Tending to Popular Thought: What People Read and Why

About the Project

Reading is an integral part of student life but how often do we think about how and why the books we read were published and how they differ from books in the past? This exhibit explores sixteenth- to nineteenth-century popular literature in a wide range of topics. From occult philosophy to herbology, and popular literature to personal essays, these books invite exploration of past conceptions of the world.  The Fellows’ exhibit is built on how books and their creators participate in the world around them, adding to, changing and directing cultural trends.

The Fellows

Qingyang Cui, Emma Claire Geitner, Jessica Prus, and Gabrielle Rodgriuez

The Instructors

Mary Anne Caton, Library Programs and Grants Coordinator

Rachel Lavenda, Curator of Special Collections