This Must Be the Place

Tracy Drake, director of special collections and archives, in Reed’s rare books room.

lauren labarre

What’s Going On

In Jane Austen’s novel Northanger Abbey, the protagonist Catherine Morland explains why she dislikes reading history: “I read it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all—it is very tiresome.”

Catherine expresses frustration over who and what are included in the historical record—primarily men, with an emphasis on people of stature and high-stakes conflicts. She does not see herself or people like her reflected in the pages of history, and she believes that much has been left out.

Given that we tend to think that questions about inclusion and exclusion have only arisen in recent years, it is important to note that Austen was calling attention to these matters in early 19th-century England, during an era when literacy, rationality, and personhood were being fiercely debated with the highest possible stakes.

As a lifelong lover of libraries, I well recall my delight in browsing shelves and discovering hidden treasures and stories. My first encounters with institutional archives were in rare book rooms. Being able to put my hands on books that might be hundreds of years old still seems to me like a form of magical time travel.

I also have the privilege of being married to a talented archivist. In talking about preserving music and releasing historical recordings to the public, my wife, Cheryl, often speaks about “throwing music into the future.”

Over the course of this year, the south wing of the library is undergoing some big changes. Renovations will include seismic upgrades, faculty offices, classroom space, and refurbished thesis desks.

In this issue, it is inspiring to pay a visit to the Reed library’s special collections and learn more about what director Tracy Drake is doing to preserve a diverse representation of images, voices, and stories.

The future story of the college is always coming into being. Stay tuned. Audrey Bilger President of Reed

June 2022

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Volume 101, No.2

REED MAGAZINE

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