The WPRL provides researchers and collectors with a dynamic collection of books, journals, and catalogs supporting philatelic research. Founded in 1976 by Harold Wineburgh, the library serves to promote philatelic research and inspire learning through the study of stamps.
Wineburgh Philatelic Research Library
What is Philately?
Philately refers to the collecting and study of postage stamps and related postal materials. The term originated in the 1860s, coined by French stamp enthusiast George Herpin, combining:
This term emerged during a pivotal shift in postal history, when stamps revolutionized mail delivery by requiring senders, rather than recipients, to pay postage costs. While timbromania (from French timbre, meaning "stamp") was considered, philately became the universally accepted term for this field of study and collection.
Philately. (n.d.). Merriam Webster. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philately#:~:text=But%20when%20Herpin%20suggested%20philat%C3%A9lie,it%20and%20the%20name%20stuck.
Collection Strengths The WPRL has grown into one of the nation's premier philatelic libraries, featuring:
Specialization Areas:
Special Holdings The library maintains the records of:
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The Portal to Texas History-UT Dallas Digital Collection
The Portal to Texas History connects researchers to "rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas." -The Portal to Texas History
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Find digital resources through the Library Catalog.
Support and Development
The WPRL is sustained through: