Special Collections News

The community is invited to submit their home movies for free digitization, offered by the Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards, one of three special collections units at the University of Georgia Libraries. 

Online registration is now open for the third edition of “Free the Tapes,” where audiovisual techs from the archives will digitize up to three old videos in any format — from Super 8 and Betamax to VHS and more — at no cost. Pre-registration is required, and digitization is limited to three items per household/family.  

The newest members of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame have broken barriers across genres — from journalism to fiction to poetry — and all three have inspired the next generation of writers through teaching and mentoring.

The 2025 class includes Tina McElroy Ansa, novelist and founder of DownSouth Press; Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer; and Tony M. Grooms, poet, novelist, and co-founder of the Georgia Writers Association. Events will be held throughout the year at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries in Athens to celebrate each of the honorees.

Nine­ University of Georgia faculty members have been chosen as 2025 Special Collections Faculty Teaching Fellows, a program designed to help instructors creating active learning courses that allow students to engage with UGA Libraries’ archival materials.

The new cohort reaches a broad spectrum of academic areas, from African American Studies, history, music, religion, Spanish, to geography, political science, and statistics.

“We are delighted to welcome our 10th cohort into the Special Collections Libraries Faculty Teaching Fellows program,” said university librarian and associate provost Toby Graham. “Since 2015, SCL Fellows have developed about 100 archives-based courses and reached thousands of students with hands-on experiences that embody UGA’s commitment to active learning.”

The 2025 Special Collections Faculty Teaching Fellows are: 

Zachary Stiles admitted that he made some mistakes when he started working on his research paper for a history class. But as the second-year history major worked through the process, he not only earned a great grade but $1,000 — the top prize in the University of Georgia Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards.

For the award, Stiles reflected on his research process by creating an online course module that can teach other students about how to understand historical methodology, dive into the archives for resources, and build an exemplary essay. 

This spring, celebrate the spirit of nature with a nostalgic look at the 90s cartoon “Captain Planet and the Planeteers.” Linka, Kwame and the entire action figure gang of environmental activists are on display at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries as part of a special look back at the television program designed to educate and inspire children to take action and save Earth from Eco-Villians that represented real-life environmental dangers. 

This April, the University of Georgia Libraries will mark Congress Week with events featuring a former senator and political journalists.

Congress Week is an annual program sponsored by the Associations of Centers for the Study of Congress. The Russell Library, which celebrated its 50^th anniversary last year, is a founding member of the association. 

“Through our Congress Week programming, the Russell Library seeks to promote a better public understanding of Congress as the branch of government closest to the people,” said Russell Library Director Sheryl Vogt. “Focusing on civic education, the two events this year will give us perspective from a former Member of Congress and observations from two experienced political journalists.”

The University of Georgia is pleased to announce Feminisms, Gender, and Space, a new critical geography series that will publish cutting-edge and engaged social science on the topics of intersectional feminisms, sexuality, and gender as they relate to geographical spaces and places.

A special Family Day event at the UGA Special Collections Libraries features activities for the little ones and a kids’ clothing swap to celebrate sustainability for the adults.

The event, scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, will explore clothing history through the ongoing exhibit From Farms to Fast Fashion: Unraveling the Need for Sustainable Style. Open to all ages, the event will include crafts, a gallery scavenger hunt, and snacks.

To participate in the clothing swap, bring your clean, gently used clothes — size preemie to preteen — to swap with other parents and families.

The University of Georgia’s triple-threat musical theater students have added another skill to their resumes, as their newly installed exhibit goes on display at the UGA Special Collections Libraries.

The Golden Age of Broadway, a class-curated exhibit of classic Broadway musical posters and artifacts, will open in the Rotunda Gallery March 4, and the students will show off their singing, acting, and dancing skills with a special performance to celebrate the display this spring. The free event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 24, and members of the university and Athens community are welcome.

Kellie Templeman loves data so much that it’s not just her day job but her night job too. Kellie, the research data management coordinator at the University of Georgia Libraries, is a team statistician for the Athens Rock Lobsters, the minor-league hockey team that recently began playing at the Akins Ford Arena at the Classic Center.

Learn more about Kellie — and how her love of data can help UGA faculty and students in their research journey — in the Q&A below.

What’s your job at UGA Libraries?