&p=print and visit the Smithsonian exhibit on Julia Child it describes, http://americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/. Want something simpler? How about a Buffalo Wing (a chicken wing to the uninformed)? Buffalo's Anchor Bar (Main Street) claims the honor, http://www.anchorbar.com/origins.asp.

A Wonderful FREE Service and a Tremendous Marketing Ploy: In the First Person: An Index to Letters, Dairies, Oral Histories and Personal Narratives

You're only a click away from access with this index -- providing you're not clicking for something to which access is by subscription (and your institution hasn't subscribed). This is a wonderful public service (available at http://www.alexanderstreet6.com/firp//) – and a very good marketing device. Much of the material indexed is from Alexander Street Press collections and to use it the collections must be owned; but there's a wealth of material that is freely available! And that's why researchers will use it and welcome it. Of course, it will also become a comprehensive index to the holdings of this publisher. Good thinking Alexander Street Press --- because what's found may be bought -- http://www.alexanderstreetpress.com/.

Coverage spans the globe and extends across 400 years. It indexes English-language personal narratives, including letters, diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, and oral histories -- as noted, much in collections owned by Alexander Street and a lot in collections that are not. It currently allows for keyword searching of more than 260,000 pages of full-text by more than 9,000 individuals. And it identifies at least 2,500 audio and video files and 16,000 bibliographic records – and it will continue to grow regularly and aggressively. For freely available material, archives, repositories, publishers, and individuals have been queried to identify first person narratives from hundreds of published volumes. These are publicly available on the Web or are held by repositories and archives around the world. Obviously, NOT to be relied on solely. For instance, remember to always search WorldCat, http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/worldcat.html and ArchivesUSA, http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/archivesusa.html.

One may search for interviews by a diverse set of variables using a “guide” query screen (among search options are age range at time of interview, years discussed, and place of interview and terms indexed under each heading may be browsed), by repository, by collection, by interviews (sort by full text, with audio, with video), interview date (by decades or years), place (includes places discussed and place of birth) historical events, and all subjects. Entries are often extensively annotated. Access will be provided to the "voices of more than 300,000 individuals."

United States History on the Web and in the Library: Comments and Conversations on Resources, Search Strategies, and More

A service for the faculty and students of the State University of New York at Buffalo and beyond.

This note will be sent to appropriate groups of faculty and students at the University at Buffalo.

Since 8 June 2005 I have published a blog designed to interest and serve scholars and students of American history. It’s evolving, but it has reached a point where I’d like to share it with you and encourage you to visit it regularly. Before going public, I wanted to have a sufficient number of posts to give an idea of what future posts will be like, so please explore the archive for June. Select it by clicking the link on the bottom right. Until this point, I have announced this blog only on the list I edit for H-Net, H-HistBibl. United States History on the Web and in the Library is designed for quick and easy consultation and will be added to several times over the course of a week. Please do me one favor; however, when viewing the blog select a text viewing size that results in two columns.

This blog will be comprised largely of short, readable, hyperlinked posts that introduce electronic as well as print resources and search strategies, highlight resources on topics of interest to me and – and based on my reading of department interests – of interest to UB’s history department community. I will also comment on resources that complement specific courses and assignments and I will solicit input on a variety of local concerns, from your evaluative comments on electronic resources we’ll try on trial, to whether to offer specific workshops or create course- or topic-specific guides to library and Web materials. If I am successful, the blog will take on the character of an interactive magazine. This is because the blog format allows readers to comment easily on each post. I’ll reserve the option of excluding comments that lack concision or relevancy. Each month’s postings will be archived and, over the course of the academic year, may be “re-posted” or referred to as appropriate.

I think the blog format offers distinct advantages over either a printed or Web-resident newsletter, listserv post, or library guide. These formats are useful, but – for various reasons – lack the immediacy and spontaneity of the blog format. Both authors and readers, creators and users, are better served by this format. The platform on which this blog is built allows for attractive presentation and the display of images, film and audio clips, and – of course – easy hyperlinking to discussed resources. Further, the typographic display of information is attractive and will become even more so over time. Finally, this is a very unobtrusive way of communicating with you, it’s very efficient for me, and – because the blog will be archived monthly – useful posts can be referred to any time you need them.

On the far right, you’ll find a convenient list of classified hyperlinks to Web resources useful for exploring, studying and teaching American history.

If you have suggestions or special requests – things you’d like me to comment on -- please let me know by responding to this post or sending me an e-mail. Please spread the word to friends, students, and colleagues. Once the academic year begins, there will be an advertising campaign.

Charles D’Aniello
Room 321
Lockwood Memorial Library
Amherst, New York 14260
Office: 716-645-2323, extension 424
Fax: 716-645-3859
E-mail: LCLCHARL@buffalo.edu