winter 2013 newsletter

W i n t e r 2013 | Vo l u m e t h i r t e e n | № 1

W i n t e r 2013Vo l u m e 13№ 1

R e d wo o d L i b R a R y & at h e n Æ u m ~ C h a r t e r e d 1747 ~ 50 B e l l e V u e aV e n u e ~ n e W p o r t, r h o d e i s l a n d

~ C o n t e n t s ~

King James Bible 1

Note from the Director 2

King James Bible continued 3

Construction Update 4

A Thank You from Robert Kelly 5

Spring Salon Series 6

Doris Duke Special Collections 7

50 Bellevue avenue, newport, ri 02840(401) 847-0292

Winter hours:m-w, Fri-sat 9:30-5:30pm

thurs 9:30-8pmsunday 1:00-5:00pm

www.RedwoodLibrary.org

the redwood library is fortu-

nate to have a rare copy of the

first edition, first printing of the

1611 King James Version of the

Bible, one of about 175 currently

known to be in existence. For

the Bible’s 400th anniversary in

2011, exhibitions, lectures, and

discussions about its publication took place around the world. as part

of the celebration, timothy J. demy, th.d., ph.d., a professor at the

u.s. naval War College, gave a presentation entitled “a Bible for God

and King: reflections on the history and influence of the King James

Bible on the 400th anniversary of its publication.” during his research

for this presentation, redwood’s copy was confirmed and registered

as part of an international census of first edition, first printings of the

volume.

Because of its size, cost, and intended use for public worship in church-

es, there were only about 1,500 copies printed of the first edition of the

Bible; many of those were later destroyed in the great fire of london in

1666.

there were two separate 1611 printings. some call the second printing a

second issue/impression, while others prefer to call it a second edition.

the second printing corrected errors of the first, but also introduced

new typographical errors.

a Redwood tReasuRe: FiRst edition King James bibLe


W e l Co m e

2

a traditional abbre-

viation of “et cetera” is

often found in bibliogra-

phies and footnotes, and is defined by

Webster’s dictionary as “and others (of

the like kind); and the rest; and so on;

and so forth.” It is intended to repre-

sent the rich diversity of type, variety,

and vintage of the Redwood Library

and Athenæum collections. The name

of the newsletter was originally pro-

posed for the first edition in 1995 by

Linda Gordon and G. Spencer Berger.

we aRe now oFFeRing guided touRs mon-sat at 2pm

$5 per personFree For memBersFree For Children under 12

Group tours are aVailaBle By appointment

We are in the midst of a transformative time at the redwood. each project we tackle impacts other projects ahead of us and the ripple effect of each step creates new opportunities. We couldn’t do any of it without the support of all of you – our members and donors. it is through membership, the annual fund, and donations and grants

that we are able to move forward in all areas of our operations. the redwood is buzzing because of the generosity of those who support us. thank you!

We have two active construction sites on our campus. at 50 Bellevue we are expanding and improving stack space for special collections and creating a lovely new gallery. across the street at 10 redwood we are updating and improving office and meeting spaces, including the popular Children’s library, which is teeming with little ones each tuesday morning during story time. We have also initiated a process to completely overhaul our technology infrastructure to allow us to provide a secure network. When that is in place, we will be able to implement software upgrades and hire additional catalogers, who will create descriptive access to our special collections materials. once these collections are accessible, we will be able to select items to digitize and use in online exhibitions, and create educational tools for use by teachers and students. all of this is possible because of the generosity of those who care about the redwood.

i want to acknowledge the alletta morris mcBean Charitable trust and the prince family for making the dream of building improvements at 50 Bellevue a reality, and les and Carol Ballard for underwriting vast improvements to the Ballard annex. We are also grateful to the Champlin Foundations for a grant to purchase a new server and to the van Beuren Charitable Foundation for making it possible to hire a manuscripts processor to catalog special collections materials that are currently inaccessible to researchers. in addition, i would like to thank the donors who have provided funds to support a joint project with the John Carter Brown library at Brown university. the goal of this project is to digitize redwood collections related to the colonial history of newport, which will then create improved access to our collections for educational purposes.

We have made significant strides over the past several months – our annual report has been published, our annual appeal is well underway, and the staff has been extraordinarily busy preparing for the spring and summer season of events and programming.

We extend a warm welcome to our new members and thank those of you who have contributed to the annual fund so far – no amount is too small, and every donation makes an impact. i look forward to our adventures ahead.

Cheers,

Jen

dear members and Friends,

the redwood library & athenæum

is indebted to the dick Family Foundation for generously

underwriting the publication of &c.

W i n t e r 2013 | Vo l u m e t h i r t e e n | № 1 3

these first and second editions/impres-

sions are popularly identified by the

terms “he” Bible and “she” Bible, respec-

tively. this distinction comes from the

reading in ruth 3:15, “and he went into

the citie” versus the reading, “and she

went into the citie.” the “he” in the text

refers to Boaz, whereas the “she” refers

to ruth. the original hebrew text of the

passage has “he,” but many argue that the

sense of the passage is “she.” thus when

identifying a first edition, one would want to know if it is a “boy” or a “girl.” Fortunately

for redwood, our copy is a “boy,” and thus a first edition, first printing!

King James i had great interest in the biblical text. he authorized 54 scholars from

london, oxford, and Cambridge to translate the text, a process that took more than

four years. We do not know exactly when in 1611 it was published, but probably between

march and november. robert Barker, the King’s printer, was solely responsible for the

publication of the Bible. it was published in a folio edition with 11x16 inch pages − a

heavy volume designed to sit on a lectern in a church. it has 74 pages of preliminaries,

such as title page, dedicatory epistle to King James, and preface from the translators

to the readers, followed by 1,464 un-numbered, double-spaced pages of text with two

columns of 59 lines of text enclosed within ruled margins.

right-hand pages have the chapter numbers in the center of the header (except in the

psalms), and on either side is a summary of the subject of the page. left-hand pages

have the title of the book in the center, together with a summary of the subject. there is

a catchword at the bottom of the right-hand column indicating what the first word will

be on the next page (to ensure that the un-numbered pages are sorted in order). the

typeface is black letter (an imitation of Gothic script) and, though not common in 1611,

was used to give the text a sense of age and authority.

the King James Bible has shaped the english language and to this day influences any

english speaker. the next time you do something by the “skin of your teeth,” determine

there is a “fly in the ointment,” express “sour grapes,” or “fall flat on your face” it may be

unpleasant, but you can thank the language of the King James Bible.

redwood is grateful to dr. timothy demy for providing his research notes.

you can now purchase copies

and digital downloads of our

paintings, maps, and prints from

our online store at

www.redwoodlibrarystore.org.

plus, through april 15, enter

promo code rlmember15 to

get a 15% discount on your

purchases there.

Bring home a redwood painting

a Redwood tReasuRe: FiRst edition King James bibLe(continued)

The passage that makes the Bible a 'boy'

Above, Abraham Redwood (detail) by Charles Bird King, 1817


memBer neWs

4

the redwood library’s 50 Bellevue address is not the only construction site in

the neighborhood! across the street, at 10 redwood street, the Ballard annex

is undergoing significant renovation as well. once the home of Frederick

rhinelander, edith Wharton’s uncle, this beautiful 19th-century home will

soon feature enhanced safety features, upgraded technology, and improved

office space for the finance, development, and program staff. a new back

stairway will provide a secondary egress from the second and third floors, and

the back of the house (formerly a small apartment) will be joined to the front

to create improved public spaces and work areas. the Children’s library will

feature new bookcases and furniture, as well as a fully handicapped-accessible

restroom with changing table. the kitchen facilities will be upgraded, and

the entire interior will be repainted. the books once shelved in the entryway

will be moved and that area will be restored to its original 1863 elegance.

these improvements are in addition to other recent upgrades to the house, in-

cluding the addition of a ramp and small deck leading into the Children’s li-

brary, exterior painting, and roof repairs. the redwood is extremely grateful

to les and Carol Ballard for their ongoing generosity in funding these much-

needed improvements. the library also thanks Brian arnold Construction

and his superb crew for their outstanding work, as well as Johnny richmond

for his careful oversight of the project.

ConstRuCtion update


We are pleased to announce that

Brenda Konopelko has joined

the redwood team as director

of Finance and administration,

responsible for overseeing all

business aspects of the library’s

operations.

Brenda has over 15 years of

experience in accounting and

auditing. she was previously a

small business corporate controller

in charge of financial statement

preparation and analysis as well as

treasury functions. Brenda is a Cpa

with a B.s. in accounting and an

mBa, concentration in accounting.

she is currently an adjunct

accounting faculty member at CCri

in Warwick.

Brenda lives in saunderstown with

her husband and three children.

bRenda KonopeLKo

last summer, i was fortunate to be accepted to the university of

Virginia’s rare Book school. Founded in 1983 by dr. terry Belanger,

rBs was first housed at Columbia university and moved to its current

location in the uVa alderman library in 1992. rBs is renowned for

its scholarly faculty and focus on the book, not only as an art object,

but more importantly as a recorded vessel of humanity. now led

by michael suarez, editor of The Oxford Companion to the Book

(redwood ref Z4 .089 2010), rBs receives roughly 700 applicants a year

and accepts around one-third of them for its five-day courses. this

number ensures small class sizes for the lab work, which offers hands-

on, practical instruction utilizing the library’s 80,000 item teaching

collection. the courses are primarily held over the summer months in

Charlotte, Virginia, with a few additional courses offered in Baltimore

and philadelphia.

i joined eleven other library and museum professionals and scholars in

attending Book Illustration Processes to 1900, taught by dr. Belanger.

Focusing on the numerous processes of relief and intaglio printing, the

course provided an opportunity for hands-on identification of various

16th-19th century prints. through meticulous inspection of actual

prints, using various loupes and illuminated magnifiers, we were able

to identify differences between wood cuts and steel engravings, and

examine the use of stippling and lithographic techniques. Considering

this was a five-day course, the amount of material was almost

overwhelming. however, because of the professionalism of both faculty

and students, the course was both cohesively engaging and highly

instructive. i look forward to using this knowledge for on-the-job

practical applications now and in the future.

i would like to thank not only the redwood library for providing

me the time to attend this course, but also two exceptional redwood

members whose generosity funded my enrollment. Continuing

educational opportunities are invaluable to librarians, but costs are

often unmanageable for individuals to bear unassisted. this was a

wonderful example of a successful investment in the redwood library’s

human resources, and i thank all those who made this exceptional

experience possible.

a thanK you FRom RobeRt KeLLy, CoLLeCtions LibRaRian

s ta F F n e W s


thursday, march 7 at 6:00 pm

dr. edward mcCrorie, professor of english at providence College, will speak

on “homer and his translators” and discuss his new translation, The Iliad of

Homer.


adventure travel journalist peter mandel writes for The Washington

Post and Boston Globe. he will give a lecture called “Going to extremes” and

will discuss how he turns his travel to the far corners of world, including ant-

arctica, Burma and the african bush, into prose.


dr. peter andreas, professor of political science and interim director

of the Watson institute for international studies at Brown university, will

speak on his new book, Smuggler Nation: How Illicit Trade Made America.


asian studies expert angela Casey will return to offer an update on the status

of China’s economy.

thursday, april 4 at 6:00 pm

michael Lemonick will speak about his book, Global Weirdness: Severe

Storms, Deadly Heat Waves, Rising Seas and the Weather of the Future. this

is a lecture that was originally scheduled for last november and was delayed

due to hurricane sandy.


Jess Kornbluth, author, blogger and journalist, will give a talk entitled “all

the news that’s not Fit to print: a reader’s Guide to the Best of the internet.”

mr. Kornbluth co-founded Bookreporter.com and founded headButler.com,

and is a contributing editor for Vanity Fair, New York, Architectural Digest,

and Reader’s Digest.


whitney pape, special Collections librarian at the redwood, will join red-

wood tour guide elaine bunnell and programs director Carolyn dupont for

a special presentation entitled, “treasures of the redwood.”


Robert F. dalzell, Jr., professor of american Culture at Williams College, will

speak about his new book, The Good Rich and What They Cost Us, in a talk

entitled “Wealth, inequality, and the american mind.”

a sure sign that spring is on its

way is the start of the next Life

of Mind salon series, which will

feature eight consecutive thursday

evenings of wonderful conversation

and learning! salon evenings

begin at 5:30 pm with a short wine

and cheese reception, followed by

a guest speaker at 6:00 pm. the

library’s program Committee has

assembled a star lineup and we

hope you’ll join us for these very

pleasurable evenings. one of the

many benefits of membership is

free admission to the salons, so plan

on taking full advantage of this

fantastic schedule. due to limited

seating, members are advised to call

our reservation line at 847-0292,

ext. 112 to reserve a spot. Guest

tickets are available for $10.

spRing 2013Life of the Mind saLon seRies


i n t h e s ta C K s

ChiLdRen’s Room houRsmonday & tuesday 9:30-12:30Wednesday 2:00-5:00Friday 9:30-12:00

stoRytime FoR toddLeRs: tuesdays 10:30amPlease note that storytime has moved across the street to the Harrison Room.

the booKs aRe baCK!

Collections stored offsite during the

renovations to the mcBean Wing

have come home. reference service

will resume on april 1.

the redwood has numerous special collections – all meant to be used!

the doris duke preservation Collection is one such asset, with over 800

books on architectural preservation, period home décor preservation,

and noteworthy architects, such as andrea palladio and peter harrison.

one recent addition, Cleaning Historic Buildings (ashurst, 1994), offers

step-by-step directions on cleaning various types of masonry, ironwork,

and timber. another volume, Interior Finishes & Fittings for Historic

Building Conservation (Forsyth and White, 2012), offers a fascinating

review of decorative materials ranging from ironwork to textiles. Old

Buildings, New Designs: Architectural Transformations by Charles

Bloszies (2012) explains how older structures can benefit from new

design, and Caring for Your Family Treasures: Historical Preservation by

Jane s. long (2000) offers practical preservation advice for heirlooms.

Volumes in this collection are kept in the pell-Chaffee room, adjacent

to the harrison room. most of the books are circulating copies,

available for checkout for four weeks. those that cannot circulate may

be read in the library. this growing collection was established by a

grant from the newport restoration Foundation in 2006.

spotLight on speCiaL CoLLeCtions: doRis duKe pReseRvation CoLLeCtion

saturday, march 23 at 3:00 pm

proteus Quartet

sunday, april 7 at 3:00 pm

Celtic harpist mary King

sunday, april 14 at 3:00 pm

Jazz artist paul del nero

sunday, June 9 at 3:00 pm

soprano diana mcVey

sunday, June 30 at 3:00 pm

pianist i-heung lee

spring 2013music series

music at the RedwoodReturns this spring

issn 1089-8336non-proFit orG.u.s. postaGe

paidneWport, ri

permit 1150 Bellevue avenue, newport, ri 02840

winter 2013 newsletter

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