April 24, 1998 Contact: Ann Marie Deer Owens (615) 322-2706 annmarie.owens@vanderbilt.edu

Friends of Heard Library

host rare book exhibit and events

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Friends of the Heard Library at Vanderbilt University will host a series of events devoted to rare books the weekend of May 16 and 17. In addition, there will be an exhibit of favorite rare books and bookplates owned by members of the Friends group from May 1 to July 31. The exhibit and events, which will be in Special Collections, are free and open to the public.

"Members of the Friends group will loan their rare books to the exhibit to demonstrate publicly, for the first time, the broad expanse of bibliophile activity in Middle Tennessee," said Alex McLeod, program chair for Friends of the Heard Library. "The exhibit will include more than 100 books from the varied collections of approximately 50 members." The public can view the exhibit weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Anthony Garnett, a rare book specialist from St. Louis, will discuss book appraisals May 16 at 3 p.m. Garnett will be available, starting at 2 p.m. and concluding by 4 p.m., to appraise books for those in attendance.

Nicholas Basbanes, a noted journalist and author of a best seller about book collecting, will speak May 17 at 2 p.m. Basbanes wrote "A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes and the Eternal Passion for Books," which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in nonfiction and was named by the New York Public Library as one of 25 books to remember for 1995. His monthly column "Book Hunt" appears in the book-collecting periodical "Biblio." He is working on a second book that will cover the history and status of libraries in America.

Membership in the Friends of the Heard Library, which sponsors events of interest to book lovers in Middle Tennessee, is open to the public. Special Collections is located on the terrace level of the General Library Building at 419 21st Ave. S. For more information, contact Marice Wolfe at 322-2807.

-VU-

Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education and human development, engineering and music, and a full range of graduate and professional degrees.

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