Belated Happy Birthday to M.R.James (born 1 August 1862) who catalogued many of the medieval manuscripts in the Wren Library completing the 3rd vol in 1902. His work still forms the back bone of our catalogue records today. Read the annotated copies online here: mise.stanford.edu/workspaces/6...

The Wren Library, Trinity College Cambridge, designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1676, completed in 1695; interior with distinctive limewood carvings by ‘The King’s Carver’ Grinling Gibbons, Dutch sculptor who died in London #OTD 1721; buried at St Paul’s Covent Garden. @trincolllibcam.bsky.social

Cambridge University and Trinity College have launched a global hunt for a new Professor of Sustainability 🌍 The Hatton Professorship of Sustainability will be advertised this summer, with the successful candidate starting in the academic year 2026/27. Find out more: https://bit.ly/4weOeVh

Library News! We have two new displays in the Wren Library for visitors to explore. Written and curated by our Archives Trainee and our Library Trainee. If you are interested in the history of psychical research or the hidden lives of the wives of the masters pop in, 12-2pm Mon-Fri. Free entry

We recently contributed a photograph from our archives to @bankofengland.bsky.social blog post celebrating 80 years since the return to public ownership. Read about it here:https://bankunderground.co.uk/2026/05/28/a-balancing-act-in-public-ownership-the-quiet-legacy-of-the-bank-of-england-act-1946/

We're a little late with the date on this, but recently found in a 1677 copy of 'The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar' on a fly sheet an inscription describing a great hail storm on 3rd July 1719 in Bilston, Staffordshire. A little ice would be a welcome change here today. #rarebooks #libraries

It was a pleasure to see you!

Gethin Matthews@ww1cymru-wales.bsky.social · last mo.

An enormous privilege to be able to examine the copy of Cyfraith Hywel, the Laws of Hywel Dda, in Trinity College Library, Cambridge. Thanks to @trincolllibcam.bsky.social - there are digital copies available - mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/O... - Manuscript was copied out by Gwilym Wasta c.1300

To mark #bloomsday have a look at our blog written in 2022 to mark the centenary of Joyce's Ulysses. trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com/2022/02/11/u...

Ulysses: some editions at Trinity

February 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses. This blog highlights some of the inspiration for Joyce’s influential, if controversial, book and some of the d…

trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com

RIP David Hockney, always colourful. A Bigger Book lib-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Record/5b11d... #DavidHockney

Remembering Edward Capell born #OTD 1713. His collection of early Shakespeariana was presented to The Wren Library at Trinity College in 1779. It was the first collection to have the stipulation that it was not to be loaned out, but consulted in the library. mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/manuscripts/...

“Reason is the life of the law…” Sir Edward Coke, great English jurist, Lord Chief Justice, High Steward of University of Cambridge, revived interest in Magna Carta, and drafted Petition of Right (granted Royal Assent #OTD 1628). Portrait, Trinity College Cambridge @trincolllibcam.bsky.social

Went to make a cup of tea and found one of my colleagues had evidently enjoyed themselves at the kid's Lego session yesterday. Not sure we've got enough lego to make a full size one though...

We're open to everyone 12.00 - 2.00 Monday through Friday, and 10.30 - 12.30 on Saturdays during term!! All the details are here: www.trin.cam.ac.uk/library/visi... and we look forward to welcoming you to the library soon!

Visitors - Trinity College Library

trin.cam.ac.uk

Jenny Symien@symienjennifer.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Thank you - hope to visit when next in Cambridge: grandson is a member of Trinity so that may help.

The Wren Library sits by the river. Today we are imagining being in the river and feeling like a king. #keepingcool MS.B.11.5 mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/B...

We're celebrating Peter Shaffer's 100th Birthday here at the Library! If you can't make it to Cambridge to see highlights from his archive on display, check out this new blog post by one of our intrepid archivists, Diana Smith! trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com/2026/05/15/t...

The Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer (1926-2016)

The papers of playwright Sir Peter Shaffer were bequeathed to Trinity College Library in 2016. On this centenary of his birth, our Assistant Archivist Diana Smith discusses the collection.   In the…

trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com

John Dryden, first Poet Laureate died #OTD in 1700. Read about him in our blog post from 2018. trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com/2018/09/14/j...

"Make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life." Bertrand Russell on how to grow old and what makes a fulfilling life www.themarginalian.org/2026/05/10/h...

How to Grow Old: Bertrand Russell on What Makes a Fulfilling Life

“Make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.”

themarginalian.org

Going through an issue of the TLS from last December, I find a philosophy pun courtesy of Nigel Warburton that surely deserves wider currantsy.

Hurrah for Friday and #worlddonkeyday. This donkey (ms B.11.27) is very pleased to be taking a break from studying for exams to play music and dance. mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/B...

Don't forget to go out and vote today - here's an election hustings from 1845 on Parker's Piece here in Cambridge.

1 month to go until 2026 Big Meadow Search Project gets underway. Runs 1st June to 31st August across UK, Ireland and Channel Islands. Any type of grassland can be included. Everyone welcome to join. Watch this space for updates and please start looking for places to search

It's #EarthDay, This wonderful world map from Cosmographica, 1482 appears in Grylls 2.195 lib-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Record/90ed3...

Good morning from the margins. Monday again. This face has seen 800 years of Mondays. mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/O... #marginaliamonday

”Yet it creates, transcending these, Far other worlds, and other seas, Annihilating all that’s made, To a green thought in a green shade.” The Garden (1681) by Andrew Marvell, English metaphysical poet born #OTD 1621. @trincolllibcam.bsky.social Stourhead Garden Wiltshire @nationaltrust.org.uk

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Here are some grand images from the catchwords in manuscript B.15.25, Jocelin of Furness, Life of St Patrick. Also an inscription written in Irish from the same book. mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/B...

A trio of medieval bagpipers 🎶🎶🎶

To celebrate #InternationalBagPipeDay here is a pleased looking pooch playing the puppy pipes. M.S. B.11.27 mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/B...

William Whewell, influential British polymath & philosopher, coined words physicist & scientist, proposed new terminology for discoveries in chemistry by Faraday & in geology by Lyell. Mentioned in Trollope’s Barchester Towers; died #OTD 1866. Professor, Master, Chancellor Trinity College Cambridge

Don't be fooled by the appearances! At first glance, these look like early printed books, but it is an ingenious chest of drawers. Has anyone seen this elsewhere?

The books in the library are glittering in the spring sunshine today. M.S. B.11.3 mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/B... #worldbookday