Articles
Special Collections renovation expected to attract scholars
Jun. 19, 2012—The results of a summer-long renovation of Special Collections will be a boon for researchers from Vanderbilt and beyond. With more study space, a welcoming entrance and better light, exploring the university’s treasure trove of collections will be a vastly improved experience.
Library renovation gets gold environmental award
Jun. 19, 2012—Vanderbilt University’s Central Library has been awarded a gold certification for its environmentally friendly 2010 renovation from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.
Printing plates of 9/11 tragedy donated to library
Jun. 19, 2012—It is amazing that The Wall Street Journal was published the day after 9/11 at all. Its newsroom and corporate headquarters were directly across the street from the devastated World Trade Center, and the newspaper’s staff was evacuated after the first plane crashed into the north tower on Sept. 11, 2001.
Archiving the past, anticipating the future
Jun. 18, 2012—The tradition of collecting and storing written knowledge can be traced back more than 5,000 years, long before Aristotle taught the kings in Egypt how to arrange a library. From the Greek academy to the Age of Enlightenment, the academic library has served as the literal and academic center of the evolving modern university.
A Discussion in Percussion … on How to Beat the Band
Jun. 15, 2012—Film legend Fred Astaire is featured in this 1937 shot from “A Discussion in Percussion … on How to Beat the Band” photo series, part of the Francis Robinson Collection of Theatre, Music and Dance in Vanderbilt University’s Special Collections. Come see this and more when the exhibit “Stage and Screen: The Star Quality of Vanderbilt's Performing Arts Collections,” opens August 22 in the Central Library.
Going Beyond Google
Jan. 12, 2012—Libraries are places of research and learning, but teaching is also a core function of a library. As information resources grow, the task of sifting through academic databases to find the best information becomes more difficult. Librarians throughout the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries specialize in research instruction—some even teach full courses—and the libraries now provide special classrooms geared toward teaching.
Baseball fever
Dec. 5, 2011—Nashville had baseball fever in June 2011 as the Vanderbilt Commodores made their first appearance at the College World Series, going all the way to the semifinals. Pictured here is an 1892 game with Vanderbilt facing Cumberland University in the first game played on what is now called Currey Field. That’s Kirkland Hall, still with its original two towers, in the background.
University campaign sparks growth in Special Collections
Dec. 5, 2011—Vanderbilt’s Special Collections opens a window to the past. The shelves are lined with the highlights, and the minutiae, of people’s lives and livelihoods.
Research projects open doors for student interns
Dec. 5, 2011—Every day, Vanderbilt students head into the university’s libraries to conduct research toward their degrees. For some of these students, the chance to do research in the library opens doors for their careers.
New community room opens to great reviews
Dec. 5, 2011—No matter how you define community, the new community room in the Central Library fits the bill. Open since January, it has already hosted thousands of people for lectures, receptions and meetings.