News

Curator Liesbeth Missel leaves WUR

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May 20, 2021

Curator Special Collections, Heritage & Art, Liesbeth Missel, left WUR after a career at the Library's Special Collections department of almost 40 years.

Curator Special Collections, Heritage and Arts

Being a Special Collections curator is a very challenging job. Liesbeth kept surprising us with her vast knowledge of the old and rare collections at WUR. She described, conservated and made the beautiful books, maps, drawings, photos and other objects visible to the public, through the database TUiN (landscape and garden architecture) and the WUR Image Collections for example. There is even a life size, paper maché horse in the collection. Over the last three years, Liesbeth has also been responsible for WUR's artwork, both on campus and in buildings.

Read more about her work in the interview by Roelof Kleis in the Resource, no. 17, 2021, p.24-26.

A few extraordinary occasions

Mr. Jan Lindenbergh donates a special edition of Merian to Special Collections, 2019
Mr. Jan Lindenbergh donates a special edition of Merian to Special Collections, 2019
A tour at Special Collections. The Tulip Book of P.Cos, 1637, at the background.
A tour at Special Collections. The Tulip Book of P.Cos, 1637, at the background.
Liesbeth shows the Tulip Book to her majesty queen Beatrix, 1987
Liesbeth shows the Tulip Book to her majesty queen Beatrix, 1987
Liesbeth wrote a chapter on Alida Withoos in 1001 Vrouwen in de 20ste eeuw (2013)
Liesbeth wrote a chapter on Alida Withoos in 1001 Vrouwen in de 20ste eeuw (2013)

Video Maria Sibylla Merian

In this video from 2020 curator Liesbeth Missel reflects on one of her favourite book in Special Collections. She explains what makes 'Receuil de plantes des Indes' of Maria Sibylla Merian, published in 1705, so special and intriguing.

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Our new colleague

Anneke Groen was recently appointed as Liesbeth's successor as the new curator Special Collections, Heritage and Art. Anneke's special interests are natural history and art, particularly from the nineteenth century. Her previous job was as collection specialist at ARTIS Royal zoo, where she was responsible for the zoo's heritage collection and was also involved in exhibition development.

I am looking forward to working with the beautiful Special Collections of WUR. In the coming period, I hope that, together with the whole team of Special Collections, we can increase the visibility of this significant collection, with physical exhibitions on the campus, in our special exhibition space and online.
Anneke Groen

Treasure Room

Special Collections is the treasure room of WUR Library. It holds collections of rare and old publications on agriculture, botany, livestock farming and garden architecture. Many illustrations are available in the WUR Image Collections.