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Shakespeare & Beyond

VIP visitors and rare works: Salman Rushdie, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and more

Photo by Chris Hartlove

Georgianna Ziegler. Photo by Chris Hartlove.

By Esther Ferington

A vital role that the Folger Shakespeare Library plays is to bring people together with materials from Shakespeare’s world, whether through exhibitions, digital content, or special tours. As you’ll see, some famous visitors have brought that notion to life in an unusual way.

Located in Washington, DC, the Folger has found in recent years that materials related to Elizabeth I—who ruled England, alone and unmarried, for most of Shakespeare’s life—have a powerful connection with women who are pioneering new roles on the Supreme Court or in the Senate. Meanwhile, well-known authors and actors have responded to other, very different rare materials in an equally strong way.

The following stories, many of which are shared here for the first time, are taken from a farewell interview with Georgianna Ziegler, Louis B. Thalheimer Associate Librarian and Head of Reference Emerita. As a reference librarian, Ziegler chose and presented rare materials for numerous tours and visits during her years at the Folger. She retired this year.

Let’s start with the author Salman Rushie, who will be giving the inaugural Eudora Welty Lecture, presented by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, at the Washington National Cathedral on October 20.