Bridget, Author at Storied Books at the University of Florida

April 16, 2025April 10, 2026

The Partitions of Poland Explored Through Maps

Blog post by Josie Domitrovic

Johnson's map of Austria, Turkey, and Greece

Figure 1: Nineteenth century map of the Austrian Empire. J. H. Colton and A. J. Johnson, Johnson’s New Illustrated Family Atlas of the World with Descriptions. Johnson and Ward, 1862.

My name is Josie Domitrovic, and I have been utilizing the Map and Imagery Library to study the Partitions of Poland and their aftermath. I first became interested in this topic last year while learning more about my ancestors from Poland. I was making an art portfolio based on some of my family’s traditions and history, which included a map showing the town my great-grandfather was from when it was under Austro-Hungarian rule. This piqued my interest in learning more about Poland’s partitions, history of foreign rule, and how this history has been depicted on maps.

The late eighteenth-century partitions of Poland ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth as well as an independent Poland and Lithuania for the next 123 years. The partitions occurred for many reasons, including the gradual weakening of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth as well as the aggressive tendencies of Poland’s neighbors, Prussia, the Austrian Empire, and the Russian Empire.

Figure 2: Mid eighteenth-century map commissioned by the Russian tsar showing Asia and eastern Europe. Carte d’Asie. Mer des Indes. Map of Africa Eastern Europe, Eastern Africa. From the Map and Imagery Library Collection, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries

So far in this fellowship, I have looked through atlases and maps to see how names for cities and regions in Poland were depicted after the partitions. In an American map made in 1897 depicting the three partitions of Poland, the city Gdańsk in present day northern Poland is named “Danzig” instead, which is the German version of the name. Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was known as “Lwów” in Polish. On maps of the Austrian empire from after the partition, its name is represented in German as “Lemberg”. These examples reveal how language was used as a tool to assert the authority of new ruling powers as well as removing linguistic signifiers of the erased Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Certain maps in the library contain historical regional names that are no longer used. One example is from the 1897 map showing the Partitions of Poland. It includes regions of Poland labelled “Red Russia,” “Black Russia,” and “White Russia.” These were historical names of areas that were once part of the medieval Kyivan Rus’ state, which have also been referred to as Red/Black/White Ruthenia or Rus’. The use of these names could point to possible justification by Russian rulers as to why they felt entitled to Poland’s land. This would be an interesting topic to be explored further in other collections.

Four maps of Poland from 1667, 1772, 1793, and 1795 showing the partitions of Poland

Figure 3: Map showing the different stages of the Partitions of Poland. Benjamin Smith, E. Century Atlas of the World 1897. The Century Co., 1897.

In addition to maps, the Price Library of Judaica has a been helpful resource to learn about the history of Polish towns that once had large Jewish populations. These towns reveal an added layer to Poland’s partitions in that the Jewish population in the areas Russia took over faced additional discrimination and had to reside in certain places. The book titled Antopol describes one of these towns and explains that “Antopol” was the town’s Russian name, while “Antipolia” was its name among the Jewish population. The different names of this town suggest that the Jewish people living there had a communal identity of their own with a degree of separation from Russian influence.

Figure 4: Historical map of Antopol when it had a majority Jewish population. Benzion H. Ayalon, Anṭopol: Anṭipolye: Sefer-Yizkor.ו Tel Aviv: Irgun Yotsʼe Anṭopol Be-Yiśraʼel Uve-Ameriḳa, 1972.

My research into this topic has left me wanting to learn more, specifically about how language shown on maps was employed by rulers and affected individuals. How did partitioning and changing the names of areas in Poland impact the people living there? And how did Poland’s experience compare to other areas of the world that have also been partitioned?

April 14, 2025April 10, 2026

From Grimm to Gold

Blog post by Kalyna Dugar

Figure 1: Jacob Grimm, et al. Grimm’s Household Tales. London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1912. Baldwin Library of Historic Children’s Literature, 23h28442.

Ever since childhood, I have had a passionate attachment to Disney Channel Original shows and movies. When I rewatched my beloved shows and movies with a more mature lens, however, I wondered how I could have missed the blatant instances of toxicity in both platonic and romantic relationships. Was this toxicity always enrooted in children’s media? Perusing the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature furthered my understanding of historical mainstream children’s entertainment and its impact on society.

At the beginning of my research, I assumed that fairy tales were first created as entertainment for children. Through information found in sources such as When Dreams Came True by Jack Zipes and The Classical Fairy Tales by Maria Tatar, I learned that folklore and fairy tales were intended for a mature audience. Even the first editions of The Nursery and Household Tales by the Grimm Brothers were intended for scholars and contained gruesome topics that were unsuitable for children (see figure 2). According to Tatar, the Grimm Brothers realized they missed a potential selling market based on criticisms that their tales were not written for the household (given in the name) and did not include Christian teachings. This newfound information shifted my attention to why fairy tales moved toward children and families.

A boy is sitting on the floor while an man holds on to his collar

Figure 2: This frontispiece was created by Kronheim to capture the gruesome topics portrayed in the George Routledge and Sons’ 1877 edition of the Household Stories Collected by the Brothers Grimm. Baldwin Library of Historic Children’s Literature, 23h247.

Economic and financial considerations help explain why the Grimms’ stories and other fairy tales were being altered for child audiences and how publishers exploited that demand. My initial instinct was to take a modern economic approach: anything is more likely to be bought when it appeals to multiple physical senses. The Grimm’s Household Tales, edited and partly translated by Marian Edwards in 1912, had the components of a bible with minimal illustrations and no color (see figure 3). It seemed that it was meant for parents or other authority figures to read to children, and imagery was left to the child’s imagination. The book’s preface confirms the initial purpose, stating it was for young readers and their “interest and amusement” but “as a source of instruction also,” showing its intended market.

Pages 338 and 339 from a 1912 translation of Grimm’s Household Tales

Figure 3: Edited and partly translated by Marian Edwards and illustrated by R’anning Bell, it demonstrates how the book itself was not visual for younger readers but a medium of instruction. Jacob Grimm, et al. Grimm’s Household Tales. London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1912. Baldwin Library of Historic Children’s Literature, 23h28442.

This lack of illustrations and the primary purpose being for instruction led me to question whether, with time, books and illustrations would become more colorful. I found, however, that illustrators like Authur Rackham and his Grimms Tales, published in 1909 (earlier than Edwards’ edition in 1912), included colorful watercolor pictures and graphics that were more appealing to the eye, steering away from the bible aesthetic (see figure 4). Rackham’s prefatory note alluded to the intention of his creative approach and of more entertainment. Rackham’s Brothers Grimm Tales, limited to 750 signed copies for sale in Britain and Ireland and his notable reputation for art, established the equilibrium at a higher price because of the limited supply. This proved to be more of a scarce good: even if the demand rises, more of the original copy cannot be supplied. My current notion, with the given information, is that time is a relevant variable for children’s literature because of the progression of printing technology and changing social norms, which, in turn, impacts children’s literature. However, the critical variable is the intention of the author, illustrator, and publishing company.

A figure is climbing down the side a tower while holding on to Rapunzel's hair

Figure 4: Arthur Rackham’s colored illustration of Rapunzel depicts the artistry he means to convey with The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm 1909 edition. Jacob Grimm, et al. The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. London: Constable & Co., 1909. Baldwin Library of Historic Children’s Literature, 39p1840.

My observations of economic principles, social norms, and children’s literature spark future questions about how historical cultural movements, like the Victorian Era, shifted children’s literature and views on childhood. I would like to further expand on the economic implications of children’s literature and the criteria needed to succeed in the industry. I would also like to dive deeper into the relationship between the author, illustrator, and publishing company and how that influenced the products made. I think that with historical children’s literature, many have seen the philosophical ideologies of fairy tales and folklore, but the monetary implications have yet to be seen.

April 9, 2025April 10, 2026

Seeing the Touch

Blog post by Jonathan Polanco

Bronze cast of a Nile crocodile's foot between two plaques. The plague to the right of the cast is in Braille.

Figure 1: Bronze Model of a Crocodile. Jacksonville Zoo (Volunteer Work) Special Art Castings-Conservation Arts, 2007-2017, Box: 8, Folder: 19, Sample 3 Bronze Art. Tim Lawrence Papers, MSS 0570, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida.

As a pre-med and humanities student, I have a great interest in not only medicine and diseases (particularly those related to blindness), but also in the social aspects of how such diseases impact the daily lives of individuals. Given this interest, and the large number of primary sources related to the topic available through Special Collections, I was ecstatic to be part of the 2025 Discovery Fellowship cohort.

Initially, I wanted to focus on changes in the built environment to accommodate individuals experiencing blindness or low vision. After looking at photographs of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, as well as images and maps of the University of Florida, I quickly realized that I was going to have to make some changes to my initial proposal (see figure 2). I was not able to find any patterns in the photographs that might allow me to follow through with my initial question. I also noticed that my question was quite a bit broad and with my low level of expertise in this area, it was going to be quite difficult to further develop that question.

chapel with a tall, steeply pitched roof

Figure 2: Image of the Interfaith Chapel at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Biennial Report of the President of the Florida State School for the Deaf and the Blind to the Board of Trustees , 1970-1972. P. K. Yonge Library of Florida History.

I was not in the darkness, however. I kept looking, and with the many resources that Smathers Library has to offer, I found the recently acquired Tim Lawrence Papers. Tim Lawrence was a Hollywood concept artist in charge of designing and creating sets and props for Hollywood’s biggest TV shows and movies, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Ghostbusters. With his skills and expertise, Lawrence also provided a more immersive “zoo experience” for individuals, particularly children, with low vision or blindness.

Lawrence had close ties to the Jacksonville Zoo, as he grew up in the area and frequented the zoo quite often. He worked in collaboration with the zoo’s vets and personnel to establish the Conservation Arts program. Through this initiative, Lawrence was able to perform “life-casting[s]” of animals while they were anesthetized during their routine vet check-up (see figure 3). He would then digitize the model and create a three-dimensional piece of tactile bronze art. This was so that the “blind and visually impaired can touch the model and ‘see’” the animal with their hands,” Lawrence said. To the right of the model would be braille text (see figure 1). His goal with the Conservation Arts program was to provide every zoo in the world with a three-dimensional model of his animal casts, ready to be to 3-D printed on site. However, due to lack of funds, the project came to a halt.

Two people use a box filled with a pink substance to make a mold of a sleeping tiger's paw

Figure 3: Collage showing the casting process. Jacksonville Zoo (Volunteer Work) Special Art Castings-Conservation Arts, 2007-2017, Box: 8, Folder: 19, 12 Zoo Power Tigers. Tim Lawrence Papers, MSS 0570. Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida.

At this point, I started questioning why no one funded such a life-changing project. Despite the business cards, websites, and brochures that Lawrence made, the necessary funds never materialized. I found an interview between NeverDull Productions and Lawrence where he says that funding was an issue because the program was a service for a cause. There was no financial return, and it was solely powered by the “satisfaction of participation.”

I am still working on refining my research question. Nonetheless, this experience has been completely eye opening and has magnified the initial interest I had in enhancing services for individuals experiencing blindness.

My research has also opened unforeseen doors into the legislative aspect of medicine and programs that aid in the amelioration of individuals with certain disabilities. Before the Discovery Fellowship, I was set to study medicine. Now, my research has sparked my interest in possibly pursuing an M.D./J.D. degree, which is offered at the University of Florida. Being able to practice both law and medicine will allow me to not only provide the best care to my patients but also help me to advocate for them directly with legislators.

April 2, 2025April 10, 2026

Dissecting the 1988 University of Florida Student Government Elections

Blog post by Alexander Peterson

A group of students sitting at a table representing the Express party. The students are holding handmade signs in support of the Express party.

Figure 1: Express Party members campaigning at their table in what is now Turlington Plaza. University of Florida, Tower ’88 (Gainesville, FL1988), https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00031001/00018/images/54.

My name is Alexander Peterson, and I am a second-year History and Classics major. When first applying for the Discovery Fellowship, I wanted to delve into how national political movements and ideology played into Student Government (SG) activity at the University of Florida. My background in SG, which includes running for senate twice, sparked my academic interest, making it a natural starting point for my fellowship research. While the fellowship encouraged flexibility, even a complete topic shift, of one thing I was certain: I was sticking with SG.

I first began doing research by gaining familiarity with official SG documents. I perused a few folders of Student Body Authorizations from 1985-2005, which are senate-passed permissions or approvals granted to individuals or student organizations to use funds or other resources . During this process, I stumbled upon a document that instantly enthralled me. It included the signatures of over 40 student senators asking that the Student Honor Court investigate “all allegations of improprieties connected with the recent Spring 1988 Student Government Elections” (see figure 2). This single document completely reshaped my research question.

Petition to the University of Florida Student Senate with handwritten student signatures

Figure 2: Student Body Authorizations of the University of Florida Student Senate, 1985-2005, 2012, Box: 3. Student Body Authorizations of the University of Florida Student Senate, Series 114. Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida.

To understand the context of the University of Florida Student Government (SG), it is crucial to recognize the influence of Florida Blue Key (FBK). A prestigious campus honor society, FBK has long been entrenched in the workings of SG (see figure 3). Its influence is primarily exerted through bloc voting, often by leveraging connections within affiliated organizations like fraternities and sororities and by offering positions within the Student Government and FBK to parties that support them. Since the 1920s, this system of power accumulation has allowed FBK to play a significant role in shaping elections and other SG matters. For brevity, SG political parties supported by FBK will be referred to as FBK-backed parties, while those without its backing will be called independent parties.

Typewritten text of Judicial Notice number 3(a)

Figure 3: Judicial Notice from Grapski v. Florida Blue Key stating FBK’s involvement in SG. Judicial Notice in case 95-4412-CA, Alachua County Court. Found at http://www.scribd.com/doc/29138637/Judicial-Notice, accessed March 31st, 2025.

The 1988 spring SG elections were truly a beautiful mess, with accusations of impropriety, theft, and drama all around. The Express Party emerged in response to mismanagement by the FBK-backed Wave Party, which imposed funding cuts on major campus communities, including engineers and the Black Student Union. Other actions included threats to defund the Engineering Fair and political antagonism from Student Body President Jeff Jonasen, a Wave member. Scooter Willis, an engineer with no SG experience, ran as the Express Party’s candidate for Student Body President and won—prompting the Wave Party to challenge the election results directly. This resulted in the Wave-dominated Senate deciding not to ‘canvass’ the election results for an entire month, based on alleged fraud. After a Student Government grand jury found little to no evidence of wrongdoing, the senate was forced to validate the results of the election.

While I fully believed my previous research question had changed completely, research in The Alligator prompted a new realization. The Express Party’s Treasurer candidate, Paul Paffe, was president and co-founder of the campus Republican Party, while the Senate Pro Tempore, Joe Gufford—a Wave member and highly partisan Democrat—faced controversy for stealing free Republican newspapers in a politically charged act. Despite this possibility of Republican versus Democrat playing out at the SG level, I conclude this blog post with a new research question: What factors played into the political destabilization in the University of Florida Student Government in the 1980s and 1990s?

April 2, 2025April 10, 2026

Congratulations to Aron Ali-McClory!

event flier for Beyond the Berkley of the South: Fight the Power!

Congratulations to Aron Ali-McClory, former Discovery Fellow and Askew Scholar! Aron presented their research on UF student protest movements on Wednesday, April 2nd, in Smathers Library. Their presentation included a discussion on the power of student action, the lessons of past movements, and the role of young organizers in shaping the future.

February 3, 2025April 13, 2026

Welcome to our 2025 Discovery Fellows

We are happy to present the members of the fifth cohort of Undergraduate Discovery Fellows! This semester, we’re pleased to welcome five new fellows to the collections. You’ll hear more about their projects on this blog over the course of the semester, but for now, we’re excited to introduce them to the collections and to each other.

Josie Domitrovic (’28)

Will be using maps to study Imperial
Russia and the Austrian Hungarian Empire’s control of Poland in the years before World War I.

Kalyna Dugar (’27)

Will be using the Baldwin Library of Historic Children’s Literature to look at mainstream children’s entertainment story lines and their depictions of love.

Alexander Peterson (’27)

Will be using University Archives materials to investigate the history the history of UF’s student government and how it relates to broader political movements.

Jonathan Polanco (’26)

Will be looking at accessible architecture and the effects that the built environment has on individuals experiencing low vision or blindness.

Catherine Smith (’27)

Will be using the Baldwin Library of Historic Children’s Literature to look at how public health issues are portrayed in children’s books.

January 7, 2025April 13, 2026

2024 Year in Review

Student pointing to an image on a screen while giving a presentation in front of an audience seated in the Judaica Suite of Smathers Library

The past year was a busy one for the Discovery Fellowship program. Four students, mentored by Neil Weijer, Sarah Coates, and Bridget Bihm-Manuel, were selected for the fourth cohort and completed the requirements for the fellowship. In early May, they presented their research during a lightning talk session attended by friends, family, and members of the Department of Special Area Studies Collections (SASC). Since that time, at least two of these students have gone on to continue their research through additional fellowships at UF.

In August, the program went through a major change in leadership when Neil, the Rare Books curator and the founder of the Discovery Fellowship, left the University of Florida. Bridget, who had been working with the fellowship since its inception, stepped up and became the new director. Betsy Bemis, who serves as the Associate Curator of the Panama Canal Museum Collection in SASC, agreed to serve as co-director. Neil remains a friend to the program and checks in from time to time to answer questions and get the latest news about the fellowship.

In October, Alex Avelino, the Director of Marketing and Communications for the George A. Smathers Libraries, wrote an article about the Discovery Fellowship. She provided an overview of the program and interviewed Hannah Whitaker, a member of the first cohort of fellows, who now serves as the Women’s and Gender Studies Librarian here at UF. UF News and UF At Work both shared the article, allowing more students than ever before to learn about the unique opportunity presented by the fellowship. In fact, the article’s publication led to the largest number of applicants in the program’s history.

With so many students interested in becoming Discovery Fellows, Bridget and Betsy had a difficult time selecting the members of the fifth cohort. That job has now been completed, and five students will be learning about archival research with us in 2025. These eager young scholars will be introduced on the Storied Books website in the next few weeks.

October 16, 2024December 17, 2024

Discovery Fellowship Applications Now Open

The application period for the 2025 Discovery Fellowships is now open. The deadline to apply is November 4th, 2024 at 5PM. Need ideas about the kind of projects that you could pursue? Check out the work of our previous fellows. Want to discuss a potential project? Please feel free to contact Bridget or Betsy for assistance.

As a reminder, applicants must submit a short statement ( 500 words or less) describing a topic or question they’re interested in exploring through the collections and why that topic is meaningful to them, plus a current resume or CV.

Bridget and Betsy held an information session for students interested in submitting an application on October 8th. For those we were unable to attend, the session was recorded and can be viewed here. Good luck to everyone that applies!

September 11, 2024December 17, 2024

Changes to the Discovery Fellowship Program

After four successful years, there has been a major change to the Discovery Fellowship program. Dr. Neil Weijer, the Rare Books curator and Discovery Fellowship director, has left the University of Florida. While he is already missed, the Discovery Fellowship will continue to move forward. Bridget Bihm-Manuel, Florida History Coordinator, who previously served as the program’s co-director, will now be acting as director. Betsy Bemis, the Associate Curator of the Panama Canal Museum Collection , has agreed to serve as the new co-director. Bridget and Betsy would like to thank Neil for his service, and wish him the best in his new endeavors.

In the meantime, the fellowship will function much as it did before, with the usual research projects, coffee hours, blog posts, and presentations. The application period for the 2025 program will be opening soon and an information session for prospective students will be held in early October. Please remember to check back in for more updates in the next few weeks!

April 3, 2024April 13, 2026

Truth and Perspective at the Berkeley of the South

A photograph from a newspaper of students protesting on University Avenue

Blog post by Discovery Fellow Aron Ali-McClory

Hello! My name is Aron Ali-McClory, and I am an organizer and student who has been using the University Archives to explore the history of the student movement at the University of Florida, prompted by a manuscript which had been given to me known as Berkeley of the South. The student movement, consisting of intertwining lineages and legacies of student protest and activism, is something that is usually viewed through its most memorable events. My research through the Discovery Fellowship has sought to understand the context in which the student movement exists at UF – especially as there is no widely known or available resource which documents the movement at all its intersections.

The University Archives contains an almost overwhelming array of material on the student movement, much of which has not been digitized, and almost none of which is consistent in format. Many of these materials were housed in ‘vertical files,’ which were topical in nature and could hold any array of documents and ephemera inside. Unlike many archival collections, in which each individual document is organized and listed on an inventory, the contents of each vertical file need to be explored piece by piece, with many documents still in the order they were submitted to the University Archives. From student-made zines to hand-edited messages from the president’s office, student papers and more, I quickly discovered that I had to narrow down my scope if I wanted to begin to do justice to the student movement as I intended, and ended up deciding to center my Fellowship research on Black Thursday for this semester. Black Thursday was a critical event which occurred in April of 1971, and involved a well-supported and militant Black Student Union (BSU) facing off with the cautious presidential administration of Stephen C. O’Connell over demands like establishing an Institute of Black Culture and increasing Black student enrollment.

a clipping from a newspaper about the UF Black Student Union showing appreciation for its supporters

Figure 1: A newspaper clipping found in a vertical file covering a statement from BSU thanking supporters during Black Thursday

What I began to understand as I worked my way through the extensive vertical files is that modern depictions of Black Thursday and the context in which it existed lacked the historical context which could perhaps only be found in the very documents I was reading through. I found that student government, a historically neutral institution at UF, placed itself firmly in support of BSU against the administration, led by insurgent student body president Steve Uhlfelder. Furthermore, I pieced together a narrative spun by the administration that isn’t much talked about, namely their attempt to minimize the voices and actions of those protesting on Black Thursday by garnering large amounts of support from the state government, parents, and parts of the faculty.

After reviewing many of the items in the vertical files, as well as accessing digital editions of the Florida Alligator from the time of Black Thursday, it became clear that only with this kind of thorough review and analysis would one come to understand the student movement in full. As I continue to branch out forward and backwards in time from Black Thursday, I intend to keep a similarly keen eye on how perspective shapes ‘the truth’ as it relates to student protest and activist activities on campus, especially as it relates to administration, community actors, student government, and the students themselves.

Featured image credit: Students march down University Avenue from a newspaper file photo, c. 1971