Latest Post
Diving into Faculty Scholarship: Forthcoming W&M Press Publications
Posted October 23, 2025
In honor of International Open Access Week, we are excited to share details about two forthcoming publications from W&M Press.
W&M Libraries Blog
W&M Flight School & the College Airport
Posted
In September 1931 William & Mary established a department of aeronautics.
A SCRC Volunteer's Exploration of Maps
Posted
I greeted my most recent assignment as a volunteer at the Special Collections Research Center enthusiastically.
A New Guide for the Budding Genealogist
Posted
There is no doubt that the Williamsburg area is steeped in history. From the first permanent British settlement in the U.S. at Jamestown to the battlefield at Yorktown, and of course Colonial Williamsburg right next to the William & Mary campus, the area it is truly America's Historic Triangle.
What does a digital scholarship librarian do anyway?
Posted
When people meet me, they often ask what I do, and when I give them my title, Digital Scholarship Librarian, they are just as unclear on my job duties as before they asked. Then, I flesh out the role a bit more. Essentially, I work to promote and support scholarship which goes on around campus.
Must Love Dogs: Royal Pooches
Posted
Last week, I had the opportunity to meet HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and show him some of the rich materials held in Special Collections. I wanted to make sure to highlight the dog book collection, and I came across titles related to HRH's grandfather, King George V, as well as his first cousin, Queen Elizabeth II. Of the ones I chose to display, the following titles are my favorites.
What Happens in a Research Appointment? (RA Series #1)
Posted
Many students are intimidated by making a research appointment because they don't know what will or can happen. I'm here to dispel the myths and rumors around the conundrum that is the Research Appointment. This blog post will be the first in a series about how we conduct our Research Appointments.
A Research Librarian's Road trip to Radford
Posted
Recently I had the opportunity to attend a conference at Radford University called The Innovative Library Classroom, or TILC. Radford University which is in, yep, you guessed it, Radford, Virginia, is about 270 miles from Williamsburg; therefore, road trip! The route from Williamsburg went along Interstate 64 and then south on Interstate 81.
"[W]hy must I always suffer every misfortune which happens": An eyewitness account of revolution in the streets
Posted
The quotation in the title of this post is from a letter about an 1890 revolution in Buenos Aires known as The Revolution of the Park.
What can photographers find at Swem?
Posted
Did you know that May is National Photography month? Well if you didn't, now you do! I bet you're wondering -- what sorts of resources does Swem have for budding young students of photography?
Must Love Dogs: E. J. Detmold
Posted
This month's "Must Love Dogs" blog series again focuses on an illustrator.
Student Voices: Nic DeAngio
Posted
I started working at Swem in my very first week of freshman year and fell in love with the place immediately. On my first day, I wandered the library to fill out a scavenger-hunt-esque training exercise that introduced me to the labyrinth of books that serves as the cultural capital of our campus. The building really does it all.
Student Voices: CeeCee Bishop
Posted
Hello lovely people! My name is CeeCee and I'm a Student Associate in the Circulation department here at Swem.
Student Voices: Carrie Yang
Posted
Hi everyone! My name is Zihan Yang, most people know me as Carrie. I'm an international student from China and this is my third year at William & Mary (how time flies). Back home, I love to spend my free time at my high school's library and the public library, so when I came to college, the first place I went to check out was the library. I immediately fell in love with our Swem library because it's so beautiful and resourceful.
Student Voices: Shana Merker
Posted
Hiya everybody! I'm Shana Merker, a junior music and biology major, and I work as a student assistant in Content Services.
Student Voices: Elisabeth Merrifield
Posted
My name is Elisabeth Merrifield. Yes, it is spelled with an 's' and not a 'z' mainly because my parents did not want me to be called 'Liz' (it did not work). I am a senior at the College. I am double majoring in government and history. I transferred in the Fall of 2015 and have loved it here. I play for the Gold Women's Club Volleyball team and love my team. They are outstanding and ridiculously smart people.
Student Voices: Alexis Vitali
Posted
Hey, fellow Swem-goers! My name is Alexis and I have been working at Swem Circulation for over a year now. I started out as an assistant, shelving and sorting from the books needed for final papers. Last year, I was able to help deliver books to professors all over campus. And as it turns out, books can bring more excitement when you get to drive them in a golf-cart, trying not to get stuck behind tour groups (otherwise known as flamingos).
What Does A Research Librarian Do?
Posted
I became William & Mary Libraries' Science Librarian on December 25th, 2017. In my first four months of employment I've had several people (including my family members) ask me: "So what exactly does a science librarian do?" It's a great question!
World War I in the Everyday Experience
Posted
As an Exhibit Apprentice in Swem's Special Collections, I had the opportunity to curate a World War I centennial exhibit.
Student Voices: Alea Al-Aghbari
Posted
In my first two years at W&M, I rarely went to Swem. It was crowded and busy and stressful, and I preferred the coziness of my own room. But for the past year and a half, I have stepped into Swem hundreds of times, more than my freshman self could have possibly imagined.
Must Love Dogs: Cecil Aldin
Posted
Cecil Aldin (1870-1935) was a British artist and illustrator, famous for his portrayal of dogs.