Rare books and special collections /

Berger (Peabody Essex Museum; Simmons College) offers a how-to manual for practitioners. Being a rare book librarian is tricky. One is not just a librarian but also must understand the physical book and book history. Few library schools offer this training. Many practitioners learn through on-the-job training, by serving an apprenticeship, or by taking classes through the Rare Book School. Rare book librarians wear many hats (sometimes multiple ones) as administrators, managers, curators, bibliographers, teachers, catalogers, appraisers, development officers, exhibitors, security experts, conservators, disaster and emergency planners, and the like. They may be in a one-person department or part of a larger organization, and they may work in academic, public, or private institutions. Berger tries to cover all these areas of expertise and more. Sometimes he succeeds; at other times, he just touches on the topic. He uses many personal examples (some very anecdotal) in detailing the running of a rare book department. Berger brings years of knowledge to the subject, and his personal interests are evident in the large section of this book devoted to physical materials. This is a drawback; he could be more inclusive of others' methods and techniques. Some chapters are heavily footnoted with extensive bibliographies; others are not. No overall, comprehensive bibliography is included. This volume offers a good overview and a starting point for someone getting into the profession or for a current practitioner. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students through professionals/practitioners. --Nora J. Quinlan, Nova Southeastern University

This handbook presents a comprehensive overview of the essential information needed by library professionals working with rare books and special collections in academic libraries, private repositories, and large public libraries. Berger (director, Phillips Lib., Peabody Essex Museum) covers the broad scope of responsibilities involved in managing a special collection, including acquisition and collection development, handling and preservation of rare books and archival materials, fundraising, security and facilities issues, disaster planning, outreach, and digitization. The text successfully balances both a big-picture view of managing rare books departments while addressing, in detail, issues that are specific to the experiences of special collections librarians. The author's personal anecdotes in the sidebars helpfully reinforce and provide real-world context for the best practices he outlines in the narrative. The extensive bibliography and appendixes are especially useful for further research into specific topics. This work should be considered a companion to Rare Book Librarianship by Geoffrey D. Smith, et al (2012). VERDICT Recommended as ready reference for all library professionals who are responsible for rare books and special collections.-Kathryn Wells, Providence P.L. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.