SC Connecticut News

The 2024 Senior Fellowship Exhibit at Yale Library will showcase the "Whaling Logbooks: Records of a Maritime Industry" starting on April 29. The exhibit, curated by AJ Laird ’24, features logbooks from the Sterling Library’s Manuscripts and Archives Whaling Logs Collection. Laird, who has practical experience as a deckhand on sailing vessels, conducted research at various institutions to bring this exhibit to life.

According to Laird, the logbooks in the collection were essential navigational tools for mariners during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These logbooks not only tracked a vessel's position but also documented sea voyages, providing insights into the whaling industry. Laird described the logbooks as more than just record books, stating that they "tell a tangible, visual story of an ocean-going industry."

The exhibition will feature a variety of logbooks, ranging from oversized canvas-bound books to small diary-like volumes, containing sketches, recipes, nautical calculations, and hand-drawn maps by ship’s captains. Additionally, the collection includes letters, charts, maps, and other materials that shed light on whaling life and culture, offering a glimpse into the experiences of seamen who worked on whalers.

The "Whaling Logbooks" exhibit will be on display in the exhibition corridor of Sterling Memorial Library from April 29 to Oct. 6. Visitors can join curator AJ Laird for a tour of the exhibition on May 1 at 4:30 p.m., followed by an opening reception.

The Senior Exhibit Fellowship at Yale Library, which was introduced in 2021, provides selected rising seniors with the opportunity to curate an exhibition based on their senior essay. Laird, the second student to receive this fellowship, received financial support for a research residency on campus and mentoring from library and faculty advisors.

Laird's librarian advisor, James Kessenides, Kaplanoff Librarian for American History, Department of Area Studies and Humanities Research Support, and faculty sponsor, Mark Peterson, Edmund S. Morgan Professor of History, Department of History, have been instrumental in supporting Laird through the fellowship program.

As the "Whaling Logbooks" exhibit prepares to open at Yale Library, visitors can look forward to an immersive experience that delves into the rich history of the maritime industry through the lens of mariners' logbooks.