The Bard’s legacy was alive and well at the KSU Library.
April 15th marked the birthday of English playwright William Shakespeare, at least for a keystone event at the Sturgis Library on Kennesaw State University’s campus. While Shakespeare’s exact date of birth is a historical mystery, the party was in full swing in the library.
The event was titled “Shakespeare’s Birthday Bash” and took place between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on April 15th. It was hosted in The Hub at the Sturgis Library as a joint production between the library system and the campus’s Bentley Rare Books Museum.
Several activities at the event related to the Bard. Students could sit at computers and take quizzes that tested their Shakespearean knowledge. Coloring pages depicting several iconic scenes and quotes from numerous plays were available for students to wind down and color.
A representative from Atlanta’s Shakespeare Tavern held a booth promoting the theatre’s upcoming season of performances, encouraging those in attendance to partake in a night of theatre. Attendees were invited to take a selfie with a cardboard cutout of Shakespeare, complete with a miniature birthday balloon. Additionally, food and beverages were available for guests, namely a collection of sugar cookies depicting Shakespeare with birthday party items.
The main attraction of the event was the display of the 1685 Fourth Folio, a rare, printed collection of Shakespeare’s plays. The Bentley Rare Book Museum acquired this Folio in the 1990s and remains one of the only universities in Georgia to hold such an item. The Folio is kept in a carefully climate-controlled chamber and only brought out for events or specialized classes.
However, like many rare books, the Fourth Folio is in damaged condition. The front cover is disconnected from the book’s spine, and several pages are stained or damaged. The library used the event as a platform for their fundraising efforts to restore the Folio to its former glory, with the goal of raising $10,000.
“Perhaps more than any other author, [Shakespeare] has become ubiquitous in modern culture,” says freshman Andrew Bramlett, a student assistant with the Bentley Rare Book Museum. “…the way for modern audiences to relate to his work is by focusing on its universal themes: love, hate, power, passion, betrayal, etc. It is what has allowed his works to endure and be endlessly studied, honored, parodied, and referenced.”
The event seemed a lively success, with students packing all tables and lining the walls of The Hub. It appeared that the goal of introducing more students to Shakespeare’s various works was successful.
If you have the means to donate, the Bentley Rare Book Museum’s fundraiser is accepting donations to cover the restoration costs of the Fourth Folio.
