Rare Books 101
Familiarize yourself with the basic concepts of book collecting.
Mythbusting Book Collecting
Think book collecting is only for people with deep pockets? Only about collecting famous books or first editions? Or perhaps you think it’s only for people who are dedicated readers? Most of what you know about book collecting is wrong. Rebecca gave a lecture on this subject to the college students of Case Western Reserve University via Zoom: comments start at 4:10.
Resisting the Monolith: Collecting as Counter Narrative
For UNCANNY, Rebecca wrote a very personal essay about her collection of feminist science fiction, which came about entirely by accident through a sheer love and connection with the material.
Why Collecting Matters: A Study in Romance Novels
Rebecca joined the Fated Mates podcast to talk about the collection of romance novels she built that is now housed at the Lilly Library. Over the course of the conversation, they delved into why to start a collection, and how rare book collections can have a broader impact on scholarship and our understanding of history.
Book Collecting Is Eccentricity Made Material
Rebecca gave a lecture on the immense variety of forms book collecting can take for the Toronto Public Library, using Sherlock Holmes as the theme in honor of their Arthur Conan Doyle Collection. Thanks to COVID-19, this lecture took place over Zoom — but that also means you all can now view it on YouTube. Remarks start at 14:20.
Learn the Vocab
There is a lot of specialized vocabulary in rare books that can be intimidating to the new collector. John Carter’s classic ABC for Book Collectors is available for free online. Here’s an overview of the most basic bibliographic terms that collectors need to know:
The Three Fundamentals
Worried about making a mistake? Focus on the fundamentals: edition, condition, and completeness.
How To Store and Handle Rare Books
We short-lived humans are only caretakers for rare, antiquarian, vintage, and collectible books: if properly handled and stored, they can be shepherded to the next generation. There are only a few simple tips that will keep your collection safe in the vast majority of cases.
Explore
The best way to learn about book collecting is to look at a lot of books. Get started by browsing the latest catalogues or typing in the name of your favorite author on Rebecca’s company website: