Libraries

When Harold M. Forbes retired from West Virginia University as curator of Rare Books in 2013, bookseller Jim Presgraves wanted to pay a proper tribute to his colleague’s long career. Rather than sending a card, Presgraves, approaching retirement himself, donated a large portion of his inventory at Bookworm and Silverfish Books in Rural Retreat, Va., to WVU Libraries in honor of the former Rare Books Curator. Library staff calculate the gift at more than 10,000 books, pamphlets, archives, maps and other materials with a value more than $500,000.

What can comedy tell us about who we are and how we think? How can popular science fiction stories teach us about our anxieties around technology? What does the Federal Reserve actually do? What does it mean to be a caring person? These are just a few of the questions that honors students will investigate in new, innovative courses designed by the next cohort of Honors Faculty Fellows at West Virginia University.

The West Virginia & Regional History Center at West Virginia University Libraries has launched a powerful new tool to assist researchers anywhere in the world who have an interest in exploring the history of the Mountain State and its region.

As part of Women's History Month, West Virginia University Libraries will showcase the work of Peabody Award-winning documentarian Elaine McMillion Sheldon and three other West Virginia-based photographers.

Thousands of archival records and digital photographs from the Congressman Nick Joe Rahall II papers are now open for research at West Virginia University Libraries’ West Virginia & Regional History Center.

West Virginia University’s LaunchLab Network has been awarded nearly $750,000 from the United States Economic Development Administration to provide the resources to stimulate business ventures and help transform the state’s economy.

The Wikimedia Foundation has award West Virginia University Libraries a $52,000 grant to enable Kelly Doyle, the Libraries’ Wikipedian in Residence for Gender Equity, to continue her efforts at WVU and expand the thriving program to three other universities.

West Virginia University Libraries invites the campus community and the public to a screening and panel discussion of the West Virginia Public Broadcasting documentary “Vietnam: West Virginians Remember” at the Mountainlair’s Gluck Theatre Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. The Libraries welcomes all interested attendees and hopes many student veterans and campus veteran advocates will join us for this program.

The best-selling book Hidden Figures, along with the Oscar-nominated film of the same name, has inspired people around the world through the story of three brilliant African-American women who played a role in America’s race to space. West Virginia University chose Hidden Figures as the 2017-18 Campus Read and faculty and staff have organized multiple events to continue the conversation outside of the classroom and engage the community.

The West Virginia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and WVU Libraries are teaming up again for the Mountaineer Touchdown Challenge, a fundraising campaign to benefit the Libraries.