Special Collections HOME | Library | Special Collections Special CollectionsQUICK LINKS Catalog Renew a Book Reserve a Study Room Databases Faculty Support About the Library Make a Request Help SpecialCOLLECTIONS The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Ave Maria University houses a wealth of historical Catholic artifacts. Along with our 8,000 volumes of Catholic Americana, our collections have historical documents, fine bindings and artwork, all of which is available for academic use. EXPLORE OUR COLLECTIONSCurrently onDISPLAYFIRST FLOOR Manuscript Hebrew Sefer Torah Scroll Scribed in a Jewish Scriptorium in the mid-20th Century by Israeli Jews, likely right after the formation of the new nation of Israel. Includes the Five Books of Moses, the first five books of the Jewish Bible, and the Christian Old Testament. Rare Books and Special Collections A rotating themed display which features books, manuscripts, and more from various collections within the Rare Books and Special Collections. Items in the case coordinate with the monthly Rare Books and Special Collections display, which may be viewed in the Rare Books Reading Room (Library 222). SECOND FLOOR Jewish Star worn by Bernard Katzeff during World War II. Donated to Ave Maria University in April 2008, as a remembrance of the horror of the Holocaust, but also as a testimony of the revelation and inspiration that came to him and led to his conversion to Catholicism. Bust of St. Thomas More, by Reed Armstrong. Custom built Jefferson bookcase with The Yale Editions of The Complete Works of St. Thomas More, 1997. American Eagle Award, given to Michael Novak by the Board of Governors of Invest-in-America National Council. RARE BOOKS READING ROOM Frank Lloyd Wright Wasmuth Portfolio Lithographs Quadruple Block Plan for the Prairie Victor Metzger House Susan Lawrence Dana House Thomas P. Hardy House Burton J. Westcott House Larkin Company Pavilion and Browne’s Bookstore Avery Coonley House Harold McCormick House CANIZARO EXHIBIT GALLERY The Canizaro Exhibit Gallery, located on the second floor of the Canizaro Library, features a rotating selection of works by local artists, international artists, and students. Current Exhibit N/A Upcoming Exhibits N/A Past Exhibits Tony Rosa’s: American Pickers September 11, 2022-December 11, 2022 Urban Sketchers: Sketch Tour Portugal March 10, 2020-Extended Cuba: The Natural Beauty, The Photographic Expeditions of Clyde Butcher December 13, 2019-February 28, 2020 The Evolution of Florida’s Borders October 24-December 7, 2019 The Art of Charles Laurel Vavrina September 2-October 13, 2019 10 Years of Exhibits at The Canizaro Library: A Retrospective More information Heritage and Harvest: Paintings and Stories of Southwest Florida, by Paul Arsenault Spring exhibition AveFy: An exhibit featuring songs that inspire AMU students Winter exhibition Pray to Love, Love to Pray August 28, 2017 – October 30, 2017 Gordon Hartshorne Woodcuts and Monoprints March 30 – May 7, 2017 Florida Artists Group Regional Exhibition January 19 – March 17, 2017 The Humanity of Service: Portraits by Michael Collopy September 1 – December 16, 2016. BOUNDLESS Joan Brechin Sonnenberg March 11 – May 9, 2016 FINDING CALCUTTA Marie Constantin’s Photographs of Mother Teresa December 7, 2015 – February 29, 2016 ECCLESIASTICUS September 7th – November 15th, 2015 Sacred Art and the Theology of the Body: Cornelius Sullivan Paintings, Sculpture, Drawings, Etchings. April 15, 2015- May 15, 2015 More information Rome: Lasting impressions from the 2014 class trip January 19, 2015-March 27, 2015 Photos from the Bolshoi Ballet:Don Quixote, Giselle, La Sylphide, Swan Lake May 2-July 29, 2014 Frank Lloyd Wright Wasmuth Portfolio Lithographs September 27– November 22, 2013 The Saint John’s Bible March 22 – May 7, 2012 More information Faith in His Hands: The Annunciation Sculpture by Márton Váró. March 25 – May 15, 2011 Living Splendor: Florida’s Wildlife Illustrated. The Art of Megan Kissinger. October 8 – November 11, 2010. One Aim/One Vision: The Bolshoi Ballet in Still Photography. March 27, 2010 – May 9, 2010 More information Incarnate Words: Works on Paper by Karen Laub-Novak. March 20, 2009 – May 10, 2009 Colorful Inspirations: An Exhibition of Works by Two Local Artists. February 6, 2009 – March 27, 2009 More information Redeeming Beauty: Religious Works of Contemporary Artists. March 9, 2008 – May 12, 2008 PLAN YOUR VISIT The collections are available for visits, as a school trip or an opportunity for academic research. Plan your visit today! VISIT THE COLLECTIONSSUPPORT THE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Do you wish to make a donation of a work of art or literature to the special collections? Find out how you can add to AMU’s library. LEARN ABOUT MAKING A DONATIONAdditionalRESOURCESUNIVERSITY ARCHIVES The University Archives, established in 2005, collects, organizes, describes, preserves, and makes accessible selected records of enduring value that document the history and development of Ave Maria University. The records collected consist of non-current materials relating to administrative and academic aspects of the University’s operation. The records include materials produced by the University’s constituent groups, namely the governing and oversight boards, administrators, staff, faculty, and students, as well as alumni, benefactors, and the external community. The Archives includes documentation of the spiritual, philosophic, and scholarly development of the University as a Catholic institution of higher education. The University Archives also collects materials that pertain to publications, photographs, scrapbooks and artifacts. A broad cross section of university materials reflective of the mission of the University are identified for inclusion in the University Archives to provide a comprehensive picture of the history and development of Ave Maria University. The Archives follows the Library’s procedures of confidentiality, copyright, and access. Consistent with the mission of the Library, the Archives conducts its operations in conformity with the educational principles articulated in Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Collections within the University Archives are described in the Canizaro Library’s Catalog. The catalog records are updated as new accessions are received. Ave Maria University Archives is located on the second floor of the Canizaro Library.The Archive’s holdings are non-circulating and hours are by appointment. Contact: Jennifer Nodes, Director of the Library (239)-348-4710 COLLECTIONS AND FINDING AIDS Explore our collections and finding aids here. PRESERVATION In-house preservation services are aimed at preserving and maintaining both general and special collections, archives, as well as supporting exhibits. Preservation evaluates the condition and treatment needs of collections and establishes treatment standards based on best practices. Some services include: Surface cleaning Treatment and repair of damaged and deteriorating materials Tipping in loose pages Mending tears Repairing bindings, hinge repairs, and replacing spines for books in the general collection Creating pockets for loose material Constructing protective enclosures SEEK AND FIND, BROWSE THE LIBRARY CATALOG Search for a title, author or relevant term and get results in seconds. Hundreds of thousands of volumes are available at your fingertips. LEARN MORE
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