Hill Memorial Library’s Audubon Day on Saturday showcased the highly valued book collection “Birds of America,” a four-volume set that is too large for a casual read.
The books’ paintings portray more than 1,000 species of birds on “elephant-folio” paper. The term refers to the size of the paper, which measures 29.5 by 39.5 inches. Because of the books’ size, this collection isn’t viewed often by the public, according to Michael Taylor, assistant curator of books for Hill Memorial.
A set of the four volumes was sold at an auction in 2010 for $11.5 million, the highest price ever paid for a printed book.
“It is exciting to see the level of excitement to see the books,” said Jessica Lacher-Feldman, head of special collections. “Audubon day is unique because it’s not a lecture or a presentation but an intimate look at these rare, important books.”
The event was Lacher- Feldman’s first opportunity to display the Audubon prints as the new head of special collections this semester.
Audubon Day is an event dedicated to revealing the collection, authored by John Audubon and considered one of Hill Memorial’s most valuable collections. The event attracted not only students, but people with no affiliation with the University, who traveled from as far as Massachusetts.
History senior Kyle Neff, a student worker for special collections in the library, said Audubon Day showcased the best the department has to offer. Audubon Day is an opportunity to open the doors to students and the public to show the historical materials otherwise unseen, he said.
“Many students do not enter the doors of Hill Memorial, and I think that is a shame,” Neff said.
Taylor said the event is an opportunity to bring out the Audubon collection for public viewing, which does not get to happen often because of its size and value.
In addition to “Birds of America,” the event featured other ornithology books that were recently donated to Hill Memorial. It was the first time the books were shown at the event.
The prints of the birds drew a crowd of many kinds of people, Taylor said. Not only do people like seeing the artistry in the prints, but students studying biology, art and photography find the prints educational, he said.

Gallery • 12 Photos

Charlotte Willcox

Visitors to Hill Memorial Library's Audubon Day look at a volume of John James Audubon's "Birds of America" on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013.