Catholic University Special Collections

The Archivist Nook at 300 Posts and 11 Years – A Few of Our Favorite Things As Special Collections at Catholic University celebrates our three hundredth blog post and eleven years with The Archivist’s Nook we reflect upon how we got here and offer a few staff favorit…

Our latest #ArchivistsNook blog is our 300th post! To commemorate this milestone, each of our staff highlighted a favorite item from the collections. From papal letters and license plates to presidential cards and rare books, check out the eclectic list: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook:  Just War or Just Physics – Karl F. Herzfeld February 24 is the birthday of noted Austrian born physicist and humanitarian, Dr. Karl Ferdinand Herzfeld (1892-1978), who was also an esteemed professor at The Catholic University of America (CUA…

Our latest #ArchivistsNook blog considers the life of and legacy of #CatholicU physicist, Karl Herzfeld: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: America at 250 – Reflections from Special Collections As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the nation is looking back on its history, institutions, and peoples. During the spring semester 2026, Spec…

During spring 2026, Special Collections will reflect on the history of the United States via a new exhibit.

The exhibit invites the public to consider how the past 250 years are remembered.

See the exhibit in person at Mullen Library or online: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: Elvish Script or Atrocious Scrawling? Deciphering the Handwriting of Tolkien Friend and Scholar, R. T. Meyer Guest author Isaac Copeland is a graduate student at Catholic University in the Department of History and Anthropology. In 1978, five years after the death of renowned author and scholar J.R.R. Tol…

Our latest #ArchivistsNook, by #CatholicU History Department graduate student Isaac Copeland, considers the challenges of transcribing archival material. In this case, a personal reflection on Tolkien by Professor Robert Theodore Meyer: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: From Wool Mills to West Point – The Story of One Irish-American Family in the Nineteenth Century >Ft. Leavenworth K.T. [Kansas Territory] May 30th 1858 My Dear Parents Tomorrow we will take up our line of march and although I have a great deal to do I take the advantage of a few moments lei…

Our latest #ArchivistsNook looks at the Ryan Family papers, a collection of letters between members of an Irish-American family during the nineteenth century.

The full collection is digitized and available for view online, including transcriptions for each letter! lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: Throwback Thursday – The Class of 1925 and “The Big U” Let’s turn our sights backwards 100 years to celebrate the (belated) centennial anniversary of Catholic University of America’s class of 1925– a campus known affectionally then as…

This week's #ArchivistsNook blog was written by Special Collections Technician & graduate student Alexis Howlett. Celebrating a centennial anniversary, this blog takes a look back into our university's past to celebrate, remember, and connect with the class of 1925: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: John Convey, Diocesan Education Whisperer The guest author, Lara Loutfi, is a graduate student in Library and Information Science at Catholic University who did practicum work with the CU Special Collections in the Fall 2025 semester.  I h…

Happy New Year! Our first #ArchivistsNook of 2026, written by Library Science graduate student Lara Loutfi, reflects on the legacy of CatholicU Education professor John Convoy: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook – Catholic Social Teaching and Ronald Reagan’s Economy The guest author, Quincy Ryan, is a graduate student in Library and Information Science at Simmons College who worked with the CU Special Collections this semester as a practicum student. This Fall…

This week's #ArchivistsNook blog is written by @simmonsuniversity.bsky.social graduate student, Quincy Ryan. Studying Library Science, Ryan recounts his experience processing the Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy Ad hoc Committee - USCCB records.

America's Book Club: José Andrés (Full Program) YouTube video by C-SPAN

The full interview with José Andrés may be viewed here: youtu.be/68qJLV7zWhg?...

C-SPAN America's Book Club Treasures with José Andrés YouTube video by C-SPAN

We were honored to host José Andrés and David M. Rubenstein, as part of America's Book Club on @c-span.bsky.social!

The Archivist’s Nook: New Exhibit – The Light They Carried – Celebrating Luminaries of Catholic University History For more than a century, Catholic University has drawn remarkable individuals who have shaped its culture, inspired its students, and enriched its archives. The latest exhibit in the John K. Mullen…

Curated by #CatholicU Library and Information Science grad students, the newest on-campus exhibit on display profiles 9 figures prominent in campus history!

The Archivist’s Nook: Voices from the Stacks…or A Tale of Sea Witches, Skeletons, and (Pocket) Monsters “The wonder of sound! I believe the most distinctive, the most telling facet of any actor’s ability is the way he sounds. What sound is there in him that strikes the fire in us?…[sound] paint…

Our latest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at voices from the stacks - #CatholicU alumni with celebrated voice acting roles from Pokemon to Disney!

Paper box with a pencil resting on top of it. A red-colored note on the box reads, "Ask an Archivist! (Will post answers)."

Its #AskAnArchivist Day! A reminder to send your questions on collections, history, or the profession today or any day to us or your local archives!

The Vast Blue We: Del Sol Quartet at the Internet Archive Celebrate 1 trillion web pages archived with Del Sol Quartet via LIVE STREAM! Live music & new works honoring our shared digital memory. An evening to celebrate human collaboration—how billions of…

We’re celebrating 1 trillion pages saved on the #WaybackMachine! 🌐💙
Our month of festivities kicked off with the Del Sol Quartet's THE VAST BLUE WE 🎶, music inspired by our shared digital memory.

📺 Watch it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OAS...

#Wayback1T #InternetArchive

The Archivist’s Nook: Allison Hayes – A Giant on the Screen and in Advocacy “My CU experience helped me the most…They taught me how to work together with a team for success. I found that, in doing this, you don’t think of yourself and feel that people are just watching you…

The newest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at the life and legacy of #CatholicU alumna, Allison Hayes. Beyond her roles in 1950s Westerns and B-movie sci-fi, Hayes advocated for medical regulations that have subsequently helped countless lives since her passing: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: Impetratio – Rare Book Acquisitions, 2024-2025 Special Collections, which includes Rare Books, had another highly successful year of notable and carefully considered rare book acquisitions via purchase, with eight items from three national and …

The newest #ArchivistsNook blog shares updates on the latest #rarebooks acquisitions on the #CatholicU campus. Learn about the four volumes we recently acquired, ranging on topics such as the art of dueling to reflections on the Cristero War in 1920s Mexico. Learn more: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: New Exhibit – It Came From the Archives – Preservation Challenges in Special Collections Working in Special Collections is a joy, but it is not without its terrors. The persistent challenge of preserving collections for long-term access requires vigilance, patience, and the courage to …

Just in time for spooky season, the latest #ArchivistsNook blog introduces our newest exhibit, "It Came from the Archives: Preservation Challenges in Special Collections". Read on, if you dare!

The Archivist’s Nook: Gaudium studendi nummi This week’s guest blogger is Alexander Sanfilippo-Scherer, Alumnus Classical Studies Major, Class of 2025, and a budding numismatist. He has completed multiple research experiences and an int…

Our latest #ArchivistsNook blog, written by #CatholicU Greek and Latin alumnus Alexander Sanfilippo-Scherer, reflects on his time working with the University's coin collection, particularly the materials from Ancient Rome: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

Photo of the front entrance of the American Red Cross headquarters, showing a neo-classical structure with white columns and Red Cross logo over its entrance.

Interior room photo showing three stained glass windows, with knightly figures gathering to aid a fallen soldier. Tables are arranged in the foreground.

Recently, our staff had the honor of visiting the @americanredcross.bsky.social headquarters in Washington, D.C. Their archival staff generously toured us around their historic building, including a visit to the Tiffany stained glass windows onsite.

The Archivist’s Nook: Msgr. Robert Frederick Trisco – A Church History Life Robert Frederick Trisco (1929-2023) was a renowned Professor of Church History at The Catholic University of America (CU) and a longtime editor, especially for book reviews, of The Catholic Histori…

Our newest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at the life and legacy of Msgr. Robert Trisco, long-time @achahistory.bsky.social editor, @catholicuniversity.bsky.social professor, and former archivist.

The Archivist’s Nook: Interning at the Rare Books Room The blog post below was written by Jana Considine, who is currently working toward her masters in Library and Information Science at the University of Maryland. She completed a volunteer internship…

The latest #ArchivistsNook blog post reflects on the summer internship of Jana Considine, UMD Information Science graduate student.

She worked in the #CatholicU rare books, selecting and digitizing pamphlets written by or about Catholic women religious.

Learn more: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: Alumni Magazines Throughout the Years A common experience for students, parents, and alumni of most American universities is receiving a copy of their institution’s alumni magazine in the mail. These publications, ranging from annual n…

Gather around for a new digital collection - the #CatholicU alumni magazines from 1932-2017 are now available online for research and download!

Learn more by checking out our latest #ArchivistsNook blog: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: Msgr. Wippel’s Collection (Or, Why Rare Books?) At the beginning of the summer, Rare Books received a bequest of thirteen antiquarian works from the personal collection of Msgr. John F. Wippel, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy [1]. The collectio…

Our most recent #ArchivistsNook blog looks at a recent donation of Thomistic books to the University's #rarebooks collection! Donated by the estate of long-time #CatholicU Professor of Philosophy, Msgr. John F. Wippel, you may learn more: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The Archivist’s Nook: Conservation in Rare Books – The Golden Legend Over the past year, Special Collections staff continued tackling conservation challenges that have arisen within the University’s Rare Books collection. Our past conservation projects can be seen i…

The latest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at our most recent conservation project in #rarebooks - a 1490 incunabulum of the Golden Legend!

lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

This month’s #ACHACollections highlights Dr. Annabelle McConnell Melville — the first woman to serve as ACHA president in 1989. To read more, go to achahistory.org/2025/08/12/a....

The Archivist’s Nook: Cardinal, Saint, and (Now) Doctor – St. John Newman on CatholicU This morning (July 31, 2025), our staff awoke to the news that Pope Leo XIV has approved St. John Henry Newman to be bestowed the title of Doctor of the Church. As of the time of this writing, ther…

Today, we learned that St. John Newman will be bestowed the title of "Doctor of the Church"!

In celebration, our newest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at the saint's connection to #CatholicU. Learn more:
lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

George Conn. De duplici statu religionis apud Scotos libri duo, Rome, 1628, 176 pages, Rare Books, Special Collections, Cathoilic University, purchased 2025.

The latest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at our recent acquisitions of rare books focused on the history of Catholicism in Scotland! Learn more by clicking the link: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

Headshot of Msgr. John Wippel, showing him in his priestly collar, ca. 2010.

Our latest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at the life and legacy of #CatholicU philosopher, professor, and administrator Msgr. John Wippel: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...

The ACHA’s Global Catholicism series returns with a deep dive into archival resources around the world—from Asia to Europe to the U.S. Learn from archivists and scholars about hidden gems in global collections and discover new directions for your research. No registration needed!

A fourth-century B.C. Falican vase, showing figures from ancient mythology, likely from the story of Heracles.

The newest #ArchivistsNook blog looks at one of the treasures in the #CatholicU museum collection - a Faliscan vase dated to the fourth century B.C.

Learn more about this amazing piece and how it arrived on campus: lib.cua.edu/wordpress/ne...