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University of Illinois Rare Book & Manuscript Library

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University of Illinois Rare Book & Manuscript Library

Rare Book & Manuscript Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Main Library 346)

Established in 1936, the Rare Book & Manuscript Library (RBML) is one of the largest publicly accessible special collections repositories in the United States. Our collection now consists of over 500,000 books and over 2 linear miles of manuscripts, which encompass the broad areas of literature, history, art, theology, philosophy, technology, and the natural sciences.

05/29/2026

Today's is an example of papier-mâché binding, a popular feature of Gothic Revival gift books, designed by English artist Henry Noel Humphreys (1810-1879). This technique involved applying a plaster mixture over or combined with papier-mâché, which was then pressed into a mold.

A compilation of selected Shakespearean works, the volume (1851) also includes terra cotta cameos of Shakespeare and his initials, which were inserted into the front and rear covers, and detailed chromolithography.

In the preface, Humphreys writes of his intent: "…I have gathered together some of the gems of thought of our great poet, and endeavored to range them worthily in a fitting casket—to enshrine them, as it were, in a reliquary as rich as a combination of the typographic and lithochromic arts could form."

Shelfmark:
Sentiments and similes of William Shakespeare (1851) - 822.33 HH88

05/22/2026

RBML will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen with our modified summer hours on Tuesday, May 26.

The American Legion adopted the poppy as a symbol of remembrance in 1920, inspired by the 1915 poem, "In Flanders Fields," by Canadian soldier and physician Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. The background photo of poppies and other flowers seen here was found in the Carl Sandburg papers and likely taken in Asheville, North Carolina.

Shelfmarks:
In Flanders fields: and other poems (1919) - 821 M13i
Photo of flower bed [015-020-056k] - Carl Sandburg papers (Asheville accession), Photo box A4-50

05/21/2026

Ever wondered about the origins of the term "venereal disease"? Or want to look at an illuminated Greek translation of the New Testament? How about both at the same time?

Read our latest blog post on a recently (re-)discovered book in RBML's collection: https://wordpress.library.illinois.edu/rbx/2026/05/21/an-illuminating-comparison/

Shelfmarks:
Tēs Theias Graphēs palaias dēladē kai neas hapanta (1524-1526) - 220.48 B471524
Nouum Testamentum Graece (1524) - IUA17770

05/11/2026

Happy belated from RBML! In honor of the holiday, please enjoy these photos of mothers and their descendants in the Gwendolyn Brooks collection. 🌳

The first photo shows Gwendolyn Brooks next to her mother, Keziah C. Wims Brooks (second from right), and her two children, Henry Blakely III (far left) and Nora Blakely (in regalia) in 1972. Leave a comment if you recognize the location!

The second photo shows Luvenia Wims, maternal grandmother of Gwendolyn Brooks, circa 1920s. The third photo shows Gwendolyn Brooks' paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Brooks, circa 1910s.

For more photos of the Wims, Brooks, and Blakely families, check out the digital collection! https://go.library.illinois.edu/BrooksDigitalCollection.

05/08/2026

We had so much fun painting fore-edges at our event yesterday! Thank you to everyone who came and participated, and a special thanks to the artists who let us share their work here! 🎨📚

05/06/2026

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

Today we are featuring four artists’ books by Jana Sim. Born in Korea, Sim studied at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Columbia College Chicago. Her work reinterprets traditional artisanal techniques to explore contemporary themes and ideas. Many of her works examine the unique challenges of navigating the world with two different languages.

“Konglish” features volvelles, or movable paper wheels, to provide insight into the experience of living with two languages, Korean and English. “Language Möbius” represents the artist’s conversation process: “The loop in my brain goes like this: hearing English, thinking in Korean, translating, then speaking in English.” Also featured are “Meter” and “Diametric.”

We invite you to explore our catalog to learn more about Jana Sim’s work and the many other artists’ books in our collections!

Shelfmarks:
“Konglish” (2010) - IUB01763
“Language Möbius” (2011) - IUB01945
“Meter” (2011) - IUB01761
“Diametric” (2008) - MINI01655

05/04/2026

Just a sneak peek at some of the available designs we'll have at our Splendid Spredges event this week! Be sure to BYOB(ooks) to test them out yourself! 📚🎨

04/29/2026

Join us on Thursday, May 7, from 3-5 pm and celebrate the semester’s end at RBML! We will be diving into the trendy book decoration world by making our own splendid spredges. Bring your own books and paint the edges with our supplies, and view historical fore-edge paintings from RBML's collection.

All are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.

04/22/2026

Happy from RBML! 🌎

Understanding how Earth has changed over time is essential to our ability to protect its future. These materials provide some insight into how our planet has historically been observed and recorded, with particular focus on the United States.

The first image, featuring a hand-colored plate from 1817, identifies different soil compositions in the U.S. The second image offers an illustration of stratum beneath a traveling carriage, indicating the presence of geographic history right beneath our feet. And the third image, dated circa 1894, features an illustration of Yosemite National Park's Artist Point, a popular and visually-striking destination for nature enthusiasts and creatives alike. 🌄

Shelfmarks:
Observations on the geology of the United States of America (1817) - 557.3 M226o
Theory of the earth, with proofs and illustrations In four parts (1800s) - 551.7 H979t
Souvenir of California : Yo Semite Valley and the big trees (ca. 1894) - 917.9447 H97Y

04/15/2026

Our newest blog post features reflections from RBML's archives staff on processing some now-available collections! Visit the following link to learn more about the Henry DeWolf Smyth papers, the Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. collection, and the AIDS Advocacy ephemera collection: https://wordpress.library.illinois.edu/rbx/2026/04/15/archival-updates/

Address

1408 West Gregory Drive
Champaign, IL
61801

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12173333777

Website

https://www.youtube.com/@IllinoisRBML, https://bsky.app/profile/illinoisrbml.bsky.social, http://www.library.illinois.ed

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