Ohio University Libraries to celebrate Music at OHIO for Founders Day

The Ohio University Libraries will display an exhibit called “Celebrating Music at OHIO” on the fifth floor of Alden Library for Founders Day, which marks the establishment of Ohio University. The exhibit will open with a reception featuring local music on Tuesday, Feb. 18 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

OHIO will celebrate 216 years since it was established by the general assembly of the state of Ohio in 1804. The University celebrates Founders Day every year, calling back to the time when it was the only institute of higher education in the old Northwest Territory. Now, OHIO is recognized as the oldest university in the state of Ohio and the eighth oldest public university in the United States.

Since its founding, Ohio University has expanded to offer 250 academic programs to students at 11 campuses/centers across the state, with all 50 states represented in the student body at the main campus in Athens.

To help commemorate Founders Day this year, the Libraries’ will exhibit feature artifacts, documents, pictures and other memorabilia that commemorate the musical history of Ohio University.

Carla Williams, co-curator of the exhibit, said she hopes that people will realize how much music has happened and is currently happening on campus.

“The exhibit covers everything from popular and classical music, to Convocation Center events and music festivals,” Williams said. “The exhibit will also cover the School of Music.”

The display will highlight past performances by students and music professors at OHIO, outside artists who have performed on campus, famous music alumni, the Marching 110, some of the University’s extensive sheet music collection, as well as many other artifacts and documents. It will also emphasize how the Athens community has celebrated music throughout the years.

“We didn’t just want to focus on the School of Music,” said Joey Walden, Libraries support specialist and co-curator of the exhibit. “We wanted to make sure we included how music influenced OHIO, and how it related back to the community of Athens. The exhibit goes beyond looking at just the University’s influence by also including the music students enjoyed during their years on campus.”

The “Celebrating Music at OHIO” exhibit is free and open to the public and will be available for viewing through the remainder of the spring semester.

For more information visit: https://www.ohio.edu/library/about/news-events/all-news/celebrating-music-libraries.