Burns Library Virtual Exhibits

The Burns Library periodically authors web-based or "virtual" exhibits to highlight the holdings of Archives and Special Collections. The exhibits present textual information with accompanying images. Click on an image to view a larger, more detailed version.


The Boston College Eagle:
Origins and Development of the University Mascot

(Summer 2005) Though adopted less than a century ago, the eagle was quickly integrated into the University's institutional identity, and has become the paramount public symbol representing Boston College to the outside world. This online exhibit looks at the efforts to establish the eagle as the Boston College mascot. It includes different artistic interpretations, as well as the eagle's continuing role and use in University life.

Guests and Friends:
Rev. Francis W. Sweeney, S.J. and His Contributions to Cultural Life at Boston College

(Fall 2004) Rev. Francis W. Sweeney, SJ was a popular faculty member in the English Department and the founder of the Humanities Series (now the Lowell Humanities Series), the well-respected lecture series that continues to this day. This exhibit considers both Sweeney's role as the founder of the Humanities Series and the importance of the lecture series to Boston College.

Free State Art:
Judging Ireland by its Book Covers

(Summer 2004) The Irish Free State government established An Gúm, the publications branch of the Department of Education (later Oifig an tSoláthair/the State Publishing Agency) in 1925-1926 to supply textbooks and fiction in Irish for the educational and recreation needs of the newly independent Ireland. This exhibit consists of An Gúm covers from the Irish Collection of the Burns Library and from private collections in the Boston area.

Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. and Boston College
(Spring 2002; updated, Fall 2004) Despite Tip O'Neill's many contributions both to Boston College and the nation as a whole, his achievements are in danger of fading from popular memory. Years after his graduation from Boston College, O'Neill remained fond of his alma mater and his alma mater celebrated his achievements. This exhibit hopes to inform and remind people of O'Neill's legacy as a Boston College student and alumnus.

Teams of Destiny:
The First Fifty Years of Boston College Football

(Fall 2001) This exhibit celebrates four of the greatest squads or "teams of destiny" that played in the first fifty years of the sports program. Profiled are the 1899 team (the strongest team of the nineteenth century), the 1920 and 1928 Eastern Championship teams, and the Sugar Bowl Team of 1940.

Please Note: Images and textual descriptions featured in this web presentation are provided for reference use only. Most images are copyrighted, and unauthorized reproduction of images may constitute copyright infringement. Commercial use or publication (including distribution of images via the Internet) is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the copyright holder.