USC Libraries

In September 2011, the USC Libraries hosted To Stay or Not to Stay?, the fifth biennial conference of the International Feuchtwanger Society (IFS). The three-day gathering explored one of the key decisions faced by German-speaking exiles in Los Angeles: whether to remain in Southern California or return to Europe. Now, the proceedings have been published in book form. Edited by IFS president Ian Wallace, the book includes contributions by two USC librarians. Marje Schuetze-Coburn, senior associate dean of the USC Libraries and Feuchtwanger Librarian, wrote "Lion Feuchtwanger in Los Angeles," and Exile Studies Librarian Michaela Ullmann contributed "Literary Agent, Advisor, Entrepreneur: Felix Guggenheim’s Life and Business on Two Continents."

USC Libraries Vice Dean Martín Gómez was recently featured on Zócalo Public Square, an online forum that invites influential figures to provide their views on a broad range of ideas. With Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa leaving office this summer, the website asked Gómez and other contributors, "what would your ideal mayor say to Los Angeles?". In his response—written in the form of a public address—Gómez's hypothetical mayor announces that "we can turn Los Angeles into the model city for the next century." 

In its April 1 issue, th USC Chronicle featured a USC Neighorhood Outreach-funded project founded by the USC Libraries' Zahid Rafique. As Andrew Good writes for the Chronicle, Rafique's troybots program teaches robotics to students at USC's neighoring elementary schools. Find the story on page 2 of the Chronicle, or read it online on the USC News website.

In an article in this week's USC Chronicle, Allison Engel profiles University Archivist Claude Zachary. “I enjoy doing the research and working with our patrons,” he tells her. “I get to learn new facts and new faces from USC’s rich history almost every day.” Find the story on page five of the April 1, 2013, issue, or read it online at the USC News website.

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has chosen the USC Libraries' Chimene Tucker and Melanee Vicedo as fellows in its 2013–2014 Leadership and Career Development Program. Keep reading to learn more about Tucker's and Vicedo's fellowship, which the USC Chornicle recently featured the news in its Family Matters section.

The From the Archives series on KCET's Artbound website continues with a look at more architectural drawings from the archival collections of USC's Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library. In her latest contribution, librarian Ruth Wallach places selected drawings on a continuum from initial sketches to finished pieces prepared for clients' eyes, analyzing what the drawings say about their creators' work, their clients' preferences, and the architectural style—California Modern—they depict. The series' first installment, which Wallach also wrote, highlighted drawings of ranch houses.

A special evening of programming at Villa Aurora on Thursday, October 25 commemorates Marta Feuchtwanger—an important figure within Los Angeles' German exile community and the wife of novelist Lion Feuchtwanger—on the 25th anniversary of her death. Keep reading to learn more about Celebrating Marta Feuchtwanger: An Extraordinary Woman, which features a talk by USC Libraries Senior Associate Dean and Feuchtwanger Librarian Marje Schuetze-Coburn.

KCET's Artbound website debuted its From the Archives series today with a look inside the archival collections of USC's Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library. In the new series' first installment, librarian Ruth Wallach—head of the Architecture and Fine Arts Library—examines the ranch house architectural style and its place in Southern California history through watercolor drawings from the USC Libraries' archival collections.

The USC Graduate School recently honored the USC Libraries' Avril Cunningham for her expertise in library instruction with a professional development award. The award recognized Cunningham's contributions to the USC Doctoral Student Summer Institute, which supports doctoral students with their ongoing dissertation research, scholarly pursuits, and academic professional development. Keep reading to learn more about Cunningham and the USC Libraries' instructional services.

The USC Libraries' Anthony Anderson was recently elected vice president/president-elect of the American Library Association's Video Round Table. Anderson, who serves as assistant director of Doheny Library, oversees the USC Libraries' collection of DVDs available for check-out from Leavey Library.