A young man stands in the front left of the frame, smiling and pointing with both hands at the words "LEATHERBY LIBRARIES" on the building behind him

Photo by Leo Pfiefer

It’s officially been an entire year since I started working at the Leatherby Libraries as a Student Assistant for the Marketing and events team in Library Administration. Coming to Chapman University as a transfer student, I had a vague idea of what the campus had to offer. I toured once before and immediately felt like Chapman was my home. And in the center of every home is a hearth. For Chapman, that hearth is the Leatherby Libraries. I remember the first time I ventured through the different floors while I was still touring Chapman. I walked into the Samueli Holocaust Memorial Library and was fascinated by the number of artifacts the library had on display. My mom and I went to the Center for American War Letters Archives on the lower level and were once again amazed by the resources the Leatherby Libraries offered.

With an affinity for libraries, I felt like it was a match made in heaven when I was offered a job to join the team and started to work here. Since the first day, my love for this library has only grown. Every day, I learn something new about this library, its activities, the support for students and what library administrators are planning for the future of the libraries at Chapman University . Did you know that there is a display on the third floor honoring the first mayor of Disneyland, Jack Lindquist? This library is filled with hidden gems and I want to take all of you on an expedition to find them. This year, I’ll dive deep into the treasures of the Leatherby Libraries. From the Huell Howser Archives and California’s Gold Exhibit to the photographs of underwater opisthobranchs by Kevin Lee, I’m going to graze the surface on everything there is to see within these walls. But what’s even better than reading about all these incredible exhibits? Checking them out yourself! Everything is within the walls of the library, all you have to do is look. I promise you, you won’t regret it!

Throughout the 2019-2020 academic year, every week, I will be posting about a hidden gem or collection. So stay tuned as we explore the rich exhibits and archives of the Leatherby Libraries together!