Holiday gift books, old and new

Are books always at the top of your Christmas gift list? If so, you’ll want to take a look at two of Special Collections’ small rotating exhibits.

Fine Printing: The Next Generation’s Heirlooms showcases the work of contemporary printers who value traditional methods and produce amazing, well-crafted and expertly-designed books using high-quality materials. These books are works of art in themselves, and are highly collectible, and not just for libraries and museums. This exhibit can be found in the Special Collections department’s main lobby.

A Christmas and New Year’s Gift: Remembering the Nineteenth Century Literary Annual features examples of a genre which dominated the British and American book trade in the 1820s through 1850s. Issued annually in time for holiday gift giving, these trendy and elegant little books featured short stories and poems alongside reproductions of contemporary artwork. This exhibit is located in the Special Collections department’s reference area.