Can the Marian Library Support Instruction in History?

Yes!

For example...

With facsimiles of medieval manuscripts, as well as several illuminated medieval manuscripts, the Marian Library can supplement coursework on medieval Europe.

_{Book of Hours, Heures a l'usage de Rouen, circa 1500 from the Brother William Facoveck Rare Book Collection.} 

The collection includes printed materials from every century since the development of printing in Europe and would be well-suited to teaching class sections on the history of the book and the circulation of knowledge.

The Marian Library collections are well-suited to classes on the history of Mexico. The pamphlet collection and the rare book collection include early materials printed in Mexico, in particular materials relating to the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Printing presses were established in Mexico by the mid-1500s.

^{Sermon de la purificacion de Maria, printed in Mexico in 1677.}

Because of the devotions to Mary associated with particular regions of the world, the Marian Library has material that could supplement classes on those regions. For example, there is a considerable collection of materials related to the apparitions at Fatima, Portugal. The messages from Fatima are relevant to discussions of the history of communism and World War I. The literature about Fatima provides primary source material for people’s experience of twentieth-century history. Just one example (of many) is the periodical North American Voice of Fatima. The Marian Library also has photographs of pilgrims at Fatima.

_{“O Milagre do Sol,” from Marian Library photograph collection. Crowds stare at the sky during the Milagre do Sol (Miracle of the Sun), when Our Lady of Fatima caused the sun to change colors and "dance" in the sky.}

In addition, the Marian Library can help supplement the collection of materials in the U.S. Catholic Special Collection, inasmuch as the collections include evidence of Marian devotions in the United States. The John Stokes and Mary’s Gardens collection contains Catholic publications and ephemera from about fifty years (pre- and post-Second Vatican Council) of the twentieth century.