Book tickets or watch again until 31 October here
Join us for one hour and two special sessions inside Durham University’s archives.
Captivating stories from Cosin’s Library
At first sight, the books in Cosin’s Library look daunting and inaccessible: rows of brown and gold-decorated spines with titles in Latin or Greek. Yet our current re-cataloguing work has revealed that the imposing exterior hides a wealth of stories about the library and about Cosin’s life as a lover of books. What appears to be a very technical task – going through the records and examining books – turns out to be an exciting journey of discovery. Join Dr Aya Van Renterghem, Rare Books Cataloguer, for a behind the scenes look at some of the fascinating books that have allowed us to form a picture of Cosin as a person and book collector, and to track the growth and development of his iconic library.
The re-cataloguing of the book collection is part of a larger project, part-funded by Arts Council England, to enhance our understanding of Cosin and his library and to share this with local and global communities.
Stargazers and trailblazers: exploring the universe before the age of space travel
People have always looked up to the sky to find an explanation for the nature of existence, the occurrence of disasters, or to predict the future. The thought of what might be out there, and how it could influence us, is fascinating and awe-inspiring. Stories about extra-terrestrial life and visitors from outer space continue to be popular, whilst physicists and astronomers try to unravel the mysteries of the universe. Billionaires are competing against each other to become the first non-astronaut in space. And who doesn’t occasionally count their lucky stars? Drawing upon the archives and printed book collections at Palace Green Library, Dr Danielle Westerhof, Rare Books Librarian, will introduce you to controversial theories and momentous discoveries about the universe. Stargazing may never be the same again!
This pre-recorded event is available to ticket holders to watch on demand until 31 October
Captions will be provided for this event.
