IDEALab Valentines Calligraphy

Valentine’s Day provided the perfect opportunity for the University Libraries’ outreach and marketing team to collaborate with the Archives’ vintage valentine collection and the IDEALab Makerspace. Run by Sarah Katherine Glass, the IDEALab regularly hosts holiday-themed creative events such as Halloween tote bags and winter ornaments. Glass, a University of Mississippi alumna with a Bachelor of Arts degree, previously worked in the IDEALab as a student worker. She now oversees a team of artistically skilled student workers, allowing the University Libraries to offer diverse and unique workshops, including this recent calligraphy event.

To prepare, Glass trained two student workers and Outreach Librarian Elizabeth Batte in calligraphy strokes and black lettering. Batte, along with her graduate Integrated Marketing Communications intern, met with Katherine Tutor, Project Coordinator in Archives and Special Collections, to browse the Ann Rayburn Collection of Paper Americana.

The Ann Rayburn Collection of Paper Americana, housed in the Department of Archives and Special Collections at the University of Mississippi Libraries, was assembled by Ann Jefcoat Rayburn (1927-2012) of Oxford, Mississippi. A passionate antique dealer and collector, Rayburn curated an extensive archive of postcards, sheet music, trade cards, and other printed materials. These artifacts visually document historical events and popular artistic trends, providing a glimpse into cultural history.

Several vintage valentines were selected, scanned, and reprinted for participants to create personalized valentines. These early 20th-century designs featured classic romantic imagery such as hearts, cherubs, rings, and flowers, rendered in finely hand-colored illustrations. Some cards were humorous, while others were sentimental. Participants were encouraged to either replicate the original designs or mix elements for a custom creation. The IDEALab provided embellishments, decorative papers, edged scissors, and ribbons to enhance their valentines.

Held on February 12, 2025, in the J.D. Williams Library, the event welcomed UM students and employees to explore the Ann Rayburn collection, learn calligraphy, and craft unique valentines. Any leftover reprints were made available at the second-floor help desk in J.D. Williams Library and the Science Library’s main desk, accompanied by an informational sheet about the Ann Rayburn collection for students who missed the workshop. 

For more information about the IDEALab, contact Sarah Katherine Glass at idealab@olemiss.edu or visit Room 113 in J.D. Williams Library. Upcoming library events are posted on Instagram @umlibraries and on LibCal.

To learn more about this collection and other historical materials, visit the Department of Archives and Special Collections on the third floor of J.D. Williams Library.