At the University of Washington, “Special Collections Librarian Allee Monheim Finds Gems for Social Media, Has New Exhibit on ‘Lowbrow’ Art”

From the U. of Washington News:

So, you’re scrolling through Twitter and it’s: dog video … political rant … cat video … vaudeville handbill from 1893 … 1949 photo of actor in lion suit — wait, what?

That’s the sort of historical oddity you’ll see if you follow the UW Libraries Special Collections Department on social media, all chosen by Allee Monheim, UW Libraries public service librarian, from the libraries’ vast archive of historical images and items.

And in the weird, amped-up online world, it can be refreshing to run across, for instance, the UW’s 1960 mascot “Mush.” Or an image of the first transcontinental train arriving in Seattle in 1895. Or Northwest band Jr. Cadillac rocking out in 1978, or color illustrations from a turn-of-the-last-century book for children.

Learn More, Read an Interview with Allee Monheim

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Interviews, Libraries, News, Profiles