Newberry Library

New! Our next exhibition features popular art about liberty from 1812 to the Civil War and WWI, and works by Nina Allender, John T. McCutcheon, Leslie Rogers, Thomas Nast, and Art Young. See the diverse, inspiring, and contradictory ways liberty has been conceived and realized.

William Shakespeare was born on this date in 1564, and The Garden of Shakespeare's Birthplace - from an early twentieth century oilette postcard - is one of many Shakespeare-related items in our collection, including an original copy of his First Folio (published 1623).

From our artifacts cage w Library Assistant Alexis - "Officium Seraphici Patris Nostri Sancti Francisci" is an oversize choral score by the Franciscan Order in 1773. The book used in mass, the notation large enough for parishioners to read it from distance. #nationallibraryweek

This #nationallibraryweek, we are showing how we protect some of our most valuable collection items. These spheres are FM-200™ Clean Agent Extinguishing System Units. They disperse a colorless, odorless clean agent used in waterless fire suppression.

This #nationallibraryweek, we’ll be featuring staff favorites. Here's Jill Austin, VP for Public Engagement. “The Dil Pickle Club collection, particularly the photo documenting the entrance on Tooker Alley, remains my favorite item and collection.” #findyourjoy

More than 350 guests enjoyed a lovely evening at The Drake on April 10, celebrating the Newberry, the humanities, and the career of esteemed author Jonathan Franzen, raising funds to support the library's collections and programs. newberry.org/news/award-cel…

We’re celebrating the joy of libraries all next week! What brings you joy at the Newberry? Upload it to social media and tag us with the hashtag #findyourjoy. We’ll provide a special prize to one lucky poster. Plus, stop in for a complimentary letterpress broadside!

Thank you to all who attended our 2026 Award Celebration last night honoring author Jonathan Franzen! Thanks to Event Co-Chairs Michael Pope, left, and Christopher Hagenah; the Newberry Library Award recognizes extraordinary achievements in the humanities.

Calling Chicago!! Join me for a conversation with Michael Zapata at the @NewberryLibrary next Thursday, 4/9 at 6pm!! newberry.org/calendar/write…

A few selections from last week's Edible Books Festival, including our winner of the Golden Spatula: a cake dressed up as a Victorian poisonous green book, a shade once created by combining copper and arsenic. Also featured are The Works of John Locke and Bookfish. #history

This postcard from our Digital Collections is especially apt as the University of Illinois women’s team opens the NCAA tournament tomorrow! Illinois is a 7 seed and takes on Colorado. Illinois’s men’s team was victorious last night. An exciting time in Champaign! #marchmadness

@NewberryLibrary A wonderful rescue! I remember going to inspect the Burlington Archives in situ with John Aubrey ~1980 before they were moved. They were covered in dust and dirt, just a mess. High praise to the Newberry for cleaning, organizing and preserving them for posterity!

The Newberry recently celebrated a milestone: 150k public items in Digital Collections! Images include the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records documenting everyday life along the route, which covered the Midwest and stretched all the way to Wyoming.

Reserve your seat for our Award Celebration 4/10 at The Drake! We are thrilled to honor Jonathan Franzen, recognizing his cultural impact through monumental novels such as "The Corrections," "Freedom," and "Crossroads." All proceeds support the Newberry. newberry.org/calendar/2026a…

Our next exhibition opens April 9 and features a rare broadside of the Declaration as well as John Jay's handwritten draft of The Federalist No. 3. Learn more --> newberry.org/calendar/free-… #il250 #america250

The Newberry’s Center for Renaissance Studies recently held its Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Conference in Premodern Studies, welcoming advanced doctoral students from 50+ universities. Attendees represented fields of classical, medieval, Renaissance, early modern studies.

Trianon Ballroom in Woodlawn, "The World's Most Beautiful Ball Room," hosted the 1926 National Charleston Contest, 100 years ago this month. A couple from Grand Rapids, Mich., took home 1st place. Alas, the Trianon was demolished in 1967. Image: Teich Postcard Collection.

Florence Price was the first African American woman to achieve national recognition as a symphonic composer, including for the Chicago Symphony. Price's first major work was Symphony in E minor, premiered by the Symphony (1933). Image: Chicago Reader archives. #blackhistorymonth

We’re excited to share today that the Newberry has received a $4 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to expand access to our Indigenous Studies collections and strengthen collaboration with tribal nations. newberry.org/news/newberry-…

Throughout 2026 we will be commemorating America’s semiquincentennial, including exhibitions, programs, and classes. Our new web page features these events and much more, including key America 250 collection materials. newberry.org/the-newberry-o… #il250