Rare Books

In the Spring of 1977, the Library purchased a virtually complete collection (approximately 230 volumes) of the books issued by the Left Book Club between 1936 and 1948. The Library also acquired a complete run of the Left Book Club News. All materials are catalogued.

A checklist of the collection, marked for Princeton holdings, is found in Appendix II of John Lewis. The Left Book Club: An Historical Record. (London, 1970) [(ExB) Z549.L4L45]. See also: S. Samuels, "The Left Book Club" in the Journal of Contemporary History I (1966) pp. 65-86.

At the same time as the purchase of the Left Book Club collection, the Library acquired a complete collection of the 40 titles issued by the Labour Book Service under the auspices of the British Labour Party between 1936 and 1946. As well, it also acquired a collection of 57 titles issued by the Right Book Club in London under imprint of W. and G. Foyle, Ltd. between 1937 and 1950. Both collections are catalogued.