University of Iowa Librarian Jenna Silver on Lee Harvey Oswald's Autopsy and the Sackner Archive

Our Bright Young Librarians series continues today with Jenna Silver, Processing Coordinator Archivist with the University of Iowa.

What is your role at your institution?

I am the Processing Coordinator Archivist for Special Collections and Archives at the University of Iowa.

How did you get started in special collections?

I started as a graduate student employee, working predominantly with the program ArchivesSpace. I was responsible for simple data entry and ArchivesSpace management of finding aids. The job eventually morphed into a processing role which paved the way to my current position. 

Where did you earn your degrees?

I received my MLIS from the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science in 2018 with a certificate in digital humanities.

Favorite rare book / ephemera that you've handled?

I think my favorite item I have encountered so far is a portrait of Ruth Suckow (an Iowa author) done by her husband Ferner Nuhn. It is this small, beautiful canvas depicting Ruth with her cat. It is quirky, brightly colored, and the love those two had for each other radiates in this particular piece. Some of my favorite unexpected finds while processing have been, a large, presidential like photo of a donor’s cat, a skull cap that was randomly in a box, finger nails, and some amazing scrapbooks from World War II.

What do you personally collect?

This is hard, I do not really collect anything. The closest thing that I can consider a “collection” would be my pandora charm bracelets. Everyone knows I enjoy wearing them, so I am often gifted new charms, and have a few bracelets. However, I do not go out of my way to purchase them.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I have two kids and three dogs that keep me rather busy. We all love to be outside, so there is a lot of time spent gardening, my husband and I have been working on converting our small acreage into a pollinator zone, playing tennis with my daughters, and biking. I also enjoy reading and during the cooler months I spend a lot of my free time knitting and crocheting.

 What excites you about special collections librarianship?

In my role as Processing Coordinator Archivist, the most rewarding and exciting part of special collections librarianship is training students on archival processing and seeing it click. Witnessing that moment when they figure out processing, when they understand how a finding aid should function, and how to preserve the materials for years to come it is very rewarding experience. It is reassuring to see the next generation of archivists and librarians excited to learn and continue this important work. In a more general sense, I love having those more personal interactions with patrons who are using our materials. Being able to assist users and fill in those gaps for them is very fulfilling. 

Finally, the field of special collections and archives is changing and actively breaking down barriers that prevents various communities from visiting and using our materials. My department has been working hard to diversify our staff, students, collections, and how we make materials accessible, and I have been excited to see those initiatives to take shape and grow. I look forward to even more in the future.

 Any unusual or interesting collection at your library you'd like to draw our attention to?

One of our more unique collections would be MsC0860: Earl F. Rose papers. Earl Rose was a former University of Iowa professor, who prior to coming to Iowa was the Dallas County medical examiner at the time of the assassination of President Kennedy. Rose performed the autopsies on Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby. The collection contains reports, autopsy slides and pictures, notes and correspondence from Rose. We also have various artifacts from Rose such as the scalpel used during the autopsies, the test bullet from Oswald, test slides with brain matter. These were extremely unique items that required special housing and use notes. While a little odd, it is fascinating to read through and see the material if one is particular interested in science.

 Any upcoming exhibitions at your library?

Our most recent exhibition that is happening right now until June 27 is A Roll of the Dice: Symbolism in the Sackner Archive, curated by Rich Dana our Sackner Archive Project Coordinator Librarian. The show is absolutely fantastic and really highlights some of the unique and beautiful pieces in the Sackner Archive. I highly recommend visiting in person or enjoy the online resources that the library has put up.