The Friends of the University of Colorado Libraries will hold its annual Information Day at Norlin Library on the CU-Boulder campus Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event will be in the Center for British and Irish Studies on the fifth floor of the library. Information Day is free and open to the public and no reservations are required.
Jim Williams, dean of the CU Libraries, and Claudine Garby, president of the Friends, will welcome participants. Attendees will view "Going to Extremes: Polar Exploration," an exhibit prepared by the Special Collections department in recognition of the 2007 International Polar Year. Guests also are invited to visit a "smart" classroom where reference librarians will provide computer training.
At noon, guests will return to the Center for British and Irish Studies for a light, catered lunch.
Following lunch, David Hays, CU Libraries archivist, will speak on the World War II U.S. Navy Japanese/Oriental Language School Archival Project. The project's first archival papers were received in 1992 with the acquisition of materials collected by Capt. Roger Pineau USNR and William Hudson. This information on graduates of the U.S. Navy Japanese/Oriental Language School at CU-Boulder from 1942 to 1946 was collected for inclusion in the official World War II naval history record.
The Japanese/Oriental Language School Archival Project has continued to acquire papers, photographs, correspondence and records in the form of major collections and small manuscripts. These papers document the involvement of the school's graduates in World War II activities such as code breaking, translation and intelligence; postwar teaching of Japanese language and culture in higher education; and reconciliation projects with Japan. The ever-growing archive is available for use by scholars in Japanese history; World War II history, diplomacy and foreign affairs; and East Asian language and culture.
The purpose of Information Day is to inform citizens that Norlin Library is accessible to them and to familiarize people with how to use the library, the largest facility of its kind in the Rocky Mountain area.
The event is co-sponsored by the Daily Camera newspaper. Pay parking is available in the Euclid Avenue AutoPark near Broadway.
For more information call the Friends of the Libraries at (303) 492-7511.