Dear Friends, Colleagues and Fellow Bibliophiles –
The Rare Book and Special Collections Division is excited to announce the launch of the newest blog from the Library of Congress, Bibliomania! Friends of the division will know that the title is telling. Referred to as “book-madness” by the English bibliographer Thomas Frognall Dibdin, “bibliomania” is defined as a “rage for collecting and possessing books” (OED). The vaults of the division contain many reasons to succumb to this happy form of madness.
Bibliomania is a part of a larger effort by the Library’s Rare Book Division to invite more people into our physical and virtual spaces for an exploration of our collections. In the coming months, readers can look forward to blogs about some of the following subjects: a medieval convent library, Juneteenth, early modern education, a bawdy historical festival book, as well as postings involving famous historical figures such as Phillis Wheatley, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Harry Houdini, Pablo Picasso and many more!
As a complement to the content provided through Bibliomania, readers may be interested in the division’s virtual activities and resources for bibliophiles, including the video series From the Vaults, as well as multiple StoryMaps such as INCUNABULA, The Giant Bible of Mainz and Marking the Hours. Researchers and educators may benefit from the division’s Finding Aids and Research Guides. Individuals involved in digital humanities projects may be interested to learn that digitization efforts regularly add new digital content to two robust Digital Collections: Rare Book Selections and the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection. Everyone is invited to stay abreast of events and activities through the email bulletin service and RSS feed called Rare Book News & Events.
Eager to extend our commitment to public engagement through Bibliomania, we invite your questions about the blog, or anything else related to rare books and special collections at the Library of Congress. Feel free to reach out at Ask a Librarian. We are here to help!
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This blog article warmly welcomes readers to Bibliomania, a blog dedicated to book lovers, showcasing the Library of Congress’s vast collection and literary treasures. As an avid reader and enthusiast of library collections, I appreciate the opportunity to explore diverse topics related to literature and bibliophilia. With its engaging content and rich insights, this resource serves as an exciting hub for bibliophiles to discover new reads and delve deeper into the world of books.