The Exhibition Program

The George A. Smathers Libraries have an active exhibition program that shares, interprets, and promotes the collections. Exhibits support and enhance the Libraries’ role as an intellectual center of the university.

Now on view

Smathers Gallery

The Learning and Labor of the Blind

The materials in this exhibit contain compelling stories about the lived experience of blind people during the 19th century, from the traces of use left by readers to the accounts of blind students and professionals who lived, studied, and encountered the biases of their times. Our modern approaches to accessibility stem from the insistence of blind individuals that they be seen and heard on their own terms. Curated by Neil Weijer and Laken Brooks.

An engraving from the 19th century of a blind individual weaving

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