Author Archives: Jeffrey Makala

About Jeffrey Makala

The Irvin Department of Rare Books & Special Collections is located in the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library at the University of South Carolina. The department preserves and makes accessible rare materials and special research collections supporting teaching and research across a wide range of disciplines.

Gettysburg: History and Memory is now open

Our new exhibition, timed to coincide with the Battle’s 150th anniversary this summer, is titled “Gettysburg: History and Memory.” Here is the introductory text: The Battle of Gettysburg resonates with us in ways that are somehow different from our historical … Continue reading

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New Additions to the James Ellroy Papers

We are extremely proud to be the repository for the papers of novelist, screenwriter, and memoirist James Ellroy, the “demon dog” of American literature. The bulk of Ellroy’s papers came to us as a gift in the late 1990s, and … Continue reading

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Call for Entries: Student Book Collecting Contest, 2013

University Libraries Student Book Collecting Contest, 2013 Submission deadline: April 1, 2013      Entries are invited from students currently enrolled at the University of South Carolina (all campuses) for the University Libraries Student Book Collecting Award, carrying a first prize … Continue reading

Posted in book collecting, Book collections, Exhibitions, Thomas Cooper Society, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Abecedaria! Fine Press and Children’s ABC Books

Our new exhibition, opeing on February 5, explores the history and meaning of the alphabet and its treatment in ABC books, for children and adults. It will be open in our galleries through the end of April. A short article … Continue reading

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An Important New Collection of African American Ephemera

The Libraries have recently received a large gift of the family library and material culture collections of Mr. Hemrick (Hink) Salley of Salley, SC. Parts of the library have been in his family for several generations, and Mr. Salley himself … Continue reading

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“Why Haven’t More Movies Stolen From George V. Higgins?”

  The new Brad Pitt film “Killing Them Softly,” which just opened, is based on Cogan’s Trade, George V. Higgins’s third novel, published in 1974. Anthony Lane just reviewed the film in The New Yorker, and his review (quoted above) … Continue reading

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Some recent book arts acquisitions

Through the generosity of Susan and William Hogue, we have been able (for several years running now!) to acquire a number of interesting artists’ books, examples of contemporary book arts, or other “multiples” or “bookworks” to add to our collections. … Continue reading

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Edith Wharton and Sinclair Lewis: A New Gift

We’ve just received a gift of an Edith Wharton collection and several Sinclair Lewis first editions from Professor James Kibler of the University of Georgia. Professor Kibler is a USC alumnus and has been a good friend of our Libraries … Continue reading

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Scanning cuneiform tablets

Update! The CDLI has uploaded our tablets to their database, and translated the first two. See: http://tinyurl.com/76fftnp We are often asked about the oldest books in our collection. While the earliest printed book dates to 1471, and our manuscripts date … Continue reading

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Our new exhibition

On display now through February 28, 2012: “A Quieter and Less Eventful Life”: Ernest Hemingway on Writing and Other Pursuits This exhibition has, as its heart, Ernest Hemingway’s thoughts on writing and the writing life. Especially in letters to his … Continue reading

Posted in American literature, Archival collections, Book collections, Ernest Hemingway, Maurice Speiser | Leave a comment