Ephemera facts for kids
Ephemera (singular: ephemeron) are items like papers, tickets, or flyers that are made for a short time. They are not meant to be kept forever. The word comes from an ancient Greek word, ephemeros, which means "lasting only one day." Think of them as everyday items that you might throw away after using them.
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Even though these items are meant to be temporary, many people enjoy collecting them. Some common examples of ephemera are old tickets, postcards, advertisements, bookmarks, or even greeting cards.
Contents
What Does "Ephemera" Mean?
The word "ephemera" comes from the Greek word ephemeros. This word means "lasting only one day" or "short-lived." It was used to describe things like mayflies, which are insects that live for a very short time. It also described flowers that bloom for just a day. So, ephemera are things that are not expected to last long.
Printed Items That Don't Last
In libraries, "ephemera" often refers to single-page papers or documents. These are usually printed and meant to be thrown away after one use. This group does not include handwritten letters or photos without printing.
Many large libraries and museums collect these items. They save them because they can teach us about history. For example, the John Johnson Collection at the Bodleian Library in Oxford has many old printed items. You can even find thousands of these items online. Another collection at Manchester Metropolitan University has 32,000 Victorian and Edwardian greeting cards. These collections show how people lived and communicated in the past.
Short-Lived Videos and Sounds
Just like printed items, there are also "video ephemera" and "audio ephemera." These are sounds or videos that were not meant to be saved. For a long time, most TV shows and radio broadcasts were not kept. The technology to save them came later. Even when it did, many shows were erased to save money. This means a lot of early TV and radio history is now lost.
It was hard for people to find old broadcasts. Only a few collectors would trade rare recordings. Today, websites like the Internet Archive and YouTube make it much easier. Now, you can find and share many old videos and sounds that were once thought to be lost forever.
Why People Collect Ephemera
Since ephemera are not meant to be kept, they can be exciting for collectors. Many items can be found by asking family or friends to save them. Printed ephemera often have interesting pictures and words. They come in different themes, types, sizes, and shapes. This variety makes them perfect for collecting. There are even online catalogs where collectors can share information about their items.
Images for kids
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A historical example of ephemera
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A piece of ephemera from the 1700s
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The temperance movement created many ephemera items
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Smoking-related ephemera showing a marten
See also
In Spanish: Ephemera para niños
