Bel & Jack M. Ostrow Library

Virtual Tours

Michelle — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 23:42:55 +0000

Virtual Tours

Michelle Tue, 03/22/2022 - 16:42

We invite you to take virtual tours of the Ostrow Library. The library is a centerpiece of AJU. We invite you to start your virtual tour and discover the treasures of the Ostrow Library for yourself.

Welcome to the Libraries of ��ý! We are proud to serve all AJU students, faculty, and staff, as well as members of the general and scholarly community. Our mission is to support learning, research, and personal enrichment, in an inclusive, welcoming environment.

The Ostrow Academic Library has a constantly-growing curriculum and research-directed collection, containing approximately 284,000 print and e-book titles, 31,000 print and e-journal titles, rich electronic resources, DVDs, CDs, and microfilm. With free Wi-Fi, 8 public use computers, study rooms, carrels, couches, easy chairs, and large tables, the library is a comfortable place to study, research a topic of interest, and enjoy leisure time. Please ask for assistance in using the library’s abundant and varied resources. Our reference librarian and staff are happy to help you.

Welcome to Our Library

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Welcome to the first video in our AJU's Library Series. Here, Rabbi Patricia Fenton, our Library Director shows you around the inviting entryway, a peak inside our rare book room, and more.
Details in the Stacks

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Welcome to the second video in our AJU's Library Series. Here, Rabbi Patricia Fenton, our Library Director shows you how to use the stacks and where to locate important literature, such as rabbinic and biblical.
Learn How to Use the Stacks

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Welcome to the third video in our AJU's Library Series. Here, Rabbi Patricia Fenton, our Library Director shows you how to use the stacks (don't worry - no one has gotten stuck before!) and also where to put your feet up and curl up with a great book.
The Phoebe and Werner Frank Learning Center

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Welcome to the fourth video in our AJU's Library Series. Here, Rabbi Patricia Fenton, our Library Director shows you the genealogical room of the Werner's, where anyone is free to come in and admire the artifacts, or study if they choose.
Our Sperber Community Library

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Welcome to the fifth video in our AJU's Library Series. Here, Rabbi Patricia Fenton, our Library Director shows you our Sperber Community library, a place to find fiction and nonfiction, young adult and children's books, and more.
We're Here to Help

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Welcome to the sixth and final video in our AJU's Library Series collection. Here, Rabbi Patricia Fenton, our Library Director shows you where to find her to ask any question related to the library, such as how to find books, and reserve spaces.
Basic Guide to Access the Library Catalog

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Here is a basic guide for AJU students, faculty, and staff to access AJU library's catalog, which includes eBooks, digital journals, and online articles. To view the powerpoint: https://mailajula.sharepoint.com/:p:/s/PeriodicalsManagement/ESvo3XwebI…

Rare Bible Collection

Michelle — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 22:21:53 +0000

Rare Bible Collection

Michelle Fri, 03/09/2018 - 14:21

AJU’S OSTROW LIBRARY HOUSES BEN MASLAN’S RARE BIBLE COLLECTION

"You wouldn't happen to have a slightly used copy of the Gutenberg Bible?" the Maslan boys would ask when they went to second-hand bookstores and thrift shops with their father, Ben Maslan. Although Mr. Maslan never acquired a copy of the first printed Bible, he did amass a collection of close to 4,000 other rare and unusual bibles in dozens of languages. These were donated upon his death to the Ostrow Library at ��ý. Maslan’s daughter, Ruth Maslan Sassoon, an alumna of AJU’s Brandeis-Bardin Institute, didn’t accompany him on these expeditions, but she still is very much a part of the story of this unique collection and its connection with AJU.

Maslan may be gone, but his legacy remains as a source of pride for ��ý's Ostrow Library. Bea Reynolds, a former Woman's League president, recalls the day the books arrived thirty years ago. With no one aware of what would be arriving, the opening of each box revealed new gems. There are several Breeches Bibles from the early 1600's (Adam and Eve were dressed in breeches rather than fig leaves in this early English translation). Different versions of the Breeches include both the "he" and "she" versions of the Book of Ruth that had typographical errors due to the confusion over the translation of the Hebrew.

The Maslan Collection is quite diverse. There are old Septuagint bibles in ancient Greek from 1534 and an English prayer book written in shorthand in the last century. There are bibles in Cherokee, in the Maori language of New Zealand and a bible from the Isle of Mann, as well as the expected versions in Latin, French and Hebrew. Illustrated editions of the bible include intricate engravings based on famous paintings by the Old Masters and volumes with beautifully decorated margins.

The Yorubu Bible from Western Africa is one of the special treasures of the collection. The tribe believed in an "Ori," or divine spirit, a term from the Ifa religion that is used when the bible states, "God says." None of these extremely fragile bibles are available to borrow. However, anyone who wants to examine one of them can make an appointment to view the book with a librarian.

While many of the volumes are in good condition, others are in need of repair. The Ostrow Library is currently seeking funding to carry out the necessary preservation of this unique resource.

Ben Masliansky was born in Dublin, Ireland on January 30, 1901 to a Jewish family that had emigrated from Lithuania. He shortened his name from Masliansky to Maslan when he became a U.S. citizen. The family left Ireland for Manchester, England when Ben was five years old, and it was there that he received his first formal education in a proper English school. This style of learning influenced his selection of English theological works. The Maslans relocated again when he was twelve – this time to Minneapolis, where he became a newsboy and began his love of the printed word while attending North High School. The next move led the family to Houston, Texas to be near Ben while he attended college at the University of Texas in Austin. Later he attended law school at the University of Washington in Seattle.

As an attorney, Maslan became active in the local Bar Association and was invited to give a presentation on the Bible which became the “springboard” for his interest in collecting rare bibles.

In addition to the Bar Association, Maslan was active in many other organizations such as Sons of Ireland. He belonged to an Orthodox synagogue as well as serving as president of a Conservative synagogue. He also volunteered for the Jewish National Fund, B'nai Brith, Bonds for Israel and participated in ZOA, hosting many visiting speakers.

The Maslan home was filled with children, laughter and books. On weekends, the boys would help their father on his quest for unique bibles by exploring used bookstores.

Maslan searched locally for bibles, and long before the internet made long distance shopping common, he ordered bibles through catalogs. Many of these catalogs and auction lists have been kept together with the volumes purchased, adding an interesting study of the acquisition and valuation of rare books. Maslan kept books in the upstairs rooms and closets of his home, ever increasing his collection, until the day before he died on May 1, 1979.

Interlibrary Loans

Michelle — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 21:14:00 +0000

Interlibrary Loans

Michelle Thu, 03/08/2018 - 13:14

Through our Worldshare InterLibrary Loan program, current AJU students, faculty & staff can find articles and books not available at AJU, and borrow them from other libraries! This is a great option for extended research needs. Requests can be made by either filling out a form with a staff member at the circulation desk, OR by clicking on the “Request through Inter-Library Loan” button on an item record within our catalog, located at: https://ajula.on.worldcat.org. Once the request is reviewed and approved,

Physical items, such as books and journals, will be mailed directly to AJU and then an email will be sent to the requestor informing them to pick up the item at the circulation desk. Wait time is generally 5-10 business days.
Digital items, such as articles or other scanned documents, are emailed directly to the requestor, and the wait time is usually 1-2 days or less.

Unfortunately, community members and alumni are not eligible for this service. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at libraryaju.edu (library[at]aju[dot]edu) or call the library at: (310) 440-1518.