Lisa Laughy December 2nd, 2010
The November launch of the redesigned website not only provides a new look for Ohrstrom Library’s web presence, it also debuts a completely new online resource for the St. Paul’s School Archives. The Ohrstrom Library Digital Archives, or OLDA for short, takes the Archives’ online presence to a more dynamic level, and promises to grow into an even richer browsing experience as the online content expands. The function of this new Archives web component is described on the OLDA home page:
The OLDA website has been designed specifically to generate a sense of discovery for the user, establishing relationships between images through informed descriptive methods. Each image page provides a variety of browsing opportunities – through tagged links arranged by subject, Form year, Rectorship, and other classifications, as well as technical metadata about the digitized image presented online. Selected images are curated into themed exhibits that expand the information of individual item descriptions. In addition to tagged browsing, all images can be searched using the search box located in the header, and each image page provides a place for users to contribute tags to increase the knowledge base.
OLDA was developed using WordPress web software. Although primarily associated with blogging, this open-source software is also an incredibly powerful content management system. Through extensive customization OLDA has been developed to function as both a browser friendly website and a cataloging interface that follows established guidelines for best practices in archival description.
As the process to digitize the photo collection moves forward images will be selected from the over 30,000 photos in the archives to be included in OLDA. Each additional tagged image will add to the browsing experience, creating greater connections across more images and expanding this online visual narrative of the history of St. Paul’s School.
Bookmark OLDA today and visit often to see what new information you can discover about something old from the St. Paul’s School Archives.
Tags: Archives, Ohrstrom Library Digital Archives, St. Paul's School
Lisa Laughy October 7th, 2010
The SPS Community received an All-School e-mail at the beginning of the fall term outlining an important change in Ohrstrom Library’s circulation policy:
Ohrstrom Library is asking that its users show their SPS ID cards when checking out materials in order to make all circulation transactions even more efficient, accurate and secure.
By now you have likely been asked to show your ID when checking out items from the library. If you have lost your SPS ID, or have never received one please use the contact form HERE to find out how to get a new/replacement card. You can also call Circulation Librarian Sandra Chauvin at 4865 with any questions.
The Library staff greatly appreciate your cooperation as we transition to this new policy.
Tags: circulation, Ohrstrom Library, St. Paul's School
Lisa Laughy September 9th, 2010
Welcome to students just beginning their St. Paul’s School experience, and welcome back to those of you with familiar faces. The crisp excitement of the new school year is in the air, eagerly blowing across Lower School Pond and up the steps of Ohrstrom Library. There will be much that is reassuringly familiar when you come into the Library, but you will also discover much that is refreshingly new.
The first thing you may notice is that Ohrstrom Blog now has a new look – this clean and open design paves the way for the future integration of the growing number of Library web services into one seamless navigational experience. Stay tuned to Ohrstrom Blog for the release of the updated Library Website later this term, and the launch of an exciting new Archives online resource later in the school year.
Also new this year is the addition of eBooks to Ohrstrom Library’s collection. Look for a blog post next week explaining all the details of this exciting new Humanities resource. A future blog post will also detail our soon-to-be-available eBook reader.
Unchanged is the commitment of the Ohrstrom Library staff to providing the best academic resources possible to St. Paul’s School students, faculty and staff. Welcome back to your library.
Tags: eBooks, Ohrstrom Blog, Ohrstrom Library, St. Paul's School
Lura Sanborn June 28th, 2010
Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian, ASP 1995
Welcome to the 53rd Session of ASP!
St. Paul’s School founded the Advanced Studies Program in 1958 to provide talented New Hampshire public and parochial high school juniors with challenging educational opportunities, and use of the Ohrstrom Library is integral to this enriching experience. The staff of Ohrstrom Library welcomes ASP faculty and students and hope that you enjoy and take advantage of its collections and services this summer.
Did you know?
- The ASP went co-ed in 1961 (10 years before SPS).
- The ice-cream machine in the Upper is provided by the ASP.
- In its early years, the ASP was primarily focused on math and science, offering such courses as: biology, calculus, chemistry and physics.
- The evening door count at the library is at its highest during the ASP. During the 5 weeks of last summer’s ASP session, Ohrstrom Library had 17,407 visits.
- Man and Media, a pre-cursor to today’s Mass Media course, was taught by author, and former SPS and ASP faculty member, Richard Lederer.
- College Counseling services were added to the ASP in 1979.
- In a green effort, the school dining hall went trayless in 2006 – beginning with that year’s ASP class.
- The School Rector, William R. Matthews, Jr., SPS ’61, is also a former ASP faculty member.
- Despite the flood of May 2006, the ASP still ran, but without access to Hargate or Ohrstrom Library.
- There are currently over 10,000 ASP alumni!
What else was going on in 1958? The American singing group, The Jamies, the doo-wop duo of Tom and Serena Jameson, released the single “Summertime, Summertime” for Epic Records, which reached #26 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Tags: Advanced Studies Program, ASP, doo-wop, St. Paul's School, summer, summertime, The Jamies
Lisa Laughy June 8th, 2010
As construction continues on Dunbarton Road and the new Lindsay Center for Mathematics and Science, it brings to mind other major construction projects from the history of St. Paul’s School. Although difficult to tell from inside or outside of the New Chapel, an entire section was added to the nave forty-two years after original construction began. The images below depict the expansion at its most dramatic point:
In 1928 the New Chapel was expanded to accommodate the increasing number of students at St. Paul’s School. The Sesquicentennial Exhibit offers this description of the photos:
In 1928 the Chapel was deconsecrated and workmen began to slice through the brick walls. The School held its collective breath as the eastern end of the vast structure, seemingly too narrow to hold itself erect, was slid upon tracks to its new location. The task of reconstruction then went forward as the void between the two parts of the old building was filled with Gothic tracery.
See if you can spot this particularly brave fellow in the picture above!
Tags: Archives, construction, New Chapel, St. Paul's School
