The Rare Book Room!

TL;DR

The Field Museum Library houses a collection of rare books, including originals and unique editions, spanning various subjects in natural history and early travel.

Transcript

Emily: So we are here in the rare book room with Christine. What do you do here in the library? Christine: I am the museum librarian and head of library collections here at the Field Museum. Emily: We are in a particular room in the library this isn't what the rest of the library looks like. Christine: So we are in the Mary W Reynolds rare book roo... Read More

Key Insights

• 🗺️ Rare books at the Field Museum Library encompass diverse subjects such as natural history, early travels, botany, and more.
• ⚡ Rare books can meet criteria beyond age, including uniqueness, high market value, limited numbers, importance, and association with significant individuals.
• 📚 Digitization efforts by the Field Museum Library and the biodiversity heritage library have made millions of rare book pages freely available online.
• 📔 The Mary W Reynolds rare book room at the Field Museum Library houses notable works like an early book on fish species and a complete set of John James Audubon's "Birds of America."
• 🥰 Rare books often provide valuable insights into historical art, science, and culture, prompting interest from various fields of study and individuals.
• 📚 The library's first edition of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species" showcases the importance of book editions and their historical significance.
• 📔 Composite plates in rare books like Audubon's "Birds of America" highlight the complexity of book production and the need for physical alterations in the past.

Questions & Answers

Q: What criteria make a book rare?

Rare books can have various criteria such as uniqueness, importance, high market value, limited numbers, association copies, or significant first owners.

Q: Can rare books be both old and new?

Yes, rare books are not solely defined by their age. They can include newer publications that meet specific criteria, such as limited editions or high market value.

Q: Are all rare books available online?

The Field Museum Library has digitized over 50 million pages of literature, including rare books, making them freely available through the biodiversity heritage library website. However, some people still seek to see rare books in person even after viewing them online.

Q: How can one determine if a book is a first edition?

In the case of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species," one indicator of a first edition is a misspelling of the word "species" on page 20. Scholars and organizations like the Darwin census project document and track first editions.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Mary W Reynolds rare book room at the Field Museum Library contains 7,500 volumes of rare materials related to natural history and early travels. Rare books are not necessarily old, but rather meet certain criteria like importance, limited numbers, or high market value.

• Examples of rare books include original pattern and proof plates from a book published in 1887, one of the earliest books on fish species dating back to 1554, a limited edition book on Jade objects, and a first edition of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species."

• The library has digitized over 50 million pages of literature, including rare books, through their partnership with the biodiversity heritage library, making them freely available online.