Collections Encounter at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library: Deaf Community, Culture and Collections
Free event on Friday 14 June, with curator Steven Hartshorne and British Sign Language interpreters
On Friday, 14 June, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library will be hosting a public collections encounter, ‘Deaf Community, Culture and Collections’, as part of Manchester’s Festival of Libraries. Join curator Steven Hartshorne and British Sign Language interpreters including Thomas Holroyd for a deep dive into the historic culture of the Deaf Community from the late 19th century to the 1980s.
As part of the Rylands’ ongoing exhibition, We Have Always Been Here, the Library has been examining the histories of marginalised communities within its archives, including that of the Deaf community. The archives of the Rylands play host to a wealth of material relating to the Deaf community, granting an insight into the first-hand experiences and stories of Deaf people throughout history, as well as wider historical attitudes of society towards Deafness. This free, drop-in event is a rare opportunity to see some of these materials in person, including items from the Library’s 19th century Deaf Education Collection, and the archive of librarian and Deaf activist, Richard Goulden.
The Deaf Community, Culture and Collections event will take place in the John Rylands Research Institute and Library from 2.00 – 3.30pm on Friday 14 June, with British Sign Language interpreters present throughout. This is a public event that is free to attend and no booking is required.
Steven Hartshorne is curator of Science, Technology, and Medicine rare books at the Rylands.
- To find out more about Deaf Community and Culture in the Library’s Special Collections, read his blog here.