Samuel Butler Project: halfway there

This month the Library’s Samuel Butler Project celebrates its first birthday, and the halfway point in its two-year schedule.

The Project aims to catalogue and to make accessible the extensive collection relating to Victorian polymath Samuel Butler (1835-1902), which includes manuscripts, books, music, photographs, paintings, drawings and personal effects, and is one of the most important resources in the Old Library. Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, a vast portion of the Butler Collection is now catalogued, with the catalogue accessible online through Janus.

Since July 2011, more than 1100 people have visited the Library to engage with the collection through exhibitions, talks and workshops on a range of topics.

‘Butler, it seems, was interested in everything,’ explains Rebecca Watts, the Butler Project Associate.  ‘From art to evolution, ancient Greek to sheep-farming, the collection reflects his diverse passions and talents and contains some fascinating material. Inspiring our audiences has been made very easy!’

Rebecca has created a designated website where you can follow the project’s progress via a monthly diary, and delve into the collection from the comfort of your own home through a series of online exhibitions exploring Butler’s interests in art, photography, music and evolution.

For schools and community groups interested in visiting the Library and using the collections, information and sample activities are available on the education pages of the website. More public events will be listed on the events page in the coming months.