Bentley Rare Book Gallery facts for kids
The Bentley Rare Book Gallery is a special library at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States. It's like a museum for old and important books! This gallery is one of only three places in Georgia with a special 'museum-grade' certification for rare books. The others are at the University of Georgia and Emory University. The gallery is named after Fred D. Bentley, Sr. and his wife Sarah. They helped make this amazing collection possible. Here, you can explore books that show how writing and printing have changed over hundreds of years.
How It Started
The idea for this special rare book room came from a team effort. Library Director Robert Williams, University President Dr. Betty Siegel, and Fred Bentley all worked together to create it.
What It Looks Like
The gallery is designed to feel like a cozy home library from the time of King George III (around 1760-1820). Imagine stepping back in time to a fancy old house!
The people who designed it also got ideas from famous authors. They looked at how Agatha Christie described her perfect home. They also got inspiration from the old-fashioned stories of E. M. Forster and the design ideas in "The Decoration of Houses" by Edith Wharton.
This space, located on the ground floor of the Sturgis Library, was completely changed. It became a place where you can really feel connected to the old books. All the wooden parts of the room were carved by hand to make it look truly old and real.
Even though it looks old, the gallery uses modern technology. This keeps the space safe and controls the temperature and humidity. This is very important for protecting old books. The gallery also has old furniture and items that fit the time period. These pieces help show the rich history of the objects and the setting.
Amazing Old Books and Items
The gallery holds many incredible and rare items. Here are just a few examples:
- A prayer book (called a breviary) from northern Italy (from 1450)
- A page from the Golden Legend (around 1470)
- A page from Tractatus et Sermones (from 1490)
- A page from Recollections on the History of England (around 1470)
- Voi chascoltate inrime sparse (from 1472)
- The Divine Comedy (from 1502)
- The Complete Works of Chaucer (from 1542)
- Aesopi Phrygii Fabulae Graece Latine Conversae (from 1544)
- Newe Testament of Our Lord Iesus Christ (from 1583)
- The Fourth Folio of William Shakespeare (from 1685)
- Paradise Regained (from 1758)
- Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (from 1886)
- Trilby (from 1895)
- Tristram Shandy (all nine volumes)
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (a very first edition)
- Up From Slavery (an original copy signed by Booker T. Washington)
More Than Just Books
The Bentley Rare Book Gallery is part of a bigger group at Kennesaw State University. This group is called the Department of Museums, Archives & Rare Books. Besides the rare books, this department also takes care of:
- The University Archives and Special Collections (important university records)
- Records Management (how records are kept)
- Art Museum and Galleries (art collections)
- The Museum of History and Holocaust Education (history exhibits)
