Bancroft Library's new Photoduplication Coordinator Laura Grace Bruss comes to us (via an Emeryville software company) from Wisconsin and Minnesota where she graduated from St. Olaf College with a degree in history, and worked, among other jobs, as an intern at the Goodhue County Historical Society and as a canoe outfitter.

She is a soccer player and an award winning photographer.

Please join Bancroft staff in welcoming Laura Grace to the Library.

The Bancroft Library announces the opening of "Images of North American Indians," an exhibition of rare and unique materials including images from rare books, pamphlets, journals, magazines, and newspapers, in addition to selections of original photographs, lantern slides, drawings, sketches, and notable nineteenth and twentieth century paintings. The Bancroft Library houses one the world's finest collections of research materials relating to Western Americana and visual materials relating to American Indians offer a compelling and dramatic perspective on the history of Native Americans.

The exhibition includes images from European artists and publishers, classic American portraits and photographs; and illustrations of the North American Indian as both "Noble Savage" and "Warrior in the Wilderness." Additional images include illustrations from scholarly and literary works; several schools of nineteenth and twentieth century American painting, visual representations of Indians in popular culture; and scientific and anthropological photographs. Other views in the exhibition provide insights into the use of images that reflect racial stereotypes, the commercialization of Indians, and American society's long fascination with the myth of the American Indian.

These materials, gathered with consideration of their historical, literary, religious, political, racial, cultural, scientific, and artistic contributions to the history of the United States and the American West, tell a fascinating story. The varied images of North American Indians, examined in their historical context, serve to inform and educate, to entertain and stimulate, and to awaken a better understanding of the history of the American West.

The exhibition presents recognized treasures in the field of colorplate illustration, including the library's recently-acquired nine millionth volume, The Aboriginal Portfolio, or, A Collection of Portraits of the Most Celebrated Chiefs of the North American Indians, by James O. Lewis. Published in Philadelphia in 1836, this volume is the first great book of portraits of Native Americans. The large folio volume contains 72 hand-colored lithographs including portraits of Indian chiefs done from life at various treaty conferences in the early 1830s.

The Lewis Portfolio joins three other major color plate works of nineteenth century Native American portraiture:

1. History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred and Twenty Portraits, from the Indian Gallery in the Department of War, at Washington by McKenney and Hall (Philadelphia: 1838-44; 3 volumes)
2. Reise in Das Innere Nord-America in Den Jahren 1832 bis 1834 by Maximilian, Prinz zu Wied, published in Coblenz, by J. Hoelscher, 1839-41, with Karl Bodmer's illustrations, and
3. Catlin's North American Indian Portfolio. Hunting Scenes and Amusements of the Rocky Mountains and Prairies of America by George Catlin (London: 1844)

The exhibit will be on display

• September 9 - December 7, 2000
• Monday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
  Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and
  Saturday, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., during the academic year
• Bancroft Library Exhibition Gallery

For further information, please contact

All faculty and staff are invited to attend the annual Cal Health & Safety Fair. This year the event will feature booths, safety demonstrations, free health screening, and prizes!

• Work Smart, Safe, Well: Cal Heath & Safety Fair 2000
• Wednesday, September 20
• 10am-2pm
• Pauley Ballroom, Upper Sproul Plaza

Recent Appointments:

• Britt Daniel, --Asst II, CONS

The Employee Development & Training Unit and their Catalog are undergoing some changes. The theme of their Catalog of Programs and Services for Employee Development is "Building Individual and Organizational Excellence at UC Berkeley."

As the EDT staff strive to build excellence in their products and services, and to be attentive to the learning needs of campus staff and managers, plans are underway to improve the catalog's accessibility and ease of use.

You can read the entire message from Pat Lavelle (Manager, Employee Development and Training) at: