A selection of items from Special Collections of the Virginia Tech Libraries will be available for viewing during open house events at the Newman Library this spring. One item that will be on display is the bill of sale for a slave named Elijah, age 12.“You may read about slavery, but it is an entirely different experience to hold in your hand the bill of sale for a human being,” Marc Brodsky, public services archivist, said. “It allows you to make a connection, and that carries some impact.” Other pieces on display include a first edition of James Joyce’s novel “Ulysses,” diaries of Civil War soldiers, and a letter from Charles Lindbergh to astronaut Michael Collins. The open houses will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month this spring: March 6; April 3; and May 1. The events are free and open to the public.
For more information, visit http://www.lib.vt.edu/ or call 540-231-6308.
