UMass Amherst Libraries

Kimberly Ann Harris.

Tonight! Join the Libraries for "The Truth of Race: The Philosophical Thought of W. E. B. Du Bois" by Du Bois Center Visiting Scholar Kimberly Ann Harris. 6-7 p.m., Du Bois Library, Floor 22, Room 2220, Du Bois Center.

Link: libcal.library.umass.edu/event/15354994

Black background. Text: "Censorship is so 1984." The word "censorship" is crossed out with a red line. Line of rainbow stars underneath that text. More text: "Read for your rights. October 5-11, 2025. BannedBooksWeek.org." Banned Books Week logo of a red book wrapped in yellow caution tape that says "Banned Books Week."

In honor of Banned Books Week (October 5-11, 2025), the Libraries are offering a workshop, "Book Bans & Your Rights to Read," on Friday, October 10, 11-12:30 p.m., Du Bois Library, Floor 19, Room 1920.
Link: libcal.library.umass.edu/event/15405321

Tom Ricardi holding a large golden eagle on his glove.

A huge thank-you to Tom Ricardi for bringing his Birds of Prey program to the Libraries! Tom brought five unreleasable raptors in his care, including a golden eagle, saw-whet owl, barred owl, black vulture, and, in the spirit of our own rooftop residents, a peregrine falcon. #UMassHomecoming

Tan background with staff of music notes running across it and black and white photos of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and W. E. B. Du Bois. Text: "An Evening with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and W. E. B. Du Bois. October 9, 2025. 7-9 p.m. Bezanson Recital Hall. Bromery Center for the Arts - East Wing." QR code with text: "Registration required: bit.ly/sctconcert25." UMass Amherst Libraries logo.

Join us on October 9, 7-9 p.m., Bezanson Recital Hall, for a special celebration of the composer, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, and W. E. B. Du Bois, the scholar and activist.

Light green background with darker green wavy borders on the upper left and right corners. Illustration of a woman sitting in a meditative pose in front of greenery surrounded by coffee cup, clock, laptop, and phone. Text: "Wellness Kits. September 29, 3-5 p.m. Science and Engineering Library, Learning Studio."

Undergrads and grads are welcome to join us at the Science and Engineering Library Learning Studio to put together wellness kits and learn more about wellness resources on the UMass Amherst campus. Monday, September 29, 3-5 p.m.
*Space and supplies may be limited; first come, first served.

Photo of Tom Ricardi holding a peregrine falcon. Text: "Tom Ricardi's Birds of Prey. Friday, October 3, 1-2 p.m., Du Bois Library, Lower Level."

Sunset-colored ombre background with silhouettes of people playing music and dancing. Text: "Latinx Dance Lessons. October 3rd, 2025. 3:00-5:00 p.m. W. E. B. Du Bois Library Promenade (between the Du Bois Library upper deck and Old Chapel). Rain location: RECESS space, 2nd floor, Du Bois Library."

Gearing up for Homecoming Weekend with two special events on Friday, October 3!

Tom Ricardi's Birds of Prey
1-2 p.m., Du Bois Library, Lower Level

Latinx Dance Lessons with LACC and Contagio
3-5 p.m., Du Bois Library, Promenade (rain location: Floor 2, RECESS)

Tonight! Join the Libraries at 5 p.m. at Amherst College for "Indigenous Archival Activism: Mohican Interventions in Public History and Memory."

Handmade book that “explodes” into a series of blue, orange, and green square and triangular pages when opened. Also in picture: other types of design books called spider book, piano hinge book, and an unnamed one in the corner.

Coming up on 10/5, 3-5 p.m.: Explosion books with local artist Tonya Lemos (small, square books which “explode” into a series of square and triangular pages when you open them).

Email Paulina Borrego at pborrego@library.umass.edu to register.

Blurred background photo of cover of "Indigenous Archival Activism: Mohican Interventions in Public History and Memory." 3 circles with photos of Rose Miron, Vice President, Research and Education, Newberry Library; Sabra Thorner, Associate Professor, Anthropology, Mount Holyoke College; and Christine DeLucia, Associate Professor, History, Williams College. Text: "Indigenous Archival Activism: Mohican Interventions in Public History and Memory. September 25, 2025 5-7 :30 p.m. Amherst College, Keefe Campus Center, Friedmann Room." QR code with text: "RSVP: bit.ly/mirontalk25." Logos for UMass Amherst Libraries and Amherst College.

Next week! Join the Libraries for a special event, "Indigenous Archival Activism: Mohican Interventions in Public History and Memory," September 25, 5-7:30 p.m., at Amherst College, Keefe Campus Center, Friedmann Room.

RSVP: bit.ly/mirontalk25

UMass Amherst Libraries Awarded Council on Libraries and Information Resources (CLIR) Grant for Black Voices, Black Media: Preserving the Black Mass Communications Project (BMCP)

Link: www.library.umass.edu/news/umass-a...

Light green background with darker green wavy borders on the upper left and right corners. Illustration of a woman sitting in a meditative pose in front of greenery surrounded by coffee cup, clock, laptop, and phone. Text: "Wellness Kits. September 29, 3-5 p.m. Science and Engineering Library, Learning Studio."

Undergrads and grads are welcome to join us at the Science and Engineering Library Learning Studio to put together wellness kits and learn more about wellness resources on the UMass Amherst campus. Monday, September 29, 3-5 p.m.
*Space and supplies may be limited; first come, first served.

Fun fact for National Video Game Day: Did you know you can play classic video games in our Digital Media Lab? Check it out in the Du Bois Library, Lower Level!

Join the Libraries next week for the "Mass Produced" exhibit reception! September 17, 4-6 p.m., Science and Engineering Library.

Drawings of butterfly, skull, plant, butterfly, and beetle hanging up on clothesline with clothespins.

New series: Drawing Collections! Informal gatherings to practice the art of slow seeing and drawing. No experience necessary. Each session is a stand-alone meeting that will focus on a different campus collection. Kickoff: September 19, 2-4 p.m. RSVP with Paulina Borrego, pborrego@umass.edu.

Maroon background with book cover of "Indigenous Archival Activism: Mohican Interventions in Public History and Memory," by Rose Miron. Text: "Who has the right to represent Native history?"

Join the Libraries for a special event, "Indigenous Archival Activism: Mohican Interventions in Public History and Memory," September 25, 5-7:30 p.m., at Amherst College, Keefe Campus Center, Friedmann Room.
RSVP: bit.ly/mirontalk25

Aged yellow paper background with illustrated patent for a thermos off to the right-hand side. Text: "Mass Produced: A Century of Patents and Trademarks from Western Mass. Sept 1 - Dec 19. Science & Engineering Library. Opening Reception Sept 17, 4-6 p.m.." UMass Amherst Libraries and Patent and Trademark Research Center logos at bottom.

New exhibit! "Mass Produced: A Century of Patents and Trademarks from Western Mass" is a collection of historical patents and trademarks originating from Western Massachusetts. Open during regular hours, Science and Engineering Library. Reception 9/17, 4-6 p.m.

Yellow background with bingo balls and sheets. Text: "Libraries Outreach Series. Bingo! Thursday, Sept. 4, 7-8 p.m. Du Bois Library, Fl. 2, RECESS." UMass Amherst Libraries logo.

The Libraries Outreach Series starts tomorrow night! Join us every Thursday, 7-8 p.m., on Floor 2 of the Du Bois Library for a study break with games, crafts, and more. This week: Bingo (with prizes)!

Adult male peregrine falcon standing in the doorway of the nest box Photoshopped to be wearing a UMass branded hat. Chalkboard Photoshopped near his feet says "First Day of School" with maroon balloons Photoshopped behind it.

Happy First Day of Classes, UMass Amherst! Webster is cheering you on (and encouraging you to visit the Libraries for all the resources, spaces, and services you need to succeed this year)!

Four students playing foosball.

Having a blast at the IPO New Student Meetup in RECESS in the Du Bois Library!

Purple and white poster with party banner, internet symbol, snack and drink icons, VR headset icon, and music notes. Text: "Libapalooza! Music; free food; tours; Eduroam/printing; Digital Media Lab & more! Aug 28-29. 1-4 p.m. Du Bois Library & Science and Engineering Library." UMass Amherst Libraries logo.

Attention, new students: have we got a treat for you! Introducing LIBAPALOOZA, a 2-day celebration at both the Du Bois Library & the Science & Engineering Library. Join us Aug. 28-29, 1-4 p.m., for snacks, music, giveaways, crafts, & even a dunk tank! See what the Libraries can do for you this year!

The UMass Amherst Libraries are now a subscriber to Local Contexts, a non-profit organization focused on providing tools to support Indigenous Data Sovereignty and cultural authority in collections and data.

Link: www.library.umass.edu/news/umass-a...

Adult female peregrine falcon Merriam perched on top of the nest box.

Hello, falcon fans! We wanted to wait to have all the info before making a post:
Last week, we received a call regarding a falcon casualty by Lederle. The adult female interloper had struck a window while hunting a racing pigeon. (1/4)

Adult peregrine falcon perched in nest box with Spider-Man Photoshopped to be hanging upside-down from the nest box opening, reading a copy of a Spider-Man comic omnibus.

The Caw-mazing Spider-Man? 🤔🕸️🦅😆
Happy Spider-Man Day! You can check out volumes of Spidey and other superhero comics at the Libraries.

#SpiderManDay

Du Bois Center Senior Research Fellow Lecture: Phillip Luke Sinitiere “Living in those boxes”: Archive Stories from Researching W. E. B. Du Bois In 2019, historian David Levering Lewis described his early research excursions into W. E. B. Du Bois’s...

Join the Libraries and the Du Bois Center for a special summer lecture by Senior Research Fellow Phillip Luke Sinitiere!

“Living in those boxes”: Archive Stories from Researching W. E. B. Du Bois
July 30, Noon-1 p.m.
Du Bois Library, Du Bois Center

Link: libcal.library.umass.edu/event/14933512

YouTube video by UMass Amherst Libraries Radical Aliveness & Belonging: Exploring the Intersections of Spirituality and Social Change 1/2

Brother David, whose papers are in our Special Collections and are part of our significant holdings documenting social change movements and activists, traveled from Austria to participate in the symposium. (2/2)

Link: youtu.be/TXLL0Na9MZY?...

Brother David Steindl-Rast in a panel onstage during the symposium.

Brother David Steindl-Rast turned 99 this month!
The Radical Aliveness and Belonging Symposium 9/27/19 was inspired by the life & work of Brother David, a Benedictine Monk known as the “grandfather of gratitude” & one of the most important figures in the modern interfaith dialogue movement. (1/2)

W.E.B. Du Bois comes home to Great Barrington: Sculpture unveiled at Mason Library - The Berkshire Edge “The significance of this event is that we need to uplift my great-grandfather’s radical commitment to justice,” Jeffrey Alan Peck told the audience at the ceremony to unveil the statue of his great-g...

Link to the article: theberkshireedge.com/w-e-b-du-boi...
Link to the Du Bois papers in the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center: credo.library.umass.edu/view/collect...
Link to the Du Bois Center: duboiscenter.library.umass.edu

(4/4)

...and our W. E. B. Du Bois Center, which makes his writings against injustice, inequality and prejudice available and accessible to everyone throughout the world. This impressive monument stands as both a tribute and a call to continue Du Bois’s pursuit of peace, justice and equality." (3/4)

The University Libraries are proud to be a part of Du Bois's enduring legacy. As the Chancellor states, "Civil rights leader and NAACP co-founder William Edward Burghardt Du Bois’s legacy endures at UMass as the namesake of our main library (renamed in his honor in 1994)..." (2/4)

L-R:  Dean of Libraries Curtis Brundy, W. E. B. Du Bois Center Director Whitney Battle-Baptiste, and UMASS Chancellor Javier Reyes.

7/19: a new sculpture of W. E. B. Du Bois was unveiled at the Mason Public Library in his hometown of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Dean of Libraries Curtis Brundy, W. E. B. Du Bois Center Director Whitney Battle-Baptiste, and UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes, were among those in attendance. (1/4)