Seven Centuries, Seven Continents,
Seven Collections-SWC August 1999
Curated by Bruce Cammack
Fabricated by Lyn Stoll

Spanning seven centuries and reaching all seven continents, the items in this exhibit have been selected from seven diverse collections.  Each collection has a particular and separate focus, ranging from the art of divining for water and mineral riches, to the history of science and medicine to early printed books.   One of these collections, the Prescott Family Papers, is an archive created by and for the family itself.  Other items represent the eclectic tastes of individual collectors, such Dr. Leo Whitehill  (Samuel Weiselberg Autograph Collection).

Many of the treasures of Rare Books would not be here without the generosity of its donors.   Chancellor John T. Montford’s  Magna Carta is one such outstanding example as is the Burke Map Collection.  The magnificent Nuremberg Chronicle purchased by the Friends of the Library of Texas Technological College is yet another.

The material exhibited here, only a tiny fraction of what Rare Books has to offer, provides a glimpse into the breadth and depth of its holdings.  The importance of these holdings lies not with their monetary value, but with their capacity to convey in significant and meaningful ways the legacy of the human experience.