Events and Exhibits

“Hands On: Halloween Harvest” Photo Gallery

On October 29, the Libraries celebrated spooky season and the start of sweater weather with a fall installment of the new “Hands-On” series. More than 50 attendees joined for a crafternoon of autumnal activities, including pumpkin painting, ghostly garland making, and creating seasonal suncatchers. They also had the opportunity to indulge in some culinary classics like apple cider, Halloween candy, and a build-your-own dirt cup bar.

“Heading to the Point: From Margins to Mainstream” Event Recording and Photo Gallery

In celebration of Carnegie Mellon University’s 125th anniversary, the University Libraries and the Office of the Vice Provost for Community, Culture and Engagement offered a new installment of the annual “Heading to the Point” on Tuesday, October 21. “From Margins to Mainstream: How Libraries Empower the Excluded” featured a powerful one-on-one conversation about the evolving role of libraries as agents of culture, community, and inclusion.

“Time Well Spent: An American Architect in Europe, 1893” Book Launch Photo Gallery

On Thursday, October 9, Carnegie Mellon University Press celebrated the launch of “Time Well Spent: An American Architect in Europe, 1893,” a new book by School of Architecture Assistant Teaching Professor Francesca Torello that brings to life the extraordinary travels and experiences of young Henry Hornbostel. Hornbostel went on to become an influential Beaux-Arts architect, designing several bridges in New York as well as Carnegie Mellon’s original campus — including the College of Fine Arts building, where the book launch was held.

Spotlight: Erin Swift

At the University Libraries, faculty and staff bring diverse backgrounds and interests to their roles, elevating the Libraries’ culture of interdisciplinary collaboration and lifelong learning and curiosity. We asked Outreach and Engagement Events Manager Erin Swift a few questions about her work, to find out more about the inspiration behind her contributions to the campus community.

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Constitution Day 2025: Make Your Mark Photo Gallery

On Wednesday, September 17, the CMU community gathered in Hunt Library to celebrate Constitution Day with a hands-on, drop-in workshop. Hosted by the University Libraries and the Office of Community Engagement and Leadership Development, the event invited attendees to craft their very own pocket-sized U.S. Constitution by decorating the cover and personalizing the pages. Visitors could then take home this unique keepsake that connected them to the nation’s founding document.

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Hands-On: Pizza & Pennant Making Event Kicked Off CMU’s 125th Anniversary Exhibit

On Sept. 9, more than 125 students gathered in IDeATe Studio for Hands-On: Pizza & Pennant Making, kicking off the University Archives' 125th Anniversary exhibit, “Room to Imagine.” Participants traded screens for fabric, glue guns, and plenty of pizza, diving into the tactile joy of creating colorful banners inspired by the vintage pennants, which are some of Crystal Johnson's favorite pieces in the archives.

Hidden Genius

What if a brilliant artist and scientist had lived longer? For Rafael Lucas Rodríguez Caballero, the question isn’t just what more he could have created, but how much of his work might have been shared sooner. The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation at Carnegie Mellon University is exploring that question in "The Art and Science of Rafael Lucas Rodríguez Caballero", on view from September 16 to December 17, 2025. The exhibition celebrates the Costa Rican polymath, whose career was cut short by Hodgkin lymphoma in 1981, when he was just 66.

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Room to Imagine

Julia Corrin knows Carnegie Mellon's impact on the world runs deep. As the university's archivist and associate dean for Distinctive Collections, she's spent years cataloging achievements and preserving institutional memory. But researching CMU's 125th anniversary exhibit continues teaching her something startling: she's still discovering innovations she never knew existed.

Photo Gallery: Libraries Orientation Events

On Friday, August 22, new and returning students and other CMU community members gathered in various locations throughout Hunt and Sorrells libraries to participate in orientation information sessions. The sessions covered a variety of areas that live within the Libraries, including the University Archives, the Sustainability Initiative, Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, and the Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology network (IDeATe).

Room to Design

Amanda Qian stood in the empty gallery space on the first floor of Hunt Library, letting the room speak to her. She surveyed the walls and floor that would soon house "Room to Imagine," Carnegie Mellon University's 125th anniversary exhibit. She imagined the flow of visitors, the framing of objects, and the pause points of reflection and discovery.