It takes all kinds, but why should anyone title a collection of Greek texts in Latin? Greek, yes. English, if for the English-speaking market. (I understand that the Internet's lingua franca is English.) But, Latin? On the other hand it does restore one's faith in a classical education: the lingua franca of educated people remains Latin! (Now, in translation it appears that the French language of educated people remains Latin. Reverse cultural imperialism?)
In any case take a quick gander at the list that follows. The Library is positively panting to thank the generous and tax wily soul who donates one of the listed items. Depending on your college major or primary current interest you could be lauded as the donor of the Pennsylvania Gazette on CD-ROM (a onetime American civilization major), Spanish Women Writers microfiche (an importer of Iberian wines) or the microform publication of the work an Incunabula (a collector of antique cradles?).
The first edition of Anne Rice's novels or the sci-fi novels of Samuel Delaney would be an excellent choice for a successful psychiatrist, a practicing neurotic or a particularly generous member of the Dracula family.
Seriously, the list is of the Library's heart's desires. If you have not yet balanced this year's market profits with suitable losses, deductions or whatever, give a thought to a tax deduction that would benefit Brown's Library.
For more information call Catherine Denning in the Library Acquisitions Office at 401 863-2957.
International Medieval Bibliography on CD-ROM
$2,000 An electronic version of one of the few indices to scholarly articles on medieval studies. Work is in progress to include the entire printed index, which began in 1967.
Database of Classical Bibliography
(DCB)
$5,100 A CD-ROM edition of recent volumes of L'AnnZe philologique, the major index of books and articles in Classical scholarship. As with the International Medieval Bibliography, the intent is to work both backwards and forwards until the entire printed index is digitized. L'AnnZe philologique is a great achievement of scholarly indexing and is essential to researchers in ancient history and literature, but is difficult to use in the print version (which began in 1924).
CETEDOC Library of Christian Latin Texts
$3,500 A CD-ROM product which provides electonic versions of all the Latin texts in the Corpus Christianorum (a series of critical editions of early and medieval Christian texts). It also includes some texts, such as the Vulgate Bible, which are not in the printed series.
Patrologia Latina Database $45,000 An electronic version of J.P. Migne's Patrologia latina, a 19th-century reprint (in 220 volumes) of all the extant texts of Christian literature in Latin. Many of these texts are still not available in modern critical editions (such as the Corpus christianorum). The electronic version of such a large body of texts enables more powerful indexing than ever before.
Thesaurus linguae graecae $3,500 A five-year site-license to this product which aims to include electronic editions of all ancient and medieval Greek texts.
Spanish Women Writers
$ 3,000 A microfiche edition of the extant works of Spanish women writers. We would like to buy part one, which includes writers of the 16th through 18th centuries.
Pennsylvania Gazette on CD-ROM
$3,500 An electronic edition of one of the more important newspapers of colonial and early United States history. This version would allow researchers to search for topics never indexed in earlier treatments of these sources. Part one is now available, and part two should be published soon.
Incunabula: The Printing Revolution in Europe 1455-1500 (microform)
$2,800 This major microform publication, consisting of early printed books in great European collections, complements the incunabula in the Annmary Brown Memorial. Available from Research Publications.
First editions of any of the novels of Anne Rice, especially Interview with the Vampire.
First editions of any of the science fiction novels of Samuel Delany.
Library Desirderata