Harold B. Lee Library

Archive for the “History of Printing and Fine Press” Category

  • Stationers’ Company Records
    Posted August 18, 2009 by Maggie Gallup

    Special Collections recently acquired the 115-reel microfilm reproduction of the Records of the Worshipful Company of Stationers & Newspaper Makers.  The Stationers’ Company was founded in 1403 and was a major force in London’s book trade both before and long after printing technology arrived in England.  Throughout the centuries, many of London’s leading printers, publishers, [...]

  • What can you learn from an old book?
    Posted November 6, 2008 by Maggie Gallup

    You may have wondered why the library keeps so many old books in Special Collections. One reason, of course, is because of their rarity or monetary value. But why keep old copies of works by, say, Martin Luther or Aristotle when you can get newer copies online, in your local bookstore, or the [...]

  • On the Edge: European Decorated Books
    Posted September 29, 2008 by Maggie Gallup

    Booksellers and book owners through the centuries have often embellished the inside and outside of their books; for example, with fine bindings, decorative bookplates, or marbled endpapers. The fore edge (the outer, unbound edge of the block of pages of a book) has provided artists and artisans the opportunity to decorate books. Through October 31, [...]

  • Honors Reading Room images
    Posted August 21, 2008 by Maggie Gallup

    As you enter the Harold B. Lee Library, take a stroll through the main floor. Pass the circulation desk and the Information Commons and you’ll see a glass-enclosed study area called the Honors Reading Room. Lining the back walls of the Reading Room are some large framed images of books — beautiful books, [...]

  • Recent acquisitions
    Posted April 11, 2008 by Maggie Gallup

    Special Collections has added a number of books to its holdings in the last month, but I wanted to highlight one very important book.

    This is an edition of Renaissance scholar Jacques Lefèvre d’Etaples’ paraphrase of Aristotle’s Ethics, dated May 1502. This book marks the first appearance of the name of Henri Estienne (or Henricus Stephanus), [...]