Communication Perspective

The Libraries of the University of Kansas contain world-class collections and scholarly resources, including books, newspapers, and electronic materials that support the research of AIDS scholars.  The research, conducted across multiple disciplines, advances the understanding of the AIDS crisis and showcases worldwide initiatives that have developed over the last three decades.   The materials selected for this exhibition were chosen because they exemplify the important role that journalists have played in bring information to the fore as the world community has struggled to understand this epidemic disease.
The books that are included in the exhibit represent scholarly research from multiple disciplines including cultural studies, communication studies, and journalism.  Their common thread is the promotion of AIDS Awareness through scholarly research. 
The articles, gleaned through the Libraries’ databases, focus more specifically on the impact of the media and journalism on our understanding of AIDS.  The articles from the print journal, Nature, demonstrate the evolution of information about AIDS over time and truly archive the growing understanding of AIDS.
Through the University Daily Kansan, KU’s journalism students have contributed to the student body’s awareness of AIDS and issues related to health and sexuality.  In addition to reporting on this important topic, the stories provide documentation of how KU’s students and administrators addressed (some might say “locked horns over”) the best way to respond to AIDS on the campus.

Julie Petr
Subject Librarian
Journalism and Mass Communications

 

View a photo of this exhibition case