Category: Collections of Interest

USF Curiosities: Sand as far as the eye could see?

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Reading Time: 4 minutes The year was 1956… At the time, an old WWII Hillsborough Army Airfield occupied a large expanse of Fowler Avenue. On December 18th, the Florida Cabinet voted to transform that airfield into the location of a new public university. The University of South Florida Tampa campus would eventually be built on what once was the practice bombing range. Two years later, ground breaking ceremonies took place on the Tampa campus, with contracts for the first three university buildings complete… (Continue Reading)

The Florida Public Health Oral History Project

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Reading Time: 2 minutes Post written by Jane Duncan
Today, more than ever, public health officials contribute to the health and wellness of our communities through disease prevention programs, education, clean water initiatives, disaster relief, laboratory research, and more. It is important to document the knowledge of prominent experts so that we can continue to learn from them for years to come. That’s what makes projects like USF’s Florida Public Health Oral History Project so vital. As we contend with the spread of this global pandemic, we invite you to learn more about the vital field of public health… (Continue Reading)

Celebrating the Contributions of Nurses

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Reading Time: 7 minutes Nursing has changed a lot in the last 200 years, but a few things have not changed: devotion to patient care, compassion, dedication, knowledge, hard work, and empathy… just to name a few. From patient wards and operating rooms to ambulances and battle fields, nurses have been the backbone of the healthcare system for over a century. As a daughter of a nurse, I must admit that I might be a little biased on the subject, but I am confident that everyone would agree that nurses have made a profound impact on the health and success of our society… (Continue Reading)

The Fashion Craze that Galvanized Conservationists

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Reading Time: 5 minutes Imagine it’s the year 1880… Men are dressed in top hats and long, formal coats while elegant women wear bustled skirts, their waists pinched in by corsets, and their heads adorned by large hats scattered with bright, colorful feathers. It’s the fashion of the day and the current craze is focused on those colorful feathers. But, what had to die to fulfill this fashion craze? BIRDS… (Continue Reading)

Dion Boucicault: playwright, plagiarist, and pioneer

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Boucicault was both a prolific playwright and a flagrant plagiarist. He wrote at a time when appropriating plays and literary works across country borders was almost the norm. However, his activities pirating other author’s works, and also protecting his own, contributed to changes in copyright law that would give greater protection to playwrights after Boucicault. USF Libraries has one of the largest publicly accessible collections of Boucicault’s work, despite Boucicaults attempts to prevent piracy of his works by resisting publication.