Research and writing tips will be given Tuesday night when Katherine Ziff, author of Asylum on the Hill: History of a Healing Landscape, gives a talk at Alden Library.
The presentation is part of Alden Library’s series, “Authors @ Alden,” which the organization has been holding since October 2011.
Ziff will discuss the process of writing her book, about The Ridges Asylum, and doing research in Alden Library. There will also be six tables of artifacts on display from the asylum archives, Ziff said.
“I hope people will appreciate the huge importance of libraries, archives and archivists as a resource for exploring history, constructing a narrative about a topic, researching family and community, and making works of art and literature,” Ziff said.
Ziff also said in regards to the demolition of Building 26, what’s done is done.
“You know, all the brick, mortar and tile from the demolition were ground up and spread on the hiking path leading to Radar Hill,” Ziff said. “I read that Ohio University plans to maintain the site as green space and I hope that is true.”
With continued planning for The Ridges going forward, there must be consideration for the historical significance of the grounds, Ziff said.
Doug Partusch, the Director of Development at Alden Library, said this event has been in the works with Ohio University Press for at least a year.
“Well, I think there continues to be interest, of course, in the Athens Asylum and Katherine did much of her work here at the library,” Partusch said. “We thought that would be helpful to people who were doing that kind of research and also show the kinds of resources we have in Special Collections here at the library.”
The event will also be broadcasted on the Authors @ Alden website in order to allow alumni and other interested audiences to see it, which is a first for Alden, Partusch said.
“It’ll be interesting to see how many people log on to the webcast because it is something new for us,” Partusch said.
There was no cost to bring Ziff to Alden because the Ohio University Press published her book. Copies of Asylum on the Hill will be sold at the event.
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