Category Archives: Rare books

Astrology in the Early Modern Era

Posted on September 26, 2022 by burnslibrary

A 1647 edition of William Lilly’s Christian Astrology, located in the Burns library stacks, bears an ominous warning to those who would delve into the practice of reading the stars. The book’s owner cautions that “all those that peruse this … Continue reading →

Posted in Rare books | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Can you spot the difference? Facsimiles in the Burns Library

Posted on May 2, 2022 by burnslibrary

The Book of Kells is one of the best known medieval manuscripts in the world, due in part to its distinctive insular style and its status as an emblem of Irish national history and identity. Created around 800 AD, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Archives & Manuscripts, Rare books | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Many Editions of Gulliver’s Travels

Posted on March 28, 2022 by burnslibrary

One of the things that the Burns Library is known for is our extensive Irish collection and Anglo-Irish author, Jonathan Swift is no exception. Though known widely for his satirical essay, “A Modest Proposal,” undoubtedly his most famous work is … Continue reading →

Posted in Irish Studies, Rare books | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rare Score is Music to Our Ears

Posted on February 7, 2022 by burnslibrary

While Burns Library usually  acquires its rare books and special collections by purchase or donation, the rare and unusual will sometimes turn up at another library within Boston College. This 1805 edition of Masses, vespers, litanies, hymns, psalms, anthems & … Continue reading →

Posted in Acquisitions, Rare books | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bloch Publishing Company

Posted on February 2, 2022 by burnslibrary

The Williams Ethnological Collection is one of our more diverse collections of published materials, assembled by the Jesuit missionary and ethnologist Joseph J. Williams, SJ and largely focused on Africa & the Caribbean. Many of the volumes are White European … Continue reading →

Posted in Rare books | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Comic Book Collection Enters Alternate Universe

Posted on January 24, 2022 by burnslibrary

This past year, staff at Burns Library took the opportunity to recatalog and rehouse one of our most popular collections – The Edward J. Kane Collection of Comics. First received in 2008 from retired Boston College professor Edward J. Kane, … Continue reading →

Posted in Comic Books | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Learning Mildred: Provenance and Inclusion Materials

Posted on November 15, 2021 by burnslibrary

One of the more interesting aspects of my job as a cataloger is that I manage and maintain the inclusion files for Burns Library. The inclusion files are just what they sound like: four filing cabinets, stuffed to the brim … Continue reading →

Posted in Rare books | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reconsidering Witchcraft This Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2021 by burnslibrary

The leaves are changing, the air finally has that crisp New England bite, and Halloween is finally upon us here at Boston College. Even just being in Burns Library makes me feel like I am at Hogwarts with our Gothic … Continue reading →

Posted in Rare books | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Puzzling Out Ownership

Posted on October 18, 2021 by burnslibrary

Most of the books at Burns Library have passed through the hands of many owners before arriving on our shelves. Discerning a book’s sequence of owners, or provenance, is fascinating, and the inevitable comparisons to puzzles and mystery solving are … Continue reading →

Posted in Rare books | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Personalized Library: Links Between People and Books

Posted on October 4, 2021 by burnslibrary

It’s a near universal rule that you should never write in any library book. However, you can nevertheless find notes in many of our books, remnants of their pasts before being acquired by Burns Library. These marks provide hints about … Continue reading →

Posted in Archives & Manuscripts, Rare books | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment