HomeSpecial Collections Library Exhibits

Special Collections Library Exhibits

  • 52. Unfinished Chapter: The First 250 Years of American Liberty
    Lehigh Libraries explore 250 years of American freedom through rare founding texts, historical perspectives, and student reflections.
  • 51. Informationland: The Past and Future of Libraries
    Explores the place of libraries with in culture and history, and as users and producers of both information and technology.
  • 50. Lichtman Sci-Fi Fanzine Collection
    Exhibit showcasing Robert Lichtman’s Sci-Fi fanzine collection, highlighting the culture, creativity, and history of fandom. Spring 2025.
  • 49. Bridging Bethlehem: Hill to Hill Bridge at 100
    Bethlehem’s Hill to Hill Bridge centennial marked through Lehigh-Moravian Archives exhibits on history, engineering, and community impact. Fall 2024–Spring 2025.
  • 48. Feathers and Folios
    Audubon, Gould, and citizen scientists shape ornithology through observation, artistry, and scientific discovery. Physical exhibition: Fall 2024
  • 47. Rediscovering Miles Rock
    Miles Rock -- Civil War soldier, first Lehigh Civil Engineer, astronomer, scientist, cartographer. Physical exhibition: Spring, Summer, Fall 2024
  • 46. Where Do We Go from Here?: Selected Maps and Atlases from the Duncan Payne and Lehigh Libraries Collections
    A visual representation of the understanding of geography and cartography over time. Physical exhibition: Fall 2023
  • 45. Manufacturing A Narrative About Work: Labor Fiction Inspired by the Industrial Age
    Literary accounts of the labors of men, women, and children during the American Industrial Age. Physical exhibit: Spring 2023
  • 44. No Postage Necessary
    Postcards from the 1900s until the present, detailing changes over time to the campus and surroundings. Physical exhibit: Fall 2022
  • 43. Words of the Years
    Examples of the ever-evolving state of language drawn from Lehigh Special Collections. Physical exhibit: Spring 2022
  • 42. Visit Imaginary Places
    An open invitation to visit imaginary places, such as utopias, Atlantis, Lilliput, Camelot, Wonderland, and More. Physical exhibition: Spring 2021
  • 41. Worth Keeping?
    Surveys the extensive and varied holdings of Lehigh Special Collections, and asks, "what is worth keeping?" Physical exhibition: Spring 2020
  • 40. Whitman @ 200
    Celebrating Walt Whitman's 200th birthday with selections from Lehigh Special Collections. Physical exhibition: Fall 2019
  • 39. Exploring a Novel World: 300 Years of Robinson Crusoe
    Celebrating 300 years of Daniel Defoe's groundbreaking novel, Robinson Crusoe. Physical exhibition: Spring 2019
  • 38. Batting Around America’s National Pastime: The Cultural Impact of Baseball
    Items from Lehigh's circulating and Special Collections, as well as from the Lehigh Athletics Department. Physical exhibition: Summer, Fall 2019
  • 37. At a Glance: Selected Works in the History of Data Visualization
    History of data visualization from a range of subjects, including art, literature, demographics and physical sciences. Physical exhibition: Spring 2018
  • 36. Jane Austen & the Rise of Feminism: Women Writers As Agents of Change
    Celebrating Jane Austen's life, works, and impact on the 200th anniversary of her death. Physical exhibition: Summer, Fall 2017
  • 35. Daring Knowledge: Diderot's Encyclopedie
    Highlighting detailed imagery of science and industry from Lehigh Special Collections' copy of the Encyclopedie. Physical exhibition: Spring 2017
  • 34. Visual and Verbal: The Deborah and Alfred Judson Barcan Collection
    Highlights from the Deborah and Alfred Judson Barcan Collection of rare and unusual Victorian era books. Physical exhibition: Fall 2016
  • 33. Laying Down the Tracks
    Materials about the founding of Lehigh University and American higher education. Physical exhibition: Spring, Summer 2016
  • 32. Leaving Their Mark: Autographs to Inspire
    Autographed letters and manuscripts of inspirational individuals. Physical exhibition: Fall 2015
  • 31. Hilda Doolittle (H.D.): From Bethlehem and Back Again
    Documenting the life of poet Hilda Doolittle in Bethlehem, PA. Physical exhibition: Summer, Fall 2015
  • 30. Coal and Canals: Pennsylvania Fuels the Industrial Revolution
    Drawings and maps from the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company collection. Physical exhibition: Spring, Summer 2015
  • 29. Revealing Research Collections: Recent Grant-Funded Projects in LTS
    Research collections in coal, navigation, steel, civil engineering, moravian history. Physical exhibition: Spring 2015
  • 28. American Innovation: A Survey of Adaptive Ingenuity in the United States
    American innovators, inventors, pioneers, scientists from Lehigh Special Collections. Physical exhibition: Fall 2014
  • 27. Dressing for Success Across Time and Function
    Rare books, magazines, photographic materials related to clothing and dress. Physical exhibition: Spring, Summer 2014
  • 26. Laboratories Invented and Reinvented
    Images of laboratories over time drawn from Lehigh Special Collections. Physical exhibition: Fall 2013
  • 25. What's Old is New and What's New is Old: Recent Additions to Special Collections
    Recent acquisitions about machinery, tools, mathematical instruments, bridges, and construction. Physical exhibition: Spring 2013
  • 24. At the Podium: The Speeches of Lee Iacocca, 1978-2011
    Lee Iacocca's annotated speeches presented over the course of thirty years. Physical exhibition: Fall 2012
  • 23. The Familiar Dickens, Illustrated and Evaluated
    Celebrating 200 years of Charles Dickens' editions printed, works stages, and stories filmed. Physical exhibition: Spring, Summer 2012
  • 22. Being Medieval
    Depictions of Medieval and Renaissance life from manuscripts held by Lehigh Special Collections. Physical exhibition: Fall 2011, Spring 2012
  • 21. In the Spirit of Giving
    Gifts from Alumni, Faculty, Staff, Students, and others, to Lehigh Special Collections. Physical exhibition: Fall 2011
  • 20. The American Environment through Travelers' Eyes
    Travel modes, destinations, and purposes, including educational and scientific. Physical exhibition: Spring 2011
  • 19. Environmental STEPS: Environmental Education and Action at Lehigh University
    A look at environmental education and developments at Lehigh to celebrate the STEPs building. Physical exhibition: Fall 2010
  • 18. The Royal Society and the Origins of Scientific Communication
    Developments in scientific communication from the Royal Society, founded in 1660, to the present. Physical exhibition: Spring 2010
  • 17. Limited Editions Club: A Pairing of Art and Literature
    Classics, children's favorites, and literature illustrated by extraordinary artists. Physical exhibition dates: Fall 2009
  • 16. Charles Darwin at 200
    An exhibition featuring works from Lehigh's premier Darwin collection. Physical exhibition: Spring 2009
  • 15. Lehigh's "Lincolniana"
    Highlights from Lehigh Special Collections, celebrating Lincoln's 200th birthday. Physical exhibition: Spring 2009
  • 14. How to Become an Engineer: Toys, Tools and Technology
    The history of engineering education, featuring civil engineering tools and technology. Physical exhibition: Fall 2008, Winter 2009
  • 13. Cartographic Perspectives: From the New World to Your World
    Maps from the early world, the New World, western exploration, Lehigh University, and Bethlehem. Physical exhibition: Spring 2008
  • 12. The Dalai Lama Visit
    Materials commemorating His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to Lehigh University, July 2008. Physical exhibition: Fall 2007, Spring, Summer 2008
  • 11. Home to Roost: Ornithological Collections at Lehigh University
    Selections from ornithology books, including Audubon, Catesby, Gould, Wilson, and others. Physical exhibition: Summer 2007, Fall, Winter 2007
  • 10. Linderman: Looking Back... Looking Ahead
    Documenting Linderman's transformation from a 19th century library to a 21st century Humanities Center. Physical exhibition: Spring 2007
  • 09. Photo Story Lehigh 1915-1919
    Photographs from Howard David Ginder's years at Lehigh, 1915 - 1919. Physical exhibition: Spring, Summer, Fall 2006
  • 08. Lehigh's Leaves of Grass
    Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. Online exhibition only.
  • 07. "Cool Thoughts" of Benjamin Franklin: An Exhibition Celebrating his 300th Birthday
    Celebrating the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin with selected works from Lehigh Special Collections. Physical exhibition: Spring 2006
  • 06. ASA 200: Birthday Books for Asa Packer
    Celebrating Lehigh founder Asa Packer's 200th birthday with student-made artist's books. Physical exhibition: Summer, Fall 2005, Winter 2006
  • 05. John Fritz and His Legacy
    Documents, photos, and artifacts celebrating the 50th anniversary of Fritz Engineering Laboratory. Physical exhibition: Spring 2005
  • 04. Planet Lehigh: Early Astronomy
    Materials related to "Planet Lehigh," discovered 1909, and history of astronomy at Lehigh. Physical exhibition: Fall 2004, Winter, Spring 2005
  • 03. The 15th Century at Lehigh
    Selections from Lehigh Special Collections documenting manuscript changes in the early years of printing. Physical exhibition: Spring 2003
  • 02. Dante Club
    Publications of literary figures who are members of the Dante Club. Physical exhibition: Spring 2004
  • 01. Heavenly Spheres: Works in Early Astronomy at Lehigh
    Early astronomical works by Copernicus, Brahe, Galileo, Kepler, Newton and others. Physical exhibition: Fall 2003, Winter, Spring 2004