Resources for histories of libraries

I've been thinking about Libraries all this week, that is the week before the course starts. I've come to realize that there are lots of ways to approach the subject. Some people want to look at pictures of libraries and their architecture, inside and out. Other people want to know about the collections libraries house and the treasures within. Still other people want to know about the history of collections, how they came about, and who uses the materials. We'll be exploring all these subjects and looking at libraries from a variety of perspectives. It is most important to recognize that libraries have evolved over the past 3000 years from repositories of records and knowledge to vast collections of writings throughout the ages. There are librarians and scholars who were influential in the development of libraries, of museums and archives. Others influences the collections by donating their books and creating a core around which to collect; I'm thinking of Thomas Jefferson and the Library of Congress. Most fascinating are the subscription libraries and the people who wanted to share their books. 

What type of library do you frequent? Do you share and trade books or titles with your friends and with strangers? Do you use GoodReads or LibraryThing or Bookish? How do you remember what you've read and do you go back to reread books?  My answer is yes to all these questions.

Throughout the next five weeks we are going to explore all facets of the history of libraries and their collections. You are going to study a library of your choice and write a short biography of it. The rules are loose. Find a library you want to know more about and create a biographical sketch.  There has to be a library you want to explore.

Below are some books that contain short biographical sketches and bibliographies. You'll find them in the library. If you cannot find a copy and want me to check out my copy, let me know via e-mail.

Books about Libraries that include bibliographies of libraries
Libraries in the Ancient World by Lionel Casson
Great Libraries by Anthony Hobson
The History of the Library in Western Civilization in 5 volumes by Konstantinos Staikos 

There's also a bibliography of American Library History entitled American Library History: A Comprehensive Guide to the Literature that you can find on the ALA LHRT website http://www.ala.org/lhrt/popularresources/amerlibhis . Each chapter is available as a PDF that you can download and search.


Take a look at the other links on my website http://www.mbkcons.com/wkshp/HistoryLibraries/HistoryLibrariesLinks.htm

Happy exploring.