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Exploring Special Collections Instruction Sessions: A Guide for Faculty

This research guide provides information regarding collaborations between Special Collections and faculty across campus.

Rare Books Collection Overview and Significance

The Rare Books Collection at McDermott Library represents a significant resource for historical and contemporary research, featuring works from the 1500s-1600s. This multilingual collection includes first editions, limited printings, and signed works, offering unique insights into printing evolution, binding techniques, and historical texts.

Notable holdings include Dr. Ludwig Michael's collection featuring Samuel Johnson's 1755 Dictionary and nineteenth-century American literature. The History of the Book Collection showcases the evolution of books as artworks, from illuminated manuscripts to private press volumes. Highlights include an 18th-century French Book of Hours, classical satires, early conduct manuals, illustrated botanical guides, miniature books, and examples of fore-edge painting.

While the collection spans diverse subjects, it particularly demonstrates the artistry of bookmaking through various formats, binding styles, and illustration techniques. These materials support research across disciplines while documenting the history of the book as both text and artifact.

 

Academic Applications by Discipline: Arts, Humanities, and Technology

Research Opportunities       

  • Study historical book production
  • Research typography and book plate evolution
  • Analyze cultural preservation methods
  • Evaluate early photography practices
  • Create digital book exhibitions
  • Design typography databases
  • Build binding technique guides
  • Generate illustration catalogs 

 

Image of a hand holding a book titled, Scovill's Photographic Series. The book has a muted green and black cover with signs of age.

 This is a picture of a book with the cover open showing green cloth covering the cover and first page. There is a scene painted on the edge of the pages and when fanned out the image can be seen.

               The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare: With a glossary

 

 

 

Scovill's Photographic Series: Pictorial effect in photography

Academic Applications by Discipline: Biology, Environmental Science, Engineering, and Economics

Research Opportunities 

  • Study ecosystem change patterns
  • Map historical animal habitats
  • Study railroad engineering practices using exploration surveys and reports
  • Research architectural principles from Mexican architecture texts
  • Examine historical surveying methods from boundary reports
  • Research mining industry development from Mexican resource report

This is an image of a extra large book being pulled out from the shelf. The cover is black with gold print.  This is an image of 4 books on the shelf in the Rare Book Collection. The books have worn spines.

Books from the Rare Book Collection