Highlights

Editor’s Note

In keeping with the university, Fondren Library runs a fiscal year from July 1 to June 30. Unless otherwise noted, stories and numbers in this annual report are gathered utilizing the July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024 fiscal year.

Highlights:

Rice News Articles

VanderJagt holds lecture, conservation demonstration at Fondren
Andrew Bell - Aug. 1, 2023
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Portia Hopkins named Rice historian
Andrew Bell - Sep. 19, 2023
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Fondren Library hosts Constitution Day celebration
Andrew Bell - Sep. 21, 2023
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Interactive workshop at Fondren Library encourages scientific spontaneity
Andrew Bell - Oct. 5, 2023
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Therapy dogs provide escape for Rice students during finals
Andrew Bell - Dec. 11, 2023
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Blast from the past: Rice remembers Super Bowl VIII as 50th anniversary of game approaches
Members of the Rice community look back at the 1974 Super Bowl hosted at Rice Stadium
Andrew Bell - Jan. 9, 2024
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Friends of Fondren event celebrates Rice authors, artists
Andrew Bell - Jan. 22, 2024
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Open studio sessions at Woodson Research Center offer hands-on experience with one-of-a-kind printing press
Authentic, functional replica of poet William Blake’s star-wheel rolling press is housed at Fondren Library
Brandi Smith - Feb. 13, 2024
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Fondren Library redesigns, upgrades digital repository platform
New Rice Research Repository has enhanced focus on university’s research
Andrew Bell - Feb. 27, 2024
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Black Houston(s) Symposium returns to spotlight rich Afro-diasporic heritage and contemporary realities
Brandi Smith - Mar. 18, 2024
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Friends of Fondren holds 42nd annual gala and auction
Karen and Larry George honored at event
Andrew Bell - Mar. 19, 2024
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Celebrate National Poetry Month with Rice’s Cherry Reading Series
Brandi Smith - Mar. 19, 2024
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Harvard Divinity Dean visits Rice’s Boniuk Institute as inaugural Senior Scholar Award recipient
Avery Ruxer Franklin - Apr. 3, 2024
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Owls flock to central quad to view solar eclipse
Andrew Bell - Apr. 8, 2024
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Woodson’s First Folio makes guest appearance at HSPVA’s ‘Book of Will’
Community treated to first published collection of Shakespeare’s plays
Brandi Smith - Apr. 17, 2024
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Rice’s Fondren Fellows program displays projects at showcase event
Andrew Bell - Apr. 29, 2024
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Rice’s South Texas Jewish Archives hosts local high schoolers for educational program on campus
Event focuses on refuseniks, Houston Action for Soviet Jewry
Andrew Bell - May. 16, 2024
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Rice partners with CCM Foundation, Houston Public Library to showcase hip-hop exhibit in honor of Black Music Month
‘Straight Flexin’, No Plexin’’ to feature items from Rice’s Hip Hop Archival Collection
Andrew Bell - May. 30, 2024
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Japanese migrants’ experiences in Texas celebrated in award-winning exhibit
Fondren Fellows project overseen by Rice’s Sidney Lu recognized as trailblazing by Texas Digital Library
Brandi Smith - Jun. 25, 2024
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Book Displays & Digital Collections 

Fondren’s monthly book displays continue to creatively showcase the breadth and variety of the library’s materials through diverse, timely themes. Several of the past year’s displays were created with themes that had not been explored in previous years. Displays also provide the opportunity to expand the library’s collection by ordering new materials to fill in the gaps in various subject areas.  

 

  • “Certain Unalienable Rights”: Celebrating and Interrogating American Independence (July 2023) 
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  • Rice Authors (August 2023) 
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    • This display was done in collaboration with Friends of Fondren.  

 

  • Hispanic Heritage Month & Banned Books (September 2023) 
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  • Scary Good Books (October 2023) 
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In November, a new display area was set up across from the elevator at the Quad entrance. Previously, this area housed telephones and an ATM machine and, although intended to be temporary while the main display shelves were being refinished, it has proved popular. This display space also provides more opportunities for collaboration with other departments and events as well as exploration of additional themes that showcase the variety of materials at Fondren. 

 

  • Cook the Books (November - December 2023) 
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  • MLK Day (January 2024) 
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  • Lunar New Year (February 2024) 
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  • Women’s History Month (March 2024) 
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  • Explore Eclipses & Queer Lit (April 2024) 
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    • Queer lit: 
      • Notably, this display was the first to be suggested by a group from outside the library, Rice PRIDE. Titles were chosen by the group’s Co-President and Diversity Facilitator.  
  • AANHPI Month & How Does Your Garden Grow? (May 2024) 
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  • LGBTQ+ Pride Month (June 2024) & On Broadway 
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Social Media 

At a Glance:

Audience: 4,133 (+177.6%)

Net Audience Growth: 887 (+699.1%)

Impressions: 2,432,575 (+1,401.4%)

Engagements: 374,935 (+4,574.4%)

Post Link Clicks: 292 (+204.2%)

Engagement Rate: 15.4% (+211.3%)

Shares: 43,512 (+15,956.1%)

Video Views: 2,240,644 (+10,069%)

 

Top Performing Posts:

  1. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6T6QaXOXs6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    1. Platform: Instagram
    2. Caption: Hang in there! Finals are just about done! In the meantime, we’ve got you with study rooms, resources, and more. Just ask! Librarians ❤️love❤️ questions.
    3. Impressions: 4,296,550
    4. Total Engagements: 377,683
    5. Likes: 321,467
    6. Comments: 171
    7. Shares: 43,660
    8. Saves: 12,385
  2. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw5PUIjOJAd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    1. Platform: Instagram
    2. Caption: We are excited to introduce the new University Historian, Portia Hopkins! Her first day as the official Rice historian was last week. Prior to that, Portia was the CLIR/DLF postdoctoral research associate in data curation for African American Studies at Rice. Her previous work includes the Black Houston(s) Symposium in March of this year. We can’t wait to see what she will bring to us as the official Rice Historian!
    3. Impressions: 17,092
    4. Total Engagements: 903
    5. Likes: 891
    6. Comments: 8
    7. Saves: 4
  3. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6yqW5cuWlh/
    1. Platform: Instagram
    2. Caption: Looking for somewhere 🪭cool to hang out in the coming ☀️summer heat? Fondren is open Monday through Saturday! We open at 7am Monday through Friday and at 10am on Saturday. The library closes at 9pm Monday through Thursday and 6pm on Friday and Saturday. Of course, we will be closed for some holidays, so always check the schedule at the 🔗 in bio!
    3. Impressions: 16,740
    4. Total Engagements: 881
    5. Likes: 583
    6. Comments: 16
    7. Shares: 264
    8. Saves: 18
  4. https://www.instagram.com/p/CyTaMDCu0me/
    1. Platform: Instagram
    2. Caption: Happy Rice Day! In celebration of our 111th anniversary, Fondren is sharing some archival material from the formal opening ceremonies, and two items from the Rice Centennial. It's been 111 years of learning, fun, and building an amazing community of Owls. 1. Edgar Odell Lovett addressing a crowd at the formal opening ceremony 2. Henry Van Dyke reading the inaugural poem at the formal opening 3. The academic procession of faculty for the formal opening ceremony 4. The Inaugural Programme, featuring an image of William Marsh Rice and an invitation to President John Grier Hibben 5. The City of Houston Proclamation of Rice Day, Oct. 12, 2012 6. The Rice Thresher's Centennial Issue front page
    3. Impressions: 15,175
    4. Total Engagements: 854
    5. Likes: 840
    6. Comments: 3
    7. Saves: 11
  5. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6eFyi3OIj0/
    1. Platform: Instagram
    2. Caption: 🥳There’s no wrong way to celebrate being done. 🎉Congrats to all who are graduating, and congrats to those who survived another round of finals. We hope you visit 😢us during the summer break or as alum.
    3. Impressions: 13,552
    4. Total Engagements: 366
    5. Likes: 307
    6. Comments: 9
    7. Shares: 44
    8. Saves: 6