"Curating the Ordinary" explores the unique power of ephemera—everyday disposable paper items often overlooked but rich in cultural significance. In this talk, Dave will share his philosophy and approach to collecting, revealing how these artifacts capture the nuances of contemporary life and shape the stories future historians and scholars will tell, as well as showcase some of items from his collections. 

About the speaker: 

David Toccafondi is the Manager of the Vitale Digital Media Lab and the Hechtman Video Production Studio at the Penn Libraries.  He earned a BA in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and has worked at the Penn Libraries in various capacities since 1995.  He collects (too) many things, including Altoids Tins, children's books about the Japanese American internment during WWII, Amberina glassware, Penn yearbooks, books of bluegrass banjo tablature, queer comics, and several categories of contemporary ephemera.