Welcome to the blog of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia. With contributions from staff, faculty, students, and visiting researchers, Notes from Under Grounds offers glimpses into all aspects of the Small Special Collections Library: new acquisitions, instruction, little-known collections, staff projects, exhibitions, special events, and more.

Posts are managed by a group of Small Special Collections Library librarians, archivists, and staff. Receive alerts of new blog posts by subscribing on the blog home page.

Images from our collections posted by Small Special Collections Library are intended to provide accurate and complete representations of information to advance the private study and research of students, faculty, and the general public. In preparing these collections, the university takes steps to identify and remediate sensitive information that could threaten the privacy and security of individuals, organizations, or other entities represented in the collection(s). Despite these efforts, sensitive or private information may inadvertently be included in digital collections. In such cases, living individuals whose private information is exposed (or who are guardians or conservators acting on behalf of a minor child or an adult) are welcome to submit a takedown request. For copyright related inquiries or concerns about our posts, please make a collections inquiry.

If you’re wondering about our blog title, Notes from Under Grounds, the Small Special Collections Library is located one floor underground—and here at UVA, we refer to our campus as “Grounds.” Images that appear in the blog’s header are from items in our collections that have been fully digitized and placed online for public use. All are in the public domain. One of five different headers appears at random each time you visit the blog. To see others, simply refresh the page.

Header One

• Binding detail: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:770690/view?&page=uva-lib:1063942
• Deer: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1003937/view?&page=uva-lib:971294
• Blue map: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1003538/view?&page=uva-lib:903093

Header Two:

• Phyllis Wheatley portrait: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:838334/view?&page=uva-lib:1009335
• Map of Copenhagen: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1004192/view
• Musical score: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1132744/view

Header Three:

• Palladio portrait: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:606288/view?&page=uva-lib:1206081
• Jefferson’s handwriting: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1229352/view?&page=uva-lib:1308640
• Owl: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:798071/view?&page=uva-lib:823654

Header Four:

• Plants: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1002932/page_turner
• Ship: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:727398/view?&page=uva-lib:948144
• Dog: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1002939/view?&page=uva-lib:872258

Header Five:

• Uncle Tom Playbill: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:770519/view?&page=uva-lib:957750
• U.Va. Academical Village: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:727480/view?&page=uva-lib:976551
• Marbled paper: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:730705/view?&page=uva-lib:735380