It's Freedom & Liberation Day in Charlottesville, commemorating the day Union soldiers commanded by George Armstrong Custer ended slavery in this region. Many freed people became prominent citizens. Some of their portraits & stories are in our catalog. The pdf is free!👇🏽
at.virginia.edu/vop-catalog
Bookmark this site and share it with folks—it’s an important community resource that shares information about verified local ICE or non-ICE activity.
If you aren’t in direct community with vulnerable folks, you might somehow think ICE is perhaps not a threat in Cville because we’re a smaller town, but here’s a reminder that it very much is.
Confirmed ICE activity east of Cville yesterday: cvilleicewatch.wordpress.com/2026/02/25/v...
Here's a short thread about some political and intellectual icons and their work at, and appreciation for libraries.
Sheet with 40 portrait illustrations of an individual and a large coffee stain. Printed text: “Tom Phillips. Pella on Saturdays.”
Corner of a letter featuring signed initials “AH.”
Book open to title page for White Fire by Michael Laurie with embellishments in red ink.
In celebration of #ValentinesDay, UVA Today took a look at love letters, lithographs, poetry and first edition books, among other items, that document love that was sometimes hidden.
news.virginia.edu/content/deep...
signed up for monthly support of the Cville Jail Support patreon, which works towards covering costs inside the system, as well as providing support upon release for the locally unhoused community. if you are local to central Virginia. consider supporting them as well.
Color photo of a large ginkgo tree with brilliant yellow leaves
Black-and-white photo of a medium-sized ginkgo tree
💛Swipe to see how much the Pratt Ginkgo has grown over the past century! Planted on the northwest side of the Rotunda in 1859, the tree is named for William A. Pratt, the University’s first superintendent of buildings and grounds. #ginkgowatch2025 @uvalibrary.bsky.social
California’s Law Enforcement Mutual Aid fund has been used to fight fires, floods, earthquakes — and Gaza demonstrations.
Badge of dishonor: “Among the universities recommended to remain in the program are Columbia University, MIT, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia and University of Texas at Austin.”
The original goal has been met. Additional funds will be used to support the coming legal battle and any family needs!
Keeping this up as a reminder that ICE detentions ARE impacting our local community, though there has been more action in Richmond, NoVA, and Harrisonburg.
Graphic with red title text in orange spiky bubble shape: “🚨ICE entrapped Albemarle young adult.🚨” Body text: “Today, November 13, 2025, a Spanish-speaking ICE agent allegedly impersonated a probation officer and tricked a young adult with mental health issues into hurriedly showing up for an appointment—only to be arrested by ICE. This appears to be a tactic of deception that led to the young man walking himself into detention when he wasn’t a danger and was in compliance with his probation requirements. The family needs $300 for legal support. Cashapp: $CAraceliYanez.”
Boosting a call for mutual aid for a Cville family impacted by ICE detention:
NEW: A judge in Washington has ruled that police images taken by Flock’s AI license plate-scanning cameras are public records that can be requested as part of normal public records requests.
The decision highlights the sheer volume of the technology-fueled surveillance state in the US.
Happy #JellyfishDay! The oceans are increasingly full of these gelatinous invertebrates, provoking a range of responses in humans, from disgust to awe. The biologist and artist Ernst Haeckel was most certainly in the latter camp... publicdomainreview.org/collection/ernst-haeckel...
We're reopening soon! Lots of info on joining as a member or donating to help us become sustainable & accessible, upcoming workshops, & free public events this Nov 7 & 8: mailchi.mp/ccb542e70408... Also see our Insta (www.instagram.com/vabookarts/) & website (vabookarts.org) to learn more.
Less than 2 weeks until publication. I’m still busy as hell working in concert with my community to respond to a federal invasion and regular attacks on our neighbors and their defenders. Any help getting the word out about this book, which I believe can help us all right now, is deeply appreciated.
A screenshot from working with Capture One software showing a 4”x5” black-and-white film target and object, content, and speculative artist’s intent versions of two plates featuring African American women.
New on our blog: Senior Imaging Specialist Stacey Evans reflects on the process of re-digitizing African American portraits in the Holsinger Studio Collection for our 2022-23 Visions of Progress: exhibition. Read her post here: smallnotes.library.virginia.edu/2025/10/21/h....
We're also thrilled to announce that thanks to support from our readers, we are partnering with Bitch Media to republish selected classic posts from their archives that will never be behind a paywall, because we believe in preserving feminist media for future generations to enjoy.
It doesn't surprise me that Indiana University is going after the student newspaper. The IDS has played a key role in holding the university administration accountable.
Including by reporting on the administration's investigation and intimidation of faculty 1/
specials.idsnews.com/steve-sander...
Whose idea was it to design a cover for a book about anti-fascism reminiscent of the Rising Sun Flag?
BREAKING: A catastrophic breach has impacted Discord user data including selfies and identity documents uploaded as part of the app’s verification process, email addresses, phone numbers, approximately where the user lives, and much more.
🔗 www.404media.co/the-discord-...
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that all these data centers are going into communities that have been historically targeted for exploitation and have the least amount of civic power wielded by the people living there.
wordinblack.com/2025/09/alab...
Screenshot of Daily Tar Heel article: “Breaking: UNC schools of data science and information science to merge, forming unnamed ‘School of AI.’”
I thought this was an Onion headline at first glance, but, unfortunately, it’s real. www.dailytarheel.com/article/univ...
NEW: ICE is planning to hire a team of nearly 30 people to surveil social media 24/7, build dossiers on people, and flag them for arrest and deportation. @dell.bsky.social has the scoop: www.wired.com/story/ice-so...
ICE attacking people again with support from state cops.
ICE attacking people again with support from state cops. Someone here is being arrested.
ICE attacking people again with support from state cops.
New exhibition—the ABCs of the UVA Library!
From Artists' Books to Zines, with 24 stops in between. (Actually more, as the article notes)
This evening's event is a sold out full house, but the exhibition will be up for the academic year at @rareuva.bsky.social (with outposts in other libraries)
Repost from @/abigailenjoysliterature on TikTok: “to this day, still one of the best days ever. this was one of the highlights of grad school. i yearn for access to special collections again oh my god. what’s the coolest book related artifact you’ve seen?? #reading #BookTok #literature #reader #fyp”
