UW-Madison Libraries

When the Department of Special Collections reopened in August 2026, it also opened the doors to new discoveries for scholars on the UW–Madison campus and beyond.

UW’s rarest books have returned to Memorial Library’s ninth floor, and so have students and researchers hoping to get up close and personal with centuries-old texts, manuscripts, periodicals, maps, posters, and more. Many of these treasures contain information you can’t find anywhere else.

Check out scenes from a fall 2026 class held in Special Collections, and read the story about the department’s return: https://news.wisc.edu/the-return-of-uws-rarest-books/

Photos by Taylor Wolfram/UW–Madison

What do conspiracy theories and NCAA women's basketball have in common?

They're both part of the Digital Scholarship Hub's slate of fall events!

Our September–November programming homes in on the theme of Artificial Realities. More and more in the 21st century, reality is experienced as a profoundly artificial experience, lived through online environments, digital media, technological devices, and complex algorithms that shape our desires and our experiences. With the rise of artificial intelligence, these realities have become more robust, diverse, and controversial.

Artificial realities can be terrifying, accelerating alienation and instability, but they can also be inspirational, producing new art and culture. This semester, we will explore the wonderful and bizarre, the sublime and the frightening nature of our artificial realities.

Visit the Digital Scholarship Hub page on the Libraries website to find out what's in store: https://www.library.wisc.edu/digital-scholarship-hub/events

Fill the Hill is just days away!

That's your chance to join a beloved UW–Madison tradition AND show us your support. Between 5 p.m. Oct. 1 and 2, every gift to UW–Madison Libraries adds a flamingo to the flock on Bascom Hill.

This year, Libraries is taking the celebrations even further: We're bringing back one of the most iconic figures from UW history. Can you guess who? (Hint: Peep the photo.)

We'll make the big reveal right here on October 1. Until then, bookmark the Libraries' giving page: https://uwflamingos.com/campaign/libraries/?utm_source=campus-tactics&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=fth26&campaign=CA1034273

It’s the 21st night of September — the perfect time to read the On Wisconsin story about the Allee Willis Archive and forthcoming Allee Willis Creativity Commons.

A Space for Dreaming | On Wisconsin The UW’s Allee Willis Creativity Commons will channel a famous alumna’s artistic vision.

Discoveries abound in the UW Archives — especially if you put in the work.

Over the last nine months, the UW Archives team joined forces with Hesburgh Libraries to unearth treasures from Badgers and Fighting Irish history for a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. Nearly 7,000 fans passed through the Hall of Fame to explore the selection of rare and rarely seen materials.

Read about how the team navigated the Archives' nearly 40,000 linear feet of total collections (equivalent to more than 100 football fields) to produce the unique exhibit: https://www.library.wisc.edu/news/2026/09/14/going-long-on-badger-history/

We can still feel the excitement from Convocation last week, when new Badgers and transfer students got their copies of this year's Go Big Read, Custodians of Wonder. Want your own copy? Visit the Participate page on the Go Big Read website to find out how you can join in the conversation: https://gobigread.wisc.edu/participate/.

Photo credits: Althea Dotzour

Kickoff for Wisconsin Badgers v. Notre Dame is just hours away. Have some time to spare before the gridiron showdown? Stop by the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame to check out our archival exhibit with Hesburgh Libraries. We're here through Monday, September 7.

Can't make it? Tap through for a peek at some of the rare (and rarely seen) items on display!

Long before smartphones, football tickets weren’t just a means to a seat. They were treasured works of art.

When our UW Archives team went searching for items for the upcoming “From the Gridiron to the Archives” exhibit with Hesburgh Libraries they found vibrant tickets like the 1944 game pass pictured.

Filled with symbolism and detailed imagery, these objects give color (no pun intended) to the artistic trends and broader cultural conversations of the time. They’re equal parts keepsake and historical record.

Ready to get your ticket to history? Visit the exhibit at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame today until September 7.

🏈 IF YOU GO 🏈
From the Gridiron to the Archives: Documenting Over a Century of Notre Dame and Wisconsin Football
September 3–7
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
Tickets required: https://www.packershofandtours.com/plan-your-visit/admission-tickets

Welcome home, Badgers! Fall classes start tomorrow, and the UW–Madison Libraries have everything you need to start the semester strong.

Have questions? You're not alone! Find some of the most common questions we hear — and take advantage of all the incredible resources Libraries can offer you: https://www.library.wisc.edu/news/2026/08/25/8-common-libraries-questions-and-answers-to-start-the-semester-strong