Editor’s Note: This is part four of a five part series on Vernon R. Alden Library.
On a shelf on the fifth floor of Alden Library sits an old travel-sized book waiting for students to stumble upon it.
Acquired in 1979, the small 13th century Bible was handwritten on sheepskin paper and includes blue and red decorative lettering, or illuminations, along with miniscule Latin words printed in black ink.
The Bible is one of more than 46,000 volumes in Ohio University’s rare books collection that students can access, according to the library’s website. Other rare books include an 1884 copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and a 15th century French Book of Hours.
“Most undergraduates are unaware of some of the really super cool things we have here,” said Kelly Broughton, assistant dean for Research and Education Services.
All OU students are allowed to view Alden’s extensive archives and collections for research or for fun.
“Not every library is quite that open,” said Scott Seaman, dean of Ohio University Libraries.
In the ’70s and ’80s, Alden purchased some of its current collections. But in recent years, many of the collections have come in the form of donations, Seaman said.
When the library acquires a collection, one to two Alden employees then spend “months and months, if not years worth of work,” unpacking and organizing, he said.
Alden must also stabilize some items because they have not been kept properly. The process includes reformatting or photocopying items, Seaman said.
Most recently, former U.S. Sen. George Voinovich donated his senatorial papers to OU. The papers include not only notes from Voinovich’s time in the Senate but also memorabilia from his time as an Ohio public official.
Along with the Voinovich collection, Seaman highlighted the Alwin Nikolais and Cornelius Ryan collections.
Nikolais was a choreographer, composer and designer, according to a library pamphlet. Nikolais was called the “father of multimedia” because of his use of lighting, electronic music and other technology in his performances. The collection consists of posters, films and personal items.
He is primarily known for his books The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far. Ryan was a reporter for Time magazine, and he who interviewed thousands of servicemen and French citizens during his coverage of the invasion of Normandy, according to the pamphlet.
“He really married the best of journalism with the best of storytelling,” Seaman said.
The library owns Ryan’s notes, tape recordings and photographs, among other items.
As Alden continues to expand its online library, “Part of our future will be these unique collections,” Seaman said.
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