Recently I went down to B-level in search of four books—titles I had come across in my reading that I was sure were going to explain the mysteries of the […]
Robert Layfield, 1897-1915
I’m willing to bet that very few reading this have ever heard of Robert Layfield. There are no buildings named for him and no monument to his accomplishments. He wasn’t […]
Drawing and Believing: Questions of Draftsmanship in 19th c. Psychic Science
by Alicia Puglionesi, Ph.D Candidate in the History of Medicine It was important to draw well in nineteenth-century America, at least if you hoped to appear cultured and refined. Drawing […]
Stranded on a Desert Island
Missing the beach already? Here’s a quick cure: imagine you can never, ever get off it. If you need help envisioning this grim scenario, the library can help! Given the […]
Baltimore Development Plans
Every large city, in looking to make decisions regarding building, zoning, transportation, park facilities, and economic renewal areas, spends a lot of time and money in developing plans for the […]
Jesse Lazear, 1866-1900
In the Alumni Memorial Residences on the Homewood Campus, there is a dorm house named for Jesse Lazear, who was described upon his death as “a martyr in the noblest […]
What Are You Reading?
We know that reading is really crucial for life-long learning. Libraries and librarians often sit in the unique position between students and faculty. We hear from students that they would […]
Preserving our Digital Heritage
Libraries have been preserving the world’s knowledge for centuries, but recently they have had to deal with a new class of threats–how to preserve the vast stores of digital information […]
The Advent of Paperback Books
Once upon a time in the United States, there were no paperbacks as we know them today. Books by and large were sold in bookshops or in sections of large […]
The Star Spangled Banner: Close to 200 Years Old
I was out at Fort McHenry, recently. (My sister was visiting and wanted to see it.) If you haven’t been to the fort yet, you really should go! They’re doing […]