Stewarded by a team of specialists, Rauner Special Collections Library houses over 100,000 rare books, millions of manuscripts, and the extensive Dartmouth College Archives. The team collaborates and partners with students, faculty, staff, and the archive-curious at Dartmouth — and across the globe — to accelerate research and advance scholarship. Come and get hands on with us!

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Special rare books in Rauner Library

Cool at Rauner

Rauner Blog Feed
Ad for Jaws from the Dartmouth
This month we have a new single-case exhibit installed at Rauner Library, one appropriate to the summer and especially to this coming Fourth of July weekend. Since the movie Jaws just turned 50, we decided to do a survey of sharks and shark attacks in the collections.

We found quite the variety, including 16th-century tomes on ichthyology, painted and written accounts of attacks on sailors, informative pamphlets for 19th-century children and for 20th-century navy men, and -- naturally -- a student's review of Jaws in the Dartmouth.

Letter from Huntington to Stefansson, 5/28/1935
Anyone who has spent some time either in our reading room or following our blog will recognize the name Viljhalmur Stefansson. Stefansson was a Canadian explorer born to Icelandic immigrants in 1879. After numerous Arctic expeditions, he became a renowned lecturer and advocate for the Arctic.
Selection of 19th Century Commencement Ball tickets
Starting sometime in the late 1700s, the graduating class threw a ball after commencement. The earliest ticket we have is from 1792. The balls began at 6:00pm in the evening after commencement ceremonies. Young ladies from the community were invited to enjoy what looks like a somewhat staid reception with the students. But, as will happen when young celebrants gather, dancing sometimes broke out. Oh dear, that is not right!

Exhibits

A sepia photograph of a cross-dressing individual in an early 20th century dress with text: "Let the Old Traditions Fail" and information about the exhibit.
Now on Exhibit
July 09, 2025 - September 12, 2025
Rauner Library, Class of 1965 Galleries
Colored illustration of woman in late 18th, early 19th century dress preparing food in a kitchen.
March 17, 2025 - June 13, 2025
Rauner Library, Class of 1965 Galleries
Silhouette of man with backpack and trees with map in background
January 27, 2025 - March 17, 2025
Rauner Library, Class of 1965 Galleries