Directory
Sarah B. Cahalan
Associate Professor; Director of the Marian Library
Full-Time Faculty
Libraries: Marian Library
Profile
Sarah B. Cahalan manages the Marian Library, the world's largest collection of printed materials on the Virgin Mary. She oversees operations and services, including collection development, reference, outreach, preservation, and access.
The Marian Library contributes to life on campus by providing opportunities to learn skills of interrogation and contemplation. Unique collections include printed books dating back to the 15th century; over 100,000 prayer cards and pamphlets; and an extensive collection of artwork, rosaries, medals, and music. The library is dedicated to providing online access to as much of this material as possible, with an understanding of its value both to scholars and to the general population. Outreach efforts include digital initiatives, exhibits, and social media, as well as creating opportunities to collaborate with faculty and students at the University of Dayton.
Degrees
- B.A., Harvard University
- M.A., Courtauld Institute of Art
- M.L.I.S., Simmons
Professional Activities
- RBMS (Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of ACRL)
- CBHL (Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries)
- ARLIS/NA (Art Libraries Society of North America)
- ATLA (American Theological Library Association)
Research Interests
- Book history
- Material culture, particularly in religion and science
- The history of science
- The history of illustration methods
- Library preservation, security, and disaster management
Selected Publications
- Cahalan, Sarah Burke and Dean, Jason W. “S. Fred Prince (1857-1949): ‘Artist-Scientist’ of the Ozarks.” In Baumlin, J. S. (Ed.), Living Ozarks: An Anthology of History, Culture, Ecology. Ozarks Studies Institute of Missouri State University: 2018.
- Cahalan, Sarah Burke, and Jason W. Dean. 2018. “The Manuscript Works of S. Fred Prince (1857-1949).” Archives of Natural History 45.1: 122–33. doi:10.3366/anh.2018.0488.
- Cahalan, Sarah Burke and Colleen Hoelscher. 2017. "Rethinking Special Collections Moves as Opportunities, not Obstacles." RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage 18.2: 123-132.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/imri_faculty_publications/29 - Batsaki, Yota, Sarah Burke Cahalan, and Anatole Tchikine, eds. The Botany of Empire in the Long Eighteenth Century. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 2016.
- Vega, F. E., T. Willis, S. Burke Cahalan. 2016. “Edward Rudge’s 'Plantarum Guianæ rariorum icones et descriptiones hactenus ineditæ': suppressed preface.” Archives of Natural History 43.1: 169-171. https://doi.org/10.3366/anh.2016.0359
- Burke, Sarah K. “Bookish fires: the legacy of fire in the Harvard Libraries.” Weissman Preservation Center (Harvard University Libraries) online report. Cambridge, MA: 2010.
- Burke, Sarah K. “Timeline of Library Preservation at Harvard.” Weissman Preservation Center (Harvard University Libraries) online report. Cambridge, MA: 2010.
- Burke, Sarah K. “The Harvard Bindery: A Short History.” Weissman Preservation Center (Harvard University Libraries) online report. Cambridge, MA: 2010.