scholarly journals Aims and Approaches in Special Collections Assessment: A Case Study from the Osler Library

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-112
Author(s):  
Anna Dysert
Keyword(s):  
History Of Medicine ◽  
Research Center ◽  
Rare Book ◽  
University Library ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mcgill University ◽  
Rare Books

The Osler Library of the History of Medicine, a branch of the McGill University Library in Montreal, Quebec, is a research center for the history of medicine and science with significant rare book and archival holdings. As part of an institutional review launched in 2013, the Osler Library decided to look into methods of collections analysis to compile data about its collections and uncover subject strengths among items, enabling the library to better promote and communicate information about holdings to users, plan for growth, and target collections development. Collections assessment initiatives in rare books and special collections represent the coalescing . . .

scholarly journals Revisiting the Library of Edward Gibbon

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 53-74
Author(s):  
Richard Virr
Keyword(s):  
Roman Empire ◽  
University Library ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
New Information ◽  
Mcgill University ◽  
Rare Books

Edward Gibbon’s (1737–1794) library was fundamental to his historical work and he could not have written his great history The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776–1778) without it. His library continues to attract interest and attention, and two documents held in Rare Books and Special Collections, McGill University Library and Archives, not previously known to scholars, provide new information about the books that Gibbon owned. These are an invoice from his London bookbinder, Joseph Hall, for 1773–1776, andan invoice from his Lausanne bookseller, Jules Henri Pott, for 1793. The article provides transcriptions of these two documents, examines their contents, and discusses their importance for our understandingof Gibbon’s library.

scholarly journals Processing Workflow Analysis for Special Collections: The Center for the History of Medicine, Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine as Case Study

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily R. Novak Gustainis
Keyword(s):  
History Of Medicine ◽  
End Users ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Workflow Analysis ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
History Of ◽  
Archival Processing

In our efforts to make the whole more than the sum of our parts, it is easy to forget that the better the parts, the better the whole. Our special collections and archives professions have placed a premium on the utility of our descriptive products and services to our end users, and rightly so.1 Yet there remains, despite numerous calls in our professional literature,2 a scarcity of data regarding the process inputs that lead up to the delivery of our product and services outputs, especially (and perhaps most notoriously) data pertaining to archival processing. This paper focuses on the Center . . .

scholarly journals The Renaissance in Toronto: Early Modern Italian Books in the Collections of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-212
Author(s):  
Antonio Ricci
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Print Culture ◽  
Rare Book ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
University Library ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Renaissance Studies ◽  
Rare Books ◽  
The University

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto has significant holdings of books printed in Italy during the Renaissance. These volumes cover a wide variety of disciplines and represent a major resource for scholars of literature, philosophy, science, and print culture. The article explains how the Renaissance material came to Toronto by tracing the historical formation of the rare books and special collections of the University Library. It then analyzes the main areas of strength of the Fisher’s early modern holdings, offering representative examples of the most important editions and of the outstanding bibliographic treasures. Finally, it briefly considers the contribution made by the Fisher Library to Renaissance studies in Canada in the last fifty years. La bibliothèque Thomas Fisher de livres rares de l’Université de Toronto possède une collection significative de livres imprimés en Italie à la Renaissance. Ces livres relèvent d’une variété de disciplines et constituent une importante ressource pour la recherche en littérature, en philosophie, en science, et en histoire de l’imprimerie. Cet article décrit comment ces livres de la Renaissance se retrouvent à Toronto, en retraçant l’histoire de la collection de livres rares et des collections spéciales de l’Université de Toronto. On y analyse ensuite les domaines majeurs de la collection Fisher de livres de la Renaissance, par le biais d’exemples des plus importantes éditions et des trésors bibliographiques inestimables. Enfin, on y décrit la contribution de la bibliothèque Fisher aux études canadiennes de la Renaissance des cinquante dernières années.

scholarly journals The Osler Library of the History of Medicine: Mcgill’s Medical Memory

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Lyons ◽  
David Crawford
Keyword(s):  
History Of Medicine ◽  
Medical History ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mcgill University ◽  
Travel Grant ◽  
Rare Books ◽  
William Osler

Sir william Osler bequeathed his library to Mcgill University in 1919; a decade later, the 8000 volumes arrived in Montreal. Then, as now, the collection consisted of primary works (“rare books”), secondary commentaries, and current works on the history of the health sciences. In the last 80 years the collection has grown considerably and the library now adds about 1,000 books to its collection yearly (mainly current publications) and receives 200 current serial titles. The Osler Library is one of the largest “history of medicine” libraries in the world and the largest of its kind in Canada. The library tries to collect current material on the history of the health sciences from all over the world and attempts to collect all medical history published in Canada. The Osler offers its resources to researchers and students through its website, publications and Research Travel grant programme.

scholarly journals James Moses. Trends in Rare Books and Documents Special Collections Management. 2013 Edition. New York: Primary Research Group, 2013. 64p. $75 (ISBN 978-1-57440-226-1).

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-80
Author(s):  
Amy Chen
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Ohio State University ◽  
State University ◽  
Collections Management ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Rare Books ◽  
The Ohio State University ◽  
The University

Trends in Rare Books and Documents Special Collections Management, 2013 edition by James Moses surveys seven special collection institutions on their current efforts to expand, secure, promote, and digitize their holdings. The contents of each profile are generated by transcribed interviews, which are summarized and presented as a case study chapter. Seven special collections are discussed, including the Boston Public Library; AbeBooks; the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Washington University of St. Louis; the Archives and Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati; the Rare Books and Manuscript Library at The Ohio State University; and the Manuscript, Archives, and Rare . . .

scholarly journals Mapping the networks of ownership and distribution of rare books in Special Collections at the University of Auckland General Library

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jo Birks
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Historical Case Study ◽  
Historical Case ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Provenance Research ◽  
Rare Books ◽  
Book Collectors ◽  
The University ◽  
Purposive Sample

<p>The extent and research potential of provenance evidence in rare books in Special Collections at the University of Auckland General Library is largely uncharted territory. This project helps fill that gap by examining the provenance evidence, such as inscriptions, bookplates and stamps, in some of those rare books to identify any networks or patterns in their ownership history and distribution. A purposive sample of 291 pre-1851 volumes on New Zealand and Pacific-related travel and exploration was examined for provenance evidence within a qualitative framework and an historical case study design. Taking a subset of those books, which were bequeathed to the Library by Alfred Kidd (1851-1917), the project then examined other works from his bequest to further explore the scope of provenance evidence.  The project demonstrated the value of treating books as artefacts, exposing a wealth of provenance evidence and providing snapshots of the ownership and distribution histories of some volumes. Overall, 71 percent of the sample contained evidence for identifiable agents: 88 former owners, 14 booksellers, one auction house and nine book binders. The project also discussed lesser-known New Zealand book collectors who merit further study, including Alfred Kidd, Sir George Fowlds, Arthur Chappell and Allan North. Further provenance research into this collection and the provenance-related cataloguing practices in New Zealand libraries would generate additional useful insights.</p>

scholarly journals LICENSING THE USE OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS MATERIALS

2002 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Browar ◽  
Cathy Henderson ◽  
Michael North ◽  
Tara Wenger
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
History Of ◽  
Rare Books

This article has been written to assist special collections administrators who want to establish a fee policy and schedule for the publication (in any media or format) of original materials in their charge. The article examines the history of special collections’ approaches to this practice, offers a rationale for charging fees, discusses relevant copyright issues, and offers model policies and fee schedules. The article grew out of the work of an ad hoc committee of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries. The Licensing and Reproduction of Special Collections Committee had been asked . . .

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