The Bentley Historical Library’s Reading Room will be closed for the day on November 27, 2024. The Bentley Historical Library will be closed for the day on November 28 & 29, 2024.

Bentley Historical Library

News Stories

  • Constructing Gender

    We invite you to step back in time to learn what the League and Union buildings looked like when they were built, and why. A new online Bentley exhibit explores how these buildings not only reflected the era’s ideas about gender roles but also sometimes perpetuated them.

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  • Grand History in the Making

    Sandwiched between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas is a legendary hotel with more than 130 years of memorable moments. The Bentley Historical Library has partnered with the Grand Hotel to digitize, conserve, and preserve thousands of photos from the hotel’s history. Enjoy this slideshow of some of our favorite snapshots.

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  • Please Join Us for a History Lecture with Director McDonald

    What is exactly is “the liberal arts?” Join us for a lecture by Bentley Director Terry McDonald, who will trace the (surprisingly short) history of the “liberal arts” in America and at the University of Michigan, where the current form emerged only in the early 1930s.

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  • Teaching Undergraduates with Archives

    The Bentley is proud to announce the publication of Teaching Undergraduates with Archives, a book inspired by the conference of the same name. It includes 43 different authors and features evolving practice and academic research on primary sources in the classroom.

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  • Here’s the Story of a Lovely Lady

    When you think of Ann B. Davis, it’s as the center square of a grid, surrounded by loving people who—somehow, as the song said—formed a family. Her collection at the Bentley reveals how she found a real-life family through her Episcopalian faith.

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  • A New Portal for U-M History

    A doorway to the University’s past is wide open with the launch of a new history portal that leads to stories, exhibits, videos and more. The Bentley Historical Library is pleased to share this essential resource for exploring Michigan’s impact throughout the centuries.

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  • A New Lecture Series Exploring U-M History

    The Bentley Historical Library is pleased to announce a new lecture series exploring the history of the University of Michigan. There is an exciting line-up of speakers and topics for the 2019-20 year. The lectures will take place at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Please join us!

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