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Book of the Month and other Virtual Exhibitions

scroll down to see a list of all virtual exhibitons


see also what's on display at the moment in our showcase in the foyer of the department on level 12 of the University library


Book of the Month & Book of the Month archive


Allan and Ferguson's Views in Glasgow Depicting the buildings and landmarks of early nineteenth century Glasgow, many of which have now been demolished.

Americana An exhibition of books and manuscripts relating to the history of the Americas, drawn mainly from the Hunterian collection.

The Body Revealed Illustrations and background details from the major anatomical works of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

British Bookbindings A selection of bindings from the 16th - 19th Century 

Charles A. Hepburn Bequest English & Scottish Literature; private press books; fine bindings

Cullen Papers Selection of papers relating to the foundation of the Chemistry Department

The Damned Art Books relating to the history of witchcraft and demonology, mainly from the Ferguson collection 

The Ephemera of John Smith Examples of ephemeral publications collected by John Smith of Crutherland during his career as bookseller, town councillor, estate owner and citizen of Glasgow. Grouped around the themes of transport, politics, the Church, trade, entertainment, crime, education, medicine and city affairs, the exhibited items give us a broad picture of Glasgow life in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Foulis Press Examples of the work from the press founded in Glasgow in the eighteenth century by Robert & Andrew Foulis and their legacy

Glasgow Cathedral Windows A selection of images from books and manuscripts describing the history of the cathedral and its windows

Glasgow University Library Timeline Charts the history of the library from 1451 to the present day.

Hispanica Rare Spanish books from several collections

Musicke of sundrie kindes A selection from the Euing music collection

Paracelsus A catalogue of works published 1529-1793 preserved in Special Collections

Perennial Pages Flower illustration in books since the Renaissance

Printing in England A survey of books by early printers from William Caxton to Christopher Barker

Scottish thought & letters in the Eighteenth Century Highlights nearly 100 books illustrating the ideas & work of the Scottish Enlightenment of the Eighteenth Century

Seaside Entertainment A description of Scottish summers by the sea illustrated by postcards

Treasures from two millennia To tie in with the University's 550th anniversary, this exhibition highlights fifty of the Library's greatest treasures from manuscript to photography, and from papyrus to parchment and paper. The subject coverage is broad, including fine examples of mediaeval religious and secular illumination, scientific illustration, literature and music.

Women and Books: from the sixteenth century to the suffragettes The exhibition examines women and the written word through the centuries. This ranges from 16th century material, such as early printed guidebooks on childbirth and manuscript collections of recipes, to later examples of material on the women's suffrage movement.

The World of Chaucer Focusing on the works of Chaucer and his contemporaries, this selection of medieval manuscripts and early printed books explore the world of the late Middle Ages. As well as demonstrating the growth of literacy and literature in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries, the exhibition concentrates on the central themes of medicine, magic and monks, and leisure, law and learning.