Unpacking the Personal Library: The Many Meanings of Collection

A library collection is more than its contents. The setting, purpose, or owner all influence a library’s definition and relationship with a reader. The various contexts surrounding a collection—whether political, social, or personal—transform how it is used, categorized, and preserved. As Jeffrey Weingarten, coeditor of Unpacking the Personal Library: The Public and Private Life of Books, puts it, “the meaning of the library is fluid; it’s ever-changing.”

In this second episode, Jason Camlot and Jeffrey, coeditors of Unpacking the Personal Library, outline the types of library collections covered in the title, highlighting unconventional offerings like embassy collections and protest libraries. They also dig into the knowledge and intricacies that physical objects carry, and how that value conflicts with the increasing push toward digitization. Last, Jason draws connections to his work on Spoken Web, a global partnership that aims to digitize and preserve literary sound recordings in Canada.

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!