Blogs

By Ann Zlotnik

Often the Marian Library has been considered a hidden gem — a place at the very top of Roesch Library that students don’t always realize they can visit — but the Marian Library staff is working diligently to change that notion. 

Not only does the Marian Library’s space on the seventh floor offer a quiet, comfortable reading room, but the two gallery spaces offer informative exhibits and displays throughout the year. Students are welcome to visit the seventh floor and make use of these spaces — and to use our collections of books and materials for their research needs.

An Early Option for Engagement — and Housing Points 

The University has a program for students to acquire points toward preferred housing for the next academic year. The University Libraries and the Marian Library see the benefit of offering these types of programs for students. Students come into our spaces and leave with some new knowledge and possibly some new interests.

The first program begins on the first day of classes, Aug. 22, and ends Friday, Aug. 26. Eve Wolynes and Kayla Harris created it based on the current exhibit, A Vision of Art and Faith: The Litany of Loreto and the Work of Ezio Anichini (1886-1948). Students can stop by anytime during regular Marian Library hours. They will discover illustrator Ezio Anichini’s work in children's literature, popular magazines, devotional materials and even nationalistic propaganda from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. They will answer guided questions and write reflections as they explore.

A virtual tour of the statues of Mary across campus (with the option to walk the self-guided tour) is in the planning stages for a September launch. 

In October, the Marian Library will offer a screening of the documentary Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project. Marion Butler Stokes spent decades recording television news, documenting the rise of cable television and the 24/7 news cycle on over 70,000 tapes through 2012. The documentary invites students to reflect on the collecting interests of Stokes and her husband, John, as an expression of their values and beliefs and how personal collections can shape identities. John Stokes' collection on Mary Gardens came to the Marian Library in 2013, and much of it is available online. 

Rounding out the fall semester will be engagement opportunities with the Christmas exhibit Juggling for Mary: Vocation, Gifts and Performing for Our Lady.

A Familiar Place for Students

The Marian Library is focused on UD students through academic support, class instruction and special programs; its librarians, archivists and staff members hope to make the Marian Library a regular part of campus life.

— Ann Zlotnik designs print, digital and exhibit materials across University Libraries while managing marketing, communication and websites specific to the Marian Library.