From the collections of Rachel D’Agostino and Erika Piola

Italian language guides
Collection of Rachel D’Agostino

Bakery business cards
Collection of Erika Piola

Rachel D’Agostino and Erika Piola are curators at the Library Company of Philadelphia. They organized that institution’s exhibition Remnants of Everyday Life: Historical Ephemera in the Workplace, Street, and Home. Both have lent from their personal collections for our exhibition.

“As an Italian-American from a family that arrived in this country both during the height of Italian immigration and also many decades earlier, I have always had an interest in Italian-American history and culture, including that of Italian-Americans now many generations removed from their Italian relations. I am drawn to Italian-language instruction because it is a way that many Italian-Americans, no longer learning the language at home, try to reconnect with their roots while also distinguishing themselves from ‘Medigans.’”

– Rachel D’Agostino

“I never intended to start a collection of bakery business cards. It is somewhat of an unintentional collection; is small; and does not represent every bakery I have visited. The cards “live” on my fridge under magnets as a reminder of bakeries I have been to, need to visit again, and in some instances, just to remember the address for those future visits.”

– Erika Piola