Pepys Library building, photograph by Annie Gleeson

This blog will be a collaboration between staff working in the three libraries of Magdalene College. These are:

• The Pepys Library – Samuel Pepys’ collection of 3,000 volumes, including some sixty medieval manuscripts, a selection of important incunabula (early printed books), a naval collection, and special collections of prints, ballads, music, maps, and calligraphy. Pepys’s own diary covering the years 1660 to 1669 is preserved in six volumes, written in Shelton’s shorthand.
• The Old Library – the College’s own collection of early books and manuscripts, housed in First Court. The collection includes around 5,000 pre-1835 leather- or vellum-bound volumes, as well as the older parts of the College Archives, works by notable former members of the College, and the diary of A.C. Benson.
• The College Library – the working library, catering to the needs of, in particular, undergraduates and graduates on taught courses. The College Library occupies the ground floor and part of the first floor of the Pepys Building, although there are plans for a brand new College Library building in the future.

The Pepys Library attracts scholars and tourists from all over the world, however we also want to share some of the hidden treasures from our varied collections. We have started this blog with the aim to open up our collections to a wider audience. We will also be sharing news about upcoming exhibitions and events, and progress with the new library building. We hope that you will enjoy reading!