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Meet the skeleton who is watching over the UNLV library

Updated April 22, 2020 - 11:02 am

While the UNLV campus is closed because of coronavirus concerns, nobody is using the Lied Library — save for one dutiful skeleton.

As part of a humorous photo essay, Aaron Mayes, the curator for visual materials at UNLV’s Special Collections and Archives, staged pictures of Mandy the Skeleton patrolling the school’s library.

When classes are in session, Mandy is on loan for students to prepare for anatomy and physiology exams.

While reference requests are being done remotely at ask.library.unlv.edu, Mandy’s still hopin ...
While reference requests are being done remotely at ask.library.unlv.edu, Mandy’s still hoping someone stops by the Reference Desk with a question. (Aaron Mayes/UNLV Special Collections)

Mayes says that a colleague suggested he put Mandy to work for a photo essay on the university website.

“It started with a list of poses. Then I started looking at the shelves of books thinking, ‘What would a skeleton read?’ It ended with him taking a photocopy of his backside,” Mayes says. “I think maybe I went overboard.”

When there’s nothing else to do, make a copy. (Aaron Mayes/UNLV Special Collections)
When there’s nothing else to do, make a copy. (Aaron Mayes/UNLV Special Collections)

For the past several weeks, Mayes has been chronicling the coronavirus’ effects on Las Vegas by photographing barren stretches of the Strip and downtown areas.

“It’s hard to see our town that way,” Mayes says. “That photo essay had a lot of interest. But it’s also nice to see something light-hearted.”

Someone found a place to nap in the library. (Aaron Mayes/UNLV Special Collections)
Someone found a place to nap in the library. (Aaron Mayes/UNLV Special Collections)

Mandy does a little self-diagnosis. (Aaron Mayes/UNLV Special Collections)
Mandy does a little self-diagnosis. (Aaron Mayes/UNLV Special Collections)

Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter.

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