Preservation of Books
Bryn Mawr's library contains an extraordinary number of treasures that one rarely finds in the libraries of liberal arts colleges. The College has one of the country's largest collections of fifteenth century printed books, and extensive holdings on the history of women, European exploration and colonization, illustrated books, and many other topics. Unfortunately, the ravages of time have had their effect. Many of our most important books are at risk every time they are handled for classes or research projects because of broken bindings and loose or torn pages.
To address this problem, the Friends of the Library launched its "Book
Preservation Fund" three years ago to raise money for the restoration of
critical books. Several generous donors have sponsored books, which allowed
the library to send the books to the Conservation Center for Art and Historic
Artifacts in Philadelphia for restoration. The number of books needing repairs
is great, so we encourage others to follow these donors' example. We have highlighted
below some books in need of repair, but if you have particular interests, please
do not hesitate to contact us about the program.
Books That Need Sponsors
Books Already Sponsored - Thank You!
How You Can Help
Please consider underwriting the restoration of these books by making a tax-deductible contribution to the Friends of the Library Book Preservation Fund:
- For a gift of $50, you can become a Co-Sponsor of one of the books, and have your name listed with the book on the Preservation website.
- For a gift of $1000, you can become a Book Sponsor, and be listed both on the Preservation website and in the permanent book record in Tripod, Bryn Mawr's online library catalog.
For additional information about the program or the books, please contact Eric Pumroy, Director of Library Collections and Seymour Adelman Head of Special Collections, at 610-526-5272, or by e-mail.
Sponsorship Opportunities
New books needing sponsors were identified during the production of the exhibitions "The Invention of Antiquity" and "Mapping New Worlds." Bryn Mawr has a remarkable collection of contemporary books that recount how Europeans discovered both their classical past and the civilizations in the rest of the world during the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. We also an important collection of women's history materials, many parts of which are in a fragile or damaged condition.
|
The Arctic Regions, Illustrated with Photographs Taken on an Art Expedition to Greenland. William Bradford. London, S. Low, Marston, Low, and Searle, 1873 |
|
Of the Office of the Iustices of Peace... William Lambarde .London: Imprinted by Ra: Newbery, and H. Bynneman, by the ass. of R. Tot. & Chr. Bar., 1582 |
|
Les loisirs d'une jeune dame. Marie Josèphe de L'Escun de Monbart . Berlin, 1776r. |
|
The History of the Jews, from Jesus Christ to the Present Time... Jacques Basnage, sieur de Beauval .Translated into English by Tho. Taylor. London, Printed by T. Bever and B. Lintot [etc.] 1708s |
|
Woman Suffrage and Woman's Profession. Catharine E. Beecher. Hartford: Brown & Gross, 1871. Inscribed by the author. |
|
The New World of Words: Or a General English Dictionary. Edward Phillips. London: Nath. Brook, 1671. |
Thank you to our sponsors for their generous contributions!
 |
Elizabeth de Sabato Swinton, Class of 1958 Nova Typis Transacta Navigatio. Caspar Plautius. Linz: 1621. |
 |
Elizabeth de Sabato Swinton, Class of 1958 De arte gymnastica. Girolamo Mercuriale. Venice : apud Ivntas, 1573. Gift of M. Dana Emmons. |
 |
Maxine Lewis, Class of 1958 Campi Phlegræi : Observations on the volcanos of the Two Sicilies. Sir William Hamilton. Naples: 1776-1779. Gift of Emily Fox Cheston, Class of 1908. |
 |
Natalie A. Naylor, Class of 1959 Eighty Years and More (1815-1897); Reminiscences of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Elizabeth Cady Stanton. New York: European Publishing Co., 1898. Signed dedication to "the Students of Bryn Mawr College" on detached end-leaf. |
 |
Elizabeth de Sabato Swinton, Class of 1958 De claris mulieribus. Giovanni Boccaccio. Louvain : Egidius van der Heerstraten, 1487 |
 |
Maxine Lewis, Class of 1958 Rerum per octennium in Brasilia. Caspar van Baerle. Amsterdam: I. Blaeu, 1647. Gift of Louise Bulkley Dillingham, Class of 1916. |
|
Elisa Tractman Lewis, MA 1995 La paysane pervertie: ou les dangers de la ville. Restif de la Bretonne. Paris, chéz la dame Veuve Duchesne, librarire, en la rue Saint Jacques, 1784. 4 volumes. |
 |
Mrs. William N. Jeffers, New York City, in honor of Phyllis Goodhart Gordan. Blondi Flavii Forlivensis de Roma triumphante. Blondi Flavii Forlivensis de Roma triumphante. Libri decem, priscorum scriptorum lectoribus utilissimi, ad totius [que] Romanae antiquitatis cognitiorem pernecessarij. Romae instauratae libri III. Italia illustrata. Basileae: In officina Frobeniana, 1531. Gift of Phyllis Goodhart Gordon, Class of 1935. |
|
The Harry and Helen Cohen Charitable Foundation. The Ruins of Palmyra, otherwise Tedmor,
in the Desert. Robert Wood. London: 1753. Gift of Anna Lloyd Reilly,
Marion Reilly, Class of 1901, and Garrett Lloyd Reilly |
 |
Katherine Singley Dannenberg, Class of 1973. Asia, of Naukeurige beschryving van het rijk des Grooten Mogols: en een groot gedeelte van Indien... Olfert Dapper. Amsterdam: J. van Meurs, 1672. |
 |
Margery Peterson Lee, Class of 1951. The Booke of Common Prayer: with the Psalter or Psalmes of David of that Translation which is appointed to be used in Churches. Imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, 1607. |
|
Maxine Lewis, Class of 1958. Thoukydides, In domo Aldi. Mense Maio, 1502. |
|
Elliott Shore, Ph.D. 1984. The Iliad of Homer, translated by Mr. Pope. London: Printed by W. Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott, 1715-1720. 3 volumes. |