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Map of farm centers in the county, from the 1920 annual report of the county agricultural agent.
A Look Back: The Farm Bureau Organization 100 Years Ago
Author: Emily S. Lin


November 20, 2020


“Merced County was what might be termed virgin territory for rural organization work before the farm bureau came into this county,” wrote County Agent J.F. Grass in his November 30, 1920 Narrative Report. But Grass reported that with a few “good men” of experience placed in office who were “willing workers,” and with ongoing attention to “developing individuals” to be “trained to act as leaders,” “the program of work idea is working out satisfactorily in this county.” As of December 1st of that year, the Farm Bureau of Merced County had fifteen farm centers and 1,075 members.

 

Map of farm centers in the county, from the 1920 annual report of the county agricultural agent.

Three years after the start of the county farm bureau, the 1920 annual report strikes a reflective tone, and Grass takes stock of the factors that are important to the progress of work: the importance of “...

Ernest Lowe Photography Collection -- Live on Calisphere
Author: Jerrold Shiroma


November 9, 2020


The UC Merced Library is happy to announce the public launch of the Ernest Lowe Photography Collection. This collection of photographs, which was acquired by the Library with support from the UC Merced Office of the Chancellor, showcases the work done by photographer Ernest Lowe to document the lives and struggles of the farmworking communities in California's Central Valley. 

These photographs date from the late 1960s, which featured a series of flashpoints of labor activism among farmworkers in the Valley. Featured among these photographs are images from the Delano to Sacramento March, organized by the UFW, and where labor activists Cesar Chavez and  Dolores Huerta figured prominently. Too, are images of Bobby Kennedy as he participated in a series of congressional hearings on the rights on farmworkers in Delano, CA.

Alongside these more dramatic scenes are images depicting the familial and community lives of these farmworkers. As viewers, we are drawn into the...

exterior of Lantern building
Pilot Program- The Lantern Will Temporarily Open to Students as a Study Space


November 6, 2020


Pilot Study Space Program- The first floor of the Library Lantern will temporarily open to students as a study space through November 24th.

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Processing Obsolete Media in CARA
Author: Rebecca Gourevitch


October 27, 2020


In this post, the CARA team assesses its significant sets of audio-visual objects in the University of California Cooperative Extension collections. We examine a box of ¼-inch open reel audio tapes, a type of magnetic media, that contain radio show segments from Humboldt County. To begin processing these AV materials, we consider the condition of the tapes, collect information about their content, and discuss ways to preserve and digitize the tapes in order to provide public access.

SEKI archive evacuation
With Fire Threatening, National Parks Turn to UC Merced for Help Preserving History


October 22, 2020


UC Merced's Newsroom reports on UC Merced Library's role in bringing the archives of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI) to campus due to fire risk. This piece speaks to the rescue effort, potential for on-going collaboration, and the rich resources located in the archive.

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eBooks Now Available on the Project Muse Platform


October 14, 2020


UC libraries have acquired perpetual access 10,000 ebooks, from university presses and scholarly publishers. These are now available on the Project Muse platform. Book chapters are available as PDFs for download.

Call for Zero-Cost Course Materials (ZCCM) Proposals


September 23, 2020


The UC Merced Library and the Center for Engaged Teaching & Learning (CETL) are accepting proposals for the Zero-Cost Course Materials Grant. The ZCCM grant supports instructors who are replacing commercial materials with Open Educational Resources (OER) and library licensed materials.

Collections safely transported to UC Merced Library
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Archives evacuated to UC Merced Library
Author: Emily S. Lin


September 18, 2020


Amidst the destruction and fast-changing nature of this year’s wildfires, UC Merced Library was able to answer a call for help.

On Monday afternoon, Ward Eldredge, curator for the Sequoia and Kings Canyon (SEKI) National Parks, contacted UC Merced librarian Emily Lin to inform her that he was preparing plans to evacuate the archives. The Castle Fire, part of the SQF Complex wildfire, had expanded considerably over the weekend and was approaching Dennison Ridge, near the southern boundary of Sequoia National Park and the park headquarters. Given the growth of the fire, he and other park employees had already begun to evacuate. Eldredge asked if the UC Merced Library had the ability to house any of the materials.

After saying yes, Lin worked with Eldredge and Associate University Librarian for Library Operations, Eric Scott, over the course of the next day to make arrangements. Because the Park Service had difficulty...

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Library Workshops for Fall 2020


September 17, 2020


Visit the library’s event calendar for a roster of online workshops for the fall semester. All are taking place via Zoom.

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Residential Delivery


September 2, 2020


The UC Merced Library has launched a Residential Delivery service allowing faculty, graduate students, and staff to request items be shipped to their home.

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