Bedeutende englische Bibliothek in Gefahr

["Klaus Graf" <klaus.graf _at__ geschichte.uni-freiburg.de>]

Die folgende Mail von Frau Wagner wurde ueber die Listen
MEDIAEVISTIK und INCUNABULA-L verteilt, sollte aber auch
hier Aufmerksamkeit finden. Alle an Altbestaenden
Interessierten hier moegen bitte sich fuer den Erhalt der
englischen Kirchenbibliothek von York einsetzen, der
groessten Kathedralbibliothek des Landes siehe z.B.
http://www.york.ac.uk/tmm2003/York%20Minster%20Library.htm

Danke!

Dr. Klaus Graf

***

Liebe Kollegen,

auch in England besteht immer wieder die Gefahr von
Kulturgutverlusten, vgl. die beigefügte Mail von SHARP-L.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Bettina Wagner



> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: Elizabeth Evenden [mailto:Lizevenden _at__ AOL.COM]
> Gesendet: Dienstag, 27. Mai 2003 10:37
> Betreff: URGENT REQUEST re York Minster Library
> 
> 
> Urgent request to all Sharpists!
> 
> On 22 May 2003 the Dean and Chapter of York Minster
announced 
> its decision to
> close York Minster Library. The Minster has financial 
> problems, but the loss
> of the Library is a disaster for many reasons, not least
for 
> the loss of
> access to its rare book collection. The rare book
collection 
> at York Minster is
> excellent: it houses Archbishop Tobie Matthew's library
(including his
> manuscript annotations - a unique source), as well as
many 
> brevaries, metrical psalm
> books, and a whole host of theological works covering the

> whole spectrum of
> doctrinal debate for the early modern period.
> 
> In The Times newspaper on 23 May 2003 Canon Draper (Canon

> Theologian) was
> quoted as saying that the Library was closing because it 
> provided "a few with
> access to material which can usually be found elsewhere."

> Any bibliographist /
> book historian can say otherwise. Each book is unique,
aside from the
> manuscript annotations written within. I could not have 
> completed my work on the
> production of works by the printer John Day without
access to 
> the Day books
> available in York. They provided essential insight into
stop 
> presses, slip cancels,
> pagination and paper supply. Variations occur across
works 
> and many of the
> Day works in York Minster provide a unique insight into
their 
> production that
> could not be gained elsewhere.
> 
> PLEASE SUPPORT THE PETITION TO THE DEAN AND CHAPTER OF
YORK 
> and voice your
> displeasure at the loss of such a library. Remember that
the 
> "snowball effect"
> this could have is staggering, as it could prompt other 
> cathedral collections
> to be dispersed. Such libraries could be sold to the 
> "highest bidder" and so
> the collections dispersed (and lost to us academics!).
York 
> has made no
> decision as to what to do with the colletion yet, so by 
> petitioning you might help
> make the Dean and Chapter see what a disaster this would
be 
> for us all if it
> was broken up and sold to private buyers. PLEASE HELP.
> 
> Please write to The Times newspaper at:
letters _at__ thetimes.co.uk
> and to the Dean and Chapter of York. The new acting Dean
as 
> of yesterday is
> Glyn Webster, and he can be contacted at: 
> pastor _at__ yorkminster.org, otherwise
> the general e-mail there is: info _at__ yorkminster.org
> 
> The issue is now being raised in Parliament by York's MP,

> Hugh Bayley. You
> can contact him at hughbayley _at__ email.labour.org.uk
> 
> PLEASE WRITE TO ANY OR ALL OF THE ABOVE AND HELP RAISE
THE ISSUE.
> 
> Many thanks for your time.
> 
> Dr. Elizabeth Evenden.