Rare Books, 1600s Map Featured In Deer Park Library Leaders’ Hofstra Trip

DEER PARK, NY — Students from Deer Park High School and Robert Frost Middle School stepped beyond their own libraries last month, gaining a rare behind-the-scenes look at centuries of knowledge during a field trip to Axinn Library at Hofstra University.

Led by Deer Park High School librarian Evan DeNaro and Robert Frost Middle School library media specialist Anne Lotito-Schuh, members of the schools’ Library Leaders clubs toured the university’s expansive stacks and explored its graphic novel special collection, offering a deeper look at both traditional and modern storytelling.

The visit also allowed students to engage with rare archival materials spanning hundreds of years. Among the highlights were a geometry book dating back to the 1500s, a map of Long Island from the 1600s, and a copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll from the 1800s, notable for its uniquely painted edges.

Following the tour, students shifted from observation to creation, crafting their own accordion journals.