Month: August 2025

Welcome (or welcome back) to campus! As part of the University Library’s “Discover the Collections” exhibit, the University Archives has an exhibit on view in the Main Library Gallery. In this exhibit, we invite you to explore the breadth of material found in the Archives. Archives are not just dusty boxes of old paper – although we have a lot of those! Our collections span the entire history of the University (1867-Present) and include almost any format you can think of.

The Archives holds hundreds of collections of faculty and alumni papers, organizational records, association archives, and more across its three locations.

Did something in the exhibit catch your eye? Learn more about the objects in the case below, or reach out to the Archives at illiarch@illinois.edu.

Objects in Exhibit

1. Smokey Bear Plush – Advertising Council Artifacts, 13/2/290 box 1, folder: Forest Fire Prevention, 1994 – Smokey Bear 50^th Anniversary plush doll
2. Autograph Books (Mad Libs) – Cornelia Kelley Wolfe Papers, 15/7/31 box 1, folder: Memorabilia
3. Football Player Cut-Outs – Sports Photographs, 28/5/6 box 2, folder: Cut-Outs – Football, 1929-1930
4. Esther Davenport Receipt (Recipe) Book – Eugene Davenport Papers, 8/1/21 box 19, folder: Receipt (Recipe) Book of Esther Sutton Davenport, ca. 1860-1900
5. Sketchbook – Trygve A. Rovelstad Papers, 12/7/20 box 1, folder: Diaries and Sketchbooks, England – Sketch and Memo Booklet, April 12 – Aug. 6, 1946
6. Postcards from China – Michael Ehrmann International Postcard Collection, 35/2/63 box 8, folders: Lingyin Temple/Pagoda of Six Harmonies and Jiangxi Province
7. Park Science CD – Randall J. Biallas Papers, 26/20/229 box 10, folder: Park Science: Integrating Research and Resource Management, Volume 1 – Volume 18, 1980-1998
8. 5” Floppy Discs – Randall J. Biallas Papers, 26/20/229 box 10, folder: NPS-28 3.5” Floppy Disks
9. Columbian Exposition Passes – William L. Abbott Papers, 1/20/9 box 1, folder: Columbian Exposition, 1892-93
10. Illinois Industrial University Catalog – William L. Abbott Papers, 1/20/9 box 1, folder: Illinois Industrial University Catalogs, 1884-85, 1887-88, 1889-90
11. Blueprint – Joseph W. Royer Architectural Drawings, 26/20/162 box 1, item: A High School Building for the Board of Education of Bloom Township High School District No. 206, G11
12. Blueprint – Joseph W. Royer Architectural Drawings, 26/20/162 box 5, item: Zeta Tau Alpha Chapter House, Urbana, IL, ca. 1927, sheet 6
13. Winged Victory Poster – World War I Poster Collection, 35/1/42 box 1, item: [No text. Image of winged republic/victory on deep blue background. Printer’s mark of “Visa 14.804”] (artist’s name not decipherable)
14. « Ne gaspiller le pain » Poster – World War I Poster Collection, 35/1/42 box 14, item: “Ne gaspiller le pain est notre devoir” Affiche composée par les enfants de France, S. Vincent
15. Botany Class Photo – Photographic Subject File, 39/2/20 box COL – 6, folder COL 6-4 LAS Botany 1869-1899; ID #0003943
16. Dragon Costume Photo – William F. Schaller Papers, 41/20/23, ID #0007378
17. Snowman Photo – N. C. Ricker Papers, 12/2/22 box 1, folder: Plans & Sketches; ID #0010949