Old News is unlike any prior Library Company exhibition, and not simply because of its theme or its content. While those are indeed unique, what makes this exhibition truly special are its staff contributors. Representing widely varied interests, nineteen staff members—from catalogers and curators to the systems manager and the events coordinator—contributed their unique perspectives on the connections between current events and the library’s historical collections.

Staff members were first asked to choose a current event that was important to them, and then to explore the collections to find an item that offers an historical take on that same topic. As you will see, no two topics nor two interpretations are the same.

Old News, then, is not only about why examining history is so vital to understanding the present, or about how “history repeats itself.” It is also about reflecting, listening, and engaging, and in doing so, building and empowering our learning community. The strength of that community begins with the staff whose work keeps our doors open and our collections accessible, but it also depends on you.

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Staff contributors: Linda Kimiko August, Mike Barsanti, Rachel D’Agostino, Sophia Dahab, Dana Dorman, A. Wynn Eakins, Emily Guthrie, Sharon Hildebrand, Jess Hutchison, Alexis Jimenez, Alison Kronstadt, Katie Maxwell, Erika Piola, Arielle Rambo, Em Ricciardi, Dan Shiman, Emily Smith, Jasmine Smith, and Sarah Weatherwax.