Fireflies in the Night: The Ephemera of History, an Exhibit Special Collections, UO Libraries
Most ephemera do not stay around for very long. You might enjoy such ephemera as sunsets and rainbows, things appearing only briefly, and so enjoyed even more.
In Latin, ephemera was a word for a fever that didn’t last long. Today, ephemera is the plural form of ephemeron, which means “something impermanent or lasting only a short time.” French historian Fernand Braudel referred to events creating such items as “the ephemera of history,” likening them to fireflies that light the dark for just a moment.
Ephemera has had a history of assorted applications, the most common definition being: “the minor transient documents of everyday life.” This definition describes ephemera’s presence within the greater context of printed materials, although ephemera are often not printed artifacts. More importantly, its connection to “everyday life” establishes a connection to popular culture and social history, which showcases the immaterial nature of culture arising in daily life.
Librarians and curators agree that ephemera is difficult to categorize due to the ambiguity of ephemera. A piece of ephemera’s purpose, its field of use and geography are among the various elements relevant to its categorization. Challenges pertaining to ephemera include determining its creator, purpose, date and location of origin and impact. Determining its worth in a present context, distinct from its perhaps obscured purpose, is also of interest. It can include a variety of genre and physical characteristics such as: air transport labels, bank checks, bingo cards, broadsides, bus tickets, flyers, menus, postcards, receipts, theater programs, etc.
Further items that have been categorized as ephemera include posters, album covers, meeting minutes, buttons, stickers, financial records, and personal memorabilia; even announcements of events in a life, such as a birth, a death, a graduation, or marriage, have been described as ephemera. Artistic ephemera include sand paintings, sculptures composed of intentionally transient material, graffiti, and guerrilla art. Historically, there has been various categories of ephemera. Genres may be defined by function or encompass and detail a specific item. Over 500 categories are listed in The Encyclopedia of Ephemera, ranging from the 18th to 20th century.
This exhibit on ephemera represents a small fraction of the thousands of items in the UO Special Collections. Items were selected falling under specific topics mainly culled by individuals who later donated those items as a collection, or what formed a part of their personal papers.
Location: Reading Room, Special Collections and University Archives, Knight Library
Exhibit Dates: October 12 – December 16, 2022
