Will you soon be headed to buy a Valentine’s day card for a loved one? Picking up packages of cheap cartoon character valentines to be distributed in your kids’ classrooms? These sorts of commercially produced valentines greetings first rose to prominence in the early Victorian period. From cheaply printed verses to fancy embossed and cut …
January 8 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Victorian author Wilkie Collins, whose thrillers like The Woman in White and The Moonstone still capture readers with their plot twists and sympathetic characters. To celebrate, the Special Collections Reading Room features a small exhibit of first editions of these two novels as well as other books …
The tradition of American children writing letters to Santa Claus can be traced to the emergence of a robust postal system in the United States during the Civil War. While children had been accustomed to receiving letters from Santa that praised good and encouraged better behavior, a more efficient and inexpensive postal system made it easier …
A small exhibit of medieval music is currently on display in the Special Collections reference area. It showcases leaves from four different choir book manuscripts, from medieval Malta, Flanders, Italy and Germany. The miniature painting reproduced here comes from the Italian leaf on display, which has been dated to the 14th century. The image depicts …
Now open through November is a new exhibit in the Special Collections lobby. “Children love fanciful & imaginative play. Whether it’s the whimsy of the unexpected, like balloons growing from the ground, or the make-believe of snowmen coming to life, youngsters love using their imaginations. Play is the important work of childhood, and children’s book …
Looking for a fun scare this Halloween? Stop by Special Collections for our current exhibit, but hurry before it vanishes in the night. “Monsters are all around us… even in our collections! The idea of monstrosity permeates every facet of popular culture. But what makes a monster? Who decides this and how? The explorations of …
Special Collections’ latest small case exhibit focuses on women writers’ influence in literature, from the middle ages to the present. Curated by undergraduate intern Sayle Owen, the exhibit features rare and modern editions by women authors who indelibly shaped such literary genres as science fiction, fantasy, and poetry. The exhibit is on display in the …
The L. Tom Perry Special Collections at the BYU Library is pleased to announce the publication of the exhibit catalog Discovery & Wonder: The Harry F. Bruning Collection at Brigham Young University by Jack Stoneman and Aaron Skabelund. “Wow, look at that!” “The detail, the color—it’s just amazing.” Such are the reactions—sometimes audible—as visitors explore …
During June, visitors to special collections can see over 30 Yellowstone National Park postcards, curated by Gordon Daines. The historic collection features a view of the park from 1920 taken by Asahel Curtis, who was well known for documenting the natural wonders of the Northwest. Daines writes: “Postcards were a popular means of communication from …