Quaker Books and Quakeriana in the Library of Haverford College

Abstract

The collection of Quaker books and Quakeriana in the Library of Haverford College, Pennsylvania, is, so far as known, the largest and best in America, and is the most useful for the historical or theological student. No other American collection possesses such long lines of Quaker periodicals, both American and British. Of the most important of these there are complete sets. There are also practically complete series of the printed " Minutes " of the Orthodox Yearly Meetings, as well as a few in manuscript, and some of the " Hicksite " Yearly Meetings. There are also Minutes or papers of the " Conservative " Yearly Meetings, and of off-shoots from various Quaker bodies, as " Progressive Friends," Pennsylvania ; " Green Plain Friends," Ohio ; " Congregational " Friends, New York ; the " White Quakers of Ireland," etc. The library's collection of pamphlet literature is very large, both bound and unbound. The various controversies which have arisen within the Quaker body from the earliest days of the Society to the present, such as the " Wilkinson-Story " (time of George Fox) ; Hannah Barnard controversy (1798-1801) ; the " Hicksite" Separation of 18271828; the "Beaconite Controversy," 1836; the " WilburiteGurney " of a later date ; " Anti-Slavery Friends," Indiana, 18421843, and others, are impartially and very fully represented. The collection of Quaker tracts of the seventeenth century is probably unsurpassed in this country. The collection of the late William H. Jenks, of Philadelphia, alone, which was presented by his widow, consists of about 1,500 titles bound separately in full or half calf or morocco ; through the generosity of a friend of the college a number of rarities from the library of the late Charles Roberts,! of Philadelphia, were acquired, as well as many other titles. Altogether, more than 1,000 volumes, besides