Prism Literary Magazine, 1972-2019

Collection Overview

Title: Prism Literary Magazine, 1972-2019

ID: PUB 013-9

Primary Creator: Orange Media Network (Oregon State University)

Extent: 1.2 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The Prism Literary Magazine is arranged in two series: 1. Prism Issues, 1972-2019 and 2. Aura Magazine, 1978.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

Scope and Content Notes

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.

Biographical / Historical Notes

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.

Author: Elizabeth Nielsen

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 4 boxes; 105 Mbytes (4 files)

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: 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).

Preferred Citation: Prism Literary Magazine (PUB 013-9), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Box and Folder Listing

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.

Box-Folder-Item 1.01.1: Prism, 1972: Term of publication not specified.
Box-Folder-Item 1.01.2: Fall 1972, 1972: Includes a history of literary magazines at Oregon State by Christi Duerr.
Box-Folder-Item 1.01.3: Winter 1973, 1973: Includes an editorial by Christi Duerr on reductions in science funding at Oregon State and possible impacts on the humanities.
Box-Folder-Item 1.01.4: Spring 1973, 1973: Includes a photograph by Chris Johns (sophomore in Agriculture).
Box-Folder-Item 1.02.1: Fall 1974, 1974: Includes an interview with Ursula K. Le Guin and a hamburger survey of Corvallis restaurants.
Box-Folder-Item 1.02.2: Winter 1975, 1975: Includes a drawing by Harley Jessup.
Box-Folder-Item 1.02.3: Spring 1975, 1975
Box-Folder-Item 1.03.1: Winter 1976, 1976: Harley Jessup was Art Director of this issue.
Box-Folder-Item 1.04.1: Summer 1976, 1976: Cover artist Harley Jessup; includes an article about the historic home at 1441 NW Grant in Corvallis.
Box-Folder-Item 1.04.2: Winter 1977, 1977: Includes advertisements for local businesses, including Grass Roots bookstore and the Hobbit Hole.
Box-Folder-Item 1.04.3: Spring 1977, 1977: Includes profiles of Jan Baross, Corvallis filmmaker, and Thyrza Anderson, retiring curator of the Horner Museum.
Box-Folder-Item 1.05.1: Winter 1979, 1979
Box-Folder-Item 1.05.2: Spring 1979, 1979: Includes a Prism beer report.
Box-Folder-Item 1.06.1: Winter 1980, 1980: Includes a cover article "Being gay at OSU: It's no fun" by Bob Danks.
Box-Folder-Item 1.06.2: Spring 1980, 1980: Includes articles on Vietnam War veterans, the men's basketball team, and President Robert W. MacVicar.
Box-Folder-Item 1.07.1: Spring 1981, 1981
Box-Folder-Item 1.08.1: Winter 1982, 1982
Box-Folder-Item 1.08.2: Spring 1982, 1982
Box-Folder-Item 1.09.1: Prism, 1984: Volume 12, numbers 1-2; no term of publication indicated on the issue.
Box-Folder-Item 1.10.1: Prism, 1985: Published in spring 1985; perhaps only issue during the year; volume 13, numbers 1 and 2.
Box-Folder-Item 1.11.1: Prism, 1986: Published in spring 1986 as the annual issue for 1985-1986 (?); volume 14, no. 1.
Box-Folder-Item 1.12.1: Prism, 1987: Annual issue for 1986-1987 published in spring 1987 (volume 15, no. 1).
Box-Folder-Item 1.13.1: Prism, 1988: 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.
Box-Folder-Item 1.14.1: Prism, 1989: 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.
Box-Folder-Item 1.15.1: Prism, 1990: 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.
Box-Folder-Item 1.16.1: Prism, 1991: 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.
Box-Folder-Item 1.17.1: Prism, 1992: 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.
Box-Folder-Item 2.01.1: Prism, 1993: 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.
Box-Folder-Item 2.02.1: Prism, 1994: Volume 22. Includes three poems by Michele Thompson that were awarded the 1994 Provost's Literary Prize.
Box-Folder-Item 2.03.1: Prism, 1995: Volume 23 published in spring 1995. Includes works by Danie Sunday and Erin Ergenbright that received the 1995 Undergraduate Literary Award.
Box-Folder-Item 2.04.1: Fall 1995, 1995
Box-Folder-Item 2.04.2: Spring 1996, 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".
Box-Folder-Item 2.05.1: Winter 1997, 1997
Box-Folder-Item 2.05.2: Spring 1997, 1997: Includes the recipient of the 1997 Provost Literary Award, "Ilima Flowers" by Elissa Minor.
Box-Folder-Item 2.06.1: Winter 1998, 1998
Box-Folder-Item 2.06.2: Spring 1998, 1998: Includes recipient of 1998 Provost's Literary Prize, "In Search of Cool" by Jeff Chapman.
Box-Folder-Item 2.07.1: Winter 1999, 1999
Box-Folder-Item 2.07.2: Spring 1999, 1999: Includes the recipient of the 1999 Provost Undergraduate Literary Award, "Motel Del Sol" by James Donnelly.
Box-Folder-Item 2.08.1: Winter 2000, 2000
Box-Folder-Item 2.08.2: Spring 2000, 2000
Box-Folder-Item 2.09.1: Winter 2001, 2001
Box-Folder-Item 2.09.2: Spring 2001, 2001
Box-Folder-Item 2.10.1: Winter 2002, 2002
Box-Folder-Item 2.10.2: Spring 2002, 2002
Box-Folder-Item 2.11.1: Winter 2003, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 2.11.2: Spring 2003, 2003
Box-Folder-Item 2.12.1: Winter 2004, 2004
Box-Folder-Item 2.12.2: Spring 2004, 2004: Includes the winner of the 2004 Provost Literary Award, "All by Myself", by Kaitlyn Kernek.
Box-Folder-Item 2.13.1: Winter 2005, 2005
Box-Folder-Item 2.13.2: Spring 2005, 2005
Box-Folder-Item 3.01.1: Fall 2005, 2005: Volume 42, no. 1.
Box-Folder-Item 3.01.2: Winter 2006, 2006: Volume 42, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.01.3: Spring 2006, 2006: Volume 42, no. 3; includes the 2006 Provost's Literary Prize Winner, "Hollywood Revisited" by Gavin McQuillan. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.02.1: Fall 2006, 2006: Volume 43, no. 1.
Box-Folder-Item 3.02.2: Winter 2007, 2007
Box-Folder-Item 3.02.3: Spring 2007, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 3.03.1: Fall 2007, 2007: Volume 44, no. 1.
Box-Folder-Item 3.03.2: Winter 2008, 2008: Volume 44, no. 3. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.03.3: Spring 2008, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 3.04.1: Fall 2008, 2008: Volume 45, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.04.2: Winter 2009, 2009: Volume 45, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.04.3: Spring 2009, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 3.05.1: Fall 2009, 2009: Volume 46, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.05.2: Winter 2010, 2010: Volume 46, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.05.3: Spring 2010, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 3.06.1: Fall 2010, 2010: Volume 48, no. 1.
Box-Folder-Item 3.06.2: Winter 2011, 2011: Volume 48. no. 2.
Box-Folder-Item 3.06.3: Spring 2011, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 3.07.1: Fall 2011, 2011: Volume 48, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.07.2: Spring 2012, 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).
Box-Folder-Item 3.08.1: Fall 2012, 2012: Volume 49, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.08.2: Winter 2013, 2013: Volume 49, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.08.3: Spring 2013, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 3.09.1: Fall 2013, 2013: Volume 50, no. 1. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.09.2: Winter 2014, 2014: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.09.3: Spring 2014, 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).
Box-Folder-Item 3.10.1: Fall 2014, 2014: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.10.2: Winter 2015, 2015: Volume 51, no. 2. Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 3.10.3: Spring 2015, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 4.1.1: Fall 2015, 2015: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 4.1.2: Winter 2016, 2016: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 4.1.3: Spring 2016, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 4.2.1: Fall 2016, 2016: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Digital File 1: Winter 2017, 2017: Only available online in Oregon Digital.
Digital File 2: Spring 2017, 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.
Digital File 3: Fall 2017, 2017: Only available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 4.3.1: Winter 2018, 2018: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 4.4.1: Spring 2018, 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.
Box-Folder-Item 4.4.2: Fall 2018, 2018: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Box-Folder-Item 4.4.3: Winter 2019, 2019: Available online in Oregon Digital.
Digital File 4: Spring 2019, 2019: Includes 2019 Literary Prize winners -- "Discomposed" by Rebecca Cyr (poetry) and "Genevieve" by Andrea Fennimore (prose). Only available online in Oregon Digital.

Series 2: Aura Magazine, 1978

Series 2 consists of the two issues of the literary magazine published in 1978 with the title Aura.

Box-Folder-Item 4.5.1: Aura ... of the mountains, 1978: Published in January 1978.
Box-Folder-Item 4.5.2: Aura ... of the coast, 1978: Published in April 1978.