18. RARE BOOKS

COLLECTING

18.1 The Library’s rare book collection consists of overseas works (excluding publications in Asian scripts and Pacific Island languages) and contains at present some 75 000 titles, predominantly in the form of monographs and pamphlets. The collection is not centred on one particular theme, but encompasses a wide range of subjects including literature, economics, politics, science, theology, agriculture and linguistics. It has a number of strengths which result from the purchase of formed collections over the years. It has particular strengths in seventeenth and eighteenth century English language and literature, eighteenth and nineteenth century British social, political and economic history, a range of contemporary materials relating to the French revolution, eighteenth and nineteenth century French, Italian and Portuguese drama, seventeenth and eighteenth century religious history and theology, English linguistics and typography and fine printing. A number of major electronic collections, including Early English Books Online, have been purchased by the Library. These collections expand and enhance the usability of the rare book collection and provide an almost comprehensive record of English language publishing from 1475–1800. There are also a number of microform collections which provide access to English books printed before 1801, French books before 1701, German books before 1601, Italian books before 1601 and Russian books before 1801. Further microform resources on the French Revolution, British political and economic history, and landmark works in the history of science supplement the collection. These materials are supplemented by material in the general collection such as reprints and facsimile editions, modern critical editions, histories and bibliographies.

18.2 The Library continues to maintain the integrity of its large holding of rare books. The Library gives consideration, on a case by case basis, to obtaining items either by purchase or by donation which fill a gap or which otherwise make a substantial contribution to an area of existing strength within the present collection. The Library continues to selectively acquire sets of older printed books in microfilm or digitised form.

CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION OF MATERIALS IN THE RARE BOOKS COLLECTION

18.3 In the National Library of Australia, books are placed into the rare book collection if they conform to one or more of the following categories:

  • books which are valuable by reason of their early imprint date, including all monographs published before 1801 and selected monographs published between 1801 and 1850; serials which ceased or where our holdings ceased before 1801; and American imprints of the first 15 states of the Union published up to 1820, the states in the Union by the end of the Civil War published up to 1865, and all other states up to their last territorial year or 1900, whichever is the earlier;
  • books which are rare because they are unique or irreplaceable, including limited editions, usually of 500 copies or less; works valuable because of content; and private press books; important association copies and important works autographed by their authors, illustrators or printers; significant first editions; and editions of special note, including pirated and surreptitious editions;
  • books of aesthetic importance, including fine printing, illustration or binding, and special press books;
  • books with significant manuscript or other material laid or tipped in;
  • special collections containing both rare and non-rare material, which need to be retained together to meet some special purpose;
  • books of high monetary value; or
  • high quality facsimile editions of important books.

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