Grolier Club facts for kids
The Grolier Club's home at 47 East 60th Street
|
|
| Formation | 1884 |
|---|---|
|
President
|
Nancy K. Boehm |
The Grolier Club is a special club in New York City for people who love books. It's also known as a society of book lovers. It was started in January 1884. This makes it the oldest club for book lovers in North America.
The club is named after Jean Grolier de Servières, a French official. He was famous for his amazing library. His motto, "Io. Grolierii et amicorum" (which means "of or belonging to Jean Grolier and his friends"), showed how much he liked sharing his books.
The Grolier Club's main goal is to study how books are made. This includes how they are printed, bound, and illustrated. They also want to publish books that show off these arts. The club also has a building to keep its collections safe. They hold meetings, talks, and exhibitions there.
Contents
What the Grolier Club Collects and Does
The Grolier Club has a special library for research. It focuses on books, the study of books (called bibliography), and the love of books (bibliophily). They also collect items about the history of printing, beautiful examples of printing, and bookbinding. The library also has information about how books are sold.
The Grolier Club has one of the biggest collections of book auction and bookseller catalogs in North America. These catalogs show what books have been sold and by whom. The library also keeps important papers from famous book lovers. These include papers from Sir Thomas Phillipps and groups like the Hroswitha Club. The Hroswitha Club was a group of women who collected books.
Public Exhibitions and Displays
The Grolier Club also puts on public exhibitions. These shows treat books and prints like art, similar to paintings or sculptures. The exhibitions use items from the club's own collection. They also borrow items from club members and other libraries.
In 2013, for example, they had a show about women in science. In 2022, they featured the Rare Book School. This exhibit was called "Building the Book from the Ancient World to the Present Day." It showed how books have changed over two thousand years.
The Grolier Club is part of a group called the Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies.
History of the Grolier Club
.jpg)
The Grolier Club officially started on January 23, 1884. It began with 50 members. It became a formal organization in 1888. The people who founded the club wanted to encourage perfect bookmaking. They also wanted to improve the art of making books.
Some of the founders included William Loring Andrews and Theodore Low De Vinne. A famous engraver named Edwin Davis French created the club's own bookplate. He also made bookplates for many of its members.
Famous Members of the Club
Many important people have been honorary members of the Grolier Club. These include Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was a U.S. President. Other notable members were Bruce Rogers, a famous typographer, and Margaret Bingham Stillwell, a well-known librarian.
Some famous international members have also joined. These include Alfred W. Pollard and Sir Geoffrey Keynes. Harry Elkins Widener, a young book collector, was also a member. He sadly died when the RMS Titanic sank. His mother later built the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library at Harvard in his memory.
In 1971, a newly found ancient Maya book was shown at the club. This book became known as the Grolier Codex. In 1973, the club published a copy of this important ancient text.
Club Buildings Over Time
The Grolier Club has had three different homes since it started. Its first location was a rented space on Madison Avenue. But the club quickly grew too big for it by 1888. In 1890, they moved to a new building on 32nd Street. This building was designed in a style called Romanesque Revival. It is now a protected city landmark.
The club's third and current building is on 60th Street. It is located in an area called the Upper East Side. The building was designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue. Construction started in December 1916, and the club opened its doors there about a year later. In 2013, there were plans for a tall apartment building next to the Grolier Club. This project used space rights bought from the club and the nearby Christ Church.
Leaders of the Grolier Club
Here are the people who have served as presidents of the Grolier Club:
- Robert Hoe III (1884–1888)
- William Loring Andrews (1888–1892)
- Beverly Chew (1892–1896)
- Samuel Putnam Avery (1896–1900)
- Howard Mansfield (1900–1904)
- Theodore Low De Vinne (1904–1906)
- Edwin B. Holden (1906)
- Richard Hoe Lawrence (1906–1908)
- William F. Havemeyer (1908–1912)
- Edward G. Kennedy (1912–1916)
- Arthur H. Scribner (1916–1920)
- Henry Watson Kent (1920–1924)
- William B. Osgood Field (1924–1928)
- Lucius Wilmerding (1928–1932)
- William B. Ivins Jr. (1932–1935)
- Frederick Coykendall (1935–1939)
- Harry T. Peters (1939–1943)
- Edwin De T. Bechtel (1943–1947)
- Frederick B. Adams Jr. (1947–1951)
- Irving S. Olds (1951–1955)
- Arthur A. Houghton (1955–1957)
- C. Waller Barrett (1957–1961)
- Donald F. Hyde (1961–1965)
- Gordon N. Ray (1965–1969)
- Alfred H. Howell (1969–1973)
- Robert H. Taylor (1973–1975)
- Herman W. Liebert (1975–1978)
- Robert D. Graff (1978–1982)
- Frank S. Streeter (1982–1986)
- G. Thomas Tanselle (1986–1990)
- Kenneth A. Lohf (1990–1994)
- William Bradford Warren (1994–1998)
- William T. Buice III (1998–2002)
- Carolyn L. Smith (2002–2006)
- William H. Helfand (2006–2010)
- Eugene S. Flamm (2010–2014)
- G. Scott Clemons (2014–2018)
- Bruce J. Crawford (2018–2022)
- Nancy K. Boehm (2022–)
See also
In Spanish: Club Grolier para niños
- List of American gentlemen's clubs
- Books in the United States
