Transform Scholarship
Stanford Libraries transform scholarship by hosting the spaces, platforms and services necessary for interdisciplinary research; by providing emerging technologies for analysis of data in both the humanities and sciences; and by offering innovative solutions for sharing and publishing scholarship. Please see examples below.
3-D Bones Improve Research
A new collaborative effort at Stanford Libraries to capture 3-D models of the university’s artifacts, such as bones and art, helps scholars and students with analyzing and studying objects remotely.
Stanford Libraries’ Rare Score of Giuseppe Verdi’s Opera Aida Provides Clues to the Past
Recently acquired by the Music Library, the handwritten 1876 manuscript used in Aida’s Paris premiere is believed to be the only surviving score from a performance conducted by the opera’s composer, Giuseppe Verdi.
Map Center Devoted to the "Exploration of all Things Cartographic"
Opened in 2016, the David Rumsey Map Center contains more than 150,000 rare maps, atlases, globes and pocket maps; has welcomed 5,300 visitors; and hosted more than 75 classes.
Ancient Parchments Reveal a Blend of Cultures, Knowledge During the Middle Ages, Stanford Scholar Says
Rare 14th-century manuscripts historian Rowan Dorin studied in Special Collections show an enthusiastic exchange of knowledge between medieval people, going against the belief that the Middle Ages was an ignorant time.
Priests Found Spiritual Satisfaction by Serving Nuns, Stanford Medieval Historian Says
A study of medieval texts and imagery by Professor of History Fiona Griffiths counters commonly held beliefs about misogynistic practices in medieval Europe. Griffiths' research reveals how some male clergy acknowledged and celebrated the perceived religious superiority of nuns.
Pioneers in Politics: How the Words of Children Became the Language of War
Skyler Samuelson, M.A. Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies ‘18, writes about her experience working with Margarita Nafpaktitis, Curator for Slavic and East European Collections, and feeling the thrill of discovery while researching the Papers of the National United Committee to Free Angela Davis housed in the Department of Special Collections.
The Libraries as a Workbench: 3D Printing Prototyping
Amanda Whitmire, head librarian for Miller Library, helps us understand why 3D printers and Arduino-style hardware and software are important library tools in her scholars’ “workbench.”
The Middle Ages at Your Fingertips
In a Stanford Magazine article featuring the research of several faculty and librarians, author Cynthia Haven asserted: “Major university libraries and museums snapped up many of the best medieval manuscripts and art long ago, but Stanford is now staking its own claim in medieval studies. First, it is digitizing images from libraries around the world. Second, it has assembled a cadre of scholars who are expanding the very definition of medieval.”
Digital Publishing Initiative
Alan Harvey and the Stanford University Press are redefining the world of traditional academic publishing with new digital tools and channels.
Thousands of Rome’s Historical Images Digitized with Help of Stanford Researchers
Researchers digitized thousands of pieces from 19th-century archaeologist Rodolfo Lanciani’s collection to help scholars across the world study Rome’s transformation. The archive is a culmination of a two-year collaboration among Stanford's Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis, the Stanford Libraries, University of Oregon, Dartmouth College and the Italian government.
New Teaching Approach Brings More Students into Stanford’s Archives
Stanford faculty and librarians are working together to modify the curriculum of large undergraduate courses to bring more students to the special collections and archives of the libraries on campus. Video.