Oak Knoll

This book reproduces in facsimile each page of the printed catalogues of the Yale College Library issued in 1743, 1755, and 1791, accompanied by an index that identifies authors and titles and is keyed to these facsimile pages. The introduction tells the story of the early books of this collection from long before there was a Yale College Library in which to place them. It examines the legend of the "Forty Folios" and describes the major early gifts from Jeremiah Dummer, Elihu Yale, George Berkeley, and others that made it possible for the new college to build its collection without spending a cent for books. The use of the books during the 18th century is described and a comparison is made with similar catalogues of Harvard College. There is a list of selected sources used for this introduction as a guide for further study.