Outreach Diary

June 26, 2025, by Chloe

image of a magazine entitled 'Für Dich', Issue 33; 1988. Cover features a colour photograph of a laughing boy with other smiling boys in the background.

Outreach Diary

Here at MSC, our outreach calendar is always bursting with a wide range of events, visits and classes – here’s just a snapshot of a few highlights from the year so far…

A black and white printed image of a lion.

‘Für Dich’, Issue 33; 1988. INGASA Collection; Newspapers

First up, we were proud to co-host the module ‘Exploring the German Archive’ alongside the School of Modern Languages and Cultures! Across 10 sessions, students explored 20th century German history through a wide range of newspaper cuttings and family papers held here at Manuscripts and Special Collections.

We headed out to Woodborough to give their local history society a talk about the many ‘Nottinghamshire Treasures’ we hold within our collections, from illuminated medieval manuscripts to mysterious Victorian scrapbooks.

Next, we introduced our innovative Early Modern Print Workshop, which gives students the opportunity to encounter a range of early printed books and to investigate the hidden meanings of the intricate images held within. Nearly 100 students have taken part so far!

An image of a man standing in the Manuscripts and Special Collections reading room, giving a talk to a crowd of onlookers.

Printer’s device depicting the story of Samson and the Lion from ‘Decretum Gratian’, Gratian; 1606.

We were excited to hold a book launch for ‘Change and Continuity in Seventeenth-century Nottinghamshire’ by Dr Peter Seddon. Attendees had the chance to hear Dr Seddon discuss his work and – in a unique twist – had the opportunity to view some of the rare documents which formed the backbone of his research for themselves.

Dr Peter Seddon speaking at the book launch for ‘Change and Continuity in Seventeenth-century Nottinghamshire’; 11 February 2025

If that’s not enough, we held a hybrid research seminar about Le Roman de Silence, a thirteenth century Old French romance which has only one surviving manuscript copy – held at Manuscripts and Special Collections!

Illumination from Roman de Silence, WLC/LM/6 f203r, Manuscripts and Special Collections, University of Nottingham

Coloured medieval illumination, featuring an illustration of a child and two adults.

Finally, we hosted a series of four classes for undergraduate Archaeology students, uncovering archival evidence for changes to the Wollaton Hall estate across the centuries, featuring everything from Tudor architecture to early coal mining.

If you’d like to book a talk or class with us, please contact us at mss-library@nottingham. ac. uk – we’d love to add you to our diary!

If you missed out on these exciting events, don’t worry; there’s plenty more where that came from! Heritage Open Days are coming up in September and booking is now open for 2 free events, with more to come:

A walking tour about the architecture of University Park, Friday 12 September, 2pm -3.30pm

A curator tour of our Country Lives exhibition, Thursday 18 September, 11am – 12 noon

To book your place at either event, please email mss-library@nottingham. ac. uk.