The Ciarla is the student yearbook of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Throughout its nearly 130-year history, the Ciarla has commemorated Muhlenberg’s academic, social, and sporting activities.
From 1892 until 1953, the yearbook was produced by the junior class. Thus, until 1954, information about graduating seniors will be found in the yearbook of the year following their graduation. For example, a member of the Class of 1939 will have a photograph and detailed profile in the 1939 Ciarla as a junior, and then will have senior year details listed in the 1940 edition.
The Ciarla does not have an edition for 1945 or 1947.
Editions for most years may be viewed in print in the library: Main Collection, Level B, call number 378.748 M952c. (For information about which volumes are available in the Main Stacks, see the Encompass Catalog record.)
Most volumes of The Ciarla have been digitized through a generous gift from the Muhlenberg College Alumni Trust Fund. Each issue is text-searchable, thus alumni and researchers can locate students, faculty, and events via a keyword search. For a brief tutorial (text and/or video) on how to search, please visit Navigating the Ciarla.
Trexler Library’s Special Collections & Archives makes student-produced publications available for historical research. As historical documents that are representative of their respective eras, some issues may contain imagery and text that reflect racial prejudices and injustices that are not in any way condoned by the College or Trexler Library. We present them in their entirety to aid in the understanding of history and culture both in the nation and at the College.
Encompass Catalog record:
Since Joe Romano’s first year at Muhlenberg College, he has been a photographer for the school’s yearbook, the Ciarla. In this documentary, created in COM 231: Documentary Research in Fall 2020, he questions what importance the yearbook holds to different people who are connected to Muhlenberg.
