Discovering hidden gems: cataloguing the Cardiff Rare Books Collection

Ken Gibb & Karen Pierce

Discovering hidden gems: cataloguing the

Cardiff Rare Books Collection

Background

Early history of public library and its rare book collection

Collection up for sale

Scoping

March 20093 cataloguers from Cardiff University

perform 10 % scoping exercise of collection

1,387 items sampled

Collections

Incunabula Atlases Bibles Early English Folios Early English Quartos Early English Octavos

Restoration Drama Private Presses / Fine

Bindings ‘Rare Books’ Calligraphy Continental

Scoping Project Report

April 2009 project report prepared for CyMAL

Sample indicated over 90% of books not already held in Cardiff, and 75% not held in National Library of Wales

12.04% contained marginalia39.44% contained provenance information

Listing the books

August 2009-October 2009

Cataloguing & acquisitions staff work at the Public Library stacks to list the collection

Cardiff University purchase books

Books came to Cardiff University in 2010 and are housed in SCOLAR (Special Collections and Archives)

Academics welcome news (1)

“Finding a permanent home for this collection will help enrich the cultural life of Wales and Cardiff. The University is proud to have helped secure its future.”

Prof. Jonathan Osmond, Pro Vice-Chancellor

Academics welcome news (2)

“Because of the wealth and varied nature of the material acquired by the University, this opens up the possibility for a wide range of research projects and areas of research for postgraduate students across many disciplines…”

Prof. Sioned Davies, Head of the School of Welsh

Cardiff Rare Books launch at the Senedd – November 2010

Cataloguing Challenges

Cataloguing team One day training from

CILIP Advertise for Rare

Books Cataloguer Appointment in 2011

Where to begin? - The 1% Project

140 books - 1% of total collection

Cataloguing issues Conservation and

handling How much detail? Setting priorities Report for Rare Books

Strategy Group

How we are cataloguing the books

Descriptive Cataloguing of Rare Materials - DCRM(B)

Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules - AACR2

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Library of Congress Classification

Copy-specific fields for provenance and bindings

Sample rare books catalogue record

Provenance – who owned what and when

Armorial bindings Bookplates Autographs Inscriptions Marginalia Ownership stamps

History of ownership

Our hidden gems

Arts & crafts

Fine bindings – Duodo’s library

Famous owners

Any Questions?

Ken Gibb Rare Books Cataloguer [email protected]

Karen Pierce Cataloguing Librarian

(Project Manager) [email protected]

Cardiff Rare Books Collection blog:

http://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com