Exhibit: Ex Libris: Bookplates from the Raynor Memorial Libraries Collections

SEPTEMBER 2023—Now on display online and in person is the exhibit, "Ex Libris: Bookplates from the Raynor Memorial Libraries Collections." Satisfying visually and tactile-wise, bookplates are also catnip for those who relish puzzling out who might once have owned a book in hand. Common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these squares of paper were glued inside a book's front cover. They displayed the owner’s name and, often, decorative illustrations. Found now, sometimes a full century later, they delight with not only their unique artistry but also their fascinating clues to the sometimes celebrated, sometimes unknown stories of their erstwhile book owners. 

Many of the secondhand books in Raynor Memorial Libraries's collections are peppered with fascinating bookplates. A new hybrid exhibit curated by Kerry Olivetti is bringing these modest gems to light: Ex Libris: Booplates from the Raynor Memorial Libraries Collections. 

• Visit the library to view a selection of unique bookplates (Special collections reading room, Raynor Memorial Libraries 3rd Fl.)
• Explore a larger and steadily growing digitized collection of plates: Ex Libris: Bookplates from the Raynor Memorial Libraries Collections.