The Victorian Studies Network at York (VSNY) has unveiled an online exhibit displaying a selection of nineteenth-century books, correspondence and other rare materials held by the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at York University Library.
This virtual display follows a successful in-person event, which was co-hosted by the VSNY and York University Libraries on April 28 in the Special Collections Reading Room. Faculty, graduate students, librarians and members of the university community gathered to view the items on display, to honour recently retired University Archivist Michael Moir and to hear Joseph Hafner (Dean of York University Libraries), Ravi de Costa (Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies) and Lesley Higgins (Professor in the Department of English) speak to the continuing importance of archival study to both research and teaching.
The VSNY was founded in 2008 to foster a culture of collegiality, interdisciplinarity and research excellence in nineteenth-century British studies (broadly defined). Its members include graduate students and faculty from a range of programs across campus, including English, History, Humanities, Science and Technology Studies and Theatre Studies. It hosts an annual research symposium every fall.
Both the April event and the online exhibit were supported by a Research Assistant Jaymi-Lynn Butler, an MA student in English, who received training from the university’s Media Lab and worked closely with the Special Collections staff. Her placement was made possible through funding provided by the York University Research Support Grant, from the office of the Assistant Vice-President Research Strategy & Impact.