Incunabula at Senate House Library: Growth of a Collection

Author: Attar, K E

Source: Library & Information History, Volume 25, Number 2, June 2009 , pp. 97-116(20)

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $39.00 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

How does a University library established in the late nineteenth century and donation-driven into the twentieth acquire a collection of incunabula? This article examines the growth of the incunabula collection at Senate House Library, University of London (formerly known as the University of London Library) from the twenty-two fifteenth-century books in the foundation collection of Augustus De Morgan, given in 1871, to the twenty-first century. It describes the influx of incunabula through the gifts of various named special collections, looking also at the role that incunabula played within those collections; through purchase; and through the demise of other institutional libraries. The article further details Senate House Library's treatment of its incunabula and shows how exploration of a small collection (134 of the Library's estimated 200,000 early printed books) sheds light on private and institutional library history.

Keywords: UNIVERSITY OF LONDON; INCUNABULA; SENATE HOUSE LIBRARY; BOOK COLLECTING; SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/175834909X417471

Affiliations: Senate House Library, University of London, UK

Publication date: 2009-06-01

More about this publication?

In 2009 Library History changed its name to Library & Information History to reflect changes and developments in the subject area. To view the issues of Library History available online please click here...
Editorial Board
Information for Authors
Subscribe to this Title
Membership Information
Information for Advertisers
Terms & Conditions
Top articles
History Spotlight
Virtual History
ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites