This book was still missing as of May 29, 2019. Description of the Different Varieties of Oxen, Common in the British Isles First edition, oblong folio (415 x 540mm) of 52 hand-coloured engraved plates created under the patronage of the Board of Agriculture. Printed and published for the author, George Garrard, by J. Smeeton, St. Martin's Lane, Charing Cross, London. From 1800 to 1814. If you have any information on this book, please contact Sonya Boggs at sboggs@gmail.com [more Stolen: George Garrard Book on Oxen]
The Columbia News Service published a brief article about the trade, which included quotes from Michael DiRuggiero of The Manhattan Rare Book Company and Michael Thompson of Michael R. Thompson Rare Books. Despite E-Books, Rare Books Aren't Endangered [more Members in the News: Michael DiRuggiero & Michael R. Thompson]
From the ACRL Insider: "Complete backfiles of Rare Books & Manuscripts Librarianship (RBML), the predecessor of RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, are now available on the publication Web site. ACRL received a grant from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation to assist in making volumes 1-12 of the publication discoverable and available online through the HighWire Press platform, completing the publication's online archive. The 24 back issues will join volumes 13 and 14 of RBML and the full run of RBM online. Access to all content, with the exception of the two most current issues, is freely available to all. Online access to the current two issues is available only to RBM subscribers." RBML Online Archives Now Available [more Rare Books & Manuscripts Librarianship (RBML) Online Archives Now Available]
The ABAA was delighted to have Professor Adrian Johns of the University of Chicago lecture at the 2011 California International Antiquarian Book Fair. His talk was entitled The Promise and Peril of Universal Libraries, and Professor Johns is kind enough to let us republish the text on our blog and website. Enjoy! ******************************* The Promise and Peril of Universal Libraries Adrian Johns University of Chicago Since it was originally announced some five years ago, the Google book project has provoked a rich variety of responses. The intensity of the debate is understandable, because the implications of the project are indeed as broad as they seem to be. This really is the rare enterprise that has implications for everyone who works in academia and, in all likelihood, everyone who does not. The future of knowledge itself is at stake. So too is its past. Many of the debates that Google's venture has ignited have taken place on the relatively familiar, if sometimes very technical, terrain of law and economics. The problems evoked have been those of copyright infringement and monopoly. The debate has also been infused with a strong dose of publishing industry jeremiad, and more recently experts in the bibliographical world have voiced disquieting revelations regarding Google's devotion to outmoded classification criteria and surprisingly poor metadata standards. When addressing what is trumpeted as the project's real purpose, however – to transform how knowledge i... [more 'The Promise and Peril of Universal Libraries']
The following books have been reported missing from the Reston Regional Library in Reston, VA. RECOVERED: Nouveau Dictionnaire Allemand-Francois et Francois-Allemand a l'Usage des Deux Nations: Tome I: contenant l'Allemand Explique par le Francois: Nouvelle Edition, Corrigee et Augmente. Publ Chez Jean-Thomas Noble de Trattnern, Imprimeur et Libraire de la Cour / publ Vienne, Prague et Brunn / publ in 1790 / volume 1 only (German explained in French, while volume 2 is French explained in German) / hardcover bound entirely in brown leather / hubbed spine with gilt decoration shows wear from age and from frequent use, paste-on title in place / binding tight / pencil markings of owner(s), names not legible / frontispiece / Jean-Thomas Trattner or Johann Thomas von Trattner was a famous 18th century printer, bookseller and publisher of court Essais sur L'etat Actuel de La France: 1er Mai 1796 . by B F A Fonvielle / publ 1796 in Paris / "Prix Quatre livres pour Paris" / Chez Desenne, Brigitte-Mattey, Palais Egalite; Chez Maret, Cour des Fontaines; Chez Tous les Marchands de Nouveautes / re-bound in textured green leather w/dark green leather at the spine, gilt titling on spine is bright / marbled endpapers, ribbon marker / sunfade to top portion of front cover / 416 pgs plus appendix dated Dec 1, 1796 / signed by the owner "Pe Dietrichstein" / in French. Dei Re D'Italia Inaugurati o no con la Corona Ferrea da Odoacre Fino al Regnante Augusto Imperatore Ferdinando I: Opera Tratta... [more UPDATED: Missing Books from the Reston Regional Library]
The Raab Collection is currently offering a three page letter penned by William H. Herndon, one of Abraham Lincoln's closest friends, that offers unique insight into Lincoln's religious beliefs. Historians have had little substantiation on this topic since Lincoln refused to discuss religion and did not belong to a church. In his 1866 letter, which was written to the current clerk of the House of Representatives, Edward McPherson, Herndon writes that "Mr. Lincoln's religion is too well known to me to allow of even a shadow of a doubt; he is or was a Theist - a Rationalist, denying all extraordinary -– supernatural inspiration or revelation". Please click here to read the full article on CNN. Congratulations to The Raab Collection on acquiring such an important historical documnet! Letter from close friend offers rare glimpse into President Lincoln's 'theist' beliefs The Raab Collection [more Member in the News: The Raab Collection]
Today the book world lost a giant: Peter B. Howard of Serendipity Books in Berkeley, CA has passed away. Peter was interviewed in February at the San Francisco Fair. You can view the interview in its entirety here. He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his family. [more Sad News: Peter B. Howard]
Read this excellent piece about ABAA member Elmar W. Seibel and his firm, Ars Libri. Congratulations, Elmar! Turning the Page [more Member in the News: Ars Libri]
Here is a prospectus to Jeff Weber's latest book, An Annotated Dictionary of Fore-edge Painting Artists & Binders (Mostly English & American). Part II: The Fore-edge Paintings of Miss C. B. Currie; with a Catalogue Raisonné, which was previously posted about in this blog. [more Prospectus for Jeff Weber's Latest Book on Fore-edge Painting]
On Tuesday, a New York federal judge rejected Google's settlement with authors and publishers to digitize books and make them freely available. Judge David Chin said that the agreement would have "granted Google a 'de facto monopoly' and the right to profit from books without the permission of copyright owners". Legally, it seems the largest factor for rejection of the settlement is its inclusion of orphan works, which are books whose rights holders are unknown. Judge Chin implied that if the settlement was amended and limited only to books that authors or publishers opted in, then the majority of legal obstacles would be removed. Google argues that leaving orphan works out of the agreement would significantly diminish the value of their digital library, both to the company and the public. Pamela Samuelson, a copyright expert at UC Berkeley who has worked to prevent the settlement, commented that “even though it is efficient for Google to make all the books available, the orphan works and unclaimed books problem should be addressed by Congress, not by the private settlement of a lawsuit.” I have absolutely no familiarity with copyright law but, in my inexperienced opinion, Ms. Samuelson's statement sounds spot on. What do you think? Clearly, this ruling can also open a discussion on rare books and the trade in general; please post any ideas, opinions, etc. Judge Rejects Google's Deal to Digitize Books [more NY Times: "Judge Rejects Google's Deal to Digitize Books"]