Joseph R Diaz

Interests

Teaching

MusicLocal History Chicano History

Research

MusicTheater Gay American HistoryChicano HistoryTucson HistoryDiversity in Librarianship

Courses

No activities entered.

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Diaz, J. R. (2013). Chicano Protest Music. In The Encyclopedia of Latino Culture: From Calaveras to Quinceaneras(pp 891-897). Santa Barbara, CA.: ABC-CLIO Press.
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  2,000 word essay providing an historical overview of Chicano Protest music. Includes suggestions for further study.
• Diaz, J. R. (2005). “The intersection of race and queer sexuality: what’s out there.”. In Multiracial America: An Annotated Bibliography. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press.

Journals/Publications

• Diaz, J. R. (2020). "Chapter News: Update on the Fine Arts Library of the University of Arizona". Conventional Title: Newsletter of the Mountain Plains Chapter of the Music Library Association, Opus 76, 7-8.
• Diaz, J. R. (2008). "Musings of a Gay Veterano REFORMISTA Librarian: The Search for GLBT Liberation in Library Land,". The REFORMA National Newlsetter, 26(1/2).

Presentations

• Diaz, J. R., Caioia, S., Dana, R., & Tyrus, J. (2023, April). An Introduction to Artists' Archives. 2023 SNAP Webinar Series, co-hosted by the Visual Materials Section. Virtual: The Society of American Archivists.
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  On April 11, 2023, SNAP welcomed a wonderful panel of speakers representing different archival repositories for an informative talk on artist archives, looking at unique collections documenting photographic, concrete and visual poetry, the performing arts, and dance.Presenters included Stefanie Caloia (MLIS), AFSCME Archivist, Wayne State University; Rich Dana (MFA, MLIS), Sackner Archive Project Coordinator Librarian, University of Iowa; Judy Tyrus, founder and CEO of ChromaDiverse, Inc.; Bob Diaz (MLIS), Associate Librarian and Archivist, University of Arizona. This event was co-hosted and planned in collaboration with the Visual Materials Section of SAA — many thanks to VMS chair Stefanie Caloia for helping to bring this event to fruition.
• Diaz, J. R. (2022, December). Dr. Arnulfo Trejo: A Look At His Life And Work. VII Encuentro Internacional Sobre Comunicacion, Frontera y Movimientos Emergentes. Tucson, Az.: Universidad de Sonora, University of Arizona Confluence Center for Creative Inquiry, UA Mexican American Studies Dept. et al.
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  I was invited to give a presentation on the life and work of Dr. Arnulfo Trejo at this bi-national academic conference, co-sponsored by the Universidad de Sonora, and the UA Confluence Center for Creative Inquiry, among others.  This year's conference was held in his honor.
• Diaz, J. R. (2020, February). Architectural Collections at the University of Arizona Libraries. Arizona Archives Summit XII. Phoenix, Az.: Arizona Archives Alliance.
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  This presentation consisted of an overview and description of the major architectural collections housed in Special Collections at the University of Arizona Libraries. Included were biographical profiles of the architects whose collections were highlighted and descriptions of the major works by each architect, plus a list of resources for further research.
• Diaz, J. R., & Reyes-Escudero, V. (2013, June). The Performance of Archives: Challenges & Opportunities.. 54th Annual RBMS Preconference, O Rare! Performance in Special Collections. Minneapolis, Minn.: ALA/ACRL/RBMS.
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  Typically, performing arts archives include audiovisual materials in a variety of formats, in addition to photographs, paper documents, and 3-D objects. Making these materials accessible requires funding, perseverance, and patience. However, there are also unique opportunities to exhibit these types of materials, and to sponsor arts-related programs to complement the exhibits. The presenters will discuss these unique challenges and opportunities that are posed by performing arts collections. They will also describe some of the ways they have used the collections to attract campus and community support for the library, and their plans for acquiring more such collections.
• Diaz, J. R. (2012, April 21). "The Life and Legacy of Cipriano Ortega: Ferocious Mexican Outlaw or Entrepreneurial Genius?". Arizona Centennial ConferenceArizona Historical Foundation.
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  A contributed paper I presented at the Arizona Centennial Conference.

Creative Productions

• Diaz, J. R. (2018. 1968 In America (exhibition and programs). Special Collections Gallery. Tucson, Az: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/1968-america
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  One of the most volatile years in the history of the United States was 1968. The Tet Offensive escalated the war in Vietnam, we lost two monumental leaders—Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy—to assassination, and riots broke out across the nation. As students protested the war, popular music became a powerful voice for their generation. At the same time, the civil rights and Black Power movements inspired environmentalists, women, Chicanos, Native Americans and the gay and lesbian community to add their voices to the discourse. This exhibit showcases a variety of materials from Special Collections. Explore hidden treasures highlighting politics, news, art, literature and culture from 50 years ago—including underground press publications, author Edward Abbey’s draft of Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness and photographs from the University of Arizona.
• Diaz, J. R. (2018. Judith Chafee: Iconoclast (exhibition and programs). The University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/judith-chafee
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  A remarkable American architect, Judith Chafee was a true trailblazer, both as an architect par excellence, and as a woman in a male dominated profession. She is celebrated as a visionary modernist whose structures harmoniously blend with their host environments. The exhibit highlights key events and projects from her life and work. Materials will include photographs, drawings, artwork, and more.
• Diaz, J. R. (2017. Visions of the Borderlands: Myths and Realities (exhibition and program). Special Collections Exhibition Gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/visions-borderlands
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  Since the 1800’s, American popular culture has been filled with romanticized depictions about the West and the US Mexican border. These stereotypes became conventions in Western novels which typically include plots that portray conflicts between “law abiding” Americans and “blood thirsty” Indians who are typically regarded “savages” and treated as “other”. The Mexican border is typically portrayed as “lawless,” and Mexicans are usually described as dirty “bandidos”. Only American law and justice can bring peace in these works. Hollywood has also perpetuated these myths as evidenced in the abundance of Western films produced throughout the 20th Century the majority of which include stereotyped portrayals of Indians and Mexicans.Tourism was an important enterprise in the first half of the twentieth century Southwest which also perpetuated a number of myths about the West and the border. In order to attract visitors to places like Tucson, groups such as the Tucson Sunshine Climate Club created promotional materials showing lots of open space, people enjoying the sunshine by a cool, clean swimming pool, and lots of fun “cowboy” like activities, such as horseback riding and cattle drives. Dude ranches, where “real” cowboys worked, were also in abundance and owners and promoters of these businesses, typically portrayed the region as having a mild, sunny climate, with lots of opportunities to engage in a variety of outdoor activities.Visions of the Borderlands: Myths and Realities is an exhibition inspired by two works published by the University of Arizona Press, by Jennifer L. Jenkins and Postcards from the Sonora Border by Daniel D. Arreola. There is a reality and a myth of the U.S.–Mexico borderlands, propagated through multiple lenses. Featuring material depicting both reality and myth through photography, posters, pamphlets, and written documentation, this exhibit centers on important areas of enterprise for the Southwest such as photography and film; copper mining; tourism; and cattle ranching. It also expresses issues of discord such as the Mexican Revolution, mining strikes, and immigrant exclusionary legislation of the time.
• Diaz, J. R. (2016. The Life and Legacy of the USS Arizona (exhibition). Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/life-and-legacy-uss-arizona
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  The USS Arizona, named in honor of our state’s acceptance into the Union, was a major casualty in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This exhibit commemorates the 75th anniversary of that tragic event and honors the 1177 crewmen and officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. The extensive USS Arizona Collection, which has been created primarily from donations of individuals associated with the battleship during her 26-year life, is the source of exhibit content. Original photographs will document not only the ship but her personnel, and operational history. Other materials on display will be papers, scrapbooks, documents, and memorabilia, such as the ship’s newspaper, official Navy documents, and crew correspondence. Also included will be oral histories with men who served on the ship, materials that document the USS Arizona Memorial, papers from The USS Arizona Reunion Association, and the story about the USS Arizona Bell that hangs in the Student Union Memorial Center. On view August 29-December 23, along with a companion online exhibit.
• Diaz, J. R. (2016. The Performing Arts In Tucson (exhibition). Main Library. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/performing-arts-tucson
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  This exhibit will take a look at the history of music, theater and other areas of the performing arts in Tucson during the 20th century.
• Diaz, J. R. (2015. 100 Years of Anthropology at the University of Arizona: Celebrating Excellence (exhibition and program). Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/100-years-anthropology-university-arizona
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  This exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the University of Arizona School of Anthropology. It features a variety of historical material including photos, original documents, pamphlets, articles and books related to the school and its impact on our campus and community.An opening reception with Diane Austin, Professor and Director, School of Anthropology and Research Anthropologist with the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology (BARA) is on Thursday, Feb. 12 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in Special Collections. Austin’s talk, “University of Arizona Anthropology: A Century of Continuity amid Change,” highlights some of the key historical and current challenges addressed by University of Arizona anthropologists. The exhibit and event are free and open to the public.Highlights of the exhibit include archival materials on Byron Cummings, founder of the program, and his successors Emil Haury and Raymond Thompson. Also on display is information about various archaeological field schools, such as Point of Pines and Grasshopper, as will information about the Bureau of Ethnic Research (now called the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology) and the “Garbage Project.”Historic photos and information about the Arizona State Museum, which for many years was managed by the directors of the anthropology program, are also included. Documents from various manuscript collections of former students and faculty, most notably Henry Dobyns, Trudy Griffin-Pierce and Paul Ezell, add to the exhibit’s focus on the history of the anthropology program. The University of Arizona Press is also highlighted, as Emil Haury was a key player in convincing then President Harvill to start the Press in 1959. Over the years, the UA Press has focused on publishing a number of works in anthropology and archaeology, many of them written by UA faculty, and these are featured as well.
• Diaz, J. R. (2015. A.E. Douglass and The Tree Ring Lab (exhibition). Science-Engineering Library. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/ae-douglass-and-tree-ring-lab
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  A.E. Douglass was a major figure in the study of dendrochronology. The UA Tree Ring Research Lab and Douglass's role in its development are the focus of this exhibit.
• Diaz, J. R. (2015. Tucson: Growth, Change, Memories (exhibition and programs). Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/tucson
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  The purpose of this exhibit is to cast light on various aspects of Tucson’s history and growth as an urban community, through an examination of that which has been lost and that which has been gained as a result of the process of urbanization.Featured in the exhibit will be historic photos, maps and memorabilia of Tucson, including rare photos of buildings that existed where the Tucson Convention Center now sits as well as photos of landmarks that are now gone, such as the Santa Rita Hotel and the El Conquistador Hotel. Also included in the exhibit will be a variety of “new housing” development brochures that give a glimpse into the ways that Tucson grew as a modern American city since the 1950s. Co-curated by UA Librarian Bob Diaz and Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation board member Andie Zelnio, the exhibit includes unique materials on loan from the Foundation.
• Diaz, J. R. (2015. Women in Anthropology (exhibition and program). Main Library. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/women-anthropology
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  A new exhibit at the Main Library celebrates two great occasions – the centennial anniversary of the UA School of Anthropology and Women’s History Month – by exploring the seminal work, impact, and achievements of women in the field of anthropology. Through biographical profiles, photographs, studies, and monographs covering gender, race, and feminism in anthropology, “Celebrating Excellence: Women in Anthropology” highlights the contributions of seven influential American female anthropologists. Covering the 20th century to present day, the exhibit features the work of:Ruth Underhill (1883-1984), known for her many publications that dispelled myths about Native American culture,Ruth Benedict (1887-1948), an anthropologist and folklorist known for studies of the relationships between personality, art, language and culture. Benedict was also the second female president of the American Anthropological Association.Gladys Reichard (1893-1955), a cultural and linguistic anthropologist best known for her studies of Navajo language and cultureHortense Powdermaker (1896-1970), best known for her ethnographic studies of African Americans in rural America.Margaret Mead (1901-1978), a cultural anthropologist who tackled controversial social issues and became a frequent speaker and lecturer in 1960s and 1970sRuth Landes (1908-1991), a cultural anthropologist best known for studies on Brazilian candomblé cults and her study of race and gender relations.Jane Hill, Regents’ Professor and Professor of Anthropology and Linguistics at the University of Arizona known for her research on the Uto-Aztecan languages and language ideology.“Celebrating Excellence: Women in Anthropology” was curated as a companion display to Special Collections current exhibition, “Celebrating Excellence: 100 Years of UA Anthropology,” which runs through July 30, 2015.
• Diaz, J. R. (2014. Mars Madness: Sci Fi, Popular Culture, and Ray Bradbury's Literary Journey to Outer Space (exhibition and programs). Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/mars-madness
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  Culled from Special Collections' literary archives, items on display include original works written by Bradbury, works of others who influenced him, pulp sci-fi magazines, photos of Mars, and movie memorabilia. A selection of sci-fi related toys, on loan from the private collection of local sci-fi aficionado Wolf Forrest, are also on display. The exhibit is guest curated by local educator and author Gloria McMillan, whose edited work, Orbiting Ray Bradbury's Mars: Biographical, Anthropological, Literary, Scientific and Other Perspectives, was aimed to present a "kaleidoscopic view" of Bradbury, and his work, through the academic lenses of anthropology, literature, science, media, and education.
• Diaz, J. R. (2014. Wilderness Act: 50 Anniversary (exhibition and program). Special Collections. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/wilderness-act
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  The exhibit features materials from Special Collections relating to the Wilderness Act. The collection includes maps, books, archival documents and photographs from the materials of Stewart and Morris Udall and Edward Abbey.
• Diaz, J. R. (2013. 40 Years of Tucson Meet Yourself (exhibition and programs). Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/40-years-tucson-meet-yourself
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  Tucson Meet Yourself, the largest free, three-day folklife festival in Arizona-Sonora, holds its 40th annual event this October. In celebration of this milestone, a new exhibition at UA Special Collections offers a retrospective review of the origins, traditions and celebrations that define the festival. “40 Years of Tucson Meet Yourself” is on display from Sept. 12, 2013 – Jan. 10, 2014 in Special Collections, 1510 E. University Blvd.Tucson’s expressive culture, as experienced through the festival, is highlighted through posters, newspaper articles, programs, original documents such as meeting notes, photographs of performers, artisans and food vendors in the exhibition. Books about traditional folk arts and the colorful folkloric phenomenon offer insight into the academic study of folklore. Also included is a history of the festival’s annual corrido contest as well as a special profile of Big Jim Griffith, the festival’s founder.The sounds of Tucson Meet Yourself are captured on a music kiosk featuring a selection of the many musical acts performed throughout the years. Originally recorded on reel to reel tapes, the files have been converted into a stable format for long-term preservation. A special addition to the exhibition is a banjo, an iconic instrument of the festival, on loan from Big Jim Griffith.Curated from the Tucson Meet Yourself Archive in Special Collections, which documents the festival from its first year through 1995, the exhibit also includes select items borrowed from the festival headquarters which were recently relocated to the UA Downtown branch in the Roy Place building.The festival draws more than 100,000 attendees to downtown Tucson in celebration of the living traditional arts and everyday expression of our multi-national regions’ folk and ethnic communities. This year'sTucson Meet Yourself runs from October 11-13, 2013.
• Diaz, J. R. (2013. 50 Years: Civil Rights in Arizona (exhibition and programs.). Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/50-years
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  On August 28, 1963 thousands were drawn to the National Mall to be part of what would become a historic event: the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. On a national level, the march spurred the passing of important civil rights legislation. This exhibition reviews how, 50 years later, the fight for civil rights has impacted local Tucson communities.Highlights of the exhibit include national civil rights legislative documents from the Morris K. and Stewart L. Udall Collections, documents from the Tucson Council for Civic Unity archive detailing the council’s effort to end discrimination and segregation in Tucson and Arizona, and photographs and papers from civil rights groups and individuals representing the African American, Native American, Asian American, LGBTQ, and Mexican American communities of Tucson. An audio kiosk playing songs from the civil rights era is also part of the exhibition. While the exhibition in Special Collections focuses on a review of local civil rights issues, a companion exhibition focusing on national civil rights issues is also on display in the UA Main Library from Jan. 15 – Aug. 30, 2013.A four part lecture series featuring community leaders, University of Arizona scholars, and local educators will accompany the exhibition.
• Diaz, J. R. (2013. Teatro Libertad and Chicano Theatre in Tucson (exhibition and program). University of Arizona Main Library. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries. http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/teatro-libertad-and-chicano-theatre-tucson
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  This exhibition features a local “street theatre” company called Teatro Libertad, which was active from 1975 to about 1989. The members of Teatro Libertad all participated in writing their own plays and skits, which they performed locally as well as regionally. The exhibit consists of promotional materials, photographs, newspaper articles, original scripts and a variety of other materials.An accompanying event is planned for late October, which will consist of a panel of former members of the theater group sharing their memories of their days as members of Teatro Libertad.
• Diaz, J. R. (2012. A Look at Tucson's Cultural and Architectural Treasures (exhibition and program). University of Arizona Main Library. Tucson, Az: The University of Arizona Libraries.
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  The exhibition offers a brief history of two styles of music that have influenced Tucson’s cultural identity: classical music and mariachi music. Photographs of the Temple of Music and Art and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, original programs and ephemera illustrate Tucson’s connection with classical music.Photographs, records and CDs also share the story of how Tucson developed into the premiere destination for the study and performance of mariachi music. Popular mariachi musicians highlighted in the exhibition include Lalo Guerrero, Linda Ronstadt and Los Changuitos Feos. Images of notable buildings like the Fox Theatre, the Pima County Courthouse, the Santa Rita Hotel, and the El Conquistador Hotel showcase Tucson’s architectural history. The unique style of Tucson’s religious architecture, perhaps best exemplified by the Mission San Xavier del Bac, is also explored.“A Look at Tucson’s Cultural and Architectural Treasures” was curated to coincide with Tucson’s 237th birthday, an occasion where Tucsonans are encouraged to recognize our community’s history, culture, arts and environment. The materials on display were selected from Special Collections and from the private collection of Joseph R. Diaz.
• Diaz, J. R. (2012. Company Town: Arizona's Mining Communities During 100 Years of Statehood (exhibition and program). University of Arizona Science Engineering Library. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries.
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  Company Town Exhibit: The purpose of this exhibit is to pay tribute to Arizona’s mining communities, places where thousands of working miners called home, where families were raised and children educated, where young people married and the dead laid to rest. While some of these communities were completely “owned” by the copper companies that created them, (Ajo comes to mind) others like Clifton were, and continue to be more independent in spirit. Unfortunately, a common trait each of these communities shares has been the reliance on copper mining as the primary means of economic sustenance. Because of falling copper prices that occurred over thirty years ago, and increased world competition from international copper companies, today’s copper mining communities in Arizona are a mere shadow of what they once were. Populations of towns like Ajo and Superior peaked in the late 1950’s but have been steadily declining since then. The current rise in the price of copper and the possiblity of new mines opening up across the State may, however, turn all that around. Time will tell. The history of mining in Arizona is rich and colorful. Over time, silver, gold and copper have all been discovered and mined here. The earliest mining occurred among the native people of the region, but their methods were not nearly as sophisticated as mining methods would later become. During the Spanish and Mexican periods, attempts at mining in places like Ajo were made, but because of a lack of water and the ever present danger of Apaches, the mining efforts of this period did not yield the kinds of monetary riches that they would later provide. As soon as the Gadsden Purchase of 1854 was signed, prospectors began staking claims. Ajo holds the distinction of hosting Arizona’s first mining company in the 1850s. Later, with the arrival of the railroad, Clifton-Morenci, Bisbee and Jerome would soon become booming mining towns, yielding vast quantities of rich copper ore. Throughout the 20th century, while companies like the Phelps-Dodge Corporation made billions of dollars in profits, the working man’s wages were often barely enough to feed his family, even though he toiled in dangerous and unhealthy conditions and often became sick with “miner’s lung”. It is no surprise then that labor relations between workers and the mine owners throughout Arizona’s history have been volatile, and at times even quite violent. Another feature of the exhibit will be a selection of materials on labor and the strikes that took place throughout the 20th century in places like Bisbee and Clifton-Morenci. The exhibit also brings to light the vast collection of material on mining and mining communities that exist in the Special Collections division of the University of Arizona Libraries. Featured are books, photographs, ephemera, pamphlets and original manuscripts about the communities of Ajo, Bisbee, Clifton-Morenci, Jerome, Superior, San Manuel, Ray-Sonora, and Globe-Miami Arizona. Highlights include photographs from the turn of the century of mining operations in Bisbee, Morenci, and Ajo, as well as original documents, some as early as the 1880’s, from the various mining-related archives held by the UA Libraries. In a companion program, Dr. Anna Ochoa O'Leary will give a presentation on the Clifton Morenci copper strike of the early 80s.
• Diaz, J. R. (2012. Lowriders exhibition. Tucson Meet Yourself. Tucson, Az.: Tucson Meet Yourself.
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  The director of Tucson Meet Yourself invited me to curate an exhibit on lowriders for the 2012 Tucson Meet Yourself Festival in downtown Tucson.The exhibit included photos of cars, album covers, memorabilia and a bibliography on low riders.
• Diaz, J. R. (2012. Medicine and Medical Facilities in Early Tucson (exhibition). Science-Engineering LIbrary.
• Diaz, J. R. (2012. “Arte Público Press and the Legacy of Latino Publishing in the U.S.,” (exhibition and program). University of Arizona Main Library. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries.
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  Contact:Bob DiazLibrarian, Special Collections(520) 621-7010diazj@u.library.arizona.eduNew Exhibit Explores Latino Literature & Movement to Recover Hispanic Literary Tradition Tucson, Ariz. (March 29, 2012) – A new exhibit at the UA Main Library explores the history of Latino literature in the United States and chronicles a national movement to recover the Hispanic literary tradition. On display from April 2 – June 12, 2012, “Arte Público Press and the Legacy of Latino Publishing in the U.S.,” showcases one of nation’s oldest and most esteemed Hispanic publishing houses. Nicolás Kanellos, director of Arte Público Press, will deliver the opening lecture titled “From the Latino Archive to Your PC or Laptop or Hand-Held Device: EBSCO Partners with Hispanic Recovery” on April 4 from 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in UA Special Collections. Nicolás Kanellos, founding publisher of the noted Hispanic literary journal The Americas Review (formerly Revista Chicano-Riqueña), established Arte Público Press in 1979. As that nation’s oldest and largest non-profit publisher of literature of U.S. Hispanic authors, Arte Público Press showcases Hispanic literary activity, arts, and culture. Its imprint for children and young adults, Piñata Books, is dedicated to the realistic and authentic portrayal of the customs, characters and themes unique to Hispanic culture in the United States. In his ongoing efforts to bring Hispanic literature to mainstream audiences, Kanellos also initiated the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage project, started in 1992 by Arte Público Press. This ten-year multimillion-dollar project represents the first coordinated, national attempt to recover, index and publish lost Latino writings that date from the American colonial period through 1960.In 2011 the University Libraries purchased the electronic database of the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage project. Funded through two library endowments, Dick & Susan Imwalle and Arch & Laura Brown, and with support from the UA department of Spanish and Portuguese, the database makes available historical content pertaining to U.S. Hispanic history, literature and culture. Searchable in Spanish and English, the majority of the collection is in Spanish. The exhibit, “Arte Público Press and the Legacy of Latino Publishing in the U.S.,” highlights Arte Público publications, book covers, and ephemera held in Special Collections. A selection of non-fiction titles, novels, children’s books manuscripts, and publications in the areas of drama, theatre and poetry – all on loan from the press – complement the items from Special Collections. The exhibit also showcases material preserved through the efforts of the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage project and documents Kanellos’s more than four decades of professional contributions to the field.
• Diaz, J. R., & Escudero, V. R. (2010. Stories and Music of the Mexican Revolution (exhibition and programs). Special Collections exhibition gallery. Tucson, Az.: The University of Arizona Libraries.
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  Stories & Music of the Revolution A Commemorative Exhibit on the Centennial of Mexico’s RevolutionDates: September 9, 2010 - December 20, 2010Special Collections at the University Libraries announces its newest exhibit, Stories & Music of the Revolution: A Commemorative Exhibit on the Centennial of Mexico’s Revolution, on display from Sept. 9 – Dec. 20, 2010 in the gallery at Special Collections, 1510 E. University Blvd. Through unofficial correspondence among citizens, reminiscences written years after the incidents, photographs, broadsides, sound recordings, government circulars, and wood-block engravings Stories & Music of the Revolution illustrates a sense of individual and collective experiences along the border from 1910 – 1920, the turbulent years of the Revolution.Stories & Music of the Revolution draws from Special Collections’ expansive Borderlands materials to recreate the Revolution as experienced from two perspectives: those fighting for agrarian, economic, and other societal reforms and those seeking to stabilize the nation or remain in power. The materials on display were selected from a variety of collections including the papers of journalist, playwright, and women’s rights advocate Sophie Treadwell; George Hunt, Arizona’s first governor; and the Arizona, Southwest and Borderlands photograph collection. Sound recordings, corrido lyrics, and sheet music drawn from the University Libraries’ fine arts holdings and personal collections complement the materials selected from Special Collections. Curated by librarians Verónica Reyes-Escudero and Bob Diaz, Stories & Music of the Revolution commemorates the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence and the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. A lecture series exploring the cultural, political, and economic legacy of the Revolution will be held throughout the fall in conjunction with the exhibit. The exhibit and lecture series are sponsored by the Friends of the University Libraries and the Consulate of Mexico in Tucson.