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Kislak Center Upcoming Events

Lectures, symposia, and exhibitions presented and co-sponsored by the Penn Libraries’ Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Opening Soon

Beautiful Blackbird: The Creative Spirit of Ashley Bryan

Opening April 6, 2023. In 2019 the Ashley Bryan Center donated the archive of the renowned artist, author, and humanitarian Ashley Bryan, who died last year at the age of 98, to the Kislak Center at the Penn Libraries. This exhibition explores his century-long story, the story of one man — seeking his place in a world that did not always welcome him, finding himself through observation and expression, and using his creative gifts to make sense of his life and to help others to do the same.

Ashley Bryan, Village Voices, ca. 1992, painting based on an illustration in Sing to the Sun (1992) (2022 gift of the Ashley Bryan Center)
Jun 22
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
Open to the Public

Coffee with a Codex: Treatise on Surgery

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators. 

  • June 22, 2023
  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Page from LJS 435 displaying surgical tools.
Jun 29
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
Open to the Public

Coffee with a Codex: Key of Solomon

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators.

  • June 29, 2023
  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Ms. Codex 1673
Jun 29
  • Workshop
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff

Print Your Own Business or Calling Cards

Print your own contact cards on our tabletop clamshell press! Come prepared with the text you'd like to print - no more than 75 characters.

  • June 29, 2023
  • 1:30pm - 4:30pm
  • Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts, Lower Level
A tabletop letterpress with a "Hello World" stamp on it.
Jul 06
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
Open to the Public

Coffee with a Codex: Field Trip to Leeds!

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators.

  • July 6, 2023
  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Page from an illuminated medieval manuscript, depicting Christ.
Jul 13
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
Open to the Public

Coffee with a Codex: Flemish Book of Hours

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators.

  • July 13, 2023
  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Ms. Codex 738, a Flemish manuscript.
Jul 20
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
Open to the Public

Coffee with a Codex: Astronomical anthology

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators.

  • July 20, 2023
  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Jul 27
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
Open to the Public

Coffee with a Codex: Reconstructed book of hours

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators. 

  • July 27, 2023
  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Damaged illustration from Ms. Codex 1869
Sep 21
Open to the Public

Dryad for STEM Researchers

This workshop will introduce researchers to Dryad, a generalist data repository for STEM research data. This workshop will go through how to get signed up with Dryad, how to deposit research data, and how can increase your ability to comply with data sharing requirements. While this workshop will be most suitable for STEM researchers and those supporting them, anyone is welcome to join.

  • September 21, 2023
  • 11:00am - 12:00pm
  • Online