The EMU library will be one of 40 in the nation, and the only library in the state of Virginia, chosen to host a traveling exhibit on the King James Bible. ©Manifold Greatness Traveling Exhibition. Photo by Lloyd Wolf. Folger Shakespeare Library.

EMU’s Hartzler Library one of 40 in nation to receive exhibit

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The library at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) will be one of 40 in the nation, and the only library in the state of Virginia, chosen to host a traveling exhibit on the King James Bible.

The exhibit, “Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible,” celebrates the anniversary of the 400-year-old holy book. It is scheduled to circle around the nation, concluding with an appearance at five mid-Atlantic libraries, including the EMU library Jan. 23-Feb. 22, 2013.

“We are going to emphasize the variety of ways the King James Bible influenced American society, literature and culture,” said Stephanie Bush, EMU instructional services librarian. “This is a unique opportunity to bring the Harrisonburg community together to discuss one of the most widely read books in the world.”

According to the Manifold Greatness website, the exhibit will include fourteen graphic panels that combine narrative text with images of rare books, manuscripts and art that are printed on double-sided banners.

Bush says the EMU library has planned a series of programs to appeal to bible scholars in addition to the general public.

Kevin Seidel, PhD, assistant professor of language and literature at EMU will lead three of the four programs. Seidel has given several presentations on the King James Bible and his research has focused on religion, secularism and literature.

In addition, EMU will be working with Massanutten Regional Library and Michael Galgano, PhD, professor of history at James Madison University on the fourth program.

Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible, a traveling exhibition for libraries, was organized by the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. It is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, with assistance from the Harry Ransom Center of the University of Texas, to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. The traveling exhibition was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Admission to the exhibition will be free.  For more information contact Bush, 540-432-4170; stephanie.bush@emu.edu.