Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Annual Report of the Legislative Library, 1982: Rapport Annuel De La Bibliothèque Législative, 1982
The Rare Book Collection was established in the year 1884 when the first Legislative Librarian wrote the words Rare Volume on the inside covers of several valuable books. In order to protect them from theft, the rare volumes were stored in the Librarian's office, a common practice in many small and medium-sized libraries. Along with items of a high monetary value, many of which were donations, the early Rare Book Collection also included books related to the history of Manitoba and the North West. In later years, many modern works relating to Manitoba and its people were added.
Although the Rare Book Collection contains items that are valuable and unique, such as the Red River Library it is a vital part of the service function of the Legislative Library. It provides information to well-known writers and to academic researchers in such fields as history and exploration of the North West, agriculture, the arts, genealogy, social questions and economics. The emphasis on items related to Manitoba assures the researcher that he or she will find published journals of early missionaries to the North West as well as the novels and poetry of Manitoba writers published only last year. A large proportion of the earlier items in the Rare Book Collection is available on microfiche, as guarantee of both good service and heritage preservation.
One especially popular source of information is the pamphlet collection. Early pamphlets on topics such as the Riel Rebellion, the Manitoba School Question and immigration have been assembled to facilitate research. Because many pamphlets have been printed on newsprint or other cheaply made paper, they are fragile and deteriorate rapidly if handled too often. During the past year, many pamphlets have been carefully photocopied and the originals placed in acid-free envelopes and boxes. Researchers are thus able to find the information they require without subjecting the original pamphlets to unnecessary wear.
Emphasis on such activities as preservation, protection and control ought to be seen as a positive approach to service. It must be remembered that book paper produced after the l850's deteriorates rapidly owing to the introduction of inferior manufacturing materials. By protecting these books from unnecessary handling and by storing them in the temperature and humidity controlled environment of the Rare Book Room, the Library is attempting to prolong the useful life of these books, many of which are irreplaceable, and all of which are a vital part of Manitoba's heritage.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
