University Advancement

Public Relations and Strategic Communications

MEDIA RELEASE

CSUN Library Exhibits Latino Archives

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Oct. 24, 2007) — Celebrating the end of a five-year, $1.6 million Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program grant, the Cal State Northridge Oviatt Library is presenting an exhibition showcasing Latino archives through Nov. 23.

Curated by head archivist Robert Marshall, "Found Treasures: Latino Archives Supported by the Hispanic Serving Institutions Grant" is located in the lobby of the Oviatt Library and highlights collections from the library’s Urban Archives Center. Librarian Karin Durán co-curated the exhibit.

"The resources from the HSI grant created a variety of opportunities for serving the research needs of our students and faculty through the development of the library’s resources and through the identification and preservation of the community history of local Latinas/os," said Kathy Dabbour, HSI project coordinator.

Among the exhibition’s highlights are pieces from:

• The archives of Comisión Femenil San Fernando Valley, which document comisión activities such as college scholarships, a literary contest, book fairs and an annual career conference in which Latina high school students are able to meet with Latina professionals in all walks of life.
• The Felipe and Blandina (Guerrero) Rodriguez Family Collection, which chronicles one family’s journey from Mexico to Arizona and eventually their move to Los Angeles. The collection includes many personal papers and family photographs that chronicle the struggles and successes that are common to the many Mexican American families who built and sustained the Southwest.
• The Julian Nava Collection documents a lifetime of teaching and public service. Nava served as the first Mexican American U.S. Ambassador to Mexico under the Carter administration and was the first to be elected to the Los Angeles Board of Education. He was a founding professor in the History Department of the newly established California State University, Northridge.

The goal of the library’s HSI grant project is to contribute students’ academic success by improving their information competence skills through strengthening library collections, archives, and instructional services.

The exhibit’s hours correspond with the library’s hours, which are Monday through Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information about the exhibit, call the library at (818) 677-2638.