Print and Manuscript Collections
The collections of the Rare Books and Special Collections department of the Thomas Fisher Library are many and varied, reflecting the wide diversity of research conducted at the University of Toronto by its own faculty and students, visiting scholars, and the general public. Chronologically, the print and manuscript collections range from a 1789 B.C. Babylonian cuneiform tablet from Ur, to contemporary artists’ books.
In addition to the general rare book collections, the holdings of books and other printed material are organized in over one hundred special author or subject collections, focussing on fields as diverse as AIDS, Aristotle, Birdsall Bindings, Darwin, Aldous Huxley, Incunabula, Libretti, Petlice, Printed Ephemera and the Spanish Civil War.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 175Selection of works by and about American philosopher Alexander Bryan Johnson (1786–1867). Consists of books, pamphlets, and printed ephemera.
Collection of the Academy of Medicine of Toronto's general holdings in the history of medicine. Consists of books, manuscripts, pamphlets, periodicals, and printed ephemera.
Collection of multiple editions of Catherine Parr Traill's (1802-1899) works on Canadian flora illustrated by Agnes Chamberlin (1833-1913). Consists of books.
Collection of books, pamphlets and posters from the 1980s to 1990s on the subject of AIDS. Part of the J.A. Hannah Collection. Consists of books, pamphlets, and posters.
Collection of works about the Holocaust compiled by Alain Goldschläger (1946–). The collection emphasizes first hand accounts and testimonies published in the immediate aftermath of WWII. The collection includes works in nearly thirty languages from forty-four countries. Consists of books and pamphlets.
Collection of books illustrated by and on the topic of British book illustrators of the twentieth century. Consists of books.
Collection of medieval Hebrew manuscripts and early printed books in Hebrew and Latin dating from the tenth to the twentieth century. Consists of early printed books and manuscripts.
Collection of books and pamphlets on the subject of ear, nose, and throat medicine. The collection also includes early works related to the beginning of deaf education in North America. Consists of books and pamphlets.
Collection of works by and about English philosopher Alduous Huxley (1894–1963), including critical works. Consists of books.
Collection of literature belonging and pertaining to the Irish Literary Revival of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Among the Anglo-Irish authors represented are Lady Gregory, George Moore, J. M. Synge, Oscar Wilde, and W. B. Yeats. Consists of books, broadsides, pamphlets, and periodicals.
Collection of fairy tales published during the book arts revival from 1890–1920. Consists of books.
Collection of books published during the 1970s and 1980s in the former Soviet Union, consisting of primers in Northern Russian Indigenous languages.
Collection of works related to the subject of angling, or line fishing, dating from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. The collection includes works from Europe and North America. Consists of books, pamphlets, periodicals, and printed ephemera.
Collection of antiquarian booksellers' and auction catalogues, primarily from Canadian, American, British, and European dealers. Consists of serials.
This collection comprises approximately 1,200 manuscripts dating from the 15th to 19th centuries, written in Arabic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Urdu. The manuscripts cover a wide range of subjects, including Islamic law, theology, and Qur’anic commentaries; Islamic and Arab history; Arabic language, literature, and grammar; as well as works on Islamic sects and biographies of Muslim figures. Many texts feature multiple languages, reflecting the diverse communities and institutions of the region.
Collection of early editions of works by Aristotle (384–322 BCE) and commentaries by authors such as Walter Burley, Egidio Colonna, Joannes de Janduno, and others. Consists of books.
Selection of works illustrated by English Illustrator Arthur Rackham (1867–1939). Consists of books.
Collection of first and subsequent editions of the work of Francis Bacon (1561–1626) including critical works and commentaries, as well as Baconia dated before 1750. Consists of books.
Collection of various editions of The Satyricon, which is commonly attributed to Gaius Petronius Arbiter (27–66 CE), published since the fifteenth century, together with critical works. Consists of books, periodicals, and printed ephemera.
The collection comprises of medical texts and standard works from Frederick G. Banting’s (1891–1941) office. There are a number of runs of research journals. The collection also includes a few works on insulin which were directly related to Banting’s research. An exhibition catalogue that contains material from this collection is The Discovery of Insulin at the University of Toronto (1996). Consists of books and periodicals.
Collection of works by and about British philosopher and logician Bertrand Russell (1872–1970). Consists of books, photographs, posters, printed ephemera, and realia.
Collection of books from the office of Charles H. Best (1899–1978) at the Best Institute. The collection includes works on diabetes and related topics written by Best or presented to him, as well as four volumes of off-prints on heparin by Best and other researchers. Consists of books.
Collection of books bound by the firm of Birdsall & Son, Northampton, UK. Consists of books.
Collection of nineteenth and twentieth century literature, textbooks, children's books, and other materials that were once part of personal library of the Hon. Hewitt Bostock (1864–1930). Consists of books.
Collection of chapbooks, or "literatura de cordel," published in Brazil. Many of the titles are illustrated with woodcuts, otherwise known as “xilogravuras”. Consists of chapbooks.