Special Collections

Library Response to COVID-19

Special Collections serves as a liberal arts laboratory. We are a place for hands-on, immersive learning, imagination, and innovative approaches to research, access, and teaching.

The Libraries will be closed and all services suspended starting at 5 pm on Wednesday, March 25th. Please email specialcollections@middlebury.edu with questions.

We are open to the public and welcome anyone to use our collections, regardless of background, age, affiliation, or the nature of your research.

Our collections range from a cuneiform tablet to contemporary pop-up books; rare books, manuscripts, photographs, audio and video recordings; the College Archives; and other rare and unique materials that tell the story of our collective past.

Special Collections

The perfect prune whip: Tastes of the Middlebury Nursery School cook book

July 28, 2020 | by Kaitlin Buerge

We were thrilled to receive this donation of the 1938-1939 Middlebury Nursery School Cook Book from Deborah West Zipf, Class of 1958.
Special Collections

What Angelina Weld Grimké taught me about Black authors in Special Collections

July 15, 2020 | by Kaitlin Buerge

While researching Black authors in Special Collections for Black History Month, I was inspired by Angelina Weld Grimke (of whom I knew nothing), to work on a project to make our works by Black authors more visible and accessible.
Special Collections

Library staff lend their hands to Special Collections

June 9, 2020 | by Kaitlin Buerge

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the Library’s frontline staff were forced to abandon their books and leave the circulation desk behind. While in exile from the building, collections, and people who normally keep them extremely busy, they pitched in to help Special Collections cross off items from our very long wishlist of projects.