Reference Collection

Reference Collection

• About
• Encyclopedias
• Dictionaries
• Bibliographies
• Price Guides / Auction Records
• Printing / Typography / Book Production Resources
• Preservation Resources
• Catalogs
• Directories
• Cataloging Tools
• Periodicals

About

The Reference Collection of the Rare Book & Texana Collections is located in the Rare Book Room.  It consists of the various sources used to do research on the collections.  It is available for use by any researchers during the times that the Rare Book Room is open.  Materials from the Reference Collection is not circulating, but can be used in the Rare Book Room.

Encyclopedias

To support our collections, the Reference Collection contains copies of the 11th Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and a facsimile of the Diderot's Encyclopédie; ou, Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences.  The collection also contains the Dictionnaire d'archéologie chrétienne et de liturgie.

Dictionaries

English-language dictionaries of various eras, as well as selected foreign-language dictionaries are housed in the Reference Collection to make them available to users of the Rare Book collections, as well as various subject-specific dictionaries. 

Bibliographies

To aid in identifying materials and in collection development, the collection contains various bibliographies for authors, artists, subject areas, genres, eras, and locations. 

Price Guides / Auction Records

A number of resources in the collection help to track and establish values of materials.  Bookman's Price Index, American Book Prices Current, and Book Auction Record are among the works available.

Printing / Typography / Book Production Resources

Both period and later manuals on printing, typography paper making, publishing, binding, and illustration are among the holdings of the Reference Collection.  Other items on these topics may be in the Rare Book Collection as well.

Preservation Resources

The collection includes materials on preserving books and other items, including manuals and guides.  Sources on museum display and storage are also part of the holdings.

Catalogs

As an aid to research, the collection contains selected dealer and library catalogs, dating from the 1800's to the present.  Catalogs are collected according to their relevance to the collections, and include Texana , Children's Books, Miniature Books, Early Imprints, etc.

Directories

Directories of publishers, printers, binders, collectors, illustrators, etc. are represented in the collection as an aid to researching materials.

Cataloging Tools

Cataloging manuals for rare books, manuscripts, non-book formats, archival collections, and artifacts for various systems of cataloging are kept both in the Reference Collection and with work tools at the desks of the staff of the Rare Book Room.  All are available for use in the Rare Book Room.

Periodicals

The collection has a small group of periodicals on rare books, preservation, and related subjects.  Titles include: The Abbey Newsletter, Biblio, The Compass Rose, International Preservation News, and The Journal of the American Institute for Conservation.