The simple fact is that if it were not for the wealthy who have collected and hoarded books throughout history, there would be none in public repositories. Think about it. All those rich guys (and admittedly, those of modest means as well) who scoured the book stalls and shops in search of printed treasure became the saviors of civilization as they added to their personal troves. But, like all living things, these bibliophiles eventually shuffled off their mortal coils and a decision needed to be made on the private libraries they left behind. Sometimes dispersed, sometimes lost, but sometimes established as a public or semi-public repository for the enjoyment of all. In this sense, they are much like those doctors or lawyers who purchase historic buildings for restoration and repurposing. They temporarily assume stewardship over a material treasure which oftentimes benefits all of us.
The danger today, of course, comes from the threat of Information Scientists. Scorning the collecting habits of collectors they consider little more than eccentric cat ladies, those in charge of our libraries today no longer even WANT these inherited artifacts. This is why public libraries have become little more than internet cafes that sell off donated books during increasingly frequent book sales. Biblioposers who pretend to be the custodians of mankind’s printed legacy continue to slip volumes from their own stacks into the mix as well, insuring the remaining collection available to the public erodes into a pile of dog-eared paperback laundromat romances.
At True Archives we salute the one percenters whose passion for books drives them to collect. This “Gentle Madness” so eloquently described by Nicholas Basbanes in his book of the same title should be encouraged and celebrated. It is these happy few that will save the heritage of our planet (along with archivists) now that we can no longer trust libraries to do so.
