UC Berkeley Library has set up a trial of the El País Historical Archive, 1976-2023, through October 23, 2026. Please access it hereafter authenticating with your CalNet credentials for off-campus access. Please share your feedback with your library liaisons.
A landing page of El País, Friday, May 5, 2023
Resource Self-Description:
Founded on 4 May 1976, six months after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, El País was created as an independent paper dedicated to the promotion of democratic ideals in post-Franco Spain. Today, El País is the most circulated daily newspaper in Spain, and it is a national newspaper of record, covering local, national, and international news. El País is a highly readable, serious, literate newspaper appealing to diverse interests and schools of political thought.
El País has been offering coverage of global events since 1976. This offering represents a rich historical archive of Spanish-language news from a pro-democracy newspaper. With El País, researchers can dive deeply into a distinctly European-Spanish perspective on historical events, culture, society, politics, sports, and more.
Sylvère Lotringer (Wikipedia link) and others at Columbia University in New York City founded Semiotext(e) in 1974 as an anarchic project. The early life of the publisher stemmed from gatherings/conferences of French semioticians. The resulting periodical issues appearing sporadically into the 1990s introduced a wild series of provocations.[1] In the 1980s, Lotringer started the Semiotext(e)’s Foreign Agents book imprint with the intention of introducing French theorists to an English-speaking audience as well as to expose incendiary ideas to that reading public. In 1990, Lotringer and co-editor and writer Chris Kraus started the Native Agents series, focused primarily on U.S. women writers.
In 2001, Lotringer and Kraus took the press to Los Angeles when they moved to the Pacific coast. Revitalizing the press, the editors started a collaboration with MIT Press for distribution, publishing Hatred of Capitalism to mark the occasion. The two also brought on Hedi El Kholti first as art director/managing editor and then as a lead co-editor. Working together, they’ve continued with the Native Agents series and become one of the major publishers for “New Narrative” literature, which emerged in the 1970s in San Francisco partly as an expression of the tensions between Gay Liberation, the Avant-Garde, and the New Left.[3]
The press, still co-edited by Krau and El Kholti, continues to publish 10+ books a year. Their book titles are available on their website and for purchase through MIT Press. Their release announcements and excerpts can be found on their Instagram page.
[1] David L. Ulin, “Appreciation: Sylvère Lotringer Made Book Publishing Safe for Dangerous Ideas,” Books, Los Angeles Times, November 18, 2021, Access through UC Berkeley’s catalog.
[3] Rob Halpern, “Realism and Utopia: Sex, Writing, and Activism in New Narrative,” Journal of Narrative Theory 41, no. 1 (2011): 82–124, https://muse.jhu.edu/article/443765.
Librarians and staff at the UC Berkeley Library work to ensure our students, researchers, and faculty have access to the journals and books they need. But what about data? Our Data and Digital Scholarship Services team purchases and licenses datasets that span the university’s numerous disciplines. Many of these datasets can be found in Dataverse, an open-source repository where UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab affiliates can search for data, access platforms, and download files.
Getting started is simple. Navigate to UC Berkeley Library’s Dataverse and log in using your Calnet ID and passphrase in the upper right hand corner. You will be asked to review and agree to our general terms of use. Note that individual datasets may have additional terms.
A few datasets to check out:
Web of Science XML data: metadata from over 63 million scholarly article records spanning multiple disciplines (1900 – 2025)
Linguistic Data Consortium datasets: hundreds of datasets from the University of Pennsylvania’s Linguistic Data Consortium supporting linguistic education and research.
RateWatch Scholar: financial data covering banks, credit unions, and savings and loan associations
Historical Newspapers: San Francisco Chronicle (and other titles!) from 1865 – 1922 in machine readable format
Questions or suggestions?
If you have questions on how you may or may not use the data in Dataverse, especially related to AI, email tdm-access@berkeley.edu. And if you have a dataset that you would like the library to purchase, please fill out our purchase request form or email librarydataservices@berkeley.edu.
Check back for our October spotlight to learn about ICPSR!
The next workshop is coming up on October 13. RSVP at the link below!
Managing & Maximizing Your Scholarly Impact
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 11am PT / 2pm ET RSVP to get the Zoom link
This workshop will provide you with practical strategies and tips for promoting your scholarship, increasing your citations, and monitoring your success. You’ll also learn how to understand metrics, use scholarly networking tools, and evaluate journals and publishing options, including open access publishing options.
Eileen A. Fradenburg Joy and Nicola Masciandaro, two medievalists, founded punctum books in 2011 in Brooklyn, New York. The two wanted to provide a space for experiments with form and para-academic writing, as well as mash-ups of different genres of art and academic thought. In 2012, Masciandaro decided to focus on other things, leaving the press. In 2015, Vincent W. J. van Gerven Oei (an art curator and book designer, among other skills) joined as co-director and brought their own press, Uitgeverij, into the fold.[1]
Now in Santa Barbara, California, with an imprint line reading “Earth, Milky Way,” the press has an impressive list of hundreds of publications explore the idea of literature, medieval studies, Nubian studies (including Dotawo: A Journal of Nubian Studies), as well as space, gender, and the body.
Alongside pushing the boundaries of academia and art, the press’ co-directors and Advisory Boards have also emphasized the importance of open access scholarship and art. In particular, they emphasize the right to read but also distribute and create derivative works. For them, this has meant contributing to developing Open Access (OA) models in collaboration with institutions like UCSB. They also publish all of their books as Open Access, making them fully available through their website and popular spaces like Project MUSE and JSTOR as PDFs you can read on your preferred e-reader (e.g., your phone).[2]
You can find–and access–punctum books’ entire catalog through their website and through multiple library portals. You can also get news about new publications through their Instagram page and other social media platforms.
[1] Vincent W. J. van Gerven Oei and Eileen A. Fradenburg Jo, “Scenes: Punctum Books: An Interview with Vincent W. J. van Gerven Oei and Eileen A. Fradenburg Joy,” American Book Review 45, no. 2 (2024): 168–73.
Celebrating Hispanic American Heritage Month with the SALALM Librarians!
Each year, as part of Hispanic American Heritage Month, UC Berkeley Library’s Social Sciences Division, the Seminar on Acquisitions of Latin American Materials (SALALM) membership committee, and the Oakland Public Library present programs highlighting the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the cultural and intellectual life of the United States.
While discussions about terms such as Hispanic American and Latinx remain important, this webinar focuses on the work of librarians who serve their communities every day. Panelists will discuss their career paths, the challenges and opportunities they have encountered in their professional lives, and their perspectives on area and global studies librarianship including how their expertise can help libraries better serve diverse communities.
The event is free and open to all with advance registration.
Morgan Koo is a senior at UC Berkeley double majoring in History and Ancient Greek and Roman Studies. While her main interests lie in late Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity, Morgan also enjoys the sociocultural aspects of the Ancient Mediterranean such as ancient seafaring & communication.
Life in the 21st century has unparalleled luxuries which ease the pain and inconvenience of distance. Improved technology allows for instantaneous communication with loved ones and relatively quick travel over large distances. Homer’s Odyssey, which has recently experienced a renewed relevance, reminds modern readers of the difficulties of being away from home. For ancient peoples, seafaring was often dangerous—even without the interference of angry deities determined to thwart their homecoming. There was the constant threat of unpredictable and harsh weather patterns, encounters with pirates, and arrival in foreign lands with potentially hostile inhabitants. Much like Odysseus’ frequent invocations of the gods during harsh storms and disembarkation in strange, new lands, a second century C.E. soldier’s letter written on papyrus thanks Lord Serapis, a syncretic Greco-Egyptian deity, for having saved him from danger out at sea (“I thank Lord Serapis that when I was in danger at sea he saved me straight away,” εὐχαριστῶ τῷ κυρίῳ Σεράπιδι ὅτι μου κινδυνεύσαντος εἰς θάλασσαν ἔσωσε εὐθέως: BGU II 423, lines 6-8). However, another letter on papyrus (P.Tebt. II 583) which found its way back home to Tebtunis, a village in Egypt, reveals another pain caused by the uncertainty of distance.
(P.Tebt. II 583)
Sometime after 217 C.E., Aurelius Polion, a soldier in the Roman army’s Second Adriutrix Legion, wrote back home to his family in Tebtunis (full text here). The central concern of the letter is his family’s silence despite his own devotion to them. Accusatory superlatives and juxtapositions pervade the beginning portion of the letter to express his incessant concern for his family in contrast to their complete absence:
Superlative/Juxtapositional Language in Aurelius Polion’s Letter
Aurelius Polion:
prays for family’s health day and night (ν̣υκτ̣ὸς̣ κ̣α̣ὶ̣ [ἡ]μ̣[έρα]ς̣, line 5)
always (πάντοτε) makes worship to all (πᾶ̣σ̣ι) the gods for them (line 5-6)
writes his letters at all times (πάντοτε) and does not stop (οὐκ ἀναπάω̣μαι (= ἀναπαύομαι)) bearing them within his soul (line 6-8)
even while away in Pannonia, he continued to send letters often (π̣ο̣λλάκεις (= πολλάκις), line 12)
His Family:
do not hold him in their mind (κατὰ νοῦ (= νοῦν) με οὐχ (= οὐκ) ἔχεται (= ἔχετε), line 7)
never (οὐ[δ]έ̣ποτέ̣) wrote to him about themselves (line 10)
never (οὐδέποτε) reply to his letters (line 13)
consider Polion as a stranger (ὡς ξένον, line 15-16)
The troubled soldier illustrates the stark difference between his undying care and their apparent silence. Without any word back from home, the sense of estrangement appears particularly palpable.
While Polion complains about the injustice of his family’s silence, the letter also carries an underlying anxiety:
“… And I am worried about you because, although you received letters from me often, never do you write back to me in order that I might know how you are …” (lines 11-13).
The soldier subsequently reveals that he had previously sent six other letters (line 20). Being far from home, the uncertainty of his family’s well-being torments his mind. The soldier was left isolated without any comfort by reply. One could imagine the questions pervading the soldier’s conscience: Was his family intentionally ignoring him? Did something cause them to be unable to write? Were they alive and well? In any case, the uncomfortable silence roused the soldier to threaten his family with a return home:
do not hold me in your mind, I will take a leave of absence from
the consular officer, and I will go towards you in order that you might know
me to be your brother …” (lines 20-23).
While framed as a trip to re-establish his role in the family, the urgency and drastic action suggest a need for assurance of his family’s presence and well-being.
Among the most puzzling portions of the letter are lines 17-19, where the soldier reveals his involuntary participation in the army:
But I regretted that … I departed from you.” (lines 17-19).
The fragmented papyrus leaves much to the imagination. Under what circumstances did Aurelius Polion join the army? Was he forced by Roman officials? By his own family? Does this involuntary service have any relation to his anxiety regarding the family’s well-being or his inability to reach them?
Because Aurelius Polion’s letter was found in Tebtunis, we can ascertain that his letter did indeed arrive home. Letters from his family, in the most ideal circumstance, may have struggled to reach Polion. It was much easier for letters to be sent to a home—which is not subject to constant movement like an army. Thanks to the scholarship of István Kovács, we are able to approximate the letter’s date and locate the Legio II Adiutrix, the army legion that Polion joined. In lines 21-22 of the letter, Aurelius Polion mentions a consular officer from whom he plans to request a leave of absence. Pannonia had been under rule of praetorian governorship until 214 C.E. and was then under the authority of a consular officer. Thus, the letter must be written after 214 C.E. In line 12, Polion locates himself in Pannonia. Caracalla led the Legio II Adiutrix in a campaign against the Parthians between 214 and 217 C.E.; accordingly, the letter’s dating is extended to follow after 217 C.E.
The Greek historian Herodian recorded that Caracalla entered the Egyptian city of Alexandria around 215 C.E. to recruit additional soldiers for his phalanx against the Parthians. It is possible that Polion joined the army on this occasion. Additionally, both Cassius Dio’s Roman History and Herodian’s History of the Roman Empire document Caracalla’s massacre of Alexandrian men around 215 C.E. Such a violent event could be cause for concern. Unfortunately, this letter alone cannot give us clear answers.
What can be known is that communication with loved ones over long distances was often difficult. The sense of alienation could foster a natural anxiety. Stationed in Eastern Europe, Aurelius Polion was separated from his family by a vast sea in both the literal and metaphorical sense. In a manner much similar to this soldier’s, our temporal distance shrouds our ability to understand the reality of his circumstance. We cannot do much but wonder whether a letter was finally sent back to Polion or whether he made his journey home. And, if he did, what he may have found upon arrival.
Bibliography
Adamson, Grant. “A Letter from a Soldier in Pannonia,” BASP 49, 2012, pp. 79-94.
Herodianus. Roman History (History of the Empire from the Time of Marcus).* Livius: https://www.livius.org/sources/content/herodian-s-roman-history/ *see esp. 4.8-9.
Kovács, István. “Brief eines Legionärs aus Pannonien (P. Tebt. 2.583) Philologische und Gattungsanalyse,” Byzanz und das Abendland III. Studia Byzantino-Occidentalia, 2015, pp. 257-281.
Mócsy, András. Pannonia and Upper Moesia: A History of the Middle Danube Provinces of the Roman Empire. Sheppard Frere, transl. Routledge, 1974.
Michael Miller founded Moon Tide Press in 2006. Located in Whittier, CA, Miller turned the press into a Southern California institution for poetry. The press provided space for many unpublished writers, including poet Eric Morago in a 2007 anthology. Over the following years, Morago (along with many others) would publish more with Moon Tide Press and work closely with Miller. In 2016, Morago took over the press when Miller decided it was time to move on to other things.[1] Under Morago’s leadership, Moon Tide has continued publishing two to four collections or anthologies a year alongside arranging readings and community events.
Moon Tide focuses on poetry, encompasses a range of life-moments and emotions. Individual volumes reflect on the horror of life; on remembering friends; of the process of aging.
In 2024, they also picked up the poetry magazine Spillways’ compilation and release. Readers can find information about those activities on Moon Tide Press’ webpage or social media accounts, including their Instagram page.
David Starkey founded Gunpowder Press in 2013 in Santa Barbara with a focus on California poetry. With the first two volumes, Starkey reached out to Chryss Yost to assist with the books’ layout and cover design. Today, with almost 50 volumes, the Starkey and Yost continue to helm the press. Their beautifully designed output showcases individually authored and compilation anthologies.
For their 30th-year anniversary, the Santa Barbara Independent recognized the press among Santa Barbara’s local heroes [1]. The same year, Starkey and Yost started the Anacapa Review. The review seeks to place established and new poets side-by-side, demonstrating the established and continued vibrancy of Santa Barbara’s literary scene.
Readers can find out more about the press’ titles and readings through their website or Instagram page.
At UC Berkeley
Mary Ann McFadden, Rosa Mundi, California Poets (2026).
Readers can find out more about the press’ titles and readings through their 
