A Precious, Mouldering Pleasure

We think Emily Dickinson would be happy with the new small case exhibit on level 1 of the library. Curator Maggie Kopp invited her students to find wonderful books in the stacks of Special Collections. They returned with an impressive collection of authors. The exhibit is titled “Leading Ladies of Herstory” and it includes works by Emily Dickinson, Eliza R. Snow, Emily Bronte, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Phillis Wheatley, and Mary Wollstonecraft.

The exhibit is timed with Women’s History Month.

The exhibit will be in place through March. After the exhibit is taken down all of the books will be available again for students and faculty who are working on research projects and need to use items from the L. Tom Perry Special Collections.

Phillis Wheatley’s book of poetry is on display. Wheatley was the first African American poet to be published.

Also on display is an early copy of Jane Eyre. All three volumes are here. Few books have inspired so many sequels, prequels, plays, and films. There is a new version of it in film just out in theaters, but you can see the version that started it all. It is interesting to see the way these women share their ideas through printed words, or as Dickinson said, you can see each book “In just the dress his century wore.” The exhibit is open during regular hours for Special Collections. To see it go to level 1 of the library and enter the L. Tom Perry Special Collections. The cases are located to the far left of the reference desk along the west wall of the study area. Admission is free.