2023 Commencement Events and Spring Exhibits

June 21, 2023

The Friends of the Oberlin College Libraries reception (sundeck of the Terrell Main Library) and the College Archives open house were held on Saturday, May 20 with 55 guests attending the events.

Archives reunion exhibition on view in the Goodrich Reading Room

The Archives featured a reunion exhibit for the classes of 1973, 1996, 1997, and 1998. The exhibit Where Have All The Flowers Gone: Folk Music at Oberlin College (on display April 14 – June 16) included a display in the College Archives highlighting Ed Freeman’s career as a musician and photographer (former Oberlin student, 1960-1963); a display in the Academic Commons for Joseph Hickerson ’57, folk musician and folk music librarian; and a display in the Conservatory Library about legendary folk singer Pete Seeger and his visits to Oberlin College.

An exhibit highlighting the collaborative photo digitization project between the Oberlin College Libraries/Archives/Digital Imaging Lab and the Wilson Bruce Evans Home Historical Society was displayed in the Libraries’ Academic Commons (April 14 – June 16). The College Archives and Digital Imaging Lab worked with the Bonner Center to create an exhibit (March 27 – June 1) celebrating 30 years of the Bonner Scholars Program.

Friends reception on the sundeck

On Sunday, May 21, the Libraries celebrated Commencement speaker and award-winning novelist Richard Powers with a sundeck reception for two reading groups. One group of faculty and staff from the Conservatory had read Powers’ novel about music and technology, Orfeo. Another group from Arts & Sciences had read The Overstory, a book that Obama said “changed the way I think about the Earth.” Both groups mingled with the author before sitting down for some high-level talks about the themes of the novels, writing, and life. Richard Powers was delightful and even gave us a sneak preview of the novel he is currently writing! The Commencement speech on the following day was thoughtful and thought-provoking. It will be published in a limited edition by the Libraries’ Letterpress at Oberlin.

Friends reception on the sundeck