Burns Library
@burnslibrary.bsky.social
Boston College Archives, Manuscripts and Rare Books. Irish studies, Jesuitica, British Catholic authors, Boston history, and more
As we say farewell to a sweet BC institution, we’re remembering their beginnings in 1983.
Share your White Mountain Creamery memories in the comments.
Share your White Mountain Creamery memories in the comments.
November 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
As we say farewell to a sweet BC institution, we’re remembering their beginnings in 1983.
Share your White Mountain Creamery memories in the comments.
Share your White Mountain Creamery memories in the comments.
On November 22, 1963, an assassin shot and killed JFK. Over 1,700 miles from the site of the shooting, BC freshman Philippe Thibodeau documented his reaction to the assassination and in his journal. That journal now lives at Burns Library. Read an excerpt here and visit us to see the entire journal.
November 22, 2025 at 3:02 PM
On November 22, 1963, an assassin shot and killed JFK. Over 1,700 miles from the site of the shooting, BC freshman Philippe Thibodeau documented his reaction to the assassination and in his journal. That journal now lives at Burns Library. Read an excerpt here and visit us to see the entire journal.
We've digitized the commonplace book of American Baptist, Hetty Gillison Lincoln. Born in PA in 1789, Hetty lived in Boston from 1838 to 1867. In it, she reflects on faith and loved ones and kept transcriptions of poetry & letters, news clippings, and dried plants. library.bc.edu/iiif/view/BC...
November 21, 2025 at 2:38 PM
We've digitized the commonplace book of American Baptist, Hetty Gillison Lincoln. Born in PA in 1789, Hetty lived in Boston from 1838 to 1867. In it, she reflects on faith and loved ones and kept transcriptions of poetry & letters, news clippings, and dried plants. library.bc.edu/iiif/view/BC...
Today’s pick from Library Graphic Designer Kate Edrington is a 1940 volume entitled “How to Draw Birds.” Before Pinterest and Youtube tutorials, there were still ways to learn to draw your favorite things!
Visit us to take a look at the entire book.
Visit us to take a look at the entire book.
November 18, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Today’s pick from Library Graphic Designer Kate Edrington is a 1940 volume entitled “How to Draw Birds.” Before Pinterest and Youtube tutorials, there were still ways to learn to draw your favorite things!
Visit us to take a look at the entire book.
Visit us to take a look at the entire book.
Last week, we welcomed Dr. Vincent Portillo’s class “True Crime: Scoundrels, Villains, and Vice.” We had a lot of fun combing through our collections for murder and mayhem. Contact us for our reading list!
November 16, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Last week, we welcomed Dr. Vincent Portillo’s class “True Crime: Scoundrels, Villains, and Vice.” We had a lot of fun combing through our collections for murder and mayhem. Contact us for our reading list!
#onthisday in 1921, Marshall Ferdinand Foch, the Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front during World War I visited Boston, making a special stop at Boston College where he received an honorary degree. @hubhistory.com @universalhub.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:10 PM
#onthisday in 1921, Marshall Ferdinand Foch, the Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front during World War I visited Boston, making a special stop at Boston College where he received an honorary degree. @hubhistory.com @universalhub.com
On November 7, 1872, the Great Fire of Boston ignited in the basement of a downtown warehouse. By November 10, the fire had destroyed 776 buildings over an area of 65 acres and killed between 20 and 30 Bostonians. 🧵 @universalhub.com @hubhistory.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:11 PM
On November 7, 1872, the Great Fire of Boston ignited in the basement of a downtown warehouse. By November 10, the fire had destroyed 776 buildings over an area of 65 acres and killed between 20 and 30 Bostonians. 🧵 @universalhub.com @hubhistory.com
Everett Henry drew these illustrations for a 1934 edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. A copy of the edition lives in Burns Library. Intrigued and want to browse it yourself? Visit us! #Frankenstein #MaryShelley
November 7, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Everett Henry drew these illustrations for a 1934 edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. A copy of the edition lives in Burns Library. Intrigued and want to browse it yourself? Visit us! #Frankenstein #MaryShelley
On November 6, 1911, American Sally Fairchild wrote about her front row seat to the Xinhai Revolution, a revolution marking the end of China’s last imperial dynasty.🧵
November 6, 2025 at 7:40 PM
On November 6, 1911, American Sally Fairchild wrote about her front row seat to the Xinhai Revolution, a revolution marking the end of China’s last imperial dynasty.🧵
Attn Boston genealogist and historians! We recently digitized student ledgers from St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in Brighton. @universalhub.com @shamrockgen.bsky.social @lizlgenealogy.bsky.social @dlgenealogist.bsky.social @allston-brighton.boston.gov findingaids.bc.edu/repositories...
November 5, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Attn Boston genealogist and historians! We recently digitized student ledgers from St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in Brighton. @universalhub.com @shamrockgen.bsky.social @lizlgenealogy.bsky.social @dlgenealogist.bsky.social @allston-brighton.boston.gov findingaids.bc.edu/repositories...
In the early 1900s, Bridget Murphy and her 7 children began hearing loud noises and footsteps in their Coneen, Ireland home They heard banging and rapping to the tunes of The Soldiers Song, saw plates thrown across rooms, and that the children’s beds were lifted off the floor.
October 31, 2025 at 7:47 PM
In the early 1900s, Bridget Murphy and her 7 children began hearing loud noises and footsteps in their Coneen, Ireland home They heard banging and rapping to the tunes of The Soldiers Song, saw plates thrown across rooms, and that the children’s beds were lifted off the floor.
Did you know that Burns Library has a copy of Dracula translated into Irish? This 1933 volume was translated by Seán Ó Cuirrín and features cover art by Dublin born artist Austin Malloy. Want to look at it yourself? Visit us!
October 31, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Did you know that Burns Library has a copy of Dracula translated into Irish? This 1933 volume was translated by Seán Ó Cuirrín and features cover art by Dublin born artist Austin Malloy. Want to look at it yourself? Visit us!
Happy Birthday to lawyer, suffragist, and presidential candidate Belva Ann Lockwood, born this day 1830. This photo of Lockwood was taken in the Boston Public Garden in 1908, presumably on a visit to the city. Take a look at the album it lives in: https://library.bc.edu/iiif/view/BC2023-014-168624
October 27, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Happy Birthday to lawyer, suffragist, and presidential candidate Belva Ann Lockwood, born this day 1830. This photo of Lockwood was taken in the Boston Public Garden in 1908, presumably on a visit to the city. Take a look at the album it lives in: https://library.bc.edu/iiif/view/BC2023-014-168624
Our new digital exhibit is live! “A Part to Play” draws on Burns Library collections to explore the cultural sphere of The Troubles considering how individuals used cultural forms to explore their communities’ perceived heritage, values, and aspirations.
https://bit.ly/part-to-play
https://bit.ly/part-to-play
October 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Our new digital exhibit is live! “A Part to Play” draws on Burns Library collections to explore the cultural sphere of The Troubles considering how individuals used cultural forms to explore their communities’ perceived heritage, values, and aspirations.
https://bit.ly/part-to-play
https://bit.ly/part-to-play
Find something to take the edge off in our special collections
October 17, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Find something to take the edge off in our special collections
Reposted by Burns Library
Join us on Wed., Oct. 22 for a book panel discussing James O'Toole's new book, For I Have Sinned: The Rise and Fall of Catholic Confession in America, from 5:30 -7pm in Devlin 101. This panel is co-sponsored with BC Libraries.
The BC Bookstore will be on hand selling copies.
The BC Bookstore will be on hand selling copies.
October 15, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Join us on Wed., Oct. 22 for a book panel discussing James O'Toole's new book, For I Have Sinned: The Rise and Fall of Catholic Confession in America, from 5:30 -7pm in Devlin 101. This panel is co-sponsored with BC Libraries.
The BC Bookstore will be on hand selling copies.
The BC Bookstore will be on hand selling copies.
One of these things (is not like the others) 🐶🐶🐶🦊🐶🐶🐶
Joe Ritchie with a fox and some of his dogs and cats, Ardglass, County Down, 1217. John J. Burns Library. https://findingaids.bc.edu/repositories/2/digital_objects/2656
Joe Ritchie with a fox and some of his dogs and cats, Ardglass, County Down, 1217. John J. Burns Library. https://findingaids.bc.edu/repositories/2/digital_objects/2656
October 15, 2025 at 3:03 PM
One of these things (is not like the others) 🐶🐶🐶🦊🐶🐶🐶
Joe Ritchie with a fox and some of his dogs and cats, Ardglass, County Down, 1217. John J. Burns Library. https://findingaids.bc.edu/repositories/2/digital_objects/2656
Joe Ritchie with a fox and some of his dogs and cats, Ardglass, County Down, 1217. John J. Burns Library. https://findingaids.bc.edu/repositories/2/digital_objects/2656
In early 1833, William Apes, an itinerant Methodist minister and member of the Pequot nation journeyed to Mashpee Plantation, an area inhabited by the Mashpee nation. Apes had heard that nearby settlers were causing trouble for the Mashpee residents. 🧵
October 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
In early 1833, William Apes, an itinerant Methodist minister and member of the Pequot nation journeyed to Mashpee Plantation, an area inhabited by the Mashpee nation. Apes had heard that nearby settlers were causing trouble for the Mashpee residents. 🧵
100 years ago today, author Juanita Casey was born! Some of Casey’s correspondence, writings, photographs, and books live at Burns Library, including this copy of “The Circus" with a handwritten note and sketch by Casey in the front cover.
Want to look for yourself? Contact us!
Want to look for yourself? Contact us!
October 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
100 years ago today, author Juanita Casey was born! Some of Casey’s correspondence, writings, photographs, and books live at Burns Library, including this copy of “The Circus" with a handwritten note and sketch by Casey in the front cover.
Want to look for yourself? Contact us!
Want to look for yourself? Contact us!
Professor Elizabeth Graver and her class, Topics in Creative Nonfiction: Writing the Past, visited us at Burns Library recently!
October 8, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Professor Elizabeth Graver and her class, Topics in Creative Nonfiction: Writing the Past, visited us at Burns Library recently!
Reposted by Burns Library
The Institute for the Liberal Arts launches the "Flourishing Together" series with a keynote by Harvard's Robert Waldinger, an expert on what constitutes a meaningful life. There will be a BC faculty panel exploring loneliness & its remedies.
Register: https://on.bc.edu/FlourishTogetherLaunch25
Register: https://on.bc.edu/FlourishTogetherLaunch25
October 3, 2025 at 7:11 PM
The Institute for the Liberal Arts launches the "Flourishing Together" series with a keynote by Harvard's Robert Waldinger, an expert on what constitutes a meaningful life. There will be a BC faculty panel exploring loneliness & its remedies.
Register: https://on.bc.edu/FlourishTogetherLaunch25
Register: https://on.bc.edu/FlourishTogetherLaunch25
"It's beautiful, it's rapturous, and it's frightening"- Taylor Swift on Burns Library
Join us for a skills based, TSwift themed special collections workshop. Enjoy hands-on learning and learn (or relearn) how to find materials for your research. 3- 5 pm, 10/3, Burns Library. All welcome.
Join us for a skills based, TSwift themed special collections workshop. Enjoy hands-on learning and learn (or relearn) how to find materials for your research. 3- 5 pm, 10/3, Burns Library. All welcome.
October 2, 2025 at 6:03 PM
"It's beautiful, it's rapturous, and it's frightening"- Taylor Swift on Burns Library
Join us for a skills based, TSwift themed special collections workshop. Enjoy hands-on learning and learn (or relearn) how to find materials for your research. 3- 5 pm, 10/3, Burns Library. All welcome.
Join us for a skills based, TSwift themed special collections workshop. Enjoy hands-on learning and learn (or relearn) how to find materials for your research. 3- 5 pm, 10/3, Burns Library. All welcome.
Reposted by Burns Library
More on Fannie Farmer and her famous cookbook in this classic podcast. www.hubhistory.com/episodes/fan...
October 1, 2025 at 10:28 PM
More on Fannie Farmer and her famous cookbook in this classic podcast. www.hubhistory.com/episodes/fan...
In the fall of 1879, Fannie Farmer founded her famous School of Cookery. Our 1945 promotional booklet for the school advertises the courses taught at the school, including “A Course for Men” and an “Intensive Salad Course.”
#FannieFarmer
#FannieFarmer
October 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
In the fall of 1879, Fannie Farmer founded her famous School of Cookery. Our 1945 promotional booklet for the school advertises the courses taught at the school, including “A Course for Men” and an “Intensive Salad Course.”
#FannieFarmer
#FannieFarmer
Digitization alert! We digitized the “Father Rector’s Office and President of Boston College scrapbook, which documents BC and Boston history from 1919-29. It's full of photos, clippings, and more. Check it out: https://library.bc.edu/iiif/view/BC1986-020F-151714
September 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Digitization alert! We digitized the “Father Rector’s Office and President of Boston College scrapbook, which documents BC and Boston history from 1919-29. It's full of photos, clippings, and more. Check it out: https://library.bc.edu/iiif/view/BC1986-020F-151714