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Louisa Shepard
News Officer
lshepard@upenn.edu
Libraries
Penn brings Philadelphia’s rare manuscripts to the world
Leveraging the University’s expertise with technology and rare centuries-old manuscripts, Penn Libraries is digitizing and cataloging medieval and early modern texts from 15 Philadelphia-area institutions. The three-year project is known as BiblioPhilly.
Stains Alive
For Libraries fellow Erin Connelly, stains are some of the most exciting discoveries in her study of medieval manuscripts. She is part of a national team analyzing stains in medieval texts using modern multispectral imaging. An exhibition at Van Pelt-Dietrich Library displays the researchers’ discoveries.
Public libraries can influence public health
The Healthy Library Initiative, a partnership between Penn and the Free Library of Philadelphia, works to expand the role of public librarian to serve the public health needs of patrons and the community.
Project grants and faculty awards from the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage
Artists, poets, centers and professors were awarded fellowships and grants to fund future projects, installations, and various works of art that will enrich cultural programs and public art.
Digital humanities ‘summer camp’ comes to Penn
The Price Lab for Digital Humanities and the Penn Libraries hosted HILT, an annual national training institute that brings together professionals from a number of disciplines.
Reclaiming a fragmented history
Digital humanities scholars are orchestrating an epic crowdsourcing effort to sort and transcribe handwriting on thousands of documents discarded hundreds of years ago, known as the Cairo Geniza.
Constantia Constantinou appointed vice provost and director of Penn Libraries
Penn Provost Wendell Pritchett today announced the appointment of Constantia Constantinou as the H. Carton Rogers III Vice Provost and Director of the Penn Libraries, effective August 1.
A life of books
Books define the life of Peter Stallybrass, an English professor who has retired after 30 years at Penn, known for his History of Material Texts workshop. He explains the five seminal books of his storied academic career.
Astronomical find
Penn Libraries has acquired a rare astronomical treatise dated 1481, with unique diagrams in the margins, and original discs of parchment that turn to demonstrate the movement of the sun, moon, and planets.
A medieval confluence
Three newly-hired Penn assistant professors, all transplants to Philadelphia, found each other soon after they arrived and discovered that, although they were in different areas of study, they all focused on the Middle Ages, specifically 13th-century France.
Media Contact
In the News
WWFM: The Classical Network
A Tempo: Expanding Access to Marian Anderson's Legacy
The Penn Libraries’ Kislak Center houses ephemera from the life of Marian Anderson, the first African-American woman to sing a lead role in The Metropolitan Opera. The Center’s David McKnight spoke with WWFM about a new grant funding the digitization of the Anderson collection. (Audio)
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Scans Reveal Secrets of Medieval ‘Harry Potter’ Book and Medical Texts at Penn
Erin Connelly of the Libraries is working with other experts to identify old stains in a centuries-old medical text using multi-spectral imaging. The results of their studies suggest that the tomes were actively used in medicine and alchemy, a predecessor to chemistry.
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