Intermittent problems with Gale Virtual Reference Library eBooks
The Gale Virtual Reference Library is currently experiencing intermittent connectivity problems. The library is working with Gale to restore seamless access to the eBook content. If you are trying to connect to a Gale Virtual Reference Library eBook, please try the link several times. We have found that retrying will sometimes force a connection. If retrying now does not bring up the eBook, please retry your search later today.
The Famous Shamrock Hotel is now in the UH Digital Library!
Please enjoy an interesting look at one of Houston’s landmark hotels–The Shamrock Hotel!
The Shamrock Collection in the UH Digital Library consists of menus from the many restaurants, bars and lounges in the hotel, staff newsletters, and promotional pamphlets. It chronicles the transition of ownership and highlights of the hotel’s golden years.
The Shamrock Hotel was the grandest hotel in the city of Houston from 1949 until its decline and demolition in 1987. Built by Glenn McCarthy (wildcatter and oil tycoon) between 1946 and 1949, it opened with great fanfare. Three thousand dignitaries, celebrities and the socially prominent were present for its grand opening on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1949, attended by no less than Errol Flynn, Ginger Rogers and Robert Preston. The partygoers were brought in on a customized Boeing 307 Stratoliner and by a Santa Fe Super Chief train specially chartered by McCarthy. Approximately 50,000 people gathered outside of the hotel.
While the hotel was immense, expensive and lavish, it was also considered by many to be garish and more than a little over the top.
The hotel became a destination for Houstonians and played host to numerous social events such as debutante balls, receptions, business meetings, presidential visits and visits from other heads of state. The Shamrock hosted cattle auctions and also was a gathering spot for the Houston Rodeo.
The hotel had 1,100 rooms and many restaurants, bars and lounges. Those who swam in the hotel’s huge swimming pool, which measured 165 by 142 feet, remember it fondly. The swimming pool even hosted water skiing exhibitions, complete with motorboats.
The Hilton Hotels Corporation acquired the Shamrock Hotel in 1954. Burdened with a poor location, burgeoning competition and stagnant occupancy rates, its popularity declined. The hotel described in Edna Ferber’s novel Giant as the “Conquistador,” which saw performers such as Dorothy Lamour and Frank Sinatra grace its clubs, never fulfilled McCarthy’s vision of a destination resort, conference and shopping center.
“Let us consecrate THE SHAMROCK to friendship – the motto of the State of Texas….May that motto be alive here as long as THE SHAMROCK is privileged to serve the great city of Houston as its ambassador of good will to the world.” – Glenn McCarthy
The Digital Services department at the M.D. Anderson Library would like to extend a huge thank you to Mark Young at the Hospitality Industry Archives, Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management, University of Houston, for his generosity and helpfulness in bringing this collection to the Digital Library.
Library Open 24 Hours During Finals
The M.D. Anderson Library will be open extended hours during the Spring 2011 Finals period.
May 3 – Open at 7am; Open 24 hrs
May 4 – Open 24 hrs
May 5 – Open 24 hrs
May 6 – Close at 11:45pm
May 7 – 8:00am – 7:45pm
May 8 – Open at 12 Noon; Open 24 hrs
May 9 – Open 24 hrs
May 10 – Open 24 hrs
May 11 – Open 24 hrs
May 12 – Close at 11:45pm
Additional details on extended hours will be posted on the website and on signs within the building.
Intercession Hours begin May 13th.
Poetry & Prose Reading: April 13 at 5:30pm
The final Poetry & Prose reading of the season will feature UH undergraduate creative writers who have work appearing in the forthcoming issue of Glass Mountain: Mariah Kizer, Sessa Kratz, Penny Montalvo, Luke Patterson, Roxanne Terrell, David Toombs, as well as former co-editor Regina Vigil. For details and reader bios, check out the Poetry & Prose website.
Join us Wednesday, April 13th, at 5:30pm in the Honors College Commons (M.D. Anderson Library, Level 2).
The reading is free and open to the public, so bring friends and colleagues! Light refreshments will be served.
We look forward to seeing you at the final reading of the season!
Copies of Glass Mountain’s latest issue, featuring work by most of the event’s writers, will available for sale at the reading.
Science Direct scheduled downtime
Science Direct electronic journals will be offline and unavailable on Saturday, February 26, 2011 for approximately 12 hours between 7AM-7PM for scheduled upgrades and maintenance.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Student Art Exhibit opening at the M.D. Anderson Library on February 18th
The UH Libraries will host its 4th annual Student Art Exhibit in the M.D. Anderson Libraries’ red wing from February 18th through April 18th. This highly competitive exhibit is open to UH students of any classification and major. This year’s jury selected 35 works in various media. Artists represent all classifications from freshman to graduate students. Most are pursuing degrees within the School of Art, but a number of non-art majors were also selected, including students majoring in biology, computer science, history, mechanical engineering, and physics.
The exhibit opening will take place from 5:30-6:30 on the third floor of the M.D. Anderson Libraries’ red wing Friday, February 18th. This event is free and open to the public.
2011 Jury:
Jillian Conrad, UH School of Art
Clare Elliott, Menil Collection
Lucinda Garces, Booker Lowe Gallery
Katherine Veneman, Blaffer Museum
Dena Woodall, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
2011 Artists:
Akila Raman, senior majoring in architecture
Bryan A. Calcagno, junior majoring in industrial design and physics
Chad Maydwell, sophomore majoring in painting (Jurors’ Choice winner)
David Anderson, junior majoring in painting
David Mateo Self, junior majoring in history
Greg Jackson, sophomore majoring in graphic communication
Jeff Simmons, graduate student in architecture
Joseph Echavarria, freshman
Juan M. Juarez, junior majoring in sculpture
Karesha Brown, senior majoring in environmental design
Katalina Galvan, junior majoring in biology
Kentra Gilbert, senior majoring in painting
Kylene Vasquez, senior majoring in art
Luis Mantilla, senior majoring in architecture
Matthew Ku, junior majoring in mechanical engineering
Melanie Lira, senior majoring in art history
Michella Fanini, junior majoring in art education
Pamela Johnson, senior majoring in sculpture
Rachel Harmeyer, post-baccalaureate student in art history
Rosine Kouanen, graduate student majoring in photography/digital media (Juror’s Choice winner)
Ryan Maria Hernandez, senior majoring in art education and art history (Juror’s Choice winner)
Sanjana Shetty, graduate student majoring in computer science
Stacy Smith, junior majoring in painting
Tanja Vaughn, junior majoring in painting
Trinh Nguyen, senior majoring in painting
Library CLOSED Friday, Feb.5; reopens Sat., Feb. 6 at Noon
Due to the continuing inclement winter weather, the M.D. Anderson Library will be closed all day, Friday, February 5th. It will reopen on Saturday, February 6th at Noon.
Visit http://www.uh.edu/emergency for updated information on opening/closing times for the University and other important emergency communication.
Library CLOSING at 5pm Today, Thursday, February 3rd
Due to the incoming winter weather, the M.D. Anderson Library will be closing today at 5pm.
Visit http://www.uh.edu/emergency for updated information on opening/closing times for the University on Friday, February 4th.
New KUHT Image Collection in the UH Digital Library
Highlights of KUHT-TV digital library collection includes images and video from the early days of KUHT-TV. Located on the University of Houston campus KUHT-TV, HoustonPBS, was America’s first public television station and was one of the founding stations of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1969.
From the KUHT-TV HoustonPBS history site:
“According to plan, Channel 8 signed on the air at 5 p.m. on May 25, 1953, with a program called Its Five. Producer/director George Arms’ variety format featured a half dozen attractive college coeds who offered “down-to-earth” advice for women, including tips on make-up techniques, party-giving, flower-arranging, blouse-making, and preparing a child for a tonsillectomy. Dr. Walter William Kemmerer, named university president in 1953, had been instrumental in establishing the University of Houston. Through his efforts as vice president, the university (Houston Junior College began classes in 1927 and progressed quickly to a university in 1934) began holding formal classes in the autumn of 1934. But the student population grew more quickly than university space and personnel, and as a solution Kemmerer theorized that telecourses might facilitate reaching these students.”
Through his and John Schwarzwalder, vocalist, choral director, faculty member, and KUHF-FM manager, work the building of a television station on campus began to take shape. In April 1953 the world’s first education television station was launched in the Ezekiel Cullen Building on the campus of the University of Houston; ushering in a new era in education. The week of May25th marked the first week of full broadcasting with the official kick off (quite literally it would seem) held on June 8th, 1953. This pioneering spirit that started the station over 50 years ago continues today with the production of innovative programming and technological advances. While the station is always looking ahead it has never forgotten its challenging past. This collection of images and video are a testament to the station’s rich history.
Please enjoy these still images. In the near future selected early moving images will be available online. Visit the HoustonPBS history site to find out more about the unique past of the first public television station in the world.
Wiley Online Library scheduled maintenance
On Saturday, February 5, 2011, Wiley Online Library will be down for scheduled maintenance at 4am for approximately 2 hours. We apologize for the inconvenience.