Houghton Library turned 75 this year, and as part of the anniversary celebrations we’ve just published a collection of some of our rarest, most beautiful, and most significant books, manuscripts, and objects, entitled Houghton Library at 75: A Celebration of Its Collections. “We are proud to release this publication as part of a series of activities and events designed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Houghton Library,” remarked Thomas Hyry, Florence Fearrington Librarian of Houghton Library. “The book displays a dazzling selection of items from the library’s collections, and is at once visually striking and intellectually engaging.”
Houghton’s holdings span nearly the entire history of the written word, from papyrus to the laptop. The anniversary volume, edited by Houghton Library curators Heather Cole and John Overholt, presents a snapshot of the unique items that fill the library’s shelves. From miniature books composed by a teenage Charlotte Brontë to a massive medieval manuscript hymnbook; from the plays of Shakespeare to costume designs for Star Trek; and from the discoveries of Copernicus to the laptops of twenty-first century writers, the selections celebrate great achievements in many and diverse fields of human endeavor. The book invites readers to tour Houghton Library’s collections—which draws thousands of researchers and visitors from around the world each year—from the comfort of their own home. “We could only scratch the surface of Houghton’s collections in this book,” said co-editors Cole and Overholt, “but we hope that it gives a taste of the great cultural treasures and literary landmarks that this library holds, and perhaps might inspire readers to come see them in person as well.”
About the Book
Houghton Library at 75: A Celebration of Its Collections, edited by Heather Cole and John Overholt. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Houghton Library, Harvard University, 2017. 128 pages, 9 x 10-5/8 inches
131 color illustrations; ISBN 9780674980082. Priced at $25, the book is available for sale online through the Harvard University Press and Amazon, and in bookstores.
About the Authors
Heather Cole is Assistant Curator of Modern Books and Manuscripts and Curator of the Theodore Roosevelt Collection at Houghton Library, Harvard University.
John Overholt is Curator of the Donald and Mary Hyde Collection of Samuel Johnson and Early Modern Books and Manuscripts at Houghton Library, Harvard University.
