National Letter Writing Day: The Lost Art of the Handwritten Letter

by | Dec 7, 2009 | Books, Holidays, Manuscripts

While the origins of this obscure December 7 holiday are unclear, the tradition of having letter-writing days can be traced back to a time when handwritten letters were the most common form of communication. Before the invention of the telegraph, the typewriter, or...

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

by | Sep 19, 2009 | Books, Holidays, Manuscripts

In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, we offer several examples from the pirate-related materials at the Clements Library. The library has a variety of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and maps related to the history of pirates, buccaneers, privateers, and...

Search for Manuscripts Online

by | Jul 20, 2009 | Collections, Manuscripts

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...