Introducing the New Archives and Special Collections Librarian: Leah Loscutoff

Ourida Oubraham, director of the Samuel C. Williams Library, is proud to announce the appointment of Leah Loscutoff as the new Archives and Special Collections Librarian.

Leah comes to the library from the Brooklyn Historical Society, where she worked as the Digitization Archivist and Project Education Coordinator. In this position she supervised the creation of the Brooklyn Visual Heritage website, a collaborative project among the historical society, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Public Library and the Pratt School of Information and Library Science. Prior to that, Leah processed the Woodlawn Cemetery archive for the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts library at Columbia University. She has also held archivist positions at the University of California, Irvine, and the National Park Service in San Francisco.

Originally from California, Leah received her Masters of Library and Information Science, with a concentration in Archives and Records Management, from San Jose State University in 2008, and her B.A. in History from San Francisco State University.

Hoboken Public Library to Celebrate the life of Martha Bayard Stevens

  
On March 20, 6:30 PM, the Hoboken Public Library will be having a  special Women's History Month celebration of the life and contributions of Martha Bayard Stevens, New Jersey Philanthropist and Social Reformer. Library Director, Ourida Oubraham and Assistant Curator Doris Oliver will be attending the event. The Samuel C. Williams Library also provided some archival material for the event.

Who was Martha Bayard Stevens?

From the main Stevens webpage: "Martha Bayard Stevens, the second wife of the University’s founder, Edwin Stevens, was influential in building Stevens into the renowned national research university that it is today. When Edwin provided for the establishment of Stevens in his will, it was Martha – one of three executors of his estate – who insisted that the University be geared toward science and engineering.

"Martha also made significant contributions to the community before her husband’s death. She provided funding for the establishment of the Hoboken library and organized and endowed the Industrial Education Association, which taught young women in Hoboken life skills like home economics and savings. Martha also founded the Martha Institute for training boys in industrial skills and was instrumental in the founding of Church Square Park, Hudson Square Park and Elysian Park."

 You can RSVP for the event on Eventbrite, or via email: hobkref@bccls.org or phone 201-420-2347.

Celebrate International Women's Day!

Today we reflect on the struggle for equal rights and accomplishments in history by and for women.  At the library we wanted to share two items from our collections about Lenore Schupack.  She was not the first woman to attend Stevens but graduate with a degree. Maria Grato was the first in 1971.

Here's the article from The Stute May 3rd Volume 71, Issue 27:

 

And here's the Happy Graduate getting her diploma from The Link:

 

You can see back issues of The Stute Here