Bookworms and Acid Pens
Michael Leech discusses the paper tigers and fragile history of Princeton University's collection.
Whether we realise it or not we are all collectors – and paper must be one of the things we amass most of. Letters, postcards, photographs, programmes and posters, may he so much litter to some – to librarians they can be of great value, particularly to those in charge of specialist collections.
Princeton University in New Jersey has a particular interest in paper, for it has a large rare books collection, including many manuscripts. It also has a theatre collection that is one of the principal repositories of records of that most ephemeral of arts.
Much of this collection, housed in the Firestone Library, is paper. Princeton has a vast collection of circus memorabilia, theatre posters and rare prompt scripts, costume and set sketches, models and manuscripts as well as programmes and photographs forming the bulk of its hoard. Mary Ann Jensen is head of the theatre section, where until recently she worked closely with conservator Griselda Warr.
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