Marguerite Ragnow, she/her/hers Curator
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 612-624-6895
- ORCID iD
-
0000-0002-2013-2428
- Full position title(s)
- Curator, James Ford Bell Library; Special Collections and Rare Books
- Libraries department
- Archives and Special Collections
About
Dr. Marguerite Ragnow is curator of the James Ford Bell Library, a collection of rare books, maps, manuscripts and other documents and objects that document the history and impact of trade and cultural exchange around the globe prior to ca. 1850 CE. She also is on the graduate faculties of History, Early Modern Studies, and Medieval Studies, and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Center for Premodern Studies at the University of Minnesota.
She is heavily engaged in the teaching and learning mission of the University, and under her direction the Bell Library serves as an interactive laboratory for hands-on learning with primary sources. She assists researchers in finding the right materials for their projects, introduces students and others to the collection through lectures and presentations, and gives talks to community groups on a variety of topics that connect to the collection. She regularly mentors students and supervises interns.
She also is curator of Special Collections and Rare Books (SCRB), the UMN Libraries' general rare book and archival collections unit, become first interim curator in October 2024, and then curator in 2025. SCRB has particular concentrations in the History of the Book from cuneiform to modern fine press, early modern European political history; military history; and Scandinavian literature.
Education
MA Medieval History, University of Minnesota
Ph.D. with Distinction; Medieval History, sub field Early Modern World Trade; minors in Medieval Studies and Latin, University of Minnesota