The document discusses the cataloguing of the Cardiff Rare Books Collection. It describes how the collection was originally part of the Cardiff Public Library but was up for sale. In 2009, cataloguers from Cardiff University performed an initial scoping of the collection and found that most books were previously uncatalogued. The university later purchased the collection and it is now housed in their special collections library. Cataloguing the full collection posed various challenges around standards, conservation, and prioritization. The project aims to make the collection accessible to researchers through detailed cataloguing of individual rare books.

1. Discovering hidden
gems: cataloguing the
Cardiff Rare Books
Collection
Ken Gibb & Karen Pierce

2. Background
Early history of public
library and its rare
book collection
Collection up for sale

3. Scoping
 March 2009
 3 cataloguers from Cardiff University
perform 10 % scoping exercise of
collection
 1,387 items sampled

4. Collections
 Incunabula  Restoration Drama
 Atlases  Private Presses / Fine
 Bibles Bindings
 Early English Folios  ‘Rare Books’
 Early English Quartos  Calligraphy
 Early English Octavos  Continental

5. Scoping Project Report
 April 2009 project report prepared for
CyMAL
 Sample indicated over 90% of books not
already held in Cardiff, and 75% not held
in National Library of Wales
 12.04% contained marginalia
 39.44% contained provenance information

6. Listing the books
 August 2009-October
2009
 Cataloguing &
acquisitions staff work
at the Public Library
stacks to list the
collection

7. Cardiff University purchase books
 Books came to Cardiff
University in 2010
and are housed in
SCOLAR (Special
Collections and
Archives)

8. Academics welcome news (1)
“Finding a permanent home for this
collection will help enrich the cultural life of
Wales and Cardiff. The University is proud
to have helped secure its future.”
Prof. Jonathan Osmond, Pro Vice-
Chancellor

9. Academics welcome news (2)
“Because of the wealth and varied nature
of the material acquired by the University,
this opens up the possibility for a wide
range of research projects and areas of
research for postgraduate students across
many disciplines…”
Prof. Sioned Davies, Head of the School
of Welsh

10. Cardiff Rare Books launch at the
Senedd – November 2010

11. Cataloguing Challenges
 Cataloguing team
 One day training from
CILIP
 Advertise for Rare
Books Cataloguer
 Appointment in 2011

12. Where to begin? - The 1% Project
 140 books - 1% of total
collection
 Cataloguing issues
 Conservation and
handling
 How much detail?
 Setting priorities
 Report for Rare Books
Strategy Group

13. How we are cataloguing the books
 Descriptive Cataloguing of
Rare Materials - DCRM(B)
 Anglo-American Cataloguing
Rules - AACR2
 Library of Congress Subject
Headings
 Library of Congress
Classification
 Copy-specific fields for
provenance and bindings

14. Sample rare books catalogue
record

15. Provenance – who owned what and when
 Armorial bindings
 Bookplates
 Autographs
 Inscriptions
 Marginalia
 Ownership stamps

16. History of
ownership

17. Our hidden gems

18. Arts & crafts

19. Fine bindings – Duodo’s library

20. Famous owners

21. Any Questions?
 Ken Gibb  Karen Pierce
 Rare Books Cataloguer  Cataloguing Librarian
 GibbK@Cardiff.ac.uk (Project Manager)
 PierceKF@Cardiff.ac.uk
Cardiff Rare Books Collection blog:
http://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com