Join us at IU Libraries Lilly Library on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 for the annual Ruth C. Engs Lecture on Public Health. We are excited to welcome this year’s speakers, Dr. Melissa Tedone and Dr. Rosie Grayburn, Lead Conservator and Conservation Scientist for the Poison Book Project. The speakers will discuss their research focusing on identifying potentially toxic pigments used in bookbinding components and how to handle and store potentially toxic collections more safely.

Along with refreshments, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the history of science and healthcare through a hands-on pop-up exhibition of some of the Lilly Library’s renowned historical medical materials.

Schedule

4:30 p.m.: Pop-up exhibition featuring arsenical books from the Lilly Library’s collections as well as materials related to the history of medicine and public health
5:30 p.m.: “The Poison Book Project: The Hidden Hazard on Your Bookshelves,” the 2026 Ruth C. Engs lecture, delivered by Dr. Melissa Tedone and Dr. Rosie Grayburn
6:30 p.m.: Reception and pop-up exhibition