CENTURIES OF COMMERCE: LAW, TRADE, SPAIN AND THE AMERICAS

Celebrating Historical, Cultural and Current Economic Ties Between Spain and the Americas

The exhibition is housed in the Alvin Sherman Library, Research & Information Technology Center, 3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL  33314.  Please stop by to visit the exhibit during the Sherman Library's hours which are:

Need directions?  Visit the Sherman Library's web site. Questions?  Contact 954.262.6100.

THE COLLECTION

The Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University has the honor of hosting an exhibition of 44 rare and rarely seen books and documents on loan from the Il·lustre Col·legi d'Advocats de Barcelona (the Barcelona Bar Association), one of the premier legal professional associations in Europe. From the Collegi D'Advocat's collection of more than 370,000 volumes, NSU Law has selected a group of historically significant and visually stunning books on law, commerce and trade from 1092 AD to the early 19th century. The collection will be on display from March 9 to April 4, 2004 at the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Center at the University. Museum audio wands, containing in-depth information about each piece and available free of charge, will lead an estimated 40,000 visitors through the collection on self-guided tours.

Many of the exhibit items are unique one-of-a-kind volumes. Although truly priceless, the collection that will be seen for the first time in the United States has a token insurance value in excess of $1 million. Among the documents to be displayed at the University's Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Center will be:

• An unusual “commercial” will of a landowner forced to take a business trip through dangerous territory held by the Moors that designates his spouse as his heir but which is automatically voided upon his safe return. Dated 1092 AD, it is the oldest document in the ICAB collection;
• A first edition of the Il Consolato del Mare (Barcelona 1502 AD), the original Law of the Sea that continues to influence modern maritime law. These important legal principles that regulated trade were developed in Barcelona, the leading commercial port in pre-Reformation Europe;
• An edict signed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, partners in the classic “marriage of convenience” that united the crowns of Aragon and Castile to form the country known as Spain. With fewer than five publicly held documents in existence signed by both monarchs, this piece is of special interest to Americans because of the crucial role Ferdinand and Isabella played in Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, and;
• Beautifully illustrated atlases of the world that have aroused the interest of the Library of Congress because they are the only ones in existence where the remarkable maps and other illustrations are hand painted. Floridians will find particularly interesting a map of the region that designates the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulfo de Nueva España” and identifies such current landmarks as Cape Canaveral. Published in 1657.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Informal Business Roundtables

The state-of the-art facilities of NSU's Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, the largest library in Florida, is the ideal location for a series of discussions and interactions between business people, public officials, attorneys and other community leaders from South Florida and Spain on a variety of topics, including contemporary trade issues. To launch these informal roundtable conversations, the Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Portabella, will present an invitation-only briefing on emerging opportunities for South Florida businesses in Barcelona and Catalonia.

Informative Lectures

NSU professors and guest speakers from several disciplines will offer public lectures on topics of historic and cultural interest. Among the presentations will be a discussion of the role of Spain in the commercial development of the world from pre-Middle Ages through the Era of Exploration to the present time. Another fascinating lecture will focus on the publication and preservation of ancient books. Announcements will be made as the lecture series and the speakers are finalized.

Programming for Children and Youth

During the three weeks of the Exhibit, the Alvin Sherman Library will offer programs on the ties among Spain, South Florida and the Americas to educate and entertain pre-school and elementary school children. Click here to view our program and events. In addition, public and private schools will be invited to attend special tours of the Exhibit and learn about Spain's history and cultural connections with the Americas. Librarians will be available to answer questions and provide insight and background information appropriate to the age group visiting the collection.

Film Viewings

The public will be invited to free viewings of important films involving the culture and history of Spain as well as those of Spanish directors. Librarians and special guests will provide introductory remarks before the start of each film.

ABOUT NSU SHEPARD BROAD LAW CENTER

Nova Southeastern University Law Center's mission is to provide our students with the skills they need to practice effectively in vibrant South Florida or elsewhere in the global community. The faculty, a diverse group of teacher-scholars with a wide range of backgrounds, is committed to producing highly qualified and compassionate practicing attorneys who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Our curriculum stresses practical skills and the integration of technology with the law, so that our students embark on their law careers prepared for the real-world challenges of modern legal practice.

Diversity in the Classroom

NSU Law, a school that is fully committed to serve the rich diversity of our South Florida community, ranks #3 in the nation for Juris Doctor degrees awarded to Hispanics. In addition, Hispanic Business magazine has recognized NSU Law as one of the Top Ten Law Schools for Hispanics and Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education ranks NSU among the Top Five Law Schools for Hispanic students .

Preparing Global Lawyers

The Law Center is proud to offer the first dual degree between a U.S. and a Spanish law school. NSU Law's dual degree program with the University of Barcelona (UB), one of the oldest and most prestigious legal academic institutions in Europe, is the capstone for selected Hispanic students. NSU/UB law program students study both common law and civil law systems, earning the primary law degrees in both countries and enabling them to practice in the US, Spain, transactionally throughout the European Union, and on motion in most Latin American jurisdictions. NSU Law's programs in San Jose, Costa Rica and Caracas, Venezuela (currently on hiatus) also take advantage of the strong nexus between South Florida and Latin America. The Law Center's long-term relationships in these countries permit NSU Law's many bilingual students to immerse themselves in legal settings tied to the culture of their heritage during the clinical component of their studies. The Law Center also has twice been recognized by National Jurist magazine as the #1 Wired Law School in the United States for its innovative use of technology in legal education. The Law Center's technology leadership allows students studying at distant locations to remain connected to faculty and fellow students in South Florida.

ABOUT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Nova Southeastern University, with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, is the largest independent institution of higher education in the southeast United States. With more than 22,000 students, NSU ranks as the 10th largest private, not-for-profit post-secondary institution in the U.S., in the company of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University, who are also in the Top 10. Nova Southeastern University, which comprises four campuses in South Florida, offers degree, nondegree, and/or certificate programs at more than 154 convenient national and international sites. NSU awards bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, psychology, and other social sciences. NSU has over 73,000 alumni in all 50 states an in 53 foreign countries. On the leading edge of use of technology in education, NSU offers a wide range of on-line programs that have been certified by the Southern Regional Education Board's Electronic Campus. NSU has been ranked among America's 100 Most Wired Universities, recognized as one of the nation's Top 20 Cyber Universities, and listed in Princeton Review's Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools. NSU's students are part of an organization with a strong support system in place - one that continues to grow and make strides in offering a quality education.