College Libraries

How did biblical placenames like Bethel, Bethlehem, Canaan, and Goshen find their way to American landscapes? Join a religion scholar, a professor of modern Hebrew, and a Special Collections curator for a cross-disciplinary exploration of why early American colonists sought to mirror the geography of the Middle East on U.S. soil. This event features a rare look at five centuries of maps and manuscripts from Special Collections to explore how the Hebrew Bible shaped colonial American identity and influences our maps to this day. 

Hydrothermal vents in the waters surrounding Antarctica have long been dismissed as insignificant sources of surface micronutrients due to their depth—typically 2000–4000 meters—and presumed isolation from surface processes. In this lecture Casey will present recent field observations and remote sensing data from the Southern Ocean that reveal that hydrothermal effluent can reach the sunlit surface within weeks, delivering iron-rich fluids that stimulate phytoplankton growth.

Celebrate the newest exhibition in Davis Family Library, “ON EGGS-HIBIT,” curated by Liefe Temple ‘25.5! 

Nancy Willard (1936 - 2017) was an author, poet, and teacher, best known for her children’s books. During Willard’s time at Bread Loaf during the 1980s and 90s, she asked fellow faculty, attendees, and guests to sign wooden eggs. This EGGS-HIBIT is a collection of nearly three dozen hand painted and decorated eggs, themed around each signatory and their work, paired with a corresponding literary work. 

Visit Special Collections to explore themes of migration in material and literary culture. Featured books include exiled authors, migrant stories, and itinerant texts from Special Collections alongside contemporary graphic novels from a private collection. In collaboration with the Migrant Justice in Vermont and Beyond Middlebury Migration Conference. 

Visit Special Collections to explore themes of migration in material and literary culture. Featured books include exiled authors, migrant stories, and itinerant texts from Special Collections alongside contemporary graphic novels from a private collection. In collaboration with the Migrant Justice in Vermont and Beyond Middlebury Migration Conference. 

Make a book or just take a look at our range of rare books, manuscripts, and archives! We’ll have all the supplies you need to leave with your very own handmade treasure, and our staff will answer all your questions about how we integrate our unique materials into Midd classes. 

Grab a bingo card, wander the stacks, meet the staff, and learn about everything the library has to offer. Whether you’re a first-year student or a seasoned researcher, there’s something new to uncover.  Prizes await for completed rows—and even a Vermont Bookshop gift card for a full card!

What happens when you mix a museum and a petting zoo? You get the coolest place on campus: Special Collections! We’re home to Medieval manuscripts, antique maps, rare first editions, plus 225 years of Middlebury history, all at your fingertips. 

Visit Special Collections for a pre-show open house featuring “forgotten sisters” from Middlebury’s collection of archives and rare books. Set the stage for the 7:30 PM performance of The Other Mozart by transporting yourself back to the 18^th century and beyond through archives that reveal the contributions of women that history left behind.

Join Special Collections students and staff for an afternoon workshop on junk journaling! In the spirit of “Scrapped!” (our current College scrapbook exhibition in the library), create your own mini junk journal with ephemera from your life. Bring your “junk” – think receipts, ticket stubs, love notes, odds and ends – and harness your creativity and sentimentality using our supplies.