Check nearby libraries
Buy this book
The Philobiblon is a collection of essays concerning the acquisition, preservation, and organization of books written by the mediaeval bibliophile Richard de Bury shortly before his death in 1345. Written in Latin, as was the custom of the day, it is separated into twenty chapters, each covering a different topic relating to book collecting.
There was a dispute as to whether de Bury was the actual author of the Philobiblon. The controversy began as a result of the bishop’s own biographer, Chambres, neglecting to mention the book at all in de Bury's biography. Many thought that de Bury’s chaplain, Robert Holkot, was the author and there was substantial evidence that this was the case. Today, however, most experts agree that the work is de Bury’s, chiefly due to the revealing and autobiographical nature of the book.[1]
According to one scholar, the Philobiblon is “one of the longest extant medieval texts on the subject of library management.” In it are several innovations such as the practices for circulation control among the students of the college, utilizing at times an open-stack rather than the dominant closed-stack system.[2] Fifteenth century scholars cited it often. Thomas Kempis, the author of the devotional book The Imitation of Christ, borrowed a whole chapter of the Philobiblon for one of his works, and Mathaus Hummel read from it during the opening of the University of Freiburg.[3]
As to de Bury’s legacy, it was said about the Philobiblon: “it is the sole memorial of one who loved books so much in an age and country that loved them so little
Check nearby libraries
Buy this book
Previews available in: English French Latin
Showing 10 featured editions. View all 38 editions?
Edition | Availability |
---|---|
01 |
bbbb
|
02 |
bbbb
|
03
The Love of Books: The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury
1903, A Moring, the De la More press
in English
|
bbbb
|
04
The love of books: the philobiblon of Richard de Bury
1902, A. Moring, the De la More Press
in English
- 2nd ed.
|
bbbb
|
05 |
bbbb
|
06 |
bbbb
|
07
The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury: bishop of Durham, treasurer and chancellor of Edward III.
1888, K. Paul, Trench and Co.
|
aaaa
|
08
The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury: bishop of Durham, treasurer and chancellor of Edward III
1888, K. Paul, Trench and Co.
in English
|
bbbb
|
09 |
bbbb
|
10
Philobiblon Richardi Dunelmensis sive De amore librorum, et institutione bibliothecae, tractatus pulcherrimus: ex collatione cum varijs manuscriptis editio jam secunda : cui accessit appendix de manuscriptis Oxoniensibus : omnia haec, opera & studio T.I. Novi Coll. in alma Academia Oxoniensi socij. B.P.N.
1599, Excudebat Iosephus Barnesius
in Latin
|
bbbb
|
Book Details
Edition Notes
Classifications
The Physical Object
ID Numbers
Community Reviews (0)
Feedback?September 5, 2024 | Edited by MARC Bot | import existing book |
July 14, 2024 | Edited by MARC Bot | import existing book |
August 11, 2020 | Edited by MARC Bot | remove fake subjects |
July 19, 2020 | Edited by Drini | Merge works |
December 9, 2009 | Created by WorkBot | add works page |