Prism Literary Magazine, 1972-2019
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Oregon State University. Orange Media Network.
- Title
- Prism Literary Magazine
- Dates
- 1972-2019 (inclusive)19722019
- Quantity
-
1.20 cubic feet), (4 boxes)
105 Mbytes, (4 files) - Collection Number
- PUB 013-9
- Summary
- The Prism Literary Magazine consists of issues of Oregon State University’s student art and literary magazine. The magazine includes original content -- visual art, photography, poetry, short fiction, and essays -- created, edited, and published by Oregon State students. Some of the items in this collection are available online in Oregon Digital.
- Repository
-
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical Note
The Prism art and literary magazine began publication at Oregon State University in 1972 and followed several previous literary and art publications including the Manuscript (late 1920s through early 1930s), the Lamplighter (mid-1930s to mid-1940s), and the OSU Review, which immediately preceded the Prism. As with earlier literary publications, Prism was initially overseen by faculty in art (Allen Wong), journalism (Ron Lovell), and English (Simon Johnson). By the mid-1970s, Prism was under the purview of the Student Publications Committee and the Director of Student Publications.
The 1975 Beaver yearbook indicates that the Prism published creative work by students and staff as a “gallery of University talent”. The inclusion of creative work by staff appears to have been short lived and in keeping with the transition to oversight and funding as a student publications.
During the late 1970s, the magazine included more feature articles. However in the 1980-1981 academic year, Prism was rejuvenated as a campus art magazine. Soon thereafter, it was distributed on campus at no charge.
The title change to Aura was only in place for only two issues in 1978.
The number of issues published per academic year fluctuated between one and three. Prism was initially published three times per academic year; by the mid-1970s two magazines were published each academic year. In 1984-1995, Prism was only published annually in the spring. For the next 10 years, two issues were published per year. Beginning in Fall 2005, publication of three issues per year -- one in each academic term -- resumed. A notice in the Spring 2019 issue indicated that for the next year (2019-2020), Prism would be "annually produced" with only one submission deadline.
Content Description
The Prism Literary Magazine consists of issues of Oregon State University’s student art and literary magazine, which includes original content created, edited, and published by Oregon State students. This collection consists of magazines published from its establishment in 1972 through 2019. The magazine publishes visual art, photography, poetry, short fiction, and essays. While the bulk of this collection consists of Prism issues, it also includes two issues of the magazine published in 1978 with the title Aura.
Issues published in the late 1970s include more feature-type articles and less art, fiction, and poetry. During this time, the magazine also included advertisements from local Corvallis businesses.
Several issues in the 1970s include the work of Oregon State students who became well known for their future creative work. A photograph by award-winning photographer and National Geographic Editor-in-Chief, Chris Johns, is published in the spring 1973 issue. Animator Harley Jessup was Art Director of the Winter 1976 issue and drawings by Jessup are published in the Winter 1975 and Summer 1976 issues. Also of note are a Prism beer report in the spring 1979 issue and a winter 1980 cover article "Being gay at OSU". The Spring 2018 magazine has a social justice theme.
Beginning in 1990, works of prose and poetry that were awarded the Provost's Literary Prize and the Weaver Undergraduate Poetry Award were published in the spring issue of the magazine.
This collection includes more than 90 issues of the magazine most of which are available in printed form. Four issues are only available in born-digital format. These 4 issues comprise 105 Mbytes. The born-digital issues as well as a selection of digitized issues from this collection are available online in Oregon Digital.
Use of the Collection
Preferred Citation
Prism Literary Magazine (PUB 013-9), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Administrative Information
Arrangement
The Prism Literary Magazine is arranged in two series: 1. Prism Issues, 1972-2019 and 2. Aura Magazine, 1978.
Acquisition Information
This publication was received on distribution by the University Archives until 2011 and since then by the Special Collections and Archives Research Center.
Related Materials
The Special Collections and Archives Research Center holds two earlier literary publications with content by Oregon State students. The Manuscript (PUB 010-13b) was published from the late 1920s to early 1930s and The Lamplighter Literary Magazine (PUB 010-13d) was published from the mid-1930s to mid-1940s.
Additional information pertaining to funding and oversight of Prism is available in the Educational Activities Committee Records (RG 293), Student Media Records (RG 239), and Associated Students of OSU (ASOSU) Records (RG 011).
Detailed Description of the Collection
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Series 1: Prism Issues, 1972-2019
Series 1 comprises the bulk of this collection and consists of Prism issues published from 1972 to 2019. Most of the issues are available in paper form; some are available in both paper form and online in Oregon Digital; and a few issues are only available in born-digital form via Oregon Digital. Links to individual issues in Oregon Digital are provided below.
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Description: Prism
Term of publication not specified.
Dates: 1972Container: Box folder item 1.01.1 -
Description: Fall 1972
Includes a history of literary magazines at Oregon State by Christi Duerr.
Dates: 1972Container: Box folder item 1.01.2 -
Description: Winter 1973
Includes an editorial by Christi Duerr on reductions in science funding at Oregon State and possible impacts on the humanities.
Dates: 1973Container: Box folder item 1.01.3 -
Description: Spring 1973
Includes a photograph by Chris Johns (sophomore in Agriculture).
Dates: 1973Container: Box folder item 1.01.4 -
Description: Fall 1974
Includes an interview with Ursula K. Le Guin and a hamburger survey of Corvallis restaurants.
Dates: 1974Container: Box folder item 1.02.1 -
Description: Winter 1975
Includes a drawing by Harley Jessup.
Dates: 1975Container: Box folder item 1.02.2 -
Description: Spring 1975Dates: 1975Container: Box folder item 1.02.3
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Description: Winter 1976
Harley Jessup was Art Director of this issue.
Dates: 1976Container: Box folder item 1.03.1 -
Description: Summer 1976
Cover artist Harley Jessup; includes an article about the historic home at 1441 NW Grant in Corvallis.
Dates: 1976Container: Box folder item 1.04.1 -
Description: Winter 1977
Includes advertisements for local businesses, including Grass Roots bookstore and the Hobbit Hole.
Dates: 1977Container: Box folder item 1.04.2 -
Description: Spring 1977
Includes profiles of Jan Baross, Corvallis filmmaker, and Thyrza Anderson, retiring curator of the Horner Museum.
Dates: 1977Container: Box folder item 1.04.3 -
Description: Winter 1979Dates: 1979Container: Box folder item 1.05.1
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Description: Spring 1979
Includes a Prism beer report.
Dates: 1979Container: Box folder item 1.05.2 -
Description: Winter 1980
Includes a cover article "Being gay at OSU: It's no fun" by Bob Danks.
Dates: 1980Container: Box folder item 1.06.1 -
Description: Spring 1980
Includes articles on Vietnam War veterans, the men's basketball team, and President Robert W. MacVicar.
Dates: 1980Container: Box folder item 1.06.2 -
Description: Spring 1981Dates: 1981Container: Box folder item 1.07.1
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Description: Winter 1982Dates: 1982Container: Box folder item 1.08.1
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Description: Spring 1982Dates: 1982Container: Box folder item 1.08.2
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Description: Prism
Volume 12, numbers 1-2; no term of publication indicated on the issue.
Dates: 1984Container: Box folder item 1.09.1 -
Description: Prism
Published in spring 1985; perhaps only issue during the year; volume 13, numbers 1 and 2.
Dates: 1985Container: Box folder item 1.10.1 -
Description: Prism
Published in spring 1986 as the annual issue for 1985-1986 (?); volume 14, no. 1.
Dates: 1986Container: Box folder item 1.11.1 -
Description: Prism
Annual issue for 1986-1987 published in spring 1987 (volume 15, no. 1).
Dates: 1987Container: Box folder item 1.12.1 -
Description: Prism
Annual issue for 1987-1988 published in spring 1988 (v. 16, no. 1). A publisher's note included as errata indicates that an artwork published on page 41 is not an original piece as required by the acceptance guidelines for the publication.
Dates: 1988Container: Box folder item 1.13.1 -
Description: Prism
Annual issue for 1988-1989 published in spring 1989 (v. 17, no. 1). In addition to art, photography, prose, and poetry, this issue includes a piece of music composed by Michael James Rowe.
Dates: 1989Container: Box folder item 1.14.1 -
Description: Prism
Annual issue for 1989-1990 published in spring 1990 (v. 18, no. 1). Includes publication of the 1990 Provost Undergraduate Literary Award, Starburst Balls by Marc A. Wondra, and poems that received the 1990 Weaver Undergraduate Poetry Award written by Britney Gress.
Dates: 1990Container: Box folder item 1.15.1 -
Description: Prism
Annual issue for 1990-1991 puiblished in spring 1991 (v. 19, no. 1). Includes publication of the recipient of the 1991 Provost Undergraduate Literary Award -- Victoria by Britney Gress.
Dates: 1991Container: Box folder item 1.16.1 -
Description: Prism
Annual issue for 1991-1992 published in spring 1992 (v. 20, no. 1). Includes the recipients of the 1992 Provost Undergradaute Literary Award, Hold Your Babies When They Cry by J.L.S Morris, and the 1992 Weaver Undergraduate Poetry Award recipient, The Woman Race by Michele Thompson.
Dates: 1992Container: Box folder item 1.17.1 -
Description: Prism
Published annually for 1992-1993 in spring 1993 (volume 21). Includes the recipient of the 1993 Provost Undergraduate Literary Award presented to Erin Ergenbright for 2 poems.
Dates: 1993Container: Box folder item 2.01.1 -
Description: Prism
Volume 22. Includes three poems by Michele Thompson that were awarded the 1994 Provost's Literary Prize.
Dates: 1994Container: Box folder item 2.02.1 -
Description: Prism
Volume 23 published in spring 1995. Includes works by Danie Sunday and Erin Ergenbright that received the 1995 Undergraduate Literary Award.
Dates: 1995Container: Box folder item 2.03.1 -
Description: Fall 1995Dates: 1995Container: Box folder item 2.04.1
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Description: Spring 1996
Includes recipients of the Weaver Undergraduate Poetry Award, Jason Cooper for "Things I Know Now", and the Provost's Literary Prize, Cheryl Hills for "Franken Poodle Tornado Head Blondo from Beyondo and John".
Dates: 1996Container: Box folder item 2.04.2 -
Description: Winter 1997Dates: 1997Container: Box folder item 2.05.1
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Description: Spring 1997
Includes the recipient of the 1997 Provost Literary Award, "Ilima Flowers" by Elissa Minor.
Dates: 1997Container: Box folder item 2.05.2 -
Description: Winter 1998Dates: 1998Container: Box folder item 2.06.1
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Description: Spring 1998
Includes recipient of 1998 Provost's Literary Prize, "In Search of Cool" by Jeff Chapman.
Dates: 1998Container: Box folder item 2.06.2 -
Description: Winter 1999Dates: 1999Container: Box folder item 2.07.1
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Description: Spring 1999
Includes the recipient of the 1999 Provost Undergraduate Literary Award, "Motel Del Sol" by James Donnelly.
Dates: 1999Container: Box folder item 2.07.2 -
Description: Winter 2000Dates: 2000Container: Box folder item 2.08.1
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Description: Spring 2000Dates: 2000Container: Box folder item 2.08.2
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Description: Winter 2001Dates: 2001Container: Box folder item 2.09.1
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Description: Spring 2001Dates: 2001Container: Box folder item 2.09.2
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Description: Winter 2002Dates: 2002Container: Box folder item 2.10.1
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Description: Spring 2002Dates: 2002Container: Box folder item 2.10.2
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Description: Winter 2003
This issue includes two poems by Adrienne Platero, a teaching assistant and student in the MFA program at Oregon State University, who was diagnosed with leukemia and died soon after submitting these poems for the literary magazine.
Dates: 2003Container: Box folder item 2.11.1 -
Description: Spring 2003Dates: 2003Container: Box folder item 2.11.2
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Description: Winter 2004Dates: 2004Container: Box folder item 2.12.1
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Description: Spring 2004
Includes the winner of the 2004 Provost Literary Award, "All by Myself", by Kaitlyn Kernek.
Dates: 2004Container: Box folder item 2.12.2 -
Description: Winter 2005Dates: 2005Container: Box folder item 2.13.1
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Description: Spring 2005Dates: 2005Container: Box folder item 2.13.2
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Description: Fall 2005
Volume 42, no. 1.
Dates: 2005Container: Box folder item 3.01.1 -
Description: Winter 2006
Volume 42, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2006Container: Box folder item 3.01.2 -
Description: Spring 2006
Volume 42, no. 3; includes the 2006 Provost's Literary Prize Winner, "Hollywood Revisited" by Gavin McQuillan. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2006Container: Box folder item 3.01.3 -
Description: Fall 2006
Volume 43, no. 1.
Dates: 2006Container: Box folder item 3.02.1 -
Description: Winter 2007Dates: 2007Container: Box folder item 3.02.2
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Description: Spring 2007
Volume 43, no. 3; includes the 2007 Provost's Literary Prize for Poetry, "Nephew" by Sara Gingrich, and the 2007 Provost's Literary Prize for Prose, "Petrification" by Christie VanLaningham.
Dates: 2007Container: Box folder item 3.02.3 -
Description: Fall 2007
Volume 44, no. 1.
Dates: 2007Container: Box folder item 3.03.1 -
Description: Winter 2008
Volume 44, no. 3. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2008Container: Box folder item 3.03.2 -
Description: Spring 2008
Volume 44, no. 3; includes the recipient of the Provost's Award for Poetry, "A Portrait of Every Child" by Tabitha Stickel, and for Prose, "Napa Valley" by Katie Westerman.
Dates: 2008Container: Box folder item 3.03.3 -
Description: Fall 2008
Volume 45, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2008Container: Box folder item 3.04.1 -
Description: Winter 2009
Volume 45, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2009Container: Box folder item 3.04.2 -
Description: Spring 2009
Volume 45, no. 3; includes the recipient of the Provost's Literary Prize for poetry, "I Can't Help You" by Katherine Westermann, and for prose, "Line of Sight" by Alex McElroy.
Dates: 2009Container: Box folder item 3.04.3 -
Description: Fall 2009
Volume 46, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2009Container: Box folder item 3.05.1 -
Description: Winter 2010
Volume 46, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2010Container: Box folder item 3.05.2 -
Description: Spring 2010
Volume 46, no. 3; includes recipient of the Provost's Literary Prize for prose, "Another World" by Mark Walsh, and for poetry, "Prelude" by Leila Giovannoni.
Dates: 2010Container: Box folder item 3.05.3 -
Description: Fall 2010
Volume 48, no. 1.
Dates: 2010Container: Box folder item 3.06.1 -
Description: Winter 2011
Volume 48. no. 2.
Dates: 2011Container: Box folder item 3.06.2 -
Description: Spring 2011
Includes the Provost's Literary Prize for poetry, "Kayumunggi" by Malaya Lualhati, and for prose, "Seven Points" by Natasha Mackey. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2011Container: Box folder item 3.06.3 -
Description: Fall 2011
Volume 48, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2011Container: Box folder item 3.07.1 -
Description: Spring 2012
Volume 48, no. 3; includes the Provost's Literary Prize winners: "In the House of the Dying" by Kayla Harr (short story) and "Patient 152" by Traci Porter (short story).
Dates: 2012Container: Box folder item 3.07.2 -
Description: Fall 2012
Volume 49, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2012Container: Box folder item 3.08.1 -
Description: Winter 2013
Volume 49, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2013Container: Box folder item 3.08.2 -
Description: Spring 2013
Volume 49, no. 3; includes Provost's Literary Prize winners: "All a Person Really Needs" by Ben Davis (short story) and "Remains of the Family" by Kayla Harr (poetry). Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2013Container: Box folder item 3.08.3 -
Description: Fall 2013
Volume 50, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2013Container: Box folder item 3.09.1 -
Description: Winter 2014
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2014Container: Box folder item 3.09.2 -
Description: Spring 2014
Volume 50, no. 3; includes winner of Provost's Literary Prize winners "Repeat" by Jessican Kibler (non-fiction prose) and "The Mask" by Amanda Dority (poetry).
Dates: 2014Container: Box folder item 3.09.3 -
Description: Fall 2014
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2014Container: Box folder item 3.10.1 -
Description: Winter 2015
Volume 51, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2015Container: Box folder item 3.10.2 -
Description: Spring 2015
Volume 51, no. 3; includes Provost's Literary Prize winners "Someday a Life" by Gwendolyn Hill (poetry) and "Green-eyed Girl" by Brittany Sandberg (short story). Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2015Container: Box folder item 3.10.3 -
Description: Fall 2015
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2015Container: Box folder item 4.1.1 -
Description: Winter 2016
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2016Container: Box folder item 4.1.2 -
Description: Spring 2016
Includes Provost Short Story Prize winner, "When You Were Here" by Nina Poloni, and Provost Poetry Prize winner, "Waves" by Eric Callahan. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2016Container: Box folder item 4.1.3 -
Description: Fall 2016
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2016Container: Box folder item 4.2.1 -
Description: 1: Winter 2017
Only available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2017 -
Description: 2: Spring 2017
Includes the winners of the Provost's Literary Prize -- an excerpt from "Gender Trouble" by Monica Anderson and "oranges & origins" by Jade Yeen Onn. Only available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2017 -
Description: 3: Fall 2017
Only available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2017 -
Description: Winter 2018
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2018Container: Box folder item 4.3.1 -
Description: Spring 2018
Includes the 2018 Provost's Literary Prize for poetry ("On the Softsupple Banks of Hwy 205" by Ethan Heusser) and for prose ("Fortuna" by Cade Windell). This issue has a social justice theme. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2018Container: Box folder item 4.4.1 -
Description: Fall 2018
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2018Container: Box folder item 4.4.2 -
Description: Winter 2019
Available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2019Container: Box folder item 4.4.3 -
Description: 4: Spring 2019
Includes 2019 Literary Prize winners -- "Discomposed" by Rebecca Cyr (poetry) and "Genevieve" by Andrea Fennimore (prose). Only available online in Oregon Digital.
Dates: 2019
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Series 2: Aura Magazine, 1978
Series 2 consists of the two issues of the literary magazine published in 1978 with the title Aura.
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Description: Aura ... of the mountains
Published in January 1978.
Dates: 1978Container: Box folder item 4.5.1 -
Description: Aura ... of the coast
Published in April 1978.
Dates: 1978Container: Box folder item 4.5.2
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- American poetry--Oregon.
- College students' writings, American--Oregon--Corvallis.
- College students--Oregon--Corvallis.
- Photography--Oregon--Corvallis.
- Sculpture, American--20th century.
- Student publications--Oregon--Corvallis.
