Other Faces, Other Lives - Asian Americans in Idaho

Diverse Collections

"Other Faces, Other Lives: Asian Americans in Idaho"
This week’s edition of Diverse Collections features the VHS documentary, “Other Faces, Other Lives: Asian Americans in Idaho.” In this documentary, eight Asian American families (specifically Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino) were interviewed and asked how they or their families came to Idaho. They were also asked about their experiences living... [Read More]

History of Gambling in Idaho

"Poker Club" book
In the Idaho Territory days of the mid-1800s, gambling was prominent in parts of Idaho.1 As the area inched closer to statehood, however, local officials began to crack down. In 1889, the original state constitution was written and ratified. Article III, Section 20 was noticeably vague about the legality of... [Read More]

Pride Month Display

LGBTQ+ Pride display [1]
The Library has a new Special Collections display on the first floor outside the Reading Room! To honor LGBTQ+ Pride Month this June, we’re showcasing some of our archival collections that relate to LGBTQ+ history in Idaho! [Read More]

Idaho Test Oath

Digital Memories

The Idaho Test Oath
Idaho politics during the territorial period were as convoluted and Byzantine as any before or since. Political and regional factionalism pitted the Democrats and the Mormons against the newly emerging Republicans and the Northern secessionists. When the Mormon and Democrat contingent lost control of the territory in 1882, ambitious Republicans... [Read More]

Mortar Board

Diverse Collections

Mortar Board women at table
This week’s edition of Diverse Collections features our collection of Mortar Board Records. Mortar Board, Inc., is a national honor society of college seniors, which recognizes in its membership the qualities of superior scholastic ability, outstanding and continual leadership, and dedicated service to the college or university community. [Read More]

Lily Wai

Wonder Women

Lily Wai [1]
Lily Wai was born in Hangzhou, China on 29 September 1939. In 1946, her parents and three siblings moved to the village of Wu-er in Taiwan. In 1961, Wai moved to Kansas for graduate school and met her husband Chien. They married in Los Angeles in 1965. [Read More]

Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission

Diverse Collections

Columbian River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission letter head
This week’s edition of Diverse Collections features the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Records, 1979-1988 collection. Special Collections houses 4 boxes of meeting minutes, agendas, reports, and supporting documents relating to Native American fisheries, distributed to Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission members and collected by Robert Strom, commission member representing... [Read More]