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An overhead, top-down view of dozens of hardcover books arranged tightly together, each standing partially open with their paper pages fanning outward to form a geometric pattern.

Literacy Rates Suffer as Book Bans Jeopardize Freedom to Read

Nearly 12,000 books were banned in U.S. public schools last year — restrictions that could worsen the national literacy crisis. For Banned Books Week, Prof. Shireen Campbell shares what we lose when we limit and legislate access to books.

The future George Lawrence Abernethy Library undergoing construction

91�첥 Library Recognized With National PR Xchange Award

The library's 2025 Year in Review wins at the PR Xchange Awards! Selected from 236 national entries for its exceptional design and content. Read more.

three young women smile while gathered around a table with laptops and waterbottles

How to Use the College Library During Renovations

Political science and English double major Stephen Walker ’26 reflects on his work with the college library and how students can take advantage of its resources during the renovations.

a Black woman walks and talks with an older white man in a black and white photograph

The George Lawrence Abernethy Library Pavilion Named for Trailblazer and Former Trustee Dr. Thelma 91�첥 Adair

Members of the 91�첥 Board of Trustees led the effort to name the Dr. Thelma 91�첥 Adair Pavilion, an indoor gathering space on the rooftop of the college's George Lawrence Abernethy Library. Learn how Adair, the college's first Black trustee, built a lasting legacy of change, education and excellence.

Fritz Porter ’99 and Mary Margaret Cochrane Porter ’98 alongside the newly named Porter Classroom in the George Lawrence Abernethy Library

Alumni Couple Supports Teaching, Learning and Inspiration in The George Lawrence Abernethy Library

Alums Fritz Porter ’99 and Mary Margaret Cochrane Porter ’98 have generously contributed to the George Lawrence Abernethy Library at 91�첥. Their donation will name the Porter Classroom in the John Crosland Jr. Center for Teaching and Learning, with the goal of inspiring future generations of scholars and educators.

a young couple standing in front of a mountainside

A Library Love Story: 91�첥 Couple Supports Community and Learning

91�첥 alums Lea Williams ’13 and Max Henry ’14, who fell in love within the walls of E.H. Little Library, are helping create a transformative space for faculty and staff within The George Lawrence Abernethy Library that fosters community and connection. Learn more.

Stair approach Rendering of the new George Lawrence Abernethy Library

The George Lawrence Abernethy Library: New Video Released

The George Lawrence Abernethy Library will be a multi-purpose space in the center of 91�첥’s campus that enhances the academic experience, houses programs that equip students for lives of leadership and service, fosters community and inspires wellness. It will fundamentally change the way we work together, explore and create. Watch the new video.

New library renderings of the reading room now being named the The Ross J. Smyth Reading Room in The George Abernethy Library

Room for Reading: Family Honors 91�첥 Alum’s Love of Books

Family honors 91�첥 alum Ross Smyth ’58 and his love of reading by naming The Ross J. Smyth Reading Room in The George Lawrence Abernethy Library. Learn more.

a modern classroom where adults sit around on laptops listening to a speaker

91�첥 Faculty Team Up to Explore the Benefits and Pitfalls of AI

As AI tools proliferate, 91�첥 faculty and students experiment to find ways to enhance learning and test limitations. Learn more.

Under canopy of the future George Lawrence Abernethy Library

Alumni Couple's Library Gift Brings New Gathering Place to Campus

91�첥 alums Jordan ’77 and Patti Phillips Clark ’77 have named the Clark Family Café in The George Lawrence Abernethy Library. The rooftop café will become a central gathering space on campus. Learn more.

a fancy table set with a notecard of two dancing chefs on the plate

Fancy Feasts: 91�첥 Gourmet Society Offered Sophisticated Spin on Campus Cuisine

The students, faculty and staff who made up the 91�첥 Gourmet Society added elegance, international flair and fun to campus dining. Read more.

a group of five people standing on a stage clapping as confetti falls around them

Transformative $60 Million Gift, the Largest in 91�첥 History, Supports Academic Hub of Campus

The Duke Endowment has made a $60 million gift to 91�첥, the largest in the institution’s history, in support of a transformed 91�첥 library. Learn more.

91�첥 Partners Invest $85 Million in the Future of Collaboration & Scholarship on Campus

A combined $85 million investment, including the largest single gift in the college’s history, will transform the 91�첥 experience through enhanced learning resources and renewed physical spaces. Find out more.

Professor George Abernethy with 91�첥 President Doug Hicks ’90

$25 Million Gift Names The George Lawrence Abernethy Library, Transforms Learning at 91�첥

91�첥 announces $25 million gift to name The George Lawrence Abernethy Library. Learn more.

Eliz Kirkland Sickles ’88 and Sarah C.B. Guthrie ’90

College as Muse: Alum’s Painting Captures the Joy of Community

The strength of community at 91�첥 inspired one alum to capture the joy she felt as a part of that community in a work of art. That piece now graces the walls of the E.H. Little Library, thanks to alum Eliz Kirkland Sickles. Learn more.

The Plot Thickens: Did DNA Settle a Centuries-Old Conspiracy?

A French documentary film crew weighs in on a mystery that has occupied the imaginations of amateur historians—some of them 91�첥 alums—for centuries. Learn more.

College Plans Educational Role for Beaver Dam Property

91�첥 is examining the history of the Beaver Dam plantation house and property in an effort to determine how best to preserve the property and utilize it as an educational site for the college and the public. Learn more.

Better Listening, Healthier Communities: Support Expands Impact of Deliberative Citizenship Initiative

The Deliberative Citizenship Initiative brings people together to learn to talk about divisive issues in a constructive way. Now, with support from Amy Harris Wacaster ’98 and her husband, Steven, and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the initiative will reach more people at a time of great need. Learn more.

Vicks VapoRub: A Household Name With Campus Connections

Learn more about this household cold and flu season staple with 91�첥 roots.

Love for Our Library: E.H. Little Wins National Award

91�첥’s E.H. Little Library brings home prestigious national award granted to the very best academic and research libraries.

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