Join us at Haas Arts Library for a peek at a selection of photobooks from the library’s special collections!

The term “artist book” can be hard to define. Simply put, an artist book is an art object inspired by the form and/or function of a conventional book. Haas Arts Library has thousands of artist books in its special collections. During this session, library staff will showcase a few recent acquisitions. Feel free to drop in anytime during the hour.

From Queen Elizabeth I to Harry Styles the legacy of pearls is a story about self-fashioning. Pearls feature prominently in many pictures of celebrated figures from the past. Worn as jewelry—as embellishments of the body and apparel, or embedded in the settings of precious objects—pearls illuminate ideas about beauty, power, and style.

Shining Light on Truth presents evidence of the essential role of enslaved and free Black people in New Haven and at Yale. It celebrates Black resistance and community building. And it illuminates knowledge kept alive in archives and memory for more than three centuries—even when the dominant culture chose to ignore, bury, or forget.

In an increasingly secular world, one might question the relevance of illuminated, handwritten religious manuscripts. This exhibition invites you to explore the deep wisdom woven into this age-old tradition—a wisdom that opens doors to imaginative ways of incorporating spirituality into hectic daily routines.

Michael Willrich, Leff Families Professor of History at Brandeis University, will present on his new book “American Anarchy: The Epic Struggle between Immigrant Radicals and the US Government at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century.”