Upcoming Events

Oct 17

• Lecture

Open to the Public

Making Sense of War’s Spoils: A Judge’s Notes from an Indian Courtroom, 1808-1814

Mitch Fraas will discuss how British legal ideas about race, nationality, and colonial sovereignty were shaped by cases involving the capture of merchant vessels during the Napoleonic wars.

• October 17, 2025
• 12:00pm - 1:00pm
• Virtual (link will be sent to registrants)

Oct 17

• Lecture

Open to the Public

Trans Studies as Book Historical Method

J. D. Sargan considers generative modes of reading through the premodern archive to seek out trans lives beyond the ephemeral glimpses that have gone unnoticed in the historical record.

• Friday, October 17, 2025, 12:00 - 1:30 pm EDT
• 12:00pm - 1:30pm
• Virtual

Oct 17

• Lecture

Open to the Public

Grid as Ground: Ruled Lines and Manuscript Images

Hanna Vorholt (University of York) considers the layout lines and grids inscribed on manuscript pages as tools for cognition, creativity, and control.

• Friday, February 20, 2026, 12:00 - 1:30 pm EST
• 12:00pm - 1:30pm
• Virtual

Oct 17

• Workshop

Open to Penn Students Only

Researching Museum Objects

Students will learn how to find records for objects in the Penn Museum's Online Collections database and then how to find library resources related to an object.

• October 17, 2025
• 2:00pm - 3:00pm
• Penn Museum Library Level 1

Oct 17

• Workshop

Open to the Public

Field Trip: Printing History in Old City

In conjunction with Common Press’ Typography of Independence programming, join Penn Libraries as we visit sites in Old City Philadelphia that are connected to the original printing of the Declaration of Independence, including Independence Hall, The B. Free Franklin Post Office, the Franklin Court Sites on Market Street and the site of John Dunlap’s print shop on 2nd and Market St.

• October 17, 2025
• 3:30pm - 5:00pm
• Various locations; see description for details

Oct 17

• Concert

Open to the Public

Music in the Pavilion: Music for Ursula

A string trio will perform works by Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart, music loved by the artist Ursula Sternberg-Hertz, whose papers are housed in the Kislak Center.

• October 17, 2025
• 6:15pm - 9:00pm
• Kislak Center Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, 6th Floor, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center

Oct 20

• Workshop

Open to the Public

Before and After the Open Access Transition: Penn Editors Share Their Experiences

Editors of scholarly journals will discuss how their journals made the decision to move from a subscription model to Open Access, what the financial implications were, and what the impact has been on their readership.

• October 20, 2025
• 11:30am - 12:30pm
• Hybrid: Online and in Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, Research Data & Digital Scholarship Exchange (RDDSx), First Floor

Oct 20

• Workshop

Open to Penn Students Only

Ask Me About ... Time Management Tech Tools

Want to stay on top of your schedule?
Stop by Ask Me About... Time Management Tech Tools for app recs, productivity tips, and support from Penn Libraries + Weingarten Center! No pressure—just helpful info to keep you on track.

• October 20, 2025
• 12:00pm - 2:00pm
• Weigle Information Commons, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, First Floor

Oct 20

• Workshop

Open to Penn Graduate Students Only

Understanding Author Contracts

This workshop will discuss common author contract provisions, especially as they relate to copyright and the rights you may retain after signing.

• October 20, 2025
• 1:00pm - 2:00pm
• Hybrid: Online and at Graduate Student Center, 3615 Locust Walk, Third Floor (Room 304)