Dr. Graffagnino grew up in Vermont and has undergraduate and graduate degrees in American History. In a 39-year professional career, he’s held curatorial and administrative positions at the University of Vermont, the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, the Kentucky Historical Society, and the Vermont Historical Society. He’s published a good deal and spoken widely on American history, libraries, historical cartography, and bibliomania.

Since its opening in 1923, the Clements has been one of the world’s finest research libraries of early American history. Clements director Kevin Graffagnino’s illustrated presentation details the life and collecting career of Michigan industrialist William L. Clements and the growth of the library Clements built to house his remarkable collection of early Americana. Book collectors, history buffs, and everyone else will learn from this talk why the Clements epitomizes the wisdom of Augustine Birrell’s observation. “A great library easily begets affection, which may deepen into love.”

This is the first of a six-lecture series. The subject is The Library – Civilization’s Treasure House of Knowledge.