WMU Zhang Legacy Collections Center

04/17/2026

Congratulations to our student employee, Autumn! Her outstanding work with our Special Collections and contributions to the University Libraries has helped her win a Library Student Employee Scholarship!

We are excited to announce the recipients of our University Libraries Student Employee Scholarship. Congratulations to Manahel Abdulrab and Autumn Ropp!

Our scholarship is supported by so many generous donors. This fund helps us recognize the outstanding work of our students and support their academic dreams at WMU. Thank you! 💛

➡Read more about our scholarship recipients: https://wmich.edu/library/news/2026/04/library-student-employee-scholarship-2026

04/15/2026

English 1215: Monsters, Witches, Sailors, Knights: Mythic Figures in Global Medievalism was our last class of the semester. This module focused on Shakespeare's Richard III. Students looked at materials including texts Shakespeare may have consulted, a facsimile of the first folio, periodicals on 19th century performances, and modern manga adaptations.

04/13/2026

On Friday, our Research Services team surprised department lead, Dr. Sue Steuer, with an appreciation lunch, celebrating her leadership and role as a champion for our specialized services and distinctive collections. Thank you for all you do, Sue! 💛

04/11/2026

And even happier for a safe return. Love of learning is beautiful!

We're glad to hear Artemis II has re-established contact after passing behind the moon! We look forward to welcoming you all home after a historic flight. Fascination with the moon is as old as humanity, and we are lucky to get to witness such huge bounds in human ingenuity and science.

Image credit: Cosmography, Baltimore, The Walters Art Museum, W.73, fol. 4r. Acquired by Henry Walters, 1903. CC0.

04/10/2026

Join us today at 3 p.m. at the Zhang Legacy Collections Center for a presentation and discussion with scholar Dr. Stephen Morillo on a facsimile of the Bayeux Tapestry from our Special Collections.

This remarkable work tells the story of the events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, offering a vivid, stitched narrative of power, politics and medieval life.

➡Event information: https://wmich.libcal.com/event/16193086

04/09/2026

OLLI course on Managing Your Memories - digital archiving session lead by librarians Marianne Swierenga and Amy Bocko

04/03/2026

Artist and scholar Jim Canary presented his collection of Tibetan books and manuscripts at the Zhang Legacy Collections Center today, sharing the rich history of bookmaking in Tibet.

Canary described how Tibetan monks and people would make pages from palm leaves and plants, combine soot and adhesives from boiled animal hides to make ink, and carve prayers, mantras and sacred texts into wood for block printing. Selections from his collection are on exhibit at the Zhang Legacy Collections Center and the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center.

04/02/2026

Regional History Curator Lynn Houghton discusses caring for personal papers and photographs with OLLI participants.

04/01/2026

Students in HIST 4100: Historic Preservation visited Zhang today for the third time this semester. They are working on nominating Parkwood-Upjohn Elementary School in Kalamazoo to the National Register of Historic Places. Material in our collections, including blueprints, photographs and publications, are key parts of the project.

04/01/2026

Join us for a special Quaestio presentation on "Exploring the Tibetan Book," from artist and scholar Jim Canary. Canary will discuss the rich tradition of manuscript and print production in the Himalayas. The event will be held on Friday April 3, at 3:00 p.m. in the Zhang Legacy Collections Center (1650 Oakland Dr, Kalamazoo, MI).

➡View event information: https://wmich.libcal.com/event/16193034

This event is presented in partnership with the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center and the WMU Medieval Institute.