Special Collections & University Archives Virtual Exhibitions and Displays

This display introduces researchers, students, staff, and faculty to the Special Collections & University Archives. With information regarding the department's access and use, examples of the department spaces, and examples of Special Collections & University Archives materials, the hope is that viewers will feel comfortable reaching out with questions and curiosity after viewing this display.

The University of San Francisco (USF) Special Collections & University Archives is celebrating Latine/Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month with a pop-up exhibition in the Donohue Rare Book Room. As we refocus traditionally Euro-centric academic and historical spotlights, this exhibition seeks to showcase the work of Latine authors, artists, and USF students that has been preserved in the Special Collections & University Archives.

To celebrate KUSF's 60th year on the air, the University Archives curated a display of materials from the KUSF archival collection. The accompanying virtual exhibit explores the display and the history of the KUSF radio station. Read more in our blog post about this exhibition.

The art of writing, from the basics of the alphabet to how we play with language itself, is a practice that has often been neglected in the age of technology. Classrooms are filled with open screens and digital tablets while pencils and paper are cast aside, and new forms of artificial intelligence can remove the human element from writing altogether. Despite this, artists continue to play with written language. Whether this takes the form of traditional calligraphy or decorative fonts, the act of manipulating text offers endless potential for artistic innovation.

Spring has sprung in the Donohue Rare Book Room! This pop-up exhibit is a collection of select materials from the University of San Francisco's Special Collections & Archives that encapsulate the spirit of springtime. Spring is a season of organic growth, spiritual importance, natural beauty, and personal reflection. From famous poems and illustrated nature guides to newspaper articles written by USF student, this exhibit presents a diverse array of works in the hopes of capturing the essence of the Spring season.

Love is in the air in the Donohue Rare Book Room!

This exhibition focuses on feelings of the heart with items from across time, including USF's own history. Scroll down to see photographs of past Dons performing Romeo & Juliet, printings of Sappho's poetry, Henry VIII's letters to Anne Boleyn, & more swoon-worthy pieces from USF SCUA's collection!

Happy Halloween from the Donohue Rare Book Room! This exhibit features eerie items from the University of San Francisco’s Special Collections & University Archives. From Mexican prints of anthropomorphized skeletons to 20th-century French costume designs, it displays an array of rare, fascinating pieces from across cultures, time periods, & USF history!

Exploring Silence looks at the collections of the Donohue Rare Book Room with a focus on West Coast poetry. The theme of silence is sometimes explicitly explored, while in other works silent entities speak for themselves, such as in Robinson Jeffers’ Point Lobos poems, paired with the photography of Wolf von dem Bussche. The poems make the unspoken world speak. Some works have been silenced themselves by history. Parmenides’ Fragments notoriously consist of gaps between the fragments. Letting his words speak silently retrieves some of what is lost, and adds new dimensions. The works in the exhibition leave us, the readers, in silence, marveling at how so few words can say so much, and how well-cast words allow the wordless word and the soundless sound to become audible.

Uncovered: Women and the Art of the Book seeks to highlight the many contributions made by women in an industry where they have not been widely acknowledged. The exhibition aims to draw attention to the masterful, creative, and exceptional work of women who utilize the book as a means of both visual and written communication. Uncovered exposes women’s involvement in the book making process, from the initial creation of literary works by female authors, to their roles in typography, illustration, and binding, to contemporary artists adapting the book format in new and innovative ways. Our goal is to explore books both as fundamental means of communication and as art forms.

Mary Shelley published Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus in London on January 1, 1818. This exhibit commemorates the 200th Anniversary of this monumental publication by putting on display some of the rarest first-edition volumes produced by her close relatives and contemporaries. As these materials reveal, the world radically transformed during what many consider to be the dawn of the modern era.

This exhibition features a selection of spooky items from the University of San Francisco’s Special Collections & University Archives. From eerily illustrated editions of Edgar Allan Poe stories to 1920s French costume designs, this display showcases an array of rare & fascinating pieces from across cultures, time periods, & USF history!

In celebration of Women's History Month, the University Archives has curated an exhibit celebrating the life and accomplishments of the indomitable Rose Pak.