Created for the New York Academy of Medicine's #ColorOurCollections week, the coloring book spotlights alumnae using photography from the DiMenna-Nyselius Library's Fairfield University archives.
#ColorOurCollections is not only a fun project that highlights our archives and special collections to our campus community, it is also an opportunity to join an international community and movement.
— Student Engagement and Outreach Librarian Lisa Thornell
For the second year in a row, the DiMenna-Nyselius Library has released a digital coloring book as part of the New York Academy of Medicine's #ColorOurCollections week. Started in 2016, #ColorOurCollections is a week-long coloring festival during which libraries, museums, archives, and other cultural institutions around the world share free coloring content showcasing images from their collections on social media. This year’s theme for the Library’s coloring book celebrates the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Fairfield University's first full-time female undergraduate students in 1970.
“#ColorOurCollections is not only a fun project that highlights our archives and special collections to our campus community, it is also an opportunity to join an international community and movement,” said Student Engagement and Outreach Librarian Lisa Thornell. “The coloring book we created last year had more than 850 views, and we plan to use this year’s coloring book as part of virtual de-stress events with our students during finals and throughout the year.”
This year's coloring book depicts scenes of women on campus during the 1970’s. “The Many Faces of Women at Fairfield University” page (pictured on left) is a collage of yearbook photos from 1971–74. The coloring book also pays tribute to the present day, with a page that celebrates Fairfield Egan nursing students and first responders. The images used for the coloring book were curated by Elise Bochinski, Fairfield University archivist, and Jennifer Mottelese, archives assistant.
“What makes these coloring pages special is that they are unique to Fairfield, being based on our yearbooks and photographs, but at the same time they represent the progress of women everywhere,” said Bochinski. “Celebrating this history has been something positive to focus on during the pandemic.”
Lilah Heyman ’21, who works at the Library as a student worker in the Research Department, traced the images and also produced original artwork for the coloring book. Heyman is a studio art major with minors in graphic design, education, and marketing.
“I loved working on this project,” said Heyman. “These women are the legacy of women’s education at Fairfield University. Because of their struggles as the first graduating class of women, I and so many other women are able to further our education at Fairfield. I feel honored to have been able to create these drawings, and it helped me to appreciate the 50 years of women who came before me.”
