Jennifer Williams, a special collections librarian, holds "Elementals," an original art work by Timothy Ely. This artist-signed book, which has painted covers and fold leaf onlay, is one of the objects the Arts of the Book Collection has contributed to the fair.

Fair will feature special treasures of Yale libraries

Yale will exhibit some of its most unusual and valuable items at a Special Collections Fair noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, 121 Wall St. The event is free, and the public is welcome. The Special Collections Fair offers the public a unique opportunity to see the extraordinary range of Yale's holdings under one roof. Coordinated by the Yale Library Special Collections Committee and hosted by the Beinecke Library, the fair will feature artifacts, maps, costumes and recorded media covering more than 5,000 years of human endeavor, from prehistory to contemporary art. Curators and collection staff will be available to answer questions about exhibits and the use of their collections. Representatives will be on hand from the Arts Library, which includes the Arts of the Book Collection, the Babylonian Collection, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Yale Center for British Art, the Divinity Library, the Historical Medical Library, the Lewis Walpole Library, Manuscripts and Archives -- including the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies -- the Map Collection, the Music Library -- including Historical Sound Recordings -- and the Conservation and Preservation Departments. Here are a few of the items that will be on display: The Arts of the Book Collection will exhibit "Inside Chance," a one-of-a-kind artist's book by Linda Smith, with text by Alberto Rios. This eight-inch cube appears to have a globe suspended inside it. Readers can alter the text by manipulating the book, and visitors to the fair will be permitted to handle it, wearing gloves. The Babylonian Collection will set out the world's oldest cookbook, a terra cotta clay tablet in cuneiform, dating from around 1900-1800 BCE. It has several recipes, both vegetarian and meat, including the following recipe for stew: "Split one pigeon in half. Boil water, into which put fat, salt, malt, onions, samidu [unknown spice], leeks and garlic. Soften spices in milk before adding them to the water. Simmer with the pigeon and a piece of red meat. Serve and carve on a platter." The Map Collection will exhibit an atlas from the personal library of George Washington, along with a selection of rare and historic maps. The Divinity School Library will present archival materials relating to famine in China in the 1920s that killed at least three million people. The display will include historic photos of relief efforts undertaken by Christian missionaries and a woodcut poster encouraging farmers to use improved wheat seeds for better crops. The Music Library will display memorabilia from the papers of Vladimir Horowitz, including the autographed baseballs from a Mets-Cardinals game that the pianist attended at Shea Stadium in 1969 (the year the Mets won the World Series). Photos from the event show a bemused Horowitz towered over by baseball giants Tom Seaver, Joe Torre, Bob Gibson and coach Yogi Berra. The Yale Center for British Art will exhibit prints and unusual objects, including "The Game of the Star Spangled Banner, or Emigrants to the U.S.," a colorful, educational board game printed in London in 1842. The goal of the game is to be the first to reach New York City by answering questions about geography. T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S Davies Mansion to be renovated, renamed Yale-developed 'icon' molecule can target tumors for destruction Curator 'sleuths' have reunited altarpiece panels Ando describes dream of mixing nature in architecture News reporters take on the role of teachers during campus visits . . . 'Post-Attack America' is topic of Poynter Lecture Experts to discuss the hostile use of biotechnology Yale Rep to present 'primer' by Tennessee Williams Fair will feature special treasures of Yale libraries Restoring garden to its 'glorious days' is ongoing effort Artists will show off their work, studios in city-wide festival Series explores implications of terrorist attacks Curators to discuss museum's changing focus on Latin America New Music New Haven to highlight works by Yale composer Memorial Service Campus Notes Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News|Bulletin Board Yale Scoreboard|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs Home|News Releases| E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page