Special Collections and University Archives is featured in the latest issue of SBU Magazine (Winter 2025) in the extra “Rare Treasures” column, which highlights music collections that illustrate the depth and diversity of Stony Brook’s musical heritage. From the compositions…
Blog Archives
Exploring Early Texts & Shakespeare’s World: EGL 345 Visits Special Collections
Students in Professor Douglas Pfeiffer’s EGL 345 course “Shakespeare I,” a study of the comedies and plays, recently had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the physical world of early books, rare printings, and centuries-old literary traditions. During a visit…
Posted in About Us
Pictures from the Past: Exploring Stony Brook 50 Years Ago
Thanks to SBU alum Daniel Lack (Class of ’75, B.S. in Biology), a fascinating collection of fifteen historical photographs offers a rare glimpse into campus life during the university’s formative years. Dr. Lack took these pictures as a student in…
Posted in About Us
Special Collections and University Archives at the LGBTQ+ History Month Opening Celebration
On October 6, 2025, Special Collection and University Archives participated in the LGBTQ+ History Month opening celebration in the Student Activities Center, showcasing a selection of unique archival materials celebrating local and campus LGBTQ+ history. The display featured items from…
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50th Anniversary Homecoming: Class of 1975 Visits the University Archives
As part of this year’s Homecoming celebrations, Special Collections and University Archives welcomed back members of Stony Brook’s class of 1975 for a special visit and exhibit. On Saturday October 25, SBU alums gathered in the Melville Library to browse…
Posted in About Us
Greetings from Long Island: Using Postcards as Creative Writing Prompts
On October 23, students in Melanie Neilson’s creative writing course explored how images can spark a story. Working in teams, students analyzed postcards of Long Island scenes from coastlines and weathered houses to busy main streets. The postcards are part…
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Students Engage With the Past: Exploring the Emery Collection in Archival Sessions
This fall, students in Professor Sam Dodd’s course ARH 400: “Sheet, Book, Box: Archival Research Methods & Historical Thinking,” explored one of Special Collections’ most frequently accessed collections: the Robert M. Emery Long Island Rail Road Collection. Over the course of…
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Art Across Campus: Recapping Stony Brook’s Fall Art Crawl
Stony Brook’s campus transformed into a walking gallery on September 25, 2025 as more than 300 students, faculty, staff, and visitors came together for the fall Art Crawl to celebrate visual art, cultural history, and creative storytelling across multiple campus…
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Students in EGL 358 Explore the Legacy of Pietro di Donato
On September 23, the Center for Italian Studies hosted a special archival session in collaboration with Special Collections centered on Pietro di Donato and his renowned novel Christ in Concrete. This event built on a similar gathering in Fall 2024,…
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SBU Libraries Hosts Javits Family and Panel Discussion Celebrating $1 Million Gift and Senator Javits’ Legacy
Stony Brook University Libraries recently welcomed the Javits family and distinguished guests to celebrate a major milestone – a generous $1 million gift from the Marian B. and Jacob K. Javits Foundation. The event honored the enduring legacy of Senator…
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