University Library Donors’ book

One of the earliest records of books acquired by the Library giving their source is this manuscript donors’ book. The catalogue of the Library by Jonathan Pindar, begun around 1650 and arranges the contents of the Library chronologically by donors from the fifteenth century to 1658. It was continued by other hands to around 1680, then intermittently to 1718. The opening shown here includes accounts of two of the major foundation gifts to the Library; that of 255 volumes by Thomas Rotherham, Chancellor of England, in 1475, and part of the gift of 75 books and 25 manuscripts given in 1574 by Archbishop of Canterbury Matthew Parker. The importance of these founding gifts was not lessened by George’s donation, as the simple age of the volumes involved gives them great value as artefacts as well as texts.

MS Oo.7.52