-
The Building Graveyard: Demolished Buildings of Akron Exhibit
To celebrate spooky season this year, I put together a “Building Graveyard” exhibit for the Special Collections Division at the Akron Summit County Public Library! The exhibit highlights a few buildings in Akron that have since been demolished. Those who are familiar with the area may remember or have heard of places such as the Akron…
-
Charles Dickens’ Pet Raven Found A Home In One of Philadelphia’s Special Libraries
Philadelphia is the home of hoagies and cheesesteaks, the Saturday Evening Post and Godey’s Lady’s Book, the Phillies and Rocky Balboa…and several unique libraries. Aspiring Colonial-era tradesmen who were hungry for self-improvement joined discussion groups where they could discuss the latest ideas shared in books. One of those groups was the Junto, formed in 1727…
-
Alexandra, Princess of Wales Might Inspire You To Find And Make Victorian Photocollages
I’m one of those “power patrons” who visit their local library at least once a week to borrow scores of books each year. I breeze in after work, toting at least one bag with me that’s filled with checkouts to return, then load it up again with reserves to haul home that take me well…
-
The Cloisters in New York City Preserves and Protects A Special Collection of Medieval Art
Standing on a cobblestone path outside a building overlooking a river, you’d think you were about to enter a medieval monastery instead of an art museum at the northernmost tip of Manhattan. Inside The Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a collection of magnificent medieval artwork displayed with sensitivity and style.…
-
Rare Imprints Made An Impression at the University of Dayton
Carefully cradled, propped up or resting flat in their temporary home, 49 exceptional rare books were the star attractions of Imprints and Impressions: Milestones in Human Progress, a recent exhibition in the University of Dayton’s Roesch Library First Floor Gallery. University of Dayton faculty selected rare and near-priceless first editions, manuscripts, galley proofs, papyri and illustrations…
-
Eastern Germany Is A Treasure Trove Of Special Collections
Eastern Germany is filled with fascinating history, beautiful music and tasty food, but it’s also the place where you can see some terrific Special Collections-related sights. Marvel at the organizational talents of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German statesman and writer, at his Weimar home. The historic house museum still contains his collections, which he…
-
Where’s the Beef? It’s Part of the Memorabilia at Wendy’s Flagship Restaurant
If you stop by Wendy’s flagship restaurant in Dublin, Ohio, you’ll be served a hearty helping of the fast-food chain’s history along with your hamburger and Frosty. In 1969, Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s restaurant, naming it after the nickname for his freckled, red-haired eight-year-old daughter, Melinda Lou. At the patio entrance to the restaurant,…
-
Comic Strips Are Front-Page News at The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
If you haven’t been to the newly renovated Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at the Ohio State University, this summer is the perfect time to see some special examples of comic strip art there. In 1977, this unique academic research library was established with a founding gift of the artwork and papers of Ohio…
-
See Rare Books and Illustrations in the Toledo Museum of Art’s “In Fine Feather: Birds, Art & Science”
Whether or not you’re a birdwatcher, consider traveling to the Toledo Museum of Art to see In Fine Feather: Birds, Art & Science. This exhibition of 45 works from special collections illustrates the importance of art to ornithology, especially in describing and identifying birds. In Gallery 18, listen to recordings of bird calls and songs…
-
Ohio Halls of Fame
by Meredith Southard While poking around online for some truly unique Ohio special collections to highlight in this issue of The Specialist, I kept bumping up against an incontrovertible fact: Ohio has a lot of Halls of Fame. And not just the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Try the Veterans Hall…