ResearchGuides: Reference Sources: HoS Library

HoS Resources by Category

One hundred books famous in science : based on an exhibition held at the Grolier Club by Horblit, Harrison D.; Grolier Club
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z7401 .H6 1964

First of the “big three” for science bibliographies. Extremely brief descriptions.
Heralds of science : as represented by two hundred epochal books and pamphlets in the Dibner Library by Bern Dibner; Robert P. Multhauf (Introduction by)
Call Number: Reference Room - 1st Floor Z7405.H5 D52 1980

ISBN: 0882021915

Second of the “big three” for science bibliographies. Has thumbnail content summaries, but lacks full bibliographical descriptions.
Haskell F. Norman Library of Science and Medicine by Diana H. Hook; Jeremy M. Norman
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z7401 .H297 1991 quarto

ISBN: 093040517X

2 vols. Third of the “big three” for science bibliographies – good also for medicine. Good bibliographical descriptions and thumbnail summaries about the books described.

A world bibliography of bibliographies and of bibliographical catalogues, calendars, abstracts, digests, indexes, and the like by Besterman, Theodore
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z1002 .B42 1965

5 vols. This is maybe the most librarian title, ever, but is a peerless starting point when you need a bibliography of the works of a specific scientist or a specific topic.
Alchemy, comprehensive bibliography of the Manly P. Hall collection of books and manuscripts.
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z5524.A35 H34 1986

Focuses on early alchemical works, now mostly in the collection of the Getty Research Institute.
The Herbert Clark Hoover collection of mining & metallurgy : bibliotheca de re metallica
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z6736 .H55 1980
The Cleveland Herbal, Botanical, and Horticultural Collections : a descriptive bibliography of pre-1830 works... by Stanley H. Johnston (Compiled by)
Call Number: Reference Room - 1st Floor Z5352 .J64 1992 Ref. Rm.

ISBN: 9780873384339

"... from the libraries of the Holden Arboretum, the Cleveland Medical Library Association, and the Garden Center of Greater Cleveland". Only covers works to 1830, but with good content and bibliographical descriptions.
Technical Americana : a checklist of technical publications printed before 1831 by Evald Rink
Call Number: Reference Room - 1st Floor Z7912 .R56 1981 Ref. Rm.

ISBN: 9780527754471

The sky explored : celestial cartography, 1500-1800 by Deborah J. Warner
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference QB65 .W36 1979 quarto

ISBN: 9780845117002
Catalogue of botanical books in the collection of Rachel McMasters Miller Hunt
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z5360 .H8 1958

Great for botanical and plants books – scholarly descriptions of text with good bibliographical descriptions.
Bibliotheca chemica: A catalogue of the alchemical, chemical and pharmaceutical books in the collection of the late James Young of Kelly and Durris
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z5524 .A35Y6 1906

2 vols. Focuses on chemical and alchemical works, good descriptions.
Catalogue of the Wheeler gift of books by ed. by William D. Weaver
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z5835 .A5

Publication Date: 1909

"... pamphlets and periodicals in the library of the American institute of electrical engineers." Chiefly books on electricity and electrical engineering.
The Wheeler gift, though part of the ESL library, is required to remain in the state of New York, and so is at NYPL.
Rara arithmetica; a catalogve of the arithmetics written before the year MDCI... by Smith, David Eugene
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z6654.A7 S5

Publication Date: 1908

"...with a description of those in the library of George Arthvr Plimpton, of New York." Mathematical works before 1601

The Dictionary of the Book : a glossary for book collectors, booksellers, librarians, and others by Sidney E. Berger
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z1006 .B42 2016

ISBN: 9781442263390

This is a more authoritative resource for rare book terms, and one that is more up to date than ABC.
John Carter's ABC for Book Collectors by John Carter; Nicolas Barker; Simran Thadani
Call Number: Z1006 .C37 2016

ISBN: 9781584563525

What is a headband? What is a gutter? What is a morocco binding? All terms defined in this book, which has very brief descriptions of key terms in rare book description.

Five hundred years of women's work : the Lisa Unger Baskin Collection by Nelson, Naomi L.; Lauren Reno; Lisa Unger Baskin
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Cage HQ1121 .F58 2019 quarto

c.2 in General Collection.
Exhibition catalog surveys the history of women employed as: artists, scientists, book arts practitioners, scholars, social justice activists, authors, and a host of other endeavors.
Extraordinary women in science & medicine : four centuries of achievement by Ronald K. Smeltzer, Robert J. Ruben, Paulette Rose.
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Q130 .S64 2013 c.2

ISBN: 978160583047x

c.1 in General Collection.
Twenty-three women representing the physical sciences were selected by the curators in the subject areas of physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, and computing. Nine women in the field of medical sciences were selected.
Printing and the mind of man : a descriptive catalogue illustrating the impact of print on the evolution of Western civilization during five centuries by Carter, John and Muir, Percy H.
Call Number: History of Science Collection - Reference Z4 .C3 1967 quarto

Good resource for the most famous books e.g. Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, etc. Also good descriptions of the most important books in the history of the west.

The History of Science Library is open by appointment only for researchers with a need to use our collections

Many HoS materials have been digitized, and are now available in Themed Collections in our online catalog, Primo.

The History of Science staff also offer virtual rare book sessions to classes related to our collecting areas. Visit this page to schedule a presentation; one month advance notice is requested.

Staff are also available for reference consultations to identify and locate materials relevant to their work.

Phone: 800.662.1545 or 816.926.8737
Email: collections@lindahall.org
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