10/01/2026
Have you ever wondered why Smith has a rare book collection? What purpose does it serve at a historic women’s college, and why do we continue to collect when so many books are available on the internet? Curator of Rare Books Erin McGuirl seeks to answer these questions in “A Rare Book Room of One’s Own,” on display now on the third floor of Neilson Library.
When Smith’s Rare Book Room was founded in 1937, it was one of the few places that women could freely access the texts they studied in classes in their original forms. Since then, the College’s rare book collection has grown in size and reputation thanks to its ambitious curators and alum donors, and today it is a remarkable resource for the study of women and their books.
"This exhibit gave me an opportunity to tell the story of the MRBC,” says Erin. "Smith’s rare books are so much more than a lot of old volumes – the collection was and still is assembled by and for Smith women."
Erin notes: "The MRBC reminds us that women read and create when they claim the freedom to encounter their passions and interests and the freedom to express themselves. Books are private spaces where we rest, recharge, and imagine. It has been so much fun to show people the objects that tell me that."
Come check out the exhibit now through December 11!
