Cambridge University Library

In addition to archives for some major figures in the history of typography and printing (Stanley Morison, Frances Meynell, etc), the Library hosts the Historical Printing Room. In the early 1970s, Philip Gaskell, then librarian of Trinity College, set up a bibliographical teaching press similar to those at the Bodleian, University College London, and other institutions. The idea was to permit students to experience the historical process of letterpress printing themselves so they could better understand early book structure and the activities necessary to produce books. Classes began in 1974 and have continued to the present day. Equipment in the HPR include Philip Gaskell's own Albion…

By the middle of the 14th century, the University of Cambridge owned a collection of books. These would have been kept in chests along with other valuables, rather than in a library building as would be recognised today. A common university library can be traced to the beginning of the 15th century, with the first direct reference to a 'library'. In March 1416, the will of William Loring was proved, which bequeathed three volumes to the library thus: "Item volo quod omnes libri mei juris civilis remaneant in communi libraria scolarium universitatis Cantebrigg' in perpetuum." In the second decade of the 15th century, the library found a home on the newly built Old Schools site. The earliest…

The library is open to all members of the University of Cambridge. As is traditional among British university libraries, postgraduates and academics from other UK universities are allowed reference-only access to the library's collection, and members of the public may apply for access to use the Library for reference if their research requires access to materials held there. Students and academics from other libraries and institutions must submit a request for access before using the facilities in Cambridge. The library is unique among the UK's legal deposit libraries in keeping a large proportion of its books on open access and in allowing some categories of reader (for example Cambridge…