Course

Reference Sources for Researching Rare Books

L 25v

This course presents a systematic introduction to approximately 300 printed and electronic reference sources for researching rare books.

Instructor(s)
Joel Silver
Location
Online Only
Date
1–5 June 2026
Length
22 hours
Fee
$1,100
Course ID
L-25v
Application Deadline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until course fills. Read more about the application process.

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Course Description

“Until we live in the Matrix and can upload the Joel Silver Memory Palace Expansion Pack into our own brains, this course is the best you can get!” — 2017 student

Emphasis will be placed on sources in the fields of early printed books; British and American literature; historical Americana; voyages and travels; maps and atlases; science and medicine; and the book arts. In class sessions, the instructor will cover details related to the compilation of each of the sources and will provide information about their strengths and weaknesses, as well as strategies on how they can be used effectively. Students will receive listings containing bibliographical information on the sources discussed, along with reproductions of selected pages or entries from some of the sources.

The course is intended for special collections librarians, antiquarian booksellers, and collectors, at all levels, who are interested in finding out more about the books in their care. Although there are no prerequisites, a basic understanding of the principles of descriptive bibliography would be helpful. It should be noted that many students over the years have described this course as an “old style” course, in the sense that it is a lecture course, and a great deal of information about reference sources is imparted during the week. To get the most out of the course, students will need to pay close attention during the class sessions, and students have also commented that taking notes is essential to gain the greatest benefit from the course.

Course Meeting Times

This course will meet online from 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ET on Monday through Friday, 1–5 June. Each course day will follow the schedule below:

10:00 a.m.–12:10 p.m. ET — First Class Session 
12:10 p.m.–1:30 p.m. ET — Lunch Break 
1:30 p.m.–2:45 p.m. ET — Second Class Session 
2:45 p.m.–3:15 p.m. ET — Afternoon Break 
3:15 p.m.–4:30 p.m. ET — Third Class Session

Faculty

Joel Silver

Joel Silver is Director of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, where he has worked since 1983. He has published a number of articles on rare books and book collecting …

Advance Reading List

Required Reading

C-SPAN. “H.P. Kraus Library Auction.” November 14, 2003. Video, 58:20. https://www.c-span.org/video/?179756-1/h-p-kraus-library-auction.
Silver, Joel. “Bibliographical Citations: An Introductory Guide for the Perplexed.” AB Bookman’s Weekly (6 January 1997): 5–9. [PDF]
Silver, Joel. “Bibliographies, Checklists, and Catalogs: The Core of a Collector’s Reference Shelf.” Fine Books & Collections (January/February 2008). [PDF]
Silver, Joel. “Book Censuses: Making Every Copy Count.” Fine Books & Collections (September/October 2008). [PDF]
Tanselle, G. Thomas. “The Literature of Book Collecting.” In Book Collecting: A Modern Guide, edited by Jean Peters, 209–271. New York & London: R. R. Bowker Company, 1977.
Those students with no experience or coursework in descriptive bibliography should also read: Belanger, Terry. “Descriptive Bibliography.” In Book Collecting: A Modern Guide, edited by Jean Peters, 97–115. New York & London: R. R. Bowker Company, 1977.