Open day 'Special Collections in Use'

Registration for the open afternoon on 29 May is now closed.


: On 29 May, the University Library is organising an open afternoon around the Special Collections. From 1:30, we will be pleased to give you an introduction to the Special Collections.

We have highly recommended lecturers and researchers to take part in this day with their PhD and postdoctoral candidates.

Meet well-known scholars, such as Bas Haring, Vincent Icke and Peter van Zonneveld, who will demonstrate how they use the Special Collections in their research and publications.
Attend the lecture by Marita Mathijsen on the importance of the contribution of historical diaries and letters to our knowledge of the past.
Attend short lectures and workshops of such scholars as Mattie Boom and Judith Pollman. See at first hand the restoration of rare and valuable items from the collection.
See well-known photographers -such as Koos Breukel- at work with historical cameras.
Partake in an exclusive tour of the vault where all the Special Collections are kept.

: On 29 May, the newly renovated Special Collections Reading Room will be reopened by the Rector Magnificus of Leiden University, Paul van der Heijden.

13.00	Registration, coffee/tea
13.30	Opening speech by Kurt de Belder
13.45	Explanation of the programme by Chantal Keijsper
13.55	Festive opening of the Reading Room by Paul van der Heijden
14.00	Special Collections in Use (Bijzondere collecties in gebruik): activities at several locations in the library
15.00	Coffee/tea
15.15	‘Zakdoeken gereed?’ Lecture about personal letters and diaries in scientific collections by Marita Mathijsen
15.45	Special Collections in Use ('Bijzondere collecties in gebruik'): activities at several locations in the library
17.00	Drinks

Workshops
: The Special Collections in Use (Bijzondere collecties in gebruik) programme is made up of a large number of workshops in which everyone can participate. A limited number of places are available for the three workshops below.

: A peek in the vault (Een kijkje in de kluis)
Special Collections are carefully preserved. Certain materials cannot be exposed to light or to high temperatures. Particular items are simply too large to be kept on the shelves in reading rooms, others are too valuable or too rare. Perfect conditions have been created in the vault to preserve these items. Our curators will show you a number of top pieces from the collection.

The art of preserving (De kunst van het conserveren)
Many of the Special Collections are vulnerable due to their old age or the type of material, or have been damaged during use. In our restoration workshop, these items are restored so that they can again be used for education and research. Our restorer, Karin Schepper, will demonstrate a number of preservation techniques and will explain what is possible and desirable in the field of preservation.

Historical photo cameras once more in use (Historische fotocamera's opnieuw in gebruik)
The University Library has an exquisite collection of photographs and photographica, including a 19th century wooden camera, an early 20th century folding camera, and a spy camera from the start of the 20th century. Expert Koos Breukel will demonstrate how portraits were made in the past using historical camera.