Building a Collection: Personal Narratives from the 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic

More than a decade ago, UCLA Library Special Collections began collecting individual letters, diaries, ephemera, and other mostly English-language items about the global 1918-1919 influenza pandemic. Students, faculty, journalists and other researchers use the collection to experience firsthand accounts of the flu and its impact on life and death in the military and on the home front. We will look (remotely) at a selection of these materials and discuss collecting, writing styles, handwriting, genealogy, digitization and more.

About the Speaker
Russell Johnson has been Curator for History of Medicine and the Sciences at UCLA Library Special Collections since 2008. He holds master’s degrees in Physiological Psychology (now known as Behavioral Neuroscience) and Library & Information Studies. Russell was honored twice as UCLA Librarian of the Year: in 2009, for building a collection of baby record books, which opened up a new area in historical childhood studies; and in 2019, for mentorship and outreach, including noteworthy teaching with rare and unique materials.

Your financial support at any level helps us to provide the exciting programs and events you expect from The New York Academy of Medicine, and to sustain the Library’s books, journals, digital ventures and services. You will have an opportunity to make a donation when you register for the event.

To view past Library events & programs, visit our YouTube channel.