Hoellen Family Foundation
In 2015 the Loyola University Chicago Archives and Special Collections (LUCASC) received a grant from the Hoellen Family Foundation to assist with the renovation of the Special Collections reading room. Since then, the Hoellen Family Foundation has continued to support Loyola's Archives and Special Collections. These grants have enabled us to preserve significant portions of our collections and make them available for use by classes and researchers. LUCASC is grateful for the continued support of the Hoellen Family Foundation.
2025 Project
The 2025 Hoellen Family Foundation Grant enabled us to digitize 260 audio cassette tapes that were in danger of becoming obsolete due to media deterioration. Book weights to hold rare books open for use by researchers, or when on display, were also purchased.
Audio cassette tapes recorded from approximately 1970 to 2006 were prioritized for this project. The history recorded on these cassette tapes was in danger of being lost because the recording media was deteriorating. This deterioration was caused by the unstable environmental conditions the tapes were stored in for decades, as well as the physical use of the tapes by researchers. The 2016 renovation of the Loyola Special Collections stabilized the environmental conditions. Digitization of these tapes preserves the information on them while at the same time making it available for use by a wider audience. These tapes document Loyola history through oral history interviews of Loyola staff, faculty, and alumni; university symposia and events; college songs; and speeches at the Stritch School of Medicine annual award dinner. They document Chicago history through oral history interviews with Latinos who migrated to Chicago and teachers from the Chicago Public School system. Once the digital files are processed and transcribed, they will be available to all researchers through our digital collections.
2023 Project
In 2023 the grant from the Hoellen Family Foundation enabled us to purchase a flat file to house the Michalak 19th century British political and social caricature collection as well as prints from the Michalak Edward Gorey collection. Gifted by Loyola alumnus Thomas Michalak (Class of 1963), these collections include hand colored 19th century prints by illustrators such as George Cruikshank, Robert Cruikshank, and Thomas Rowlandson and original or signed prints by Edward Gorey. The flat file enables us to improve the preservation of these collections while providing staff with easier access to the materials. The result is an overall improvement for assisting researchers in using these materials for classes and study.
2021 Project
The 2021 Hoellen Family Foundation grant enabled us to purchase a flat file, presentation folders, and book pillows. These items improve the preservation and use of the Michalak Collection. The flat file provides storage for half of the over 400 19th century British social and political caricatures in the collection while the presentation folders makes it easier for students, faculty, and other researchers to use these materials without damaging them. The book pillows provide proper support for volumes from the Rare Book Collection when being used by classes and researchers.
2019 Project
The 2019 Hoellen Family Foundation grant supported the digitization of 101 open reel audio tapes documenting Loyola's history. With open reel audio players becoming obsolete, documentation of many mid-20th century events at Loyola, including speeches from the Stritch School of Medicine Annual Award Dinner, lectures, Christmas concerts at Madonna della Strada, and audio of basketball games, was in danger of being lost. The digitzation of these materials preserves these events and makes the audio available to all researchers. Work on captioning and transcribing this material is ongoing. Once completed, these audio files will be made available through our digital collections.
2017 Project
The 2017 Hoellen Family Foundation grant supported the renovation of the Loyola Archives and Special Collections by allowing us to upgrade security for the collections. In addition, several bookcarts were purchased to replace those that could no longer be repaired.
2015 Project
The first Hoellen Family Foundation grant supported the renovation of the Loyola Archives and Special Collections reading room through the purchase of tables and chairs.
In 2015 the Loyola University Chicago Archives and Special Collections (LUCASC) received a grant from the Hoellen Family Foundation to assist with the renovation of the Special Collections reading room. Since then, the Hoellen Family Foundation has continued to support Loyola's Archives and Special Collections. These grants have enabled us to preserve significant portions of our collections and make them available for use by classes and researchers. LUCASC is grateful for the continued support of the Hoellen Family Foundation.
2025 Project
The 2025 Hoellen Family Foundation Grant enabled us to digitize 260 audio cassette tapes that were in danger of becoming obsolete due to media deterioration. Book weights to hold rare books open for use by researchers, or when on display, were also purchased.
Audio cassette tapes recorded from approximately 1970 to 2006 were prioritized for this project. The history recorded on these cassette tapes was in danger of being lost because the recording media was deteriorating. This deterioration was caused by the unstable environmental conditions the tapes were stored in for decades, as well as the physical use of the tapes by researchers. The 2016 renovation of the Loyola Special Collections stabilized the environmental conditions. Digitization of these tapes preserves the information on them while at the same time making it available for use by a wider audience. These tapes document Loyola history through oral history interviews of Loyola staff, faculty, and alumni; university symposia and events; college songs; and speeches at the Stritch School of Medicine annual award dinner. They document Chicago history through oral history interviews with Latinos who migrated to Chicago and teachers from the Chicago Public School system. Once the digital files are processed and transcribed, they will be available to all researchers through our digital collections.
2023 Project
In 2023 the grant from the Hoellen Family Foundation enabled us to purchase a flat file to house the Michalak 19th century British political and social caricature collection as well as prints from the Michalak Edward Gorey collection. Gifted by Loyola alumnus Thomas Michalak (Class of 1963), these collections include hand colored 19th century prints by illustrators such as George Cruikshank, Robert Cruikshank, and Thomas Rowlandson and original or signed prints by Edward Gorey. The flat file enables us to improve the preservation of these collections while providing staff with easier access to the materials. The result is an overall improvement for assisting researchers in using these materials for classes and study.
2021 Project
The 2021 Hoellen Family Foundation grant enabled us to purchase a flat file, presentation folders, and book pillows. These items improve the preservation and use of the Michalak Collection. The flat file provides storage for half of the over 400 19th century British social and political caricatures in the collection while the presentation folders makes it easier for students, faculty, and other researchers to use these materials without damaging them. The book pillows provide proper support for volumes from the Rare Book Collection when being used by classes and researchers.
2019 Project
The 2019 Hoellen Family Foundation grant supported the digitization of 101 open reel audio tapes documenting Loyola's history. With open reel audio players becoming obsolete, documentation of many mid-20th century events at Loyola, including speeches from the Stritch School of Medicine Annual Award Dinner, lectures, Christmas concerts at Madonna della Strada, and audio of basketball games, was in danger of being lost. The digitzation of these materials preserves these events and makes the audio available to all researchers. Work on captioning and transcribing this material is ongoing. Once completed, these audio files will be made available through our digital collections.
2017 Project
The 2017 Hoellen Family Foundation grant supported the renovation of the Loyola Archives and Special Collections by allowing us to upgrade security for the collections. In addition, several bookcarts were purchased to replace those that could no longer be repaired.
2015 Project
The first Hoellen Family Foundation grant supported the renovation of the Loyola Archives and Special Collections reading room through the purchase of tables and chairs.