John Flamsteed’s library
On this day in 1719 died John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal, a position he held for 42 years from 1675 until his death. Quite […]
Continue reading »Author: Liam Sims
Charles Sayle (1864-1924): poet, bibliographer & librarian
Charles Edward Sayle – poet, bibliographer and librarian – was born 150 years ago on this day in 1864. His surname may be familiar to […]
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A presentation copy from Oscar Wilde
Having been reminded by the BBC and British Library this morning that today is the 160th anniversary of the birth of the Irish writer and […]
Continue reading »‘The necklace of her kingdom’: Elizabeth I and Cambridge
In August 1564 – 450 years ago this month – Queen Elizabeth I visited Cambridge for the first time during her reign. The town was […]
Continue reading »Moving to the new University Library in 1934
Exactly eighty years ago today, at 4:02pm on 31st May 1934, the last visitor left the old University Library, housed in the building known as […]
Continue reading »Broughton Parish Library: preservation and conservation
The collection of rare books held by Cambridge University Library has been built up over more than six centuries by a variety of means, including […]
Continue reading »The medical library of Thomas Lorkyn (1528-1591)
On this day – April 21st – in 1564, in the same week as Shakespeare was born, Thomas Lorkyn was appointed as the fourth Regius […]
Continue reading »An early Cambridge binding by Nicholas Spierinck
The library has recently acquired, with help from the Friends of Cambridge University Library, an important sammelband (catalogued at the shelfmark 5000.d.122) of nine early […]
Continue reading »Charles I and the Eikon Basilike
At about 2pm on this day in 1649, King Charles I was beheaded outside the Banqueting House of Whitehall Palace. The story of his downfall […]
Continue reading »Recent acquisitions from the Mendham sale
In June, despite much protest from historians, academics and librarians, a significant portion of the Mendham Collection in Canterbury – which had been publicly accessible […]
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