A place for news and information about rare books, manuscripts and university archives.
This is a collection containing documents from the planning and construction of what is now Exley Science Center, between 1963 and 1971. This collection is about Phase II of the Science Center. Phase I was the construction of Hall-Atwater Laboratory, which was completed in 1967, preceding the rest of the center. In the mid 1960s, … Read more
In March 1936, a severe flood struck Middletown. Especially hard hit were the low lying areas near the Connecticut River in Middletown’s North End. This is a photograph facing north with the river on the right-hand side. Wesleyan students, although safe on the high ground of the campus, helped with flood relief. Some worked with … Read more
Wesleyan generally prides itself on its reputation for political activity. Recently, according to the November, 30th edition of the Argus, 50 student, faculty, and citizen protesters marched down to the Army recruitment office in Metro Square in protest of the war in Iraq. Forty years ago, the University was in similar circumstances during the Vietnam … Read more
Do you know where this window is at Wesleyan? Too often we are so caught up in our own lives and that we forget to look at the things around us. 115 years have passed since a certain Wesleyan student graduated but his generosity is still all around us to enjoy from one … Read more
The more than 1000 books in the Manchester office in Olin Library have been inventoried. Of these, 22% are copies of books by William Manchester himself, representing a veritable United Nations of languages. American Caesar is represented in French and Spanish, but also in Japanese, Indonesian and Hebrew. His most well known book, The Death … Read more
NOW AVAILABLE AT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES The official SC&A pencil for only 25¢ ●Everybody did you know for the small sum of 25¢ you can buy a writing instrument that writes under water, in zero gravity and upside down!!!!!!!!! ●Thesis writers did you know a pencil can write 45,000 words. ●Art majors did you … Read more
Our new president, Michael Roth, will be inaugurated on November 2. The inauguration is being combined with Homecoming/Family Weekend, and there will be a lot to do and see on campus. Special Collections & Archives is having an open house on Saturday, November 3 from noon to 4pm. Stop in and visit the beautiful Davison … Read more
We recently posted a bunch of new finding aids (guides to collections) on our website Benjamin Arthur Caleb Papers, 1851-1861 Laban Clark Papers, 1794-1935 Deutsche Verein Records, 1909-1960 Monday Club Records, 1892-1995 Dana Plante (Class of 1959) Collection, 1954-1960 Phyllis Rose Collection, 1977-1984 Beatrice Witkin Papers, 1949-1988 With the help of our great student employees, … Read more
Here is a great video of a real letterpress being used to make postcards, operated by Dylan Fareed, class of 2002. Pretty different than the laser printers we’re used to!
Next time you wonder when a Wesleyan building was constructed, or who this Davison guy was, or just how the Douglas Cannon came to be the unofficial Wesleyan mascot, stop by Special Collections & Archives and take a look at our Vertical Files. These are subject files where we keep clippings, memos, reports, notes, and … Read more
