Spark Curiosity
Stanford Libraries spark curiosity by making unique primary source materials readily accessible in person and online to students and faculty in classroom settings, the Special Collections reading room, and local exhibitions; and likewise to the world at large through digitization, Spotlight at Stanford online exhibitions, partnerships with peer institutions, and outreach including newsletters, blogs, and social media. Please see some examples below.
12 Cool Books in Stanford’s Green Library
Among the millions of books in the Stanford Libraries are some of the world's rarest and most celebrated. John Mustain, curator of rare books, shares 12 of his favorites from Special Collections.
The Bowes Art & Architecture Library
In the constellation of libraries at Stanford, the Ute & Bill Bowes Art & Architecture Library, located in the McMurtry Building for the Department of Art & Art History, is one of the newest stars.
Stanford Students Praise New Hands-On Approach to Archival Research
A new archives-centric teaching approach stresses the importance of exposure to primary historical materials for students of all disciplines.
Stanford senior digitally documents Voltaire’s research process
Stanford undergraduate Lena Zlock is developing a first-ever digital humanities study of Voltaire’s personal library, which contains over 6,700 books. She aims to make the library’s contents easily accessible and searchable online.
Samuel Beckett letter at Stanford opens new opportunities for scholarship
A coffee-stained handwritten letter from renowned Irish playwright and novelist Samuel Beckett to Radomir Konstantinović, a Yugoslav and Serbian writer and philosopher, is now available in Stanford Libraries’ Special Collections.
Medieval monsters live on today
Female monsters in medieval literature find new forms in modern movies, literature, comic books and music. Undergraduate student Rukma Sen is curious about why those themes have such staying power.
Functions of a Library
Undergraduate Angie Lee wrote for The Stanford Daily about her experiences in a variety of academic and public libraries and the thrill of browsing the west stacks of Green Library to read just for the sake of reading.
The Libraries as a Workbench: Archive of Recorded Sound
In celebration of the Archive of Recorded Sound's 60th anniversary, we feature Frank Ferko, Sound Archive Librarian, who supports faculty and students with their research and teaching as it relates to recorded sound history.
This Stanford Life
Stanford Daily columnist, Hannah Broderick, ’18, muses about her experiences in libraries, past and present, including her current part-time job in the Bowes Art & Architecture Library.
The 1947 Partition Archive
To mark the 70th anniversary of Partition, the creation of modern India and Pakistan, The 1947 Partition Archive in partnership with Stanford Libraries has made thousands of unheard stories from witnesses and survivors available online.
Stanford team brings medieval texts to a contemporary audience
The Global Medieval Sourcebook, a new website curated by Stanford faculty and students, translates literature of the global Middle Ages into English for the first time, making the texts accessible to contemporary audiences.
“Howl” Goes Online
In cooperation with the Allen Ginsberg Estate, Stanford Libraries has recently digitized Allen Ginsberg’s original drafts of “Howl," providing a unique perspective on Ginsberg’s creative process and the creation of an American literary classic.
Stanford Libraries, Hoover Institution gather thousands of archival materials on Iran
Stanford has acquired thousands of archives about Iran’s history, politics and culture that are held at the Hoover Institution and the Stanford Libraries.