Collection Development Policy
Curatorial Method: The BRBM defines curation as the careful, intentional selection of rare books and
manuscripts from a variety of sources, including rare book dealers, auctions, and gifts
in kind. The BRBM bases its curatorial method on the organic connections that exists between and
among texts, their creators, and the circumstances surrounding their creation. These connections
manifest themselves in a variety of ways, including but not limited to geography, time
period, authorship, evidence of provenance and use, publication history, format, materiality, artistic
quality, and subject matter. The BRBM uses these connections, combined with informed
assessments of rarity, condition, and usefulness in teaching, to develop its collection
of rare books and manuscripts.
Overall Criteria for New Acquisitions:
Must enrich collection strengths through textual, paratextual, or historical elements AND/OR must fill
in gaps within the current collection
Must be in good to excellent condition
Must be useful for teaching and instruction
Collecting Scope: The BRBM collects a wide range of written and printed materials that emphasize the
importance of books as historical artifacts. First and foremost, the BRBM collects
works that are in good condition and useful for teaching and outreach. More specifically,
the BRBM seeks works that are considered first editions, association and presentation
copies, and/or essential writings by canonized writers of the English language. These works also should exhibit physical or
historical characteristics. In addition, the BRBM collects reference books that support
research of book history.
Collection Strengths: The BRBM seeks to acquire materials that complement and enhance strengths already
present within the collection. The BRBM also actively seeks new collecting areas that
support the research and teaching of faculty members at KSU or that respond to current
world events.
Medieval and early Renaissance manuscripts: A collection of roughly fifty manuscript leaves comprised largely of chant manuscripts
and leaves from Books of Hours. Most pieces date between the thirteenth century and the
sixteenth century.
Incunabula and early printed books: Leaves and codices printed between the late fifteenth century and the end of the
sixteenth century. Of interest are rare, sixteenth-century editions of Geoffrey Chaucer’s
works.
Biblical history: Texts illustrating Biblical history from the early modern period onward. Examples include leaves from early translations of the Bible into English and the 1611 King James Bible, French prayer books, and an authentic Lunar Bible.
Shakespearean texts: Materials written by and relating to the life of William Shakespeare. Highlights
include a 1902 facsimile of the First Folio, excerpts of the Second Folio, a full
Fourth Folio, illustrated versions of Shakespeare’s plays, and early modern works
written by Shakespeare’s contemporaries.
Illustrations and prints: Illustrated books, prints, and graphic novels demonstrating various artistic techniques,
including woodcut illustrations, lithography, and metal engravings.
Culinary history: A combination of rare, unique, and historic books on the history of food and the restaurant business. The collection also contains a wide range of menus and cookbooks.
History of science: Significant works documenting the history and discovery of scientific thought. Notable pieces include the works of Galileo, Newton, Vesalius (facsimile), and the Royal Society of London.
Nineteenth-century British and American literature: First and early editions of British and American literature in the nineteenth century. Example authors include Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Jane Austen, and Louisa May Alcott.
Harlem Renaissance literature: Novels, short stories, music, and poetry of major Harlem Renaissance writers, including Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, James Weldon Johnson, Nella Larsen, Arna Bontemps, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen.
Children’s literature: Books, primers, and periodicals from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries illustrating the development of children’s literature in the English language.
Sports, recreation, and travel literature: Books and bound periodicals chronicling sports, leisure, and travels mostly throughout Europe. Of interest are editions of The Edinburgh Review between 1803-1819 and the sports and pop culture writings of Pierce Egan in early nineteenth-century England.
Fine-press materials: Books and manuscripts demonstrating the fine art of bookmaking. Example materials include manuscripts printed on handmade paper, books bound in calf-skin and morocco leather, books containing gilded edges, marbling, embossing, and other artistic qualities.
Historic newspapers: A collection of over 700 individual newspaper issues from the late seventeenth century to the late twentieth century. This collection does not include full runs of newspaper titles.
Current collecting priorities:
Eighteenth-century women writers
History of computing
Cherokee history
Contemporary Native American literature
Judaica
African American women writers
Future areas of development:
Non-English texts
Drama and theatrical works
Latinx and Asian American literature
Deaccessioning: Materials that no longer fall within the collection scope of the BRBM are subject
to deaccessioning according to the MARB Collection Management Handbook. The BRBM curator
and MARB executive director will work with appropriate entities at Kennesaw State
University and the wider community to ensure the proper dispositioning of deaccessioned
materials.
LAST UPDATED MAY 2020