Five Ways to Use Google Books for Historical Research
The University of Michigan is partnering with Google on the Michigan Digitization Project to scan the print collection of the University Library. Scanned books from the University of Michigan can be searched in the Mirlyn library catalog and on Google Book Search. Google Book Search, which searches the full text of millions of books, will provide snippets of page results from copyrighted works and full text results for materials that are out of copyright. Although the Clements Library is not...
A Tradition of Giving: Adopt a Piece of History
During the last 86 years, through the generosity of the University of Michigan and many important donors and leaders, the Clements has come to stand for excellence in the study of America history. But we are now beginning to write the story of the Clements in the 21st Century. We are starting a new program, Adopt a Piece of History, that asks people to fund purchases and conservation at the Clements. There are many books, manuscripts, maps and visual materials that we desire to add to the...
Recent Culinary Acquisition: Lone Star Cook Book
The Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive has recently acquired the Lone Star Cook Book and Meat Special: From the Slaughter Pen to the Dining Room Table, by A. Fillmore (1929). A. Fillmore, an African American man from Texas whose father was also in the restaurant business, worked for hotels, cafes, and two railroad company dining car services during his thirty-year career. This book contains recipes and menus from Lubbock Hotel, Texas, where he was a chef. He writes, "I was born in...
Clements Library Online Exhibits
In addition to regular exhibits in the Main Room of the library, the Clements also offers a variety of online exhibits through the library website. These are listed on the Exhibits page of the library website, along with the current and past exhibits presented in the library. Online exhibits provide a portal into the collections of the Clements Library, bringing together a variety of manuscripts, prints, photographs, books, and maps on a particular theme. For those who can't come to the...
Introducing the New Library Catalog
The University of Michigan Library has officially launched the new Mirlyn catalog this month. The new catalog is designed to make searching easier and more intuitive. To search for Clements Library materials in the new catalog, select "William L. Clements Library" from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. Books, maps, and some manuscript collections are available through this catalog. To search for more manuscript collections, see the Manuscripts Division finding aids. In the new Mirlyn,...
Recently published: “Michigan’s Bibliomaniac,” by J. Kevin Graffagnino
The latest electronic issue of Fine Books & Collections contains a new article written by the Clements Library director, J. Kevin Graffagnino. "Michigan's Bibliomaniac" provides a history of William L. Clements as a collector, from his early years to the founding of the William L. Clements Library in 1923. The great collection he built still forms the core of the Clements Library today, among the best collections of early Americana in the world.
Read all about it in The Quarto
The latest issue of The Quarto is now available. The Quarto is a semi-annual newsletter published by the William L. Clements Library and sent to members of the Clements Library Associates. In addition to news and announcements about the Clements Library, this issue features several essays about the Hudson-Champlain corridor, in commemoration of the quadricentennial of the discoveries of Henry Hudson and Samuel le Champlain and the 250th anniversary of England's North American victories in the...
Current Exhibit: “1759: Britain’s Year of Victories,” June 8-October 9, 2009
Now on display in the Great Room of the Clements Library, until October 9, 2009. Open to the public Monday through Thursday, 1:00-4:45 or by appointment.The 250th anniversary of the British military and naval victories of 1759 provides the subject for the summer exhibition at the William L. Clements Library. Seven major battles fought and won in North America, Europe, and the Atlantic Ocean made up the "year of victories" that put Britain firmly on course to defeating France in the Seven...
Search for Manuscripts Online
The Manuscripts Division of the Clements Library has been working hard to make more of its collection searchable online. Written guides to manuscript collections, known as "finding aids," are now available for over 400 collections on the new Manuscripts Division Finding Aids page.Finding aids can be searched by keyword; for more options, such as searching by names or subjects, please see the advanced search feature.If you can't find what you're looking for, remember that not all collections...
Welcome to the Clements
This blog has been started to share news and information from the Clements Library, including events, exhibits, and features about our holdings. The Clements staff is dedicated to making the library and its collections more accessible, and this blog will provide another way to communicate those efforts to the public. For more information about the library, please see the Clements Library website.