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Canaday Center Policies and Guidelines: Collecting Policy - Rare Books

This guide will provide information on the Canaday Center's policies for collecting and using its collections.

RARE BOOKS COLLECTING POLICY

INTRODUCTION

 This policy covers the rare book collections at the Canaday Center, comprised of over 35,000 volumes and covering a variety of subjects, authors and literary genres. Separate policies cover the Center’s University Archives and Manuscripts Collections.   

 

RARE BOOKS COLLECTIONS HELD AT THE CANADAY CENTER

Rare books have been collected at the Canaday Center since the founding of the University Libraries in 1917 and were acquired in large part through donations of volumes or contributions to book funds.  Several endowments have been established for the purpose of growing our rare book holdings and the Canaday Center welcomes recommendations for possible additions to the collections, as per the guidelines below.  

 

CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION IN THE RARE BOOKS COLLECTION

 The follow criteria may determine whether an item is added to the collections:  

  • It relates to subjects in the Manuscripts Collections or the history of the University of Toledo.  
  • It is a private press or limited-edition publication.  
  • The copy is autographed.  
  • The copy is annotated.  
  • It contains original photographs or fine plates.  
  • It is rare or valuable.  
  • The item is in reasonable physical condition so that it can be safely used by patrons in the Reading Room.  

 

STRENGTHS OF EXISTING COLLECTION

 The rare books collection is currently comprised of the following subjects:  

  • African American literature  
  • History of books and fine printing  
  • History of medicine in Northwest Ohio  
  • Hungarian history, art, culture, and literature  
  • Imagist poets  
  • Stock market and financial speculation  

  In addition, the collection also includes books or series concerning the following individuals or organizations:  

  • T.S. Eliot  
  • William Faulkner  
  • William Dean Howells  
  • Leigh Hunt  
  • Ezra Pound  
  • Henry David Thoreau  
  • University of Toledo  
  • Eudora Welty  

 

SELECTION AND METHODS OF ACQUISITION

Materials are acquired for the rare books collection through gift, bequest, purchase, and transfer from the general collection. Potential acquisitions are assessed against the criteria listed above. Offers of items or entire collections may be refused if they don’t meet the established criteria, or if there is a more appropriate local library.  

In addition, to avoid unnecessary duplication, the Canaday Center may refuse items that are available digitally, unless the copy has specific value.  

 

DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS  

Thanks to the generosity of friends and alumni of the University of Toledo, the Canaday Center has been able to build its current rare books collection through donations and bequests, as well as to create endowment funds for continued collection growth.   

The Canaday Center is happy to accept gifts of library materials that fit the criteria described above. Potential donors should contact the Center in advance to discuss their gift, and to enable us to determine the relevance and appropriateness of the materials. Approved donations will be accepted according to the following conditions:  

  • Donations become the property of the University of Toledo.  
  • They will be added to the collection as appropriate, classified according to subject matter, and interfiled with other books.   
  • A note will be added to the catalog record bearing the donor’s name.   
  • The Canaday Center reserves the right to dispose of items within a donation which are not required for its collections, including duplicates and multiple editions, if they do not enhance the strength of the overall collections.  
  • Items are not generally accepted on deposit or loan.  

 

PURCHASE  

Endowment funds enable a modest level of purchasing through second-hand book dealer catalogs and other sources.   

Please note that current staffing levels limit the ability of the Canaday Center to search for, identify, and purchase rare books. However, academic colleagues are encouraged to make recommendations for purchase.  

 

TRANSFER OF MATERIAL FROM THE GENERAL COLLECTION  

During the deselection process of library materials in Carlson Library’s general collection, books meeting the criteria for the Canaday Center’s rare book holdings will be transferred to the Center for permanent storage and maintenance.   

 

ACCESS

The Canaday Center rare book collection has been cataloged in the University of Toledo library catalog. Materials in our rare book holdings do not circulate; access to the materials is available only within the Reading Room at the Center. Researchers wishing to use rare books should request them from Canaday Center staff by referring to the item’s call number as found in the catalog. An appointment is required.

Depending on the condition of the materials, and any applicable copyright codes, photocopies can be made by staff at the request of the researcher.