The Library: Transactions of The Bibliographical Society

The Library, the journal of the Bibliographical Society, is now available in both printed and electronic form. For more than a hundred years it has been the pre-eminent UK scholarly journal for the study of bibliography and of the role of the book in history. The Society’s journal, first published in 1893, was originally entitled The Transactions of the Bibliographical Society. In 1920 it took over the publication of The Library (which had appeared since 1889) and adopted that as the main title of the Transactions.

All aspects of descriptive, analytical, textual and historical bibliography come within its scope, including the history of the production, distribution and reception of books, both manuscript and printed; the history of collecting and of libraries; paper, printing types, book illustration, and binding; and the transmission of texts and their authenticity.

Each quarterly issue of The Library contains approximately 120 pages, illustrated where necessary. As well as articles and notes, each issue includes book reviews and lists of recent books and periodicals in the field.

Each year The Library invites a guest editor to make a selection of articles from back issues of the journal on a chosen topic. The articles are freely available to view for three months from December; the guest editorial is permanently available. See https://bibsoc.org.uk/virtual-issues-library/.

Publishers and others are asked to note that space in The Library for review is limited, and that only books of a definitely bibliographical character can be noticed fully. Brief, mainly descriptive notes will be published of relevant books received which cannot be given a full-length review. The Library does not deal with the techniques of modern library administration.


The Library is designed and produced by Jackie Maidment, Wetherby, and printed by Henry Ling Ltd, Dorchester.

The online version of the journal is published on behalf of the Bibliographical Society by Oxford University Press, which maintains free electronic Table of Contents, pages of recent volumes as well as an electronic full-text archive for subscribers and members of the Society.

The Oxford University Press holds the last five years’ stock of The Library. Members’ orders for these should be sent to the Hon. Secretary, enclosing an appropriate remittance: single parts, £5.00 each, volumes £19.00 (postage included).

Orders from non-members for these volumes, and for subscriptions to The Library only (not involving membership of the Society) should be sent to Journals Subscriptions, Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP.

Some earlier back issues of The Transactions and The Library are also obtainable; members should enquire of the Hon. Secretary as to availability and price.