USC Libraries

A new exhibition of materials from the USC Libraries' Special Collections honors the late Leo Buscaglia, a USC alumnus and professor who earned the nickname "Dr. Love." Keep reading to learn more about the exhibit, on display on the second floor of Doheny Library through the end of June.

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."

From Saturday, May 4, through Tuesday, May 14, several USC Libraries locations will be open for extended hours to serve students studying for their final exams. Leavey Library will remain open for 24 hours, while Doheny Memorial Library and the Science and Engineering Library will be open daily from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. the following morning. After the exam period, several libraries will be open for reduced hours as commencement activities take place. Please check the Library Hours page for the most current information. Click "View Exceptions" for exam period and commencement hours.

In an instant, Doheny Library's Nazarian Pavilion courtyard became the scene today of the first in a series of live, pop-up plays staged by the USC Libraries and USC School of Dramatic Arts Professor Oliver Mayer. Directed by USC School of Dramatic Arts graduate Jonathan Munoz-Proulx, the performance featured USC student actors and captured the essential role of libraries in creative and intellectual discovery. Guest star David Zayas (also known by television viewers as Sgt. Angel Batista) played himself, touting the wealth of resources available at the USC Libraries. "Aren't you on TV," a student actor asked him in the flash play. "Aren't you on Dexter?" Click through for photos from the flash play.

The USC Libraries have begun a collaboration with USC School of Dramatic Arts professor Oliver Mayer to showcase the essential role of libraries in discovery and the creative arts through an upcoming series of flash plays. The original plays—short, one-act pieces written by Dramatic Arts students, faculty, and alumni—will appear spontaneously across campus beginning this spring and continuing throughout the fall 2013 semester. The first flash play in the series, which will be performed at a specific time and location to be announced through Twitter (@USCLibraries) and other social media, will take place near Doheny Memorial Library during the week of April 22. Keep reading to learn more about the flash play series.

The USC Writers Conference returns to Doheny Memorial Library this Thursday and Friday, April 18 and 19. The two-day conference brings together writers, editors, illustrators, and others for an exploration of writing and the creative process. Renowned writing coach Ivory Madison, founder of the Red Room online writers studio, will lead two hands-on instructional sessions. Fees for the conference — hosted by the USC Libraries and the USC Office of Continuing Education and Summer Programs—are $125 for the general public and $75 for USC students, alumni, and Friends of the USC Libraries and include lunch each day. RSVP online, or contact Eileen Kohan at kohan@usc.edu or (213) 740-5679 for more information. Click through for the full conference program.

Students from USC and other participating institutions have submitted 43 entries in the Ninth-Annual Wonderland Award competition. Winners will soon be announced at a reception on Friday, April 5. Join us in the Friends of the USC Libraries Lecture Hall (DML 240) at 5:00 p.m. to browse through the imaginative submissions and congratulate the winners. Keep reading to learn more about the Wonderland Award.

On Friday, March 1, the USC Libraries welcomed a capacity crowd for Just Food and Fair Food: A Multidisciplinary Exploration. Presented by USC Visions and Voices, the event explored issues at the intersection of nutrition, urban policy, and social justice through a panel discussion and also featured a fair-food bazaar. To learn more about the event, check out this companion resource guide with suggestions for further reading and research, prepared by the USC Libraries' Rita Romero, Chimene Tucker, and Sue Tyson. Click through for photos from the event.

The Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly recently highlighted Just Food and Fair Food: A Multidisciplinary Exploration, an event presented by USC Visions and Voices and hosted by the USC Libraries. On Friday, March 1, a panel of writers and experts will discuss issues at the intersection of nutrition, urban policy, and social justice. Following the panel discussion will be a fair-food bazaar. The event is free and open to the public. The USC Libraries' Rita Romero, Chimene Tucker, and Sue Tyson have created a companion resource guide with suggestions for further reading and research.

The story of Hernán Cortés’ 1535 misadventure in Baja California is told in W. Michael Mathes’ The Conquistador in California. The book is one of several on display inside USC’s Doheny Memorial Library as part of an exhibit honoring Mathes, a historian and USC alumnus who died August 13, 2012. Click through to learn more about the Cortés expedition and Mathes' award-winning career.