The Bee’s Knees

This is a guest contribution to Illuminations for The Great Rare Books Bake Off by Mila Turner, FSU’s Social Science Data & Research Librarian  Today I’m sharing a recipe for a Bee’s Knees cocktail with a delicious taste and an even richer history.  It’s simple and easy to make yourself, or to enjoy at your

Wacky Diet Fads from the Past

I thought I’d explore the wacky world of diet-focused recipes in the collections. 

Announcing…The Great Rare Books Bake Off 2022!

It is the most wonderful time of the year! The Great British Bake Off Season 13 is currently airing and the weather is finally cooling down here on FSU campus. This will be our third year of celebrating all things baking, cooking, and mixing here in FSU Special Collections & Archives. This year we are

Ancient Cuneiform Tablets Spend 100 Years at FSU

The present year of 2022 marks a full century since the acquisition of Special Collections and Archives’ oldest inanimate residents, the cuneiform tablets. Purchased by faculty in 1922, these twenty-five tablets were bought from Edgar J. Banks back when the school was still referred to as the Florida State College for Women. Although they currently

American Archives Month: Conscious Metadata at FSU Libraries

On September 27, five representatives of FSU Libraries attended the SSDN Conscious Metadata Working Session in Tallahassee, FL. In the spirit of the American Archives Month theme of The Power Of Collaboration, we shared ideas and brainstormed next steps on conscious editing at FSU Libraries. Read on to find out what we learned and what

Digital Housekeeping for Archives Month

As part of our celebration here for American Archives Month, I thought a few tips on how you can be the best archivist of your own digital archives might be helpful. We all create documents, photographs, and other digital content every day at an ever increasing rate. This is our personal archives and while we

American Archives Month

Happy American Archives Month! This month is intended to raise public awareness about the importance of historic documents and records. Join us though out this month to learn more about how our staff makes history accessible to the public! FSU Special Collections and Archives will celebrating American Archives Month multiple ways throughout October: Want to

LGBT Oral History Project of North Florida

Oral history is one of the biggest components of understanding the queer experience. Most LGBTQ+ history has been passed down orally, rather than through written material. Oral histories have special characteristics that other resources in our collection don’t have – intimacy. They provide a first-hand view and help us understand a specific moment in time

Flexibility of Japanese in Books

Hello, all! My name is Terryon Larkins and I have been working at the Special Collections & Archives since the fall of 2018. Initially, I was a Federal Work Study employee but not too long after I became a part-time worker. Although I have been working here for a number of years, I do think

Vintage Valentines in the Archives

In celebration of Valentine’s Day we are reposting this entry from 2020. Valentine’s Day gained popularity in the United States with the introduction of mass-produced Valentines cards around the middle of the 19th century. Most of these early cards have long since disappeared, but we are fortunate to have many examples of early 20th century