Northern Illinois University Libraries proudly hosted the annual conference of the Horatio Alger Society from May 1–4, 2025, marking the fourth time the university has welcomed the event. Previous conferences were held on the NIU campus in 1999, 2004, and 2012. The conference was expertly organized by Matthew Short, Head
Read more
On Saturday, April 5 Northern Illinois University and DeCarbon DeKalb, a local nonprofit group, collaborated to present Earth Fest at Founders Memorial Library. An estimated 1,500 people attended the free event, which included a variety of programs. Those taking part in Earth Fest enjoyed an opportunity to visit 35 tables
Read more
Check out the Spring 2025 issue of Founders Type, the University Libraries newsletter. Our newsletter is available to download.
Read more
In her debut article, Bosompemaa, a graduate teaching assistant for the BookLab course Technologies of the Word, takes us on an exciting journey into the world of quill cutting. She shows us how, just like the scribes of old, quills must be carefully shaped to create the perfect writing instrument.
Read more
The following article was written by a student and is presented in its original language, Spanish, to preserve the author’s unique and authentic perspective. The content explores the Los Alebrijes exhibit, a cultural showcase rich in detail and tradition. The article has not been translated in order to maintain the
Read more
In this latest edition of BookLab Diaries, graduate teaching assistant Juliet Tawiah shares her personal experience diving into the world of bookbinding. With a bit of guidance from a YouTube tutorial and a handful of tools from the BookLab, Juliet embarks on her very first bookbinding project—from folding paper to
Read more Since its soft opening in January, the BookLab has been filled with exciting learning moments. In the latest edition of BookLab Diaries, graduate teaching assistant Juliet Tawiah reflects on her experience assembling her very first wooden book press. From unboxing the pieces to tightening the final bolts, this hands-on adventure
Read more Have you ever wondered what it would be like to write the way medieval scribes did—using a quill and ink? In this edition of BookLab Diaries, Juliet Tawiah, one of NIU BookLab’s graduate teaching assistants, takes us on a fun and messy journey back in time as she experiments with
Read more
Northern Illinois University’s Library is proud to introduce the Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) who are playing a pivotal role in the BookLab, an innovative new space dedicated to exploring the history of writing, printing, and book-making traditions. Today, we shine the spotlight on Bosompemaa Apea Dankwa (left), Juliet Tawiah (center),
Read more