Durham Cathedral Library

Durham Cathedral Library & Collections. Remarkable historic objects, medieval manuscripts, early printed books, modern theological works & friendly librarians.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

Follow Durham Cathedral here: https://t.co/25IiLjsjYe

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

Find out about special collections appointments on our (relatively) new website: https://t.co/orerNFqu81

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

We take special collections appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Among the call ups today are these two rather lovely things from our early printed music collections:

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

Happy New Year from Durham Cathedral Library!

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

The view across the Cloisters, looking at the Dormitory - where some of our books live.

Taken on All Souls, 2nd November, 2022.

[Durham Cathedral @durhamcathedral]

Not long to go until the new Mind of Bede museum exhibition opens on Monday. Find out about Saint Bede, who was known as the ‘Teacher of the whole Middle Ages’ and see rare manuscripts and early printed books 📖​Find out more here ➡️https://t.co/OEl5LzxOmV

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

While we love 'Library' as a word, we will now also be attempting to use 'librate' in a sentence today as well.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

The Collins Dictionary Word of the Year #collinswoty for 2022 is 'permacrsis'.

Dr. Johnson's Dictionary of 1755, however, contains our favourite word of this (or any) year:

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

From Dr. Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, printed in London in 1755.

Our shelfmark: L.I.27-28.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

It's quite leafy, but also quite lovely, here at the Cathedral this morning.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

Good Morning All!

Top tip: If you can, start your day with a nice maple tree, the sun on a library, and a very blue sky.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

Readers, take heed!

The Sharp Library (the very nice library in the picture)
is NOT OPEN (alas)
on Mon 10th and Tues 11th October.

Even a librarian needs a holiday.

We will welcome all you readers back on Monday 17th October at 10am. See you then!

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

The Sharp Library is open Tues 4th October, 10am - 1pm / 2pm - 4pm (last admission 3.30pm).

(The book cupboards are open if you ask nicely)

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

For #LibrariesWeek we thought we would show you what's in our beautiful cupboards in the Sharp Library.

It's books.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

The shelf-mark is H.V.13 - the 13th book on the fifth shelf of row H.

Which looks like this:

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

29th September - Michaelmas!

Here is Michael (of Michaelmas fame) in Book 6 of Milton's Paradise Lost, in our *very* nicely typeset 1749 copy.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

I suppose the view from the Barker Reading Room is...

okay?

It will do, I suppose.

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

Find out more with the full catalogue reference - in print and digital via the link:

https://t.co/5cq96KimP2

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

21st September: It's the Feast Day of St. Matthew...

Or should that be S. Mathew?

From a 1549 reprint of the 1537 Matthew's Bible (shelf-mark: B.IV.41).

[Durham Cathedral Library @BedesBooks]

This copy once belonged to former librarian Thomas Rud (1667 - 1733).

The very *noticeable* library stamp was...a later addition.

It has handwriting like this throughout. Likely 17th century, it was by either John or Thomas Burdesse/Burdusse.