Part One
Towards the end of the school year, we welcome students from schools in the local surrounding areas of Hull and Holderness to participate in our work experience scheme.
During the first week of our work experience scheme this year, our work experience students Ella and Lydia participated in a variety of tasks and projects alongside the library team, one of which was a behind the scenes tour of our Rare Books Room. This latest blog post was produced by Ella and Lydia, and is our first Work Experience Week post in this year’s series.
Our work experience week included a behind the scenes tour of the Rare Books Room on the 7th floor of the library. This section of the building contains a fascinating variety of texts published between 1473 and 2002, with strengths in the 18th and early 20th centuries, that are kept in an environment designed to preserve a wide range of old books and magazines.
The number of volumes that the Rare Books Room holds is impressive – texts are in 18 languages, living and dead. Places of publication range from Amsterdam to Zwickau, covering 26 countries on 5 continents.
Setting up for Visits
Library staff prepare a wide range of books in advance for visitors who request a visit. Visitors range from scholars and lecturers to students and associate members that are interested in examining a wide range of historical texts.
Setting the rare books up appropriately depends on what condition the requested titles are in.
Looking at the spine of the book can give us an idea of what condition the books is in. If the book’s spine is eroding due to age, it may require more support than others.
The books are supported by a soft, spongey material. The book, being placed in the middle of the sponge, will need to have the spine supported by another strip of sponge. This will make sure that the book is not under too much stress when opened. The size of the sponge used depends on the size of the books as seen in the images below.
The Rare Books Collection
Texts that can be viewed in the Rare Books Room include:
– First editions of literary classics
– Famous poetry books
– Rare special editions, some containing authors own illustrations or annotations
– Signed books from popular poets like D. H. Lawrence
– Artistic illustrations – from William Blake to scenes from The Iliad by Homer
Ella and Lydia’s Rare Books Pick
This book was interesting: showing battle formations that the Ancient Greeks used. Who knew pull-out diagrams were used in the 16th century!
Apply to Visit the Collection
Visits to our Rare Books collection are available by appointment only. You must be able to provide a list of resources you wish to consult.
Apply to visit the Rare Books collection.
Work Experience Opportunities
If you are a local secondary school student or college/sixth form student looking to arrange your work experience with us, please email libhelp@hull.ac.uk and we will get back to you.