Mortimer rare book room

That elm wood desk was part of plaths estate sale that, in 1981, would go to the mortimer rare book room at smith college. Mortimer by robert munsch meet your next favorite book. The creative tension between vitality and fatality. A history of the mortimer rare book room is forthcoming. The anne walker collection consists of a collection of her artists books, letters and related items relative to the artistry of ms.

Located in neilson library at smith college, the mortimer rare book room is the repository of a wealth of primary source material relating to virginia woolf and the bloomsbury group, as well as other online exhibits including. Search for primary sources from amherst, hampshire, mount holyoke, and smith colleges and the university of massachusetts amherst. The mortimer rare book collection contributes to digital scriptorium, a mellonfunded project that makes available digital facsimiles of medieval manuscripts. Martin antonetti, curator of rare books, shows a class the mortimer rare book rooms largest manuscript, which is from the 15th century.

Visits from his father, massive sibling group, and the police seem not to stop this singing sensation from pushing the envelop just a little more, but it also causes a ruckus in the family living room. For best results, please search by title and author. I had meant to post this in october but other news and posts kind of took over. The holliday bookshop collection is the physical property of the mortimer rare book room, smith college. Located in neilson library at smith college, the mortimer rare book room is the repository of. Mortimer rare book room college library in northampton. Andrew wilsons book on the early life of writer sylvia plath, abridged by miranda davies. Touching sylvia plaths hair lovely locks for a young admirer there was a shock when she opened a box at the lilly library to discover. Mortimer rare book room, smith college smith libraries. Kukil, who curates the mortimer rare book room at plaths alma mater, smith college, are peppered with references to her violent relationship with hughes. If van duynes article has taken the literary world by storm, perhaps its because of its. Broad in scope, it includes works from all time periods. When searching for rare books, please do not search by isbn. Contains hundreds of finding aids describing collections of archives and manuscripts held by the five colleges.

Sponsored by the mortimer rare book room and the book studies concentration at smith college, the annual mcgrath lecture in book arts honors the memory of local printing legend harold p. The book studies concentration connects students with the exceptional resources of the mortimer rare book collection and the wealth of book artists and craftspeople of the pioneer valley. The mortimer rare book collection includes the colleges rare printed books, medieval manuscripts, literary archives, artists books, and other historical and cultural materials. Butscher collection of papers on sylvia plath mortimer rare boom room. The majority of the artists books were given to the mortimer rare book room as a gift from walker in 2005 in celebration of her graduation from smith college in 1956, with some of the others coming from other sources. Mortimer rare book room, smith college museo scuola grande di san rocco national library of medicine national portrait gallery, smithsonian institution new hampshire historical society. The neilson library also houses the mortimer rare book room, which contains important collections relating to sylvia plath and virginia woolf. Before that he was curator of rare books in the mortimer rare book room at smith college in northampton, massachusetts. Due to the visual nature of the rare book room, listings sell particularly well if they have high quality images with them. Questions about the rare book room should be directed to 18008787323 ext. Over the course of the following decade, i worked for multiple auction houses, libraries, and antiquarian booksellers, most recently ursus books in new york city. A small exhibit featuring four additional books from the collection is currently on display in the mortimer rare book room in neilson library from january 23rd to may th 2017 the history of books is a long one complicated by social, economic, and political histories compounded with the aesthetic principals and structural demands of a book.

Today, we look at some of the 7,500 books in the mary w. Ruth mortimer, 62, rare books curator and smith librarian. In recent years, senior projects have included researching a notable rare book or other artifact from the mortimer rare book room collection or from another collection, such as the berkshire law library, creating an artists book, writing and illustrating a childrens book, creating a work of digital art or a website, and designing and hand. To learn more and to see some of these items online, be sure to check out the biodiversity heritage library. A visual archive this site displays images of the covers of the books that sylvia plath owned and annotated, housed primarily in the mortimer rare book room at smith college, the lilly library at indiana university, and the manuscript, archives, and rare book library at emory university. Many types of unique or collectible items sell well in the rare book room. Items in the mortimer rare book room, smith college collection. Mortimer rare book room, neilson library, northampton. Mortimer rare book room, smith college smith libraries exhibits. You can visit the strands rare book room on the third floor, monday sunday 9.

It hangs in the offices of the mortimer rare book room. Located on the neilson library third floor, the mortimer rare book room was named in january 1994 for ruth mortimer, curator of rare books. Artist books from the nancy bloch collection a look. Mortimer, ruth wilson library bulletin, v58 n2 p10710 oct 1983 description of smith college librarys rare book room notes printed book and manuscript collections including the sylvia plath collection, ernest hemingway collection, and collection of modern press books. Ruth mortimer lancaster, curator of rare books and assistant librarian at smith college in northampton, mass. A lecture given march, 2003, mortimer rare book room, neilson library, smith college, northampton, ma as part of series woolf in the valley in association with the th annual conference on virginia woolf. What is the rare book room and what can i put in there. The image to the left is of part of plaths library in the mortimer rare book room. The mortimer rare book room department at smith college on academia.

Manuscripts and rare books in an undergraduate library. Mortimer rare book room is located in northampton, state massachusetts. Since 2001, i have been studying sylvia plaths reading, teaching, and the annotated books in her personal library, housed in the mortimer rare book room at smith college and the lilly library at indiana university. Smith college libraries special collections find images. A pen and a press of her own, created by karen kukil, associate curator of special collections at the mortimer rare book room.

Blake, william author songs of innocence and of experience 1826 london library of congress, rare book and special coll. In 2015, i founded my own book business specializing in. In particular, here are a few of the higher end items that have sold through the. The album was purchased at auction on 6 december 1984 sothebys, london, lot 289 and presented to the mortimer rare book room, smith college, by elizabeth power richardson and phyllis cooley paige in memory of mary byers smith. In recent years, senior projects have included researching a notable rare book or other artifact from the mortimer rare book room collection orfrom another collection, such as the berkshire law library, creating an artists book, writing and illustrating a childrens book, creating a work of digital art or a website, and designing and hand printing a volume of fiction or poetry. Robert munsch is the author of more than 25 books for children including the paper bag princes and stephanies ponytail. He was born in pittsburgh, pennsylvania and studied to be a jesuit priest before deciding to work with children instead. Literary rights, including, belong to the authors of the works or their legal representatives. Colorplate frontispiece of a guide to the modern home the celebrated tom thumb and his equipage, color plate of godeys ladys magazine, february 1846. The mortimer rare book collection contributes to digital scriptorium, a mellon funded project that makes available digital facsimiles of medieval manuscripts. All of our finding aids are available onsite in the special collections reading room.

Moss, who teamed up with plath scholar and smith rare book room curator karen kukil, was particularly interested in plaths curious power over the popular imagination how she has remained so relevant even to people who know little about her, why so much of the mythology that surrounds her stems from a place of misunderstanding, what it is. Martin antonetti director of distinctive collections. Plaths unabridged journals, published in america in fall 2000, and edited by karen v. He made a modest fortune as a physician in india where he married maria pattle in 1837. Rare book room is an educational website for the repository of digitally scanned rare books made freely available to the public starting around 1996 the californiabased company octavo began scanning rare and important books from libraries around the world.

Through classroom study, field projects and independent research, students learn about the history, art and technology of the book. Mortimer rare book collection smith college libraries. Martin antonetti is the curator of rare books in the mortimer rare book room at smith college. He also served as kennedy professor of renaissance studies at smith college, where he holds a research appointment in the mortimer rare book room of the neilson library. Foursquare uses cookies to provide you with an optimal experience, to personalize ads that you may see, and to help advertisers measure the results of their ad campaigns. He taught in a variety of nursery schools and daycare centers while he earned an ma in early childhood education. Bbc radio 4 book of the week, mad girls love song, mad. Walkup is the director of the graduate book art program at mills college in oakland, ca. As part of special collections, these rare books and manuscripts support the curriculum of the college and enable us to function as a laboratory for the. An overview of the collections in the mortimer rare book collection.

Rare book librarian ruth mortimer in the rare book room, neilson library, standing and looking at a large book on a table. I began my rare book career as a student worker in the mortimer rare book room at smith college. The leslie stephen photograph album is the physical property of the mortimer rare book room, smith college. These scans were done at extremely high resolution using highquality equipment, with some pages at over 200mb each. John jackson 18041887 was virginia woolfs maternal grandfather. In fact, the editions available for consideration include those published in magazines, chapbooks from both england and america, electronic copies, and, last but certainly not least, an elaborate manuscript. The mortimer rare book room at smith college houses the colleges rare books and literary manuscripts. Supple joined smith college libraries as curator of rare books in march 2017. History of the mortimer rare book collection smith. Smith colleges mortimer rare book room celebrates 50. You can visit our website and check opening hours, payment methods, etc. The largest manuscript in the mortimer rare book room at smith college is ms. A handwritten copy of the letter from which this quote originates can be viewed at the online exhibition woolf in the world.

How wonderful and coincidental that plath lived on elmwood road. Now known as the mortimer rare book collection, the collection continues to grow and contribute to the curriculum as part of smith college special collections. To celebrate this piece of elm wood and the works composed on it, here is a badly shot video. Located on the neilson library third floor, the mortimer rare book room was named in january 1994 for ruth mortimer, curator of rare books from 19751994. When asked to remain quiet at bedtime, young mortimer begins to sing at the top of his lungs. The mortimer rare book room has just taken on a new and very exciting role in the academic life of the college because its now the home for the new book studies concentration, he said.

If you think you might have a rare book you would like to sell us, please take it to the used book buyers table at the city of books. Due in part to massive popularity in its time, the mortimer rare book room has several copies of the work, dating from 1807 to 1876. Helle collection of plath family photographs mortimer rare book collection. The project is an free, international tool for teaching and scholarly research on premodern manuscripts. Broad in scope, it includes works from all time periods and in subject areas as diverse ancient history and zoology. A selection of images from the collections of the mortimer rare book room, which houses the colleges rare books and literary manuscripts. It was renamed the mortimer rare book room in 1994, in honor of curator and teacher ruth mortimer, who significantly broadened collection use for teaching and learning. See 1 tip from 10 visitors to mortimer rare book room. As vice president for education of the american philological association he actively promoted the cooperation of teachers and scholars in schools and universities. Its position hanging on a wall is highly reminiscent of han solo hanging frozen in carbonite in jabba the huts palace on tattooine.