I’m pleased to let you know that the Library now has access to Literary Print Culture: The Stationers’ Company Archive, 1554-2007 from Adam Matthew. Sourced from the archive of The Worshipful Company of Stationers & Newspaper Makers, located at Stationers’ Hall in the City of London, this resource allows access to a vast and unique collection of primary source documents.

You can access Literary Print Culture: The Stationers’ Company Archive via the Databases A-Z list and Primary Source database list. You can also access it through DiscoverEd.

Court book k, 1 Feb 1938 – 3 Jul 1945, p. 239 showing bomb damage to Stationers’ Hall, located on Ave Maria Lane in the City of London, in 1940 during the Second World War. From Literary Print Culture.

The Stationers’ Company Archive is one of the most important resources for understanding the workings of the early book trade, the printing and publishing community, the establishment of legal requirements for copyright provisions and the history of bookbinding.

Collection highlights include Entry Book of Copies (1554-1842) which were used to establish copyright belonging to publishers, booksellers and eventually authors until the introduction of automatic copyright in 1912. Membership records from 1555 to 1940, court records from 1602 to 1982, English Stock documents (1603-1961) which recorded the activities of the successful publishing arm of the Stationers’ Company and Treasurers’ vouchers (1734-1800) which detailed English Stock payments for printing, paper and advertising almanacs and other English Stock books.

You might find Literary Print Culture useful if you’re studying or researching the history of the book trade, bookselling, printing and publishing, copyright, the history of the City of London and more.

From Bindings and freedoms records, 7 Nov 1687 – 7 Jan 1884 (TSC/1/C/06/03). Screenshot from Literary Print Culture.

You can access Literary Print Culture: The Stationers’ Company Archive via the Databases A-Z list and Primary Source database list. You can also access it through DiscoverEd.

Access is only available to current students and staff at University of Edinburgh.

Caroline Stirling – Academic Support Librarian for History, Classics and Archaeology