Rare Book Sampler: Four Student Exhibitions
Rare Book Collection, Melba Remig Saltarelli Room, 3rd floor, Wilson Library
Extended through April 8, 2006
For information call: 919-962-1143
"A Rare Book Sampler: Four Student Exhibitions" is the spring exhibition in the Rare Book Collection (RBC). The sampler features four projects curated by current or recently graduated students at UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Information and Library Science.
The exhibitions cover Aubrey Beardsley and Book Illustration, curated by Robin Chen; William Morris and the Private Press Revival, curated by Emma Cryer; The Early Years of the New York School of Poets, curated by Sarah Fass; and The Writings of Sylvia Plath, curated by Valerie Gillespie. These topics give some indication of the diversity of the RBC's holdings, which now number over 250,000 items. They also point toward some of the RBC's particular strengths, which include twentieth-century literature in English, poetry, fine printing and binding, and illustrated books.
Fass, who coordinated the installation of the four projects, believes the students brought a fresh point of view to their projects. "Because each exhibit is self-contained," she says, "we were able to delve into the collections and pick items that might not have had a place in larger exhibitions."
Highlights include a proof copy of Plath's The Bell-Jar; a first edition of her Ariel inscribed by Ted Hughes to poet Robert Lowell; a large-scale collection of Frank O'Hara's work illustrated by Willem de Kooning; proofs of Beardsley's illustrations for Salome; the Kelmscott Chaucer; and the Doves Bible.
