The Boston Athenæum
Founded in 1807, the subscription library was a gathering place for local scholars, “men of business,” and members of the upper classes in search of knowledge.
Out of the Card Catalog Closet
Librarians gathered in 1970 to challenge Library of Congress classifications and catalog subject headings that aligned homosexuality with deviance.
Freedom Libraries and the Fight for Library Equity
Freedom libraries in the south provided Black residents with access to spaces and books, whether in church basements or private homes.
Library Fires Have Always Been Tragedies. Just Ask Galen.
When Rome burned in 192 CE, the city's vibrant community of scholars was devastated. The physician Galen described the scale of the loss.
Libraries and Pandemics: Past and Present
The 1918 influenza pandemic had a profound impact on how librarians do their work, transforming libraries into centers of community care.
The Library That Walked Across Belgium
What two scholar-artists learned from taking ninety books on a very, very long walk.
Some Books Can Kill
Poisonous green pigments laced with arsenic were once a common ingredient in book bindings, paints, wallpapers, and fabrics. Yikes.
Being a Victorian Librarian Was Oh-So-Dangerous
In the late 19th century, more women were becoming librarians. Experts like Melvil Dewey predicted they would suffer ill health, strain, and breakdowns.
Preparing Libraries for Nuclear War
During the Cold War, America's libraries helped patrons prepare for nuclear war, from stocking reference materials to providing fallout shelters.