Special Collections & Archives

News and more from ZSR’s Special Collections & Archives

Michael Biggs, Lettering Artist on Paper and Stone

Michael Biggs is best known in Ireland as a Liturgical artist, who carved inscriptions, sculpture and church furnishings. He began his career cutting gravestones and actually continued doing this throughout his life. Biggs eventually carved some of the most important Irish memorials honoring her heroes, including the Memorial Wall at Arbour Hill Cemetery, burial place... Continue reading “Michael Biggs, Lettering Artist on Paper and Stone”

Student Spotlight: Graduating Seniors Recap Experience In Digitization Lab

Student assistants play a huge role in Z. Smith Reynolds Library. Within each of the library’s departments, their contribution to library services is all-important. This is truly the case in ZSR’s Digitization Lab where students digitize thousands of objects each semester. During the 2015-16 academic year, eight student assistants provided their services in the Digitization Lab, primarily... Continue reading “Student Spotlight: Graduating Seniors Recap Experience In Digitization Lab”

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

April 21, 2016 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charlotte Bronte. Her best-known novel, Jane Eyre, was first  published in 1847. ZSR Special Collections’ copy of the first edition of Jane Eyre was part of Charles H. Babcock’s collection and is currently on view in the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room (ZSR625)... Continue reading “Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte (1847)”

Wake Forest Magazine: Take A Look Back, With Digital Back Issues

Although back issues of Wake Forest Magazine can be obtained digitally via the Wake Forest Magazine website, its earliest issues were only available in print. And unfortunately, these print issues are scarce outside of ZSR Library. The Digital Scholarship Unit and Special Collections & Archives at ZSR are bridging this gap to make digital copies... Continue reading “Wake Forest Magazine: Take A Look Back, With Digital Back Issues”

Biographical Files: Piecing Together Life Stories

Looking for great biographical information about people connected to North Carolina Baptist history, as well as notable individuals linked to Wake Forest’s rich past? If so, we have great news. It’s just a mouse click away on WakeSpace Digital Collections! There are currently 1161 individuals uploaded to this growing online collection. This includes 303 names... Continue reading “Biographical Files: Piecing Together Life Stories”

Creating Clamshell Boxes for Samuel Wait

In October, 2015, I attended a Clamshell Box-making workshop at Cat Tail Bindery in Winchester, Virginia. The workshop was excellent and immediately useful. When I returned, Tanya gave me six books that once belonged to Samuel Wait and asked me to make boxes for them. This provided a great opportunity to go over what I... Continue reading “Creating Clamshell Boxes for Samuel Wait”

Closing soon: What’s in a Name? The Legacy of Ed Christman

The Special Collections & Archives exhibit “What’s in a Name? The Legacy of Ed Christman” will be closing on March 29. The exhibit charts the life and work of longtime Chaplain Christman, who matriculated at Wake Forest College in 1947 and worked for the University for most of his life in various capacities, from Baptist... Continue reading “Closing soon: What’s in a Name? The Legacy of Ed Christman”

Locating Primary Sources Through ArchiveGrid

Archives and primary resources are more important than ever for historical research and instruction. But key to utilizing these unique resources is locating the repository where they are located, in order to visit or to access digitized content online. As many institutions have limited resources for caring and preserving collections and records, many archives rely... Continue reading “Locating Primary Sources Through ArchiveGrid”

Orlando Furioso in English Heroical Verse, by Sir John Harington (1607)

The Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto’s epic Orlando Furioso first appeared in print exactly 500 years ago. Taking inspiration from the French Chanson de Roland, Ariosto recounted the fantastic adventures of one of Charlemagne’s knights, Roland (Orlando) and his associates. The main stories concern Orlando, who has been driven mad by his unrequited love for the... Continue reading “Orlando Furioso in English Heroical Verse, by Sir John Harington (1607)”

Elizabeth Rivers, An English Artist in Ireland

This installment of Irish Ink is introducing Dolmen Press artist, Elizabeth Rivers. Rivers contributed a number of illustrations to the Dolmen Press oeuvre, which ZSR Library Special Collections and Archives is proud to house. Elizabeth Joyce Rivers was born in Little Pennys, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire on August 5, 1903. She was English, not Irish, which was... Continue reading “Elizabeth Rivers, An English Artist in Ireland”