A Directory of Rare Book and Special Collections in the UK and Republic of Ireland, Third Edition (SOFTCOVER)
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The Directory is the only publication to bring together rare book and special collections from all kinds of libraries across the British Isles and is an essential research tool for researchers and librarians throughout the world.
Fully updated since the second edition was published in 1997, this comprehensive and up-to-date guide encompasses collections held in national libraries, academic libraries, public libraries, subscription libraries, clergy libraries, libraries for other professions, school libraries, companies, London clubs, museums and archives, and libraries in stately homes.
Consulting the Directory is an essential first step in a research project and it can answer question such as, "Where can I best research the reception of Jane Austen's novels?"; "Can I find Civil War tracts in a library near me?"; "Is Thomas Carlyle's library intact and in the public sphere?"; "Does Britain have the resources to study Nazi school textbooks?"; "How do I arrange my research trip to study Tauchnitz publications?"
The Directory:
- Provides a national, cross-sectoral overview of rare book and special collections
- Provides a quick and easy summary of individual libraries' holdings
- Directs researchers to the libraries most relevant for them
- Assists libraries to evaluate their special collections according to a ‘unique and distinctive' model
- Enables libraries to make informed decisions about special collections acquisition and collaboration
- Helps booksellers and donors to target offers.
Entries in the Directory provide full contact details, and descriptions of rare book and named special collections including quantities, particular subject and language strengths, and information about salient features such as provenance.
"In an increasingly electronic age, the rare, the special and the unique in our libraries becomes all the more important and distinctive. The Directory has become established as a one-stop compendium of information on such material and a comprehensive update of Barry Bloomfield's much respected 1997 edition is very welcome."
— David Pearson, Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries at the City of London
"The new edition of the Directory of Rare Book and Special Collections is a long-awaited reference work which will help researchers identify the UK and Republic of Ireland's great collections of research materials. It provides detailed and authoritative information and is a must for all serious researchers."
— Richard Ovenden, Bodley's Librarian, Oxford
"Consulting the invaluable Directory of Rare Book and Special Collections in the UK and Republic of Ireland is often a critical first stage in developing a worthwhile research project in the humanities. Its thoroughness and comprehensiveness serve both the scholar and librarian well."
— Simon Eliot, Professor of the History of the Book, University of London
"Together, institutions in the UK and Ireland hold unrivaled special collection. From our great National Libraries, through university collections to the smaller collections of specialist societies, cathedrals, historic homes, and museums we have a centuries-old tradition of collecting, preserving and giving access. Scholars from around the world and across disciplinary differences rely on the treasures held by libraries listed in the Directory to pursue their research and help us make sense of the world in which we live."
— David Prosser, Executive Director, RLUK
"This work Attar (Univ. of London, UK) may seem an anachronism, but this is wrong. Many organizations have not yet cataloged all their holdings, posted their finding aids, or digitized all materials. Nor have Google Books (CH, Dec'12, 50-1800) or the Hathi Trust Digital Library (CH, May'10, 47-4750) contributors done so. The best researchers still must master paper and digital worlds … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers; professional bibliophiles."
— CHOICE