Posted on July 4, 2022

On October 11, 1890, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was founded. They had three simple objectives: to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence; to promote institutions for the dispersal of knowledge to the public; and to cherish, maintain,... [Read More]

Posted on May 23, 2022

Stanley Vestal’s Mountain Men (1937) shares the elaborate and romanticized stories of the mountain men era in North America. This time period took place during the 1800s, with its peak occurring between the 1820s and 1840s due to an increase in fur demands. [Read More]

Posted on July 19, 2018

This installment of the University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Cover to Cover blog series features one of the most unique books in our rare books collection: American Woods by Romeyn Beck Hough. This 14 volume set is a collection of more than 1000 paper-thin wood samples representing... [Read More]

Posted on July 3, 2018

Idaho was officially recognized as a state July 3, 1890.University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Cover to Cover celebrates Idaho’s statehood with a look at the 4 volume set History of Idaho: The Gem of the Mountains. [Read More]

Posted on June 7, 2018

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Posted on May 1, 2018

Cover to Cover celebrates Mother Goose Day. According to the Mother Goose Society the fictional character of Mother Goose was first associated with children’s stories in 1697 when Charles Perrault used the phrase in a published collection of eight fairy tales. Although the book was titled, (translated from French) Histories... [Read More]

Posted on March 20, 2018

Happy First Day of Spring! In celebration of the first day of Spring, University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives features the artwork of Mary Vaux Walcott known for her vivid watercolor portrayal of wildflowers. [Read More]

Posted on March 5, 2018

March 4th marked Idaho Day with festivities to honor the day occurring today at the Idaho Statehouse in Boise. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I the theme for the event this year is Idaho Remembers. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives remembers Thomas... [Read More]

Posted on February 14, 2018

Happy Valentine’s Day! University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives celebrates this day by gently thumbing through an 1853 volume of Lord Byron’s Poetic Works. This volume includes a Byron poem which has been called one of the most romantic in the English language: [Read More]

Posted on February 1, 2018

With Valentine’s Day less than two weeks away University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives offers a book which can assist with drafting that perfect missive to your sweetheart. [Read More]

Posted on January 25, 2018

Happy Burns Night! The night of January 25 is celebrated in Scotland and by the Scottish at heart throughout the world to commemorate the life and work of Scotland’s National Poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796). The first Burns supper was in 1801. More than 200 years later, good food and readings... [Read More]

Posted on December 30, 2017

Happy Birthday to author Rudyard Kipling born this day in 1865. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives holds a three volume set of Kipling’s poetry which contain some of his best known works including Gunga Dihn, Mandalay and If. The series is one of a limited edition.The set... [Read More]

Posted on December 22, 2017

Books have long been popular gifts during the holidays. This one, from the mid 1850’s, in the University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, is meant to represent a token of esteem… [Read More]

Posted on December 14, 2017

Today, in 1847, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights and Anne Bronte’s Agnes Grey were published in a 3 volume set under the pen names Ellis and Acton Bell, respectively. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives holds a 12 volume set Novels of the Sisters Bronte which include these classics... [Read More]

Posted on December 8, 2017

What were people reading during the holidays in 1916? University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives thinks The Romance of a Christmas Card, published that year, is one possibility. The copy of this title included in our book collections was written by Katie Douglas Smith Wiggin, educator and author... [Read More]

Posted on November 11, 2017

Cover to Cover commemorates Veterans Day featuring a volume in the Day Northwest collection. [Read More]

Posted on November 1, 2017

Cover to Cover celebrates National Authors Day today remembering English author George Eliot (1819-1880). Born Mary Ann Evans, it is thought Eliot chose to write under a male pen name to ensure her works would be taken seriously and to have her fiction judged separately from her extensive and widely... [Read More]

Posted on October 31, 2017

Cover to Cover celebrates Halloween by featuring the complete collection of the works of Edgar Allan Poe in the University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives. Poe is widely known for such mysterious and dark works as the stories The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The Pit and... [Read More]

Posted on October 20, 2017

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish writer in the Victorian Era of the late 19th century known for such plays as The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband and the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. [Read More]

Posted on October 16, 2017

Today Cover to Cover looks at the Cyclopaedia of Costume or Dictionary of Dress written by James Planché from 1876-1879 and part of the University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives rare book collection. Planché was a playwright but became known as an expert on historical costume after researching... [Read More]

Posted on October 13, 2017

In celebration of October’s designation as National Cookbook Month we are featuring Favorite Recipes of Moscow Ladies published in 1896. The book is part of the Day-Northwest Collection found in the University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives. For Fall, we thought a couple of nice soup recipes would... [Read More]

Posted on September 27, 2017

To commemorate Banned Books Week, University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives features books in our collection which have been banned or challenged. One of the most frequently banned or challenged books in America according to lists maintained by the American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom is Mark... [Read More]

Posted on September 25, 2017

It’s Banned and Challenged Books Week! Cover to Cover looks at titles in our collections which have been banned or challenged. Our Stonewall Collection consists of books proposed for consideration for the American Library Association’s Stonewall Book Awards (including winners and honor books) as representative of the stream of publishing... [Read More]

Posted on September 14, 2017

James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) is perhaps best known for his novel The Last of the Mohicans published in 1826. University of Idaho Library Special Collections has a collection of the complete set of his writings, known as the Author’s autograph edition, containing 33 volumes. It is limited to only 63... [Read More]

Posted on August 15, 2017

Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) was an historical novelist, playwright, poet, and politically active proud son of Scotland. Scott is the author of Rob Roy, Ivanhoe, and Waverly as well as the poem The Lady of the Lake among other literary classics. In an 1832 publication of letters written by Scott... [Read More]

Posted on August 5, 2017

Welcome to a new Special Collections and Archives Tumblr series, Cover to Cover, where occasional posts will highlight rare, interesting or unique books within our collections. In honor of French author’s Guy de Maupassant’s birthday August 5th we feature an original color illustration from the frontispiece, or inside cover, of... [Read More]