Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries

2026 Student Spotlight Reception

Join the UGA Special Collections Libraries for an opening reception to celebrate a series of new case exhibitions curated by UGA   undergraduate students! Enjoy food and drink in the exhibition hallway and meet student curators inside the galleries to learn more about their displays.

This event is free and open to the public. If you have any questions, please contact Jan Hebbard, jhebbard@uga.edu.

Russell Scholars Debate: Does AI Make Us Passive or Empowered?

The UGA Libraries and the Russell Scholars are hosting a debate on the impact of AI on students. Featuring the Georgia Debate Union, the affirmative/pro side of the debate will be AI tools encourage intellectual passivity rather than intellectual empowerment in undergraduate students.

Where: Special Collections Library Auditorium (271)  

When: Tuesday, April 7, 6 - 7pm  

Snacks & Beverages provided

Historic Board Game Night

Join the UGA Special Collections Libraries and the UGA Libraries Student Success Team for a night of games on Tuesday, March 24th from 5:00-7:00PM in the Sidney Samuel Thomas Reading Room at the Miller Learning Center (MLC). Pizza, snacks and drinks will be provided.

At the event we will hear lightning talks (3 minutes) on five historic games from students in Dr. Akela Reason's "Hands-on Public History" HIST 4760/6760. Following this introduction, students in the course will lead play on replica games represented in the holdings of the UGA Special Collections Libraries. 

An Evening of Poetry: A Georgia Writers Hall of Fame Induction Event

Join the UGA Special Collections Libraries and The Georgia Review on Friday, April 24th at 6pm at Athica Athens Institute of Contemporary Art for the induction of 2026 Georgia Writers Hall of Fame inductees Alice Friman and Charlie Smith. Enjoy poetry readings of both Smith and Friman's works, with the formal induction of both poets into the Hall of Fame to follow. After the induction, attendees will enjoy a light reception and the art gallery of Athica. 

This event is free and open to the public! Free parking can be found in the complex in which Athica is located. 

Ada Cheng Performance: The Trouble With My Hair

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Ada Cheng, a.k.a The Renegade Ada Cheng, back to UGA to share her latest performance piece with us. The Trouble with My Hair: Coloring, Cutting, and Coming into Who I Am is an intimate exploration of Cheng's gender, sexual, and racial identities and boundary-making through her evolving relationships with her hair and her stylists. Blending theatrical storytelling and narrative art, Ada Cheng playfully brings the audience on an emotional and thought-provoking journey of self-discovery and self-love through her struggles with her hair.

Family Day: Olympics

Join the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies for an afternoon of family fun highlighting the newest feature exhibition, Beyond the ’96 Games: Atlanta’s Olympic Legacy. Craft your own Olympic torch, explore the gallery, enjoy story time, and other Olympic-inspired activities.  

This event is free and open to the public. Parking is available for visitors in the Hull Street Deck.