Libraries

Libraries exhibition explores the movement of books

A new exhibit at the Penn Libraries explores the myriad ways books move—as physical objects in different formats, and across space and time—featuring 24 items from the collection, a video wall displaying 26 additional items, and interactive models.

Louisa Shepard

Exploring the authenticity of a pair of storied gloves

Kislak Center curator Alicia Meyer is researching a pair of gloves in the Penn Libraries collection rumored to have been William Shakespeare’s, enlisting the help of Tessa Gadomski in the Libraries conservation laboratory to see if the gloves could be from the 1600s.

Louisa Shepard

What’s That? The Rittenhouse Orrery

The Rittenhouse Orrery is a nearly intact 18th-century mechanical model of the solar system, demonstrating the motions of the planets and their satellites around the sun, built by astronomer David Rittenhouse.

Louisa Shepard

Art Matters: ‘In the Garden’ by Jennifer Bartlett

During these hot days of summer, the cool of a garden water feature depicted in “In the Garden” by artist Jennifer Bartlett could provide some respite. Made of 270 one-foot-square steel plates painted with enamel, sections of the mural are installed in five locations in Van Pelt Library.

Louisa Shepard



Media Contact


In the News


Philadelphia Inquirer

Penn has preserved a pair of gloves said to belong to Shakespeare. Did they?

Alicia Meyer and Tessa Gadomski of Penn Libraries are researching whether a pair of centuries-old gloves belonged to Shakespeare, with remarks from Zachary Lesser of the School of Arts & Sciences.

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The New York Times

‘Millions of Cats’ and prints for grown-ups: Wanda Gág at the Whitney

The manuscript for illustrator Wanda Gág’s diary, “Growing Pains,” is archived in the Kislak Center at Penn Libraries.

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Forbes

How to give away a $500,000 comic book collection

Alumnus Gary Prebula and his wife, Dawn, have donated a $500,000 comic book collection to Penn Libraries.

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Forbes

How to donate 80,000 comic books—and get a marvelous tax break

Alumnus Gary Prebula and his wife, Dawn, have donated a $500,000 collection of more than 75,000 comic books and graphic novels to Penn Libraries, featuring remarks from Sean Quimby of the Kislak Center.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

A collector donated 75,000 comic books to Penn Libraries, valued at more than $500,000

Alumnus Gary Prebula and his wife, Dawn, have donated a $500,000 collection of more than 75,000 comic books and graphic novels to Penn Libraries, featuring remarks from Sean Quimly of the Kislak Center and Jean-Christophe Cloutier of the School of Arts & Sciences.

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Philadelphia Tribune

Preparing the archives: Sun Ra comes to Kislak Center

Samantha Hill of Penn Libraries discusses the recent acquisition of two collections of archival materials by Sun Ra, a prolific jazz musician and forefather to the Afrofuturist movement.

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