Deep into processing these two little Italian books of hours newly acquired for BPL’s early manuscript collections. 1/11
Jay Moschella
@jaymoschella.bsky.social
Parent, librarian, public servant, person in Boston
It's fun to work in a huge, incredible, sprawling collection because every once in a while I'll be like, "What is in that envelope that has clearly not been opened in decades" and the answer will be something like a first-day printing of the United States Constitution from Sept. 1787
If you think that receipts from C19 Boston blacksmiths, plasterers, painters, and glazers were dull, think again! Here they are putting prisoners in chains, building whipping posts, and repairing holes the inmates cut in walls attempting to escape. These bills are the only record of those episodes 🗃️
One-night-only giant cactus flower blooming tonight out in the rain
Fun new acquisition here at the Boston Public Library. This is a 1476 edition of Eusebius of Caesarea's church history, printed in Rome. We bought this book for basically one reason only -- a fantastic printing error that left an impression on one page from a single piece of "fallen type."
Have managed to cultivate this shaded space under the canopy of a mimosa tree that we planted as a little bare-root stick six or seven years ago. Years of waiting now paying off. Home alone and dinner below it this evening was pretty ideal
This turned out to be a lot of fun, with a huge turnout despite the absolutely searing heat. Definitely the highlight was a visit by a group of the founders and original authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves: ourbodiesourselves.org/the-latest/c...
Celebrating Independence Day with Our Bodies Ourselves | Our Bodies Ourselves
The Boston Public Library selected the first edition of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" to display alongside other historic documents from their Special Collections at an Independence Day Open House on July 2...
ourbodiesourselves.org
Jay Moschella@jaymoschella.bsky.social · last mo.Things you can see in our open house display today only at the Boston Public Library (which is also heavily air conditioned): 1. 1 of 8 surviving "ratification" copies of the constitution 2. The 1st printing of the Virginia Declaration of Rights 3. First public printing of the Bill of Rights
Things you can see in our open house display today only at the Boston Public Library (which is also heavily air conditioned): 1. 1 of 8 surviving "ratification" copies of the constitution 2. The 1st printing of the Virginia Declaration of Rights 3. First public printing of the Bill of Rights
Just acquired: two tiny pamphlet printings of the preliminary and final Emancipation Proclamation, published in Boston in December 1862 and January 1863. Made to be distributed freely and to be carried south by Union soldiers and given, in particular, to formerly enslaved men who might enlist.
Delighted by this new acquisition. A copy of a haggadah published in Amsterdam in 1695. Known simply as the Amsterdam haggadah, it's the first haggadah to incorporate copperplate engravings and contains one of the earliest maps of the Holy Land printed in Hebrew 1/7
BPL's newest exhibition "Declarations: Printing a New Nation" opens today, April 11! For the first time ever, the BPL's 8 rare printings of the Declaration will be displayed together, inviting visitors to step into a moment when American independence, and the nation itself, was still taking shape.
OK for fun: top funniest tweet ever? I am torn between "moon's haunted" and "Denise I was at your wedding."
I feel like something I really excel at at this point in my life is spotting difficult to discern birds of prey perched in the trees while I drive down the highway
I'm glad to hear Bouie say "This regime is illegitimate" because it's a word that's been bouncing around in my head. I think it's a helpful framing and one that Democratic leaders internalize. Once you accept that this is an illegitimate, authoritarian regime, it should inform how you resist.
jamelle@jamellebouie.net · 6mo agoGenerally can't stand Moulton but this is the only issue that matters at this moment, so I fully support. youtube.com/shorts/hyqtA...
ICE is full of COWARDS. They are all absolute, pathetic, untrained COWARDS. DEFUND AND PROSECUTE.
YouTube video by Seth Moulton
youtube.com
For some reason, very few people these days will stand up and say it, but: the US federal bureaucracy is one of the great wonders of the world, staffed with incredibly diligent people who do their jobs well and care deeply. Trump's destruction of the federal apparaus was a historic crime.
The Purged
Donald Trump’s destruction of the civil service is a tragedy not just for the roughly 300,000 workers who have been discarded, but for an entire nation.
theatlantic.com
Johannes Balbus' Catholicon -- an immense Latin grammar and dictionary. Printed in Mainz in 1460 by Gutenberg. BPL's copy is one of relatively few printed on vellum (animal skin). Taking some pics with my iphone(!), you can see collagen fibers, hand-applied pigments, and ink squash from the press.
Another day on the job, another normal day of library science
Last BPL new acquisition of the year is a copy of the very rare gradual printed by Johann Emerich for Lucantonio Giunta in Venice in 1499. This is the largest book (by dimensions) printed during the 15th century and it required a custom-manufactured paper stock to print. 1/8
Much solidarity here with BL workers, who are very visibly and very grievously underpaid
Christian Algar@ceebarnacles.bsky.social · 8mo agoReading Rooms at the British Library are closed *all week* because so many of its workers refuse to work for pitiful wages in a contemptuously authoritarian and obliviously managed environment. We need leaders who get it and are big enough to sort it out! It’s a mess and a disgrace. Lift it up!!
An honor and dream come true to perform alongside Yo-Yo Ma, presented by Celebrity Series at Boston Symphony Hall. 💜 🎼Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
With the Boston International Antiquarian book fair fully in the rear view, here are two early books BPL acquired over the course of that week. We of course added a bunch of other amazing stuff to the collections as well, which I'll detail a bit later . . . 1/7
Breaking up a long Sunday this past weekend to look at minerals, fossils, taxidermy . . .
