By Ball State Communications—
MUNCIE, IN — The Ball State University campus and the greater Muncie community have through the end of July to visit a special exhibit honoring the literary work of J.R.R. Tolkien, on display in Archives and Special Collections on the second floor of Bracken Library.
Presented by University Libraries, the exhibit features selections from the Deborah and Fritz Dolak J.R.R. Tolkien Collection, which was generously donated to Ball State in 2013. The display honors the creativity, linguistic genius, and enduring influence of Tolkien—renowned author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In addition to rare materials from the Dolak Collection, the exhibit highlights student interpretations of Tolkien’s world. Among the featured items are fantasy maps developed by Brendo Carvalho, a visiting cartography student from Brazil, and Rachel Cohn, assistant professor and foundations coordinator in the School of Art. Their work reflects the continuing inspiration Tolkien’s imagination provides to emerging artists and scholars.
“We are deeply grateful to the late Dr. Fritz Dolak and Deborah Dolak for entrusting University Libraries with this rich and imaginative collection,” said Dr. Nancy Abashian, dean of University Libraries. “This exhibit represents not only the creative brilliance of Tolkien, but also the enthusiasm and scholarship of our own students and faculty. I encourage our campus and local communities to experience this special collection while it’s still available.”
A devoted Tolkien enthusiast, Dr. Dolak first encountered The Hobbit in 1969 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. The discovery sparked a lifelong passion for Tolkien’s works, including The Lord of the Rings trilogy and later publications such as The Silmarillion. He and Deborah began collecting Tolkien materials in earnest ahead of the 2001 release of The Fellowship of the Ring film adaptation.
Dr. Dolak was born in Cleveland and studied music at the Cleveland Institute of Music before serving in the Air Force from 1968 to 1972. He later earned a Master of Music and a Doctor of Arts from Ball State, as well as a Master of Library Science in 1985. He returned to his alma mater in 1990 and held several positions in University Libraries, including head of educational resources, copyright and digital resources librarian, and copyright and intellectual property manager, before retiring in 2017. He passed away in 2021 at the age of 75.
Deborah Perry Dolak, a Fort Wayne, Ind., native, also studied in Ball State’s School of Music, where she met Dr. Dolak. A gifted flutist and longtime Muncie resident, she remained active in the local music community through lessons and performance, and later founded Over the Rainbow Dogs, a service dog training company. The couple married in 1980 and shared a deep interest in literature, music, and public service.
For more information, contact University Libraries Archives and Special Collections at 765-285-5078 or email libarchives@bsu.edu.
About Ball State
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State University is one of Indiana’s premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State’s 20,000 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world. The 790-acre campus is large enough to accommodate first-rate facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports, but our welcoming campus is small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University. We Fly!
