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The interface between authors and their readers is a fascinating subject in its own right, revealing a great deal about social attitudes, technological progress, aesthetic values, fashionable interests, political positions, economic constraints and individual personalities. This part of the Cambridge Library Collection reissues classic studies in the area of printing and publishing history that shed light on developments in typography and book design, printing and binding, the rise and fall of publishing houses and periodicals and the roles of authors and illustrators. It documents the ebb and flow of the book trade supplying a wide range of customers with products from almanacs to novels, bibles to erotica, and poetry to statistics.

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179 results in Cambridge Library Collection - History of Printing, Publishing and Libraries

Page 5 of 9

Reminiscences of a Literary Life
  • Volume 2
  • Thomas Frognall Dibdin
  • Published online:
    05 April 2012
    Print publication:
    02 October 2010
    First published in:
    1836
  • First published in 1836, this lively two-volume autobiography of Thomas Frognall Dibdin (1776–1847) reveals the background and mindset of this fascinating character. Best-known for helping to stimulate interest in bibliography and for his enthusiasm in promoting book collecting among the aristocracy, the English bibliographer adopts a conversational and anecdotal tone as he shares the details of his life and work with the reader. Volume 2 begins with Dibdin's experiences at Althorp, describing how the rich library there was thrown open to him. He then continues his detailed discussion of his publications, and focuses on his life in London, before the final chapter turns to private libraries and their importance in his life. Drawing upon letters and literature throughout, Dibdin recounts many entertaining tales, including an unfortunate encounter with a 'savage-hearted critic' at a dinner party, and introduces the influential characters he meets along the way.

Paper and Paper Making, Ancient and Modern
  • With an Introduction by the Rev. George Croly
  • Richard Herring, George Croly
  • Published online:
    05 April 2012
    Print publication:
    02 November 2010
    First published in:
    1855
  • This short history of paper-making is based on lectures delivered at the London Institute, and was first published in book form in 1855. The young Richard Herring (b. 1829) covers a great deal of ground in just three chapters. His book begins with the origins of writing itself, the first materials upon which people wrote, and the mastery of Egyptian papyrus. He then describes more recent developments such as the paper-making techniques developed in the eighteenth century by James Whatman, watermarks, and an especially captivating section on how the close analysis of paper was used to expose an Irish forgery of Shakespearean manuscripts. The introduction by the Reverend George Croly stresses the importance of paper-making and printing to Christian history. Herring writes enthusiastically, punctuating his account with anecdotes, and patriotically emphasises the unrivalled brilliance of printing in England.

How to Catalogue a Library
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    28 October 2010
    First published in:
    1889
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley (1838–1917) was a prolific writer on bibliography, literature and the arts. As founder of the Index Society, and editor of The Bibliographer, he was also involved in the foundation of the Library Association. In that context he wrote several works on library topics. How to Catalogue a Library (1889) was aimed at smaller library collections, as existing systems, such as the manuals of the British Museum library or the Library of Congress, were too elaborate for smaller collections. Wheatley begins by defining the differences between catalogues, indexes and bibliographies, and then compares the existing rules. He discusses the physical form of catalogues and lists the minimum requirements for the catalogue of a small library. He also discusses cataloguing manuscripts and cross-referencing, and provides a useful index of Latin place names. The book contains much on the theory of organisation of information still of relevance today.

Specimens of Printing Types and Ornaments
  • At the University Press, Cambridge
  • John Willis Clark
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1901
  • First published in 1901, this is a rich repository of typefaces (including English, Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Arabic, Hebrew and Cyrillic), ornaments, borders and various decorative devices used in books printed at the University Press, Cambridge, until 1900. Highlights of the compilation include a wide range of historical typefaces (including Caslon, Marr, Figgins, Blake, and Miller and Richards), stylish borders, corners and head and tail pieces, university and college shields, and a detailed catalogue of Egyptian hieroglyphs. It also contains sections on accented letters and signs, 'poster founts' and ornately styled initial letters. Prefaced with a brief 'Historical Sketch' by J. W. Clark, a noted Cambridge academic and antiquarian, Specimens is a valuable archive of the craft of lettering and design before the advent of the digital age that will delight bibliophiles, typographers and collectors.

A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of St John's College, Cambridge
  • Montague Rhodes James
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1913
  • M. R. James (1862–1936) is probably best remembered as a writer of chilling ghost stories, but he was an outstanding scholar of medieval literature and palaeography, who served both as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and as Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and many of his stories reflect his academic background. His detailed descriptive catalogues of manuscripts owned by colleges, cathedrals and museums are still of value to scholars today. James' catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of St John's College, Cambridge, first published in 1913, is reissued here. It will be welcomed by librarians and researchers alike.

The Chained Library
  • A Survey of Four Centuries in the Evolution of the English Library
  • Burnett Hillman Streeter
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    10 March 2011
    First published in:
    1931
  • B. H. Streeter (1874–1937) was an Oxford theologian and biblical scholar. From 1915 to 1934 he was a canon of Hereford Cathedral, which is famous for its medieval chained library. Books were rare and precious items in the middle ages, and were frequently chained to the bookshelf and read on the lectern below to prevent unauthorised removal. Streeter's researches during the Hereford library's restoration led to the publication in 1931 of this illustrated study of early English libraries. It examines in detail the arrangement of libraries from medieval times to the eighteenth century, focusing on cathedral, college and parish libraries in England. Examining their floor plans, the form of their desks, shelves and seating arrangement, Streeter identifies distinct variations in design. Libraries are working buildings, and alter over time with the needs of their users, but Streeter's wide-ranging expertise allows him to reconstruct their earlier configurations.

Remarkable Bindings in the British Museum
  • Selected for their Beauty or Historic Interest
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    21 October 2010
    First published in:
    1889
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley (1838–1917) was a prolific writer on bibliography, literature and the arts. As founder of the Index Society, and editor of The Bibliographer, he was also involved in the foundation of the Library Association. In that context he wrote several works on library topics, and this volume contains two works on bookbinding, Remarkable Bindings in the British Museum (1889) and Bookbinding Considered as a Fine Art, Mechanical Art and Manufacture (1882). The former contains descriptions and illustrations of 62 examples of bookbinding then in the British Museum library, notable as beautiful examples from different countries and periods, or different materials, or for their historic interest. The second piece was a paper read to the Society of Arts in 1880. It outlines the history of bookbinding styles in different countries, and then discusses it both as an art form and from a practical point of view, with illustrations.

Epistulae Ortelianae
  • Ecclesiae Londino-Batavae Archivum
  • Volume 1
  • Edited by Jan Hendrick Hessels
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    22 April 2010
    First published in:
    1887
  • The publication between 1887 and 1897 of these letters, which form part of the archive of the Dutch Church at Austin Friars in London, was a remarkable feat of bibliography. The archive had been deposited in 1866 with the Library Committee of the Corporation of the City of London, and in 1884 Jan Hendrick Hessels began to prepare them for the press. The letters, written in Dutch, French, English, Italian and Latin between 1524 and 1723, throw light on the religious, intellectual and political ferment of the period: among the writers are Erasmus and Dürer; among the destinations, London, Antwerp, Paris, Venice, Rome, Seville and Madrid. The first volume (reissued here in two parts) consists of the correspondence of the great Flemish map-maker Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598). Each letter is preceded by an English summary of its contents, and Hessels' preface provides a context for the volume.

How to Form a Library
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    21 October 2010
    First published in:
    1886
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley (1838–1917) was a prolific writer on bibliography, literature and the arts. As founder of the Index Society, and editor of The Bibliographer, he was also involved in the foundation of the Library Association. In that context he wrote several works on library topics. How to Form a Library was published in 1886, when libraries were spreading rapidly throughout England. The book provides advice on the selection of material for different kinds of libraries and audiences, and suggests a list of core works. Although the choices reflect the period in which it was written - a point Wheatley makes about earlier lists - it nonetheless has a value in giving insight into the intellectual interests of the day. He was firmly against librarians acting as moral censors, and although his list of required reading is unlikely to be followed today, the book contains much valuable information on library history.

How to Make an Index
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    04 November 2010
    First published in:
    1902
  • Henry Benjamin Wheatley (1838–1917) was a bibliographer and editor with a prodigious output of books and articles to his name. Brought up after the death of both his parents by his brother Benjamin Robert, himself a skilled bibliographer and cataloguer, Henry worked for many years for the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Arts; he was a founder member of the Library Association, and produced an edition of Pepys' diary which was not superseded until the 1970s. This work is one of two which he produced on the subject of indexing: the Wheatley Medal awarded by the Society of Indexers is named after him. This book sets out the rules and practicalities of indexing, and also contains examples of how not to make an index; it was for many years the text to which all professional indexers referred, and still makes fascinating reading today.

Early English Printed Books in the University Library, Cambridge
  • 1475 to 1640
  • Volume 4, Indexes
  • C. E. Sayle
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    08 April 2010
    First published in:
    1900
  • An erudite and popular librarian, Charles Edward Sayle (1864–1924) devoted his career to cataloguing and editing rare books in the University of Cambridge. His obituary praised him as 'a fine example of the type of man who likes to catalogue things in the right order'. This catalogue of incunabula and early printed books in the University Library was his most important project. Commissioned by the Library Syndicate in 1894, the catalogue was published in four volumes between 1900 and 1907. Even upon completion, Sayle's list was not final, as the rare book collections at the Library were undergoing a period of great expansion, having grown by a third during his cataloguing work, both through purchases and by donations or bequests. This final volume indexes the books by author, printer, engraver, and place of printing, and includes a list of notable titles of particular artistic, musical or bibliographical interest.

A Descriptive Catalogue of the Latin Manuscripts in the John Rylands Library at Manchester
  • Volume 1, Numbers 1 to 183. Letterpress
  • Montague Rhodes James
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    20 January 2011
    First published in:
    1921
  • M. R. James (1862–1936), best known as a writer of chilling ghost stories, was an outstanding scholar of medieval literature and palaeography, who served both as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and as Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum. His detailed descriptive catalogues of manuscripts owned by colleges, cathedrals and museums are still of value to scholars today. This two-volume catalogue, first published in 1921, was commissioned as the fourth in a series of guides to the collection of Oriental and Western manuscripts in the John Rylands Library. It describes 183 Latin rolls and codices dating from the sixth to the nineteenth century, their material, dimensions, structure, provenance, decoration and content. Volume 1 contains the text, and Volume 2 consists of 187 plates, illustrating a wide range of scripts, decorations and covers. James' book is still sought after and this reissue will be welcomed by librarians and researchers alike.

A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of Lambeth Palace
  • Volume 2, Parts IV–V (Nos. 358–End)
  • Montague Rhodes James, Claude Jenkins
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    20 January 2011
    First published in:
    1932
  • M. R. James (1862–1936) is probably best remembered as a writer of chilling ghost stories, but he was an outstanding scholar of medieval literature and palaeography, who served as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and later became Provost of Eton College. His detailed descriptive catalogues of manuscripts owned by colleges, cathedrals and museums are still of value to scholars today. James worked with the Lambeth Librarian Claude Jenkins on this catalogue, first published in five parts between 1930 and 1932, of the important manuscript collection begun by Archbishop Bancroft in the early seventeenth century. Building on James' handlist of medieval manuscripts in the library, published in 1900 and also reissued in this series, it gives full descriptions of the manuscripts including their contents, decoration, provenance and history. Volume 2 of this reissue contains Parts 4–5, covering manuscripts 358–576 and 36 others.

A Catalogue of the Medieval Manuscripts in the University Library, Aberdeen
  • Montague Rhodes James
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    20 January 2011
    First published in:
    1932
  • M. R. James (1862–1936) is probably best remembered as a writer of chilling ghost stories, but he was an outstanding scholar of medieval literature and palaeography, who served as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and later as Provost of Eton. His detailed descriptive catalogues of manuscripts owned by colleges, cathedrals and museums are still sought after by scholars today. This catalogue, originally published in 1932, describes just over 80 medieval manuscripts. Thirty of them, mostly later medieval works on canon law or the history of Aberdeen, came to the library from King's College. The remainder, many from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and regarded as more important by James, belong to the Marischal College collection, which originated in a 1624 bequest and contains several manuscripts formerly owned by St Paul's Cathedral, London. James describes their structure, content, provenance and decoration, and the book is illustrated by 27 plates.

A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of Eton College
  • Montague Rhodes James
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    20 January 2011
    First published in:
    1895
  • M. R. James (1862–1936) is probably best remembered as a writer of chilling ghost stories, but he was an outstanding scholar of medieval literature and palaeography, who served both as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and as Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and many of his stories reflect his academic background. His detailed descriptive catalogues of manuscripts owned by colleges, cathedrals and museums are still of value to scholars today. This volume, first published in 1895, contains James' catalogue of the manuscript holdings of Eton College, where he himself was educated. No catalogue had been published since 1697, when 115 manuscripts were briefly noted; by James' time the collection had grown to 193. James provides information on the donors and the library building before going on to describe the manuscripts and their contents. His book is still sought after and this reissue will be welcomed by librarians and researchers alike.

The Manuscripts of Westminster Abbey
  • Joseph Armitage Robinson, Montague Rhodes James
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1908
  • Joseph Armitage Robinson (1858–1933) was an internationally regarded scholar of early Christian texts, as well as an influential churchman, theologian, historian and pioneer of Anglican–Catholic ecumenical dialogue. While he was Dean of Westminster, he collaborated with the outstanding medievalist and palaeographer M. R. James, then Provost of King's College, Cambridge, on this study, originally published in 1908. It documents the history of the library at Westminster Abbey and its accompanying scriptorium from 1060 to 1660, the original library having been dispersed at the dissolution of the monasteries and its successor destroyed by a fire in 1694. The authors present surprisingly detailed information, compiled from surviving sources, about the buildings, furniture and holdings of the library, its administration, the budget for buying and restoring books, and acquisitions from gifts and legacies. James even succeeds in identifying some manuscripts once owned by Westminster that have survived in other collections.

Descriptive Catalogues of the Manuscripts in the Libraries of some Cambridge Colleges
  • Montague Rhodes James
  • Published online:
    05 January 2012
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1905
  • M. R. James (1862–1936) is probably best remembered as a writer of chilling ghost stories, but he was an outstanding scholar of medieval literature and palaeography, who served both as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and as Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and many of his stories reflect his academic background. His detailed descriptive catalogues of manuscripts owned by colleges, cathedrals and museums are still of value to scholars today. James' catalogues of the manuscript holdings of eight Cambridge colleges (Clare, Trinity Hall, Magdalene, King's, Queens', St Catharine's, Christ's and Sidney Sussex) are bound together in this volume, which will be welcomed by librarians and researchers alike.

A Practical Treatise upon Modern Printing Machinery and Letterpress Printing
  • Frederick J. F. Wilson, Douglas Grey
  • Published online:
    05 December 2011
    Print publication:
    28 October 2010
    First published in:
    1888
  • First published in 1888, A Practical Treatise upon Modern Printing Machinery and Letterpress Printing by Wilson and Grey remains an important work for those interested in the Victorian mechanisation of printing. They list, with illustrations, all the different machines in use in the printing trade, in England and abroad. They outline the development of printing from the early hand presses, and discuss in detail the strengths and weaknesses of the different machines then in use. Information is provided on manufacturers and specifications of the multitude of machinery available for all stages of the printing and publishing process. The book contains valuable information on the development of colour printing, and covers book and newspaper printing as well as the needs of small jobbing firms. It will be of interest to historians of printing and publishing, printers, engineers and industrial archaeologists.

Randolph Caldecott
  • A Personal Memoir of his Early Art Career
  • Henry Blackburn
  • Published online:
    05 December 2011
    Print publication:
    20 May 2010
    First published in:
    1886
  • Published soon after his untimely death, this spirited memoir of the artist and illustrator Randolph Caldecott (1846–1886) will appeal as much for its value as a portrait composed by a close acquaintance, as for the many drawings it contains. Written by Henry Blackburn (the editor of the London Society, 'an illustrated magazine of light and amusing literature' to which Caldecott contributed a number of drawings), it uses a style similar to that of Caldecott himself, who often peppered his papers, personal letters to family and friends, and even official documents with small sketches. These would take as their subject some humorous remark, or simply illustrate the content of the text. Beyond illustration (in which he was highly successful) Caldecott had a varied career as a sculptor and oil painter (exhibiting at the Royal Academy) and as a watercolourist, being elected to the Royal Institute of Watercolour Painting in 1872.

An Inquiry into the Nature and Form of the Books of the Ancients
  • With a History of the Art of Bookbinding, from the Times of the Greeks and Romans to the Present Day
  • John Hannett
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    23 December 2010
    First published in:
    1837
  • John Andrews Annett was the pseudonym of John Hannett, a printer and a pioneer in the study of modern and historical bookbinding methods. An Inquiry into the Nature and Form of the Books of the Ancients was published in 1837, following the success of Bibliopegia, his manual of bookbinding techniques. Having outlined the various ways in which written records were kept, and the development of the codex and of printing, Hannett devotes most of the book to the history of bookbinding. The book is well researched and illustrated, with many quotations from earlier works to support his clearly written narrative. Wills and accounts often describe books in terms of their binding, providing a way of following changing fashions in book coverings. He examines continental and oriental bindings as well as English, before discussing modern binding practice and practitioners.

Page 5 of 9