![]() Professor of Dramatic Literature Brander Matthews began to transfer his collection to Columbia in 1912, which later would grow and gain international renown as the Dramatic Museum collection. ![]() The beginning of the active acquisition of collections of original manuscripts, autograph letters and documents was marked by Trustee William Schermerhorn's gift in 1902 of New York Governor De Witt Clinton’s papers. This was an early step in thinking about the special collections in the library which would lead in 1930 to the creation of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Four years after the Temple Emanu-El gift, in 1896, Columbia President Seth Low (in office 1890–1901), decided to make the college a university and to further expand the library so that it could support graduate level research.Īround the turn of the century, a bibliographer was hired to buy out-of-print books, curate exhibitions, and teach. Gottheil arranged the gift by Temple Emanu-el of New York City of its distinguished library of 2,500 printed books and fifty manuscripts of Hebraica in 1892, which placed Columbia's Judaica collection among the top in the country. Professor of Semitic Languages Richard J.H. Particular highlights of the Phoenix gift include a 15th-century French Book of Hours, a Jean Grolier bound Aldine edition of philosopher Iamblichus’ works, Shakespeare’s First Folio, and original drawings by inventor Robert Fulton. The 1881 bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, the well-travelled scion of a New York merchant family, noted genealogist, and college alumnus, brought Columbia its first collector's library, around seven thousand rare editions and manuscripts. Columbia was one of only three American educational institutions to have acquired this now famous work as it was released. Duer (in office 1829–1842) when it subscribed to the elephant folio edition of John James Audubon's The Birds of America, published from 1827 to 1838. The college exhibited an interest in acquiring significant books early in its history during the presidency of William A. A group of over one hundred titles from the original King's College Library survived the American Revolution, and are now part of the historic Columbiana Collection. The Chang Octagon in RBML 1754–1899 Ĭolumbia University was founded by royal charter as King's College in 1754. Areas of collecting emphasis include American history, Russian and East European émigré history and culture, Columbia University history, comics and cartoons, philanthropy and social reform, the history of mathematics, human rights advocacy, Hebraica and Judaica, Latino arts and activism, literature and publishing, medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, oral history, performing arts, and printing history and the book arts. Located in New York City on the university's Morningside Heights campus, its collections span more than 4,000 years, from early Mesopotamia to the present day, and span a variety of formats: cuneiform tablets, papyri, and ostraca, medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, early printed books, works of art, posters, photographs, realia (such as mathematical instruments and theater models), sound and moving image recordings, and born-digital archives. The Rare Book & Manuscript Library is principal repository for special collections of Columbia University. The Othmer Library continues to actively acquire new books and manuscripts for the collection, including a growing collection of alchemical manuscripts dating from the 15th to the 17th century.For the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign library, see The Rare Book & Manuscript Library (University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign). Roughly 6,000 titles in all, the Neville collection comprises materials that date from the late 15th century to the early 20th century and includes many of the most important works in the history of science and technology from this period. Neville Historical Chemical Library, which represents one of the richest, most comprehensive, and most cohesive single deposits of books on the history of chemistry in the world. In 2004 the Othmer Library acquired the Roy G. Othmer’s bequest of his personal library, and other individual purchases, donations, and bequests. The Othmer Library of Chemical History is home to an extraordinary collection of rare books, which began with acquisitions from The Chemists’ Club, Donald F. The Science History Institute has one of the greatest collections of rare books on chemistry in the world.
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