SCUA is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of the Daniel Levitin papers. Daniel J. Levitin is an award-winning neuroscientist, musician, and best-selling author. The collection contains his manuscripts and editor/publisher notes and correspondence related to his six published books. Further information about his books is available here.

The physical archive of his published books consists of original printed copies of the manuscripts, copyeditors’ notes, and editor’s printed notes, as well as copies of his books and many articles, and includes public outreach materials and announcements for his talks. The born digital archive consists of computer folders for each of the books and contains multiple, iterative versions of the manuscripts, along with his editor’s comments, material that didn’t make the book, articles to promote the book, details of tours, press interviews, bestseller lists, etc., as well as a correspondence folder for emails with editor, publicist, and agent.

His research encompasses music, the brain, health, productivity, and creativity. His book titled, This Is Your Brain on Music, is considered a groundbreaking union of art and science, which explores the connection between music — its performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy it — and the human brain.

Dr. Levitin earned his B.A. from Stanford in Cognitive Science, his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology with a Ph.D. minor in Music Technology from the University of Oregon and completed post-doctoral training at Stanford University Medical School and University of California (UC) Berkeley in Neuroimaging and Perception.

As a musician (tenor saxophone, guitar, vocals, and bass), he has performed with Mel Tormé, David Byrne, Rosanne Cash, Sting, Bobby McFerrin, Victor Wooten, and Tom Scott. Levitin has produced and consulted on albums by artists including Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell and on the films Good Will Hunting and Pulp Fiction and has been awarded 17 gold and platinum records.

Levitin taught at Stanford in the Departments of Computer Science, Psychology, History of Science, and Music, and has been a Visiting Professor at Dartmouth, and UC Berkeley. He is currently the Founding Dean of Arts & Humanities at the Minerva Schools at the Keck Graduate Institute in San Francisco, California, and James McGill Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Neuroscience and Music at McGill University.

Further information about Dr. Levitin is available here.

Please note that, per SCUA policy, unprocessed materials, including the Levitin collection, are not available to researchers. The Levitin papers will make their way through SCUA’s standard workflows, as staff work to accession, arrange, describe, and preserve the collection, and during that process, no material will be available for use in any format. In the meantime, researchers are encouraged to explore other holdings within SCUA.

A new collection is available in Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) this month that will be a great resource for anyone interested in feminist science fiction, dystopia, and fantasy. The Suzy Mckee Charnas papers represent another addition to Special Collection’s array of feminist authors. Charnas, who passed away in 2023, is best known for her series The Holdfast Chronicles (1974-1999). The four-part series is set in a dystopian future where women are enslaved and follows the femmes who break away and fight for freedom. Charnas’ writings span five decades and include novels, short stories, non-fiction, and even a play, all of which are represented in this rich collection.

In addition to her writings, the Charnas papers include correspondence from the author’s personal and professional career. The series spans from Charnas’ time as a Peace Corps teacher in Nigeria to her complex publishing endeavors. While handwritten and typed letters are easy to archive, emails can be more of a challenge. Luckily for researchers, it appears that Charnas printed out and filed most or all the emails she received and sent. This is a treasure trove of mailing lists, logistics, and messages that merit a deep dive. Charnas’ eloquent voice and strong opinions, clear in her published works, also show through in these everyday conversations.

Possibly the most fun part of this collection is the convention series, comprised of files from each science fiction, fantasy, and literature con that Charnas attended. For over four decades, Charnas attended multiple cons a year and kept a file for each. These files contain plane tickets, travel itineraries, receipts, correspondence, notes, schedules, memorabilia, and more. Going through them will feel like a trip down memory lane for any sci-fi or fantasy fan. The convention guides are a who’s-who of popular and up and coming authors of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. In addition, the files are full of Charnas’ notes on who she met, which talks she attended, and the networking she did.

On top of all her traveling to conventions, Charnas frequently traveled for work and pleasure around the country, to Europe, and beyond. She kept files for those trips as well, which are invaluable for building a timeline of her career and life.

The miscellaneous subject files series can also help researchers understand the complexities of Charnas’ life and interests. Charnas spent time teaching history in Nigeria with the Peace Corps, which she viewed as important inspiration for her writings. Later in life, she served as the chairman of the archival committee of the National Council of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. As chairman, she helped compile archival materials from Peace Corps Volunteers who served during the Kennedy administration. These are now housed in the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer collection at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

After her time with the Peace Corps, Charnas worked in education, helping develop anti-drug curriculum in New Mexico. Throughout her life she continued to lecture and instruct at a variety of schools, libraries, and workshops. Charnas wrote articles and was interviewed for a variety of publications during her career. In addition, she was highly awarded and contributed to several literary award committees.

The manuscripts series may represent the most intriguing portion for researchers. A published book is a carefully crafted vision of what the author intended. But by seeing the research, notes, drafts, extensive revisions, and correspondence that preceded the published work, we gain new perspectives and add another dimension of understanding to the work. This series contains multiple drafts and even multiple titles of many of Charnas’ most popular works. Her two series, the Holdfast Chronicles and the Sorcery Hall trilogy, are both represented, along with a variety of works associated with her Vampire Tapestry novel. In addition to novels, several published and unpublished short stories are available. This series is invaluable to researchers who wish to understand Charnas’ inspirations and writing process.

This collection provides an opportunity for new research into the life of a highly awarded feminist author. Charnas took inspiration from the works of Ursula K. Le Guin and frequently corresponded with feminist and writer Joanna Russ. SCUA is lucky enough to hold both Le Guin’s and Russ’ papers, and now the Charnas collection is expanding our feminist writers’ collections even more. Charnas’ legacy of creativity and feminism lives on in this impressive collection, which is now fully processed and available for exploration in our reading room. Dive into the Suzy Mckee Charnas papers here.

– Post by Maggie Dobson

“Our track, in fact, is considered, by all athletes who have used it since its recent construction, to be the fastest one on the coast”
—Bill Hayward, 1923 

Join the University of Oregon (UO) Libraries to celebrate “Chasing Gold at Hayward: The UO’s Olympic Trials Legacy,” an exhibit celebrating the entwined histories of UO’s Hayward Field and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field. This immersive, archival exhibit details the significant connection between the UO, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and the University’s beloved Hayward Field. Positioned at the heart of a bustling university campus, the iconic stadium stands as a testament to Eugene’s fervent local athletic community and its enduring passion for track and field.  It is the site of stories of victories, heartaches, and record-breaking moments.  Exhibit article forthcoming.

Join us in the Knight Library Browsing Room (Knight 106) to enjoy short program featuring Vice Provost and University Librarian Dr. Alicia Salaz and Athletics Archivist Lauren Goss. Beverages and small bites will be served.

Registration is required for this event. RSVP here.

In the world of academia, and beyond the walls of its institutions, the pursuit of knowledge is a collaborative endeavor that relies on the contributions of curious minds across time and space. At Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA), we take pride in fostering this spirit of collaboration, inquiry and research. Today, we are thrilled to announce the newest cohort of research fellows who will be joining us in our mission to explore, preserve and discover scholarly insight.

Each year, our fellowship program attracts researchers from around the globe, spanning various disciplines and fields of study. This year is no exception, as we welcome a fantastic group of individuals whose research promises to enrich our understanding of history, culture, and of our very own collections.

Meet our newest research fellows:

Le Guin Feminist Science Fiction Fellowship

Taylor Driggers holds a PhD in English Literature from the University of Glasgow. His research concerns fantasy literature’s ability to re-map relationships between theology and queer embodiment by constructing new sexual and religious imaginaries and embracing failure. His debut monograph, Queering Faith in Fantasy Literature (Bloomsbury Academic, 2022), was a finalist for the 2023 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies. Taylor is a part-time Tutor in English Literature at the University of Glasgow, a member of Glasgow’s Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic, and co-head of the 2024 World Science Fiction Convention’s Academic Track with Alice Langley.

Sarah Nolan-Brueck is a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California, where she studies how science fiction interrogates gender. Currently, she is researching a genealogy of the many ways science fiction authors critique medical legislation that restricts diverse gendered groups in the United States, and how the genre collaborates with activism in this arena. Sarah is a graduate editorial assistant for Western American Literature. She has previously been published in Orbit: A Journal of American Literature, the SFRA Review, Femspec, and Huffpost, and has work forthcoming in Utopian Studies and ASAP/J.

Tee A. Corinne Memorial Travel Fellowship

Cecily Evonuk (they/them/theirs) is a dedicated third-year undergraduate student at Oregon State University where they are currently pursuing a double major in History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; with a Studio Art minor. Evonuk’s focus centers on American history, with an emphasis on civil rights, human rights, and the LGBTQ+ liberation movement. Their passion for historical research and commitment to social justice issues has led them to set aspirations to continue their academic journey beyond the undergraduate level. Post-graduation, they plan to pursue a master’s program in History and subsequently pursue a Ph.D. Evonuk’s academic achievements have earned them several prestigious awards and fellowships, including the Tee A. Corinne Memorial Travel Fellowship, the Emil H. Pubols Award in American History, the Drucilla Shepard Smith Award, the Finley Academic Excellence Scholarship, the Dr. Arthur E. Gravatt History Scholarship, and the Thomas and Margaret Meehan History Award.

Shai Feraro is a Research Fellow at the University of Haifa. He also teaches at the Open University of Israel and the Technion and serves as Secretary of the Israeli Association for the Study of Religions. His research interests lie primarily in the area of alternative forms of religion and spirituality in North America and the UK during the 19th-20th Centuries. Dr. Feraro is the author of Women and Gender Issues in British Paganism, 1945–1990 (2020), and has co-edited Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel (2016) and Magic and Witchery in the Modern West (2019), all published by Palgrave Macmillan.

James Ingebretsen Memorial Travel Fellowship

Faith McGlothlin is a PhD candidate in American Studies at New York University. Her research delves into the history of far-right paramilitary movements and the expansion of the federal security state in the United States during the 20th century.

Alex McPhee-Browne is a historian of the American right and twentieth-century fascism, currently completing a PhD at King’s College, University of Cambridge. His work focuses on the intersection of political, social and intellectual history, with a particular interest in the relationship between right-wing ideas and right-wing political praxis. He has published in Reviews in American History and the Journal of Right-Wing Studies, and has articles forthcoming in the Journal of American Studies and the Journal of Policy History.”

Aaron Moulton is Associate Professor of Latin American History at Stephen F. Austin State University. Multiple institutions have supported his research on transnational networks throughout the Western Hemisphere, with award-winning articles in Cold War History, The Americas, and the Journal of Latin American Studies. His previous project, Caribbean Blood Pacts: The Guatemalan Revolution and the Caribbean Basin’s Cold War, reveals how Guatemalan reactionaries, Caribbean Basin dictators, a transnational corporation, and British intelligence shaped what became the U.S. government’s notorious operations that destroyed Guatemalan democracy in the early 1950s. After working under a Wallis Annenberg Research Grant from the University of Southern California Libraries and a Scholar Research Support Fellowship from Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, Moulton will serve as a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Right-Wing Studies with the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues at the University of California, Berkeley, and will be a Mayers Fellow at The Huntington Library.

Please join us in congratulating this year’s cohort, and check back for information on their upcoming lectures as part of our SCUA Speaker Series, which takes place each month on Zoom.