The Dangerous Business of Ballooning
This highly dangerous business was accompanied by an increase in accidents and fatalities among aeronauts.
Pioneering Aeronauts
By the 1830s, American ballooning had reached its heyday. American aeronauts made technological improvements that allowed them to achieve higher and farther flights.
Up, Up, and Away: A History of Ballooning in America
This exhibit examines the history of balloon flight in the United States from Blanchard’s first ascension to the early twentieth century.
New Manuscript Finding Aids, May 2026
The Manuscripts Division has processed ten new collections of handwritten materials, including the 1898-99 diary of a currently unidentified soldier serving with the 31st Michigan Infantry. Everyone is welcome to conduct research at the Clements, what will you...
Digital Research – Where to Begin?
While visiting the William L. Clements Library in person is highly recommended, we also maintain a variety of digital resources for doing research with our collections from afar. This blog post is meant to exist as a jumping-off point for doing digital research with our collections, not as an exhaustive guide.
A Day in the Life at the Clements Library: Oksana Linda
Welcome to “A Day in the Life at The Clements Library!” On the fourth edition of this series, we will meet with Oksana Linda, the Rare Book Cataloger at the Clements Library!
New Manuscript Finding Aids, April 2026
Eleven manuscript collections were made available for research this past month, including two collections graciously donated by Dan Casavant and one by Sue and Mike Jandernoa! Book Titles scrapbook, [ca. 1920s?] An unidentified compiler made this scrapbook, likely...
Verbiest’s Complete Map of the World Pt I: The Map
This is part one of a two part series. Read part two here. The western hemisphere from the Complete Map of the World (坤輿全圖, Kun yu quan tu) created by Ferdinand Verbiest (Nan Huairen, 南懷仁) for the Kang Xi Emperor of China in 1674. Few folks who know the Clements...
Poems Around the Civil War Pt III: An Offense on the Home Front
“An Offense on the Home Front” peaks with the stoic elegance that my great-great grandmother demonstrated in dealing with “uncouth rebel youth.”