Wolfsonian-FIU receives gift, establishes Laurence Miller Collection


Cruising the Caribbean with the Great White Fleet, 1951

By Sissi Aguila

Laurence Miller, former executive director of libraries at FIU, has donated thousands of ocean liner and cruise ship industry-related materials to the Wolfsonian-FIU.

The materials, which will be known as the Laurence Miller Collection, comprise a comprehensive collection of promotional materials documenting the cruise line industry in the postwar period (1950-2000), enhancing the library’s strong holdings of ocean-liner materials from the interwar period.

“The materials are of great interest to established scholars but also to FIU students,” said Cathy Leff, Wolfsonian director. “It will be wonderful, for example, to offer FIU School of Hospitality and Tourism Management students the opportunity to study materials such as the extensive menu collection that is part of Dr. Miller’s donation.”

Cunard White Star Cruises, 1949

Spring Sunshine Cruise to the Festive West Indies aboard the Franconia, 1955

The collection includes tens of thousands of printed materials including passenger accommodation and deck plans, advertisements, announcements, newsletters, schedules, price lists, menus, programs, postcards, promotional leaflets, luggage labels, and company stationery and letterhead. Miller also donated his extensive collection of reference books and periodicals, which will greatly assist scholars and researchers.

“I’m delighted to have found the perfect home for my collection,” said Miller.

The collection documents an entire era of ocean voyages, including the transition from ocean crossing to cruising. Highlights include an emphasis on deck plans, brochures illustrating the ships’ accommodations and fares, and menus printed onboard the Atlantic liners and cruise ships.

“This gift means so much to us not only because of the strength of Dr. Miller’s collection and how well it complements our former holdings in this subject matter, but because it is from an FIU colleague,” said Leff. Miller retired from FIU in 2005 after nearly 25 years with the university.

Materials from the Laurence Miller Collection and other recent donations to the library can be accessed via the Internet at www.librarygifts.wolfsonian.org.

The library plans to showcase items from this collection in an upcoming exhibition in the library’s foyer.

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