Paradigm, No. 18 (December, 1995)

The recent article by Colin McGeorge concerning his collecting of historical school textbooks brought to mind many of my own personal experiences searching for similar items. How many of us have spent wonderful hours rummaging through old bookstores, school attics and basements for that elusive school text that we needed to add to our personal libraries? Yet, his article was also a somewhat bittersweet experience as well, for it reminded me of other searches for materials in very different venues. Specifically, an individual has recently died and the next of kin wishes to dispose of this person's personal library in the most expedient manner possible. Perhaps advertisements are placed in local newspapers for an auction or personal friends are haphazardly notified as to 'take what you want' or, even more unfortunate, the dustman is called to dispose of what remains. Thus, without thought or understanding of what is being done, the contents of a personal library, often representing a lifetime of loving collection is quickly dispersed.

For the collector these opportunities can represent a goldmine of opportunity. Yet, how often have we heard individuals say something to the effect that if you had only been here last week or month or year we would have been happy to have had you take the whole library? We knew of no one who wanted those old school textbooks so we just threw them away! In my own personal collecting experience I can think of several times when it was only by the best of luck that I acquired rather extensive collections of schoolbooks in this haphazard manner. In one particular case, I was just ahead of the school caretaker who had I not been there at just the right time, would have discarded almost 100 readers, many dating from before the turn of the century!

The tragedy of this situation is at least twofold in nature. First, to have an individual's historical school textbook library, often the result of a lifelong collecting effort, 'thrown to the wind' in terms of its disposal is a terrible misfortune. We have all invested great amounts of time and effort, and even in some cases money, to build our libraries -- and to realize that it might be destroyed without a second thought is unthinkable. Secondly, and perhaps more important, is the loss in many cases of historical materials that are unique and of immense value for future research and study. What to many individuals may seem to be nothing more than just 'a bunch of old school books' are often in the eyes of the knowledgeable scholar, primary resources of the first order. Yet, today on an unfortunately frequent basis, school textbooks are carelessly being destroyed simply because they are consider without value or there is no existing plan as to how they might be preserved in an orderly manner.

It is with these thoughts in mind that I present the following ideas to the membership of the Textbook Colloquium as a beginning for a possible dialogue on the preservation of our historical textbook collections.

1. As individuals we need to be very specific about how we want the contents of our historical libraries to eventually be distributed. While we may believe everyone has intimate knowledge of the Bodleian Library or the Bibliotheque Nationale, it could be that without detailed directions from each one of us, those who decide on the eventual disposal of our libraries may select the local junkman as being the most appropriate placement! Assume that those who will eventually read and hopefully carry out your wishes have little, if any, knowledge of historical literacy materials. Specific information you need to provide should include the names of local contact people, such as fellow faculty members who know your wishes, as well as the addresses of area and national libraries including the names of relevant librarians. If you want the contents of your library divided in anyway, e.g. some volumes to friends, others to specific libraries, etc., you need to be very specific as to how this is to be done, even to listing the names of books.

2. The members of The Textbook Colloquium, as a group, might consider the preservation of the historical libraries of its members. For instance, are members aware of local or national libraries which are especially interested in preserving historical school textbooks? In some cases this might be examples of materials from countries other than the one in which the libraries are located. As one example, I personally have sent some American school textbooks to the Bodleian Library which were well received. Once an e-mail list is established for The Textbook Colloquium, this is the type of information which could then be shared by the membership.

3. Specific information on various issues related to the preservation of historical school textbooks could also be discussed by similar means.

4. Prepare bibliographies of our current holdings, noting especially duplicates that might be available for exchange. This would also be important information for those doing historical research and needing specific references, etc.

These are only some of the possible opportunities that we have as a scholarly group to help preserve the historical heritage trusted to us as collectors of historical textbooks. The basic question becomes where do we go from here?

McGeorge, C. 'A Colonial Collection' Paradigm, No. 16 (May, 1995), pp. 13-21.

 

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Paradigm Catalogue Textbook Colloquium