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Revolutionary Communication: Printing Independence and the Birth of the American Stamp
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Revolutionary Communication Exhibit Poster Before the first musket was fired, the American Revolution was sparked by messages.
This spring, the John Hay Library at Brown University invites you to explore our latest exhibition, Revolutionary Communication: Printing Independence and the Birth of the American Stamp, bringing together original maps, newspapers, and artifacts that show how communication became our nation’s first act of sovereignty.
Discover the story of William Goddard — a Providence printer who founded The Providence Gazette and established The Constitutional Post. This independent postal network bypassed British surveillance and carried revolutionary ideas across the colonies. The simple act of sending a letter became a radical act of defiance for American liberty. As we celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence this year, join us to witness where the Revolution truly began.
The event will feature the first official commemorative stamp cancellation event in Rhode Island since 1990, with Jeanne Jackson, the first female postmaster in Providence. Bring your own envelope — or collect our customized-designed postcard on-site — to receive a unique, limited-edition cancellation stamp from Jeanne: a tangible piece of American postal history and a testament to the enduring power of free, open communication.
Exhibit Opening & Stamp Cancellation Event
Opening Reception: April 30th, 2026
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm EDT
Location: Room 321, John Hay Library, 20 Prospect Street, Providence, RI
Co-sponsor: Brown University Library, David Winton Bell Gallery, Brown Arts Institute, Brown 2026
Cost: Free
MUST RSVP Here -
Forging the Future of Digital Scholarship: People, Projects, Priorities
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A symposium co-organized by Brown University Digital Publications and the Center for Digital Scholarship on Friday, May 1, 2026.
This one-day symposium, held both in-person and virtually, focuses on future directions in the field of digital scholarship, including community-engaged research, uses of AI in the field, the rapidly evolving landscape of multimodal publishing, and more.
Keynote speaker: Brett Bobley, advisor for Schmidt Sciences’ Humanities and AI Virtual Institute grant program and former founding director of the NEH Office of Digital Humanities.
Registration
Free and open to the public. Registration required.
Schedule
8:30 a.m. – Arrivals
8:45 a.m. – Welcome and Introduction
9:15 a.m. – Keynote Address
Brett Bobley, Advisor for Schmidt Sciences and former Director of the Office of Digital Humanities at the National Endowment for the Humanities
10:15 a.m. – Break
10:30 a.m. – Multimodal Publishing: Innovation and Impact
Participants
- Sarah McKee, Project Manager, Amplifying Humanistic Scholarship, American Council of Learned Societies
- Tara Nummedal, Professor and Chair of History, Brown University
- Leah VanWey, Dean of the Faculty, Brown University
- Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero, Director of the University of Guam Press
- Chair: Allison Levy, Director of Brown University Digital Publications
12 p.m. – Lunch
1 p.m. – Community-Centered Research I: Our Priorities and Concerns (Case Studies)
Participants
- Kim Gallon, Associate Professor of Africana Studies, Brown University
- Kimberley Toney, Coordinating Curator for Native American and Indigenous Materials for the John Carter Brown Library and Brown University Library
- Michael Running Wolf (Northern Cheyenne and Lakota), Co-Founder and Lead Architect of First Languages AI Reality at Mila/IndigiGenius and former AI startup executive
- Co-Chairs:
- Patrick Rashleigh, Head of Digital Scholarship Technology Services, Brown University Library
- Tarika Sankar, Digital Humanities Librarian, Brown University Library
2 p.m. – Break
2:15 p.m. – Community-Centered Research II: Your Priorities and Concerns (audience breakouts)
3:15 p.m. – Break
3:25 p.m. – Future Directions for Digital Scholarship
Participants
- Eliza Bettinger, Director of Digital Scholarship Services, Cornell University Library
- Meaghan J. Brown, Associate Director of Digital Asset Management, John Carter Brown Library
- Lynda Kellam, Snyder-Granader Director of Research Data & Digital Scholarship, University of Pennsylvania Libraries
- Nirmala Menon, Professor of English, Indian Institute of Technology Indore and Chair of the newly established Jay Prakash Narayan National Centre of Excellence in the Humanities
- Cecilia Smith, Director of Digital Scholarship, University of Chicago Library
- Co-Chairs:
- Ashley Champagne, Director of Center for Digital Scholarship, Brown University Library
- Allison Levy, Director of Brown University Digital Publications, Brown University Library
4:45 p.m. – Closing Remarks
Speakers
- Ashley Champagne, Director of Center for Digital Scholarship, Brown University Library
- Allison Levy, Director of Brown University Digital Publications, Brown University Library
5 p.m. – Reception
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Library Stats Quest Week – Spring 2026
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Please tell your Brown University Library about your on-site experience during the week of April 6 to 12, 2026 — Library Stats Quest Week!
Did you know that nearly 20,000 users visit the libraries in-person every week?
We want to know if the experiences you’re having are meeting your needs. After each visit this week to a library location — Rockefeller, Sciences, Orwig Music, John Hay Library, and Champlin Medical Library — please take a few seconds to answer a very brief survey about your experience. Your input will help us better understand why you use the Library and how we can improve our services.
We’ll also be taking a closer look at how people are using the spaces within the libraries. Library staff will do periodic headcounts in various types of spaces throughout the week.
We strive to make every visit for every patron one in which you feel welcome, respected, and supported. This is your Library. You belong here. Your feedback is essential.
Thank you!