Why are things that are neither rare nor old housed at the Hay where they cannot circulate?
In addition to housing a high proportion of rare and unique materials, the Hay also contains many thematic special collections whose individual parts may not be ‘valuable’ or ‘rare’, but, as an aggregate, constitute a historically significant body of material. Keeping these materials together as a special collection enhances their research value. For example, since many of the contemporary texts acquired for the Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays are readily available in the marketplace it may seem puzzling that their circulation should be restricted. The collecting policy of the Harris Collection, since the 19th century, has been to acquire all materials in lyric and dramatic form produced by Americans from the earliest period to the present day. This mission (and the endowed funds and gifts that support it) has produced the most comprehensive collection of its kind in the world. Many current titles in the Harris Collection are duplicated for the circulating collections, b
In addition to housing a high proportion of rare and unique materials, the Hay also contains many thematic special collections whose individual parts may not be ‘valuable’ or ‘rare’, but, as an aggregate, constitute a historically significant body of material. Keeping these materials together as a special collection enhances their research value. For example, since many of the contemporary texts acquired for the Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays are readily available in the marketplace it may seem puzzling that their circulation should be restricted. The collecting policy of the Harris Collection, since the 19th century, has been to acquire all materials in lyric and dramatic form produced by Americans from the earliest period to the present day. This mission (and the endowed funds and gifts that support it) has produced the most comprehensive collection of its kind in the world.
show answer In addition to housing a high proportion of rare and unique materials, the Hay also contains many thematic special collections whose individual parts may not be ‘valuable’ or ‘rare’, but, as an aggregate, constitute a historically significant body of material. Keeping these materials together as a special collection enhances their research value. For example, since many of the contemporary texts acquired for the Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays are readily available in the marketplace it may seem puzzling that their circulation should be restricted. The collecting policy of the Harris Collection, since the 19th century, has been to acquire all materials in lyric and dramatic form produced by Americans from the earliest period to the present day. This mission (and the endowed funds and gifts that support it) has produced the most comprehensive collection of its kind in the world. Many current titles in the Harris Collection are duplicated for the circulating co
