Welcome to Iowa City

On behalf of the 2017 Local Arrangements Committee, I am very happy to welcome everyone to Iowa City for the 58^th RBMS Conference. Yes, that’s Iowa City, in the State of Iowa, on the banks of the Iowa River, one county over from Iowa County.

I guess you could say we take comfort in repetition here, but the presence of so much “Iowa” all around us does deserve more than just a mention. Our conference will take place in a state whose ground was once roamed freely by the Ioway tribe, along with several others. We owe them much more than just a single name taken and transformed. If you drive up from the south, you will travel smoothly on Interstate 218 through multiple sacred sites, many of which were destroyed in the construction of the highway. As you near Iowa City, you will pass close by a location outside of the city limits, Napoleon Park, which commemorates the original site of European settlement, named Napoleon in the years following the Louisiana Purchase. You will then, once inside Iowa City, encounter Gilbert Street, named for one of the original European settlers, John Gilbert, who began the transformation of the land around Napoleon and eventually moved the community a few miles north to what is now Iowa City.

From all other directions on the land and in the air, similar stories shadow our journeys. Many are obscured by the sediments of centuries, but as we gather to share our professional roles as the keepers of stories, I suspect many will come to light this summer.

Over the next several months, the Local Arrangements Committee will be providing you with as much local info, lore, and wayfinding as we possibly can through this blog. We are planning a conference that features the RBMS activities and gatherings you know and love, while taking advantage of the unique setting we will enjoy for this year’s conferencing. We will not all be in one hotel, and we will not meet in one set of hotel ballrooms. We will be spread throughout the community and we will enjoy the leisurely, unworried pace that is a Midwestern University town in the summer. If all you know of Iowa is caucuses, pork, and corn, you are…well, you aren’t wrong. We have an abundance of those things. But I am confident that by the end of this series of blog posts you will be familiar with many other features of Iowa City and our fine state.

The University of Iowa Pentacrest while classes are in session. The Old Capitol Museum will be a site for breakout sessions.

Are you interested in eating? We will be sharing details of the many culinary delights of Iowa City. Gluten-free? Vegan? Other needs? We have you covered, and will be providing all of the information you need to not just get by, but to enjoy yourself and experience some local culture. We will also be guiding you through all levels of dining, from fine local fare to getting by on $5 per meal. We will not be neglecting beverages, of both the caffeinated and adult varieties.

Al fresco dining in downtown Iowa City!

Need to fill out your time with activates? Perhaps get out of Iowa City and see the surrounding countryside (which is not just flat, and not just corn)? Like music? Shopping? Dare I say…bookstores? And just what is a City of Literature? All will be described in the months to come, with an accompanying map to make finding your way as easy as possible.

Bring your kids! Iowa City in the summer is family-friendly, easy to navigate, and features plenty of activities for all ages. This is a typical scene outside the Sheraton Hotel.

We are here to make your time in Iowa City as easy, rewarding, and relaxing as possible, so please let us know if there is anything you have questions about. We look forward to seeing you this summer in Iowa City, where the benches are murals and the pianos are unattended.

-Greg Prickman
Head, Special Collections
The University of Iowa Libraries