dle, | y iP . | Exciting Educational Experience - constant traffic of other library areas, it is seldom deserted. Lectures are given and book sessions of Reader’s Theater, discussions, book talks and poetry readings are held in the reading room. Some 135 offcampus groups visited the Special Collections during the past year. Art Classes The department is used by various literature, art, music, history and family life classes on campus and tours are given by appointment to community groups. Individual members of the alumni are always welcome, says Mrs. Collett. The books and other displays housed in the Special Collections area are being preserved because of their value; they are not allowed out of the rooms. Persons en.tering the room to read the volumes or to browse throught the collections are required to leave their books or briefcases on a specific table. A part-time worker in Special Collections is Aneliese Konkol, a professional storyteller and actress from Germany who is ANCIENT books: from the Becraft collection are engraved with metal stylus on leaves of the talipot palm and bound with cords. engineering firm, collecting the artifacts. Individual items donated to Special Collections from other sources include a Rosary of handcarved alabaster sent from Germany by the nephew of the late Mrs. Roy Dollinger of Ogden; original book manuscripts by Authors Juanita Brooks, Rodello Hunter, and Ann Nolan Clark; a set of twelve volumes by Jane Austen, a gift to Queen Mary, Queen Consort of George V of England from First Viscount Haldane of Cloan, bearing the personal bookplate of Her Majesty. Gift Funds studying for a bachelor degree at Weber State. She presents stories, bringing the 19th Century fables and fairy tales from the library to life for audiences and students. A student of English or literature could add to his course study from many of the 1,200 volumes of British magazines dating back to the 18th Century. These include the “London Magazine”’ from 1732 to 1756, the PAUL Bransom is shown here in his New York studio with one of his paintings with a nature theme. “Quarterly Review” from 1811 to 1856, ‘“‘Blackwood’s’’ from 1818 to 1943, and ‘‘Punch”’ from 1841 to 1950. ‘‘My job is one of the most exciting on campus,” says Mrs. Collett. She attributes this to the cooperation of WSC Director of Libraries Craige Hall, as well as to many of the faculty, students, donors and the office of College Development. The Marian Read Shafter collection includes some volumes purchased by the late Marian Read Shafter, former professor of children’s literature at Weber State, and volumes purchased through gift funds of Mr. and Mrs. Jake Shafter in memory of Marian Read Shafter, including early 19th Century books enjoyed by children, Henrik Ibsen’s “‘Peer Gynt,” illustrated by Arthur Rackam, and seven different editions, one in French, of Bannerman’s “Little Black Sambo.”’ Another exhibit which attracts the visitor’s attention is one of three oversize choir books donated by the Trappist Monks of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity in Huntsville. The books, written in Latin, have beautiful bindings of leather and brass and were hand-bound in Belgium. Although it is a quiet place, the Special Collections section of the library is far from . dull, attests Mrs. Collett, who has been librarian since the section opened. Even the vaguest interest in the rare and unusual is sharpened as the visitor goes from one collection to the next. Value and rarity are i A See Sia@ 5 not attributed merely because of the age of the item, she says. Volumes obtained by the college spark interest because of many characteristics such as unique types of ink, paper, printing or a special binding, unusual illustrations or author’s signature. Some are printed on handmade paper or are hand-bound. Others come from limited printings or were presentation copies to famous people. And, though this department lacks the LOOKING over a volume of Holinsheds Chronicals are WSC Librarian Martie Collett and ex- ecutive director of the Weber State Association, Michael Macfarlane. Alumni