Thank you for posting this! Mr Jefferson's library has the most beautiful aesthetic; the care Monticello's team takes in preserving the books and every other detail of the home are so admirable! Thank you!
So very interesting. Here is a part of President Jefferson that tells us more about him; explaining his success. A president just ought to be bookish by nature.
My understanding was that his original collection of books was sold. Is that correct? Was Monticello able to reaquire some of these, or replacement books?
Jill E. Yes, his largest collection of books was sold to the Library of Congress in 1815. Many of those were lost in an 1851 fire, and the Library spent a great deal of time in recent decades rebuilding the collection with exact edition replacements. But Jefferson had multiple libraries and started rebuilding the collection at Monticello almost immediately after the 1815 sale. We have a few of his original books, but most of the titles are also replacement editions. You can learn more about all his collections and lists of recommended books at tjlibraries.monticello.org.
Though I'm not aware about the authenticity of the boxes, but I can tell you that at the time of his death, he was in possession of around 2000 volumes which he'd collected in times of his retirement after he'd sold his collection of around 7000 volumes to Library of Congress when it was torched down by the British. Much of the volumes remain at the Monticello itself, some, if I'm accurate, can be found at the University of Virginia, and others may have been transferred to the LOC at the Capitol.
Kimberly, The book boxes currently at Monticello were made in 1959 to recreate the originals as described by Jefferson. The specifications were carefully drawn up after compiling all written evidence as well as measuring remaining volumes from the Jefferson library at the Library of Congress. The reproductions were made from pine, as Jefferson's original boxes were.
Over his lifetime, he would have owned that many volumes. He had libraries at his birthplace, Shadwell. Another at his retreat home, Poplar Forest. And two substantive collections at Monticello, though many of the titles in the smaller second collection would have been the same as many in first.
This is the third story I've seen regarding this device. Each of them are different. Despite the fact that at least two of thses stories aretotal fabrications, this is a cool little thing. The ad is hype. The ad is lies.
Forgive me for thinking organising a Library's books *by size*.... for *aesthetic appeal* would have to be the most ridiculous, pompous, and anti-reason based system possible! Who would think this was a good idea? What a nightmare to navigate! I seriously doubt Jefferson would approve. Obviously organising them by subject makes far more sense. I have most of my books arranged by chronological order... either of the date they were published, or of the times they reference so as to have a lay out of the history of Ideas. This is just my personal opinion.
It is not for aesthetic purposes- I used to have a similar system, except it only went via subject, for all of my books (several hundred of all sizes, hard/soft). When organising by subject and not size, you arrive at an enormous problem, that your large books fall over, and your small books get squished, and the larger books bend because gravity pushes them together (shelves bend) and they have small ones in between- which cause the backs to open out- it is just very bad for the books as objects. This year I went through and reorganised them based on size, as well as subject, and I can vouch for Jefferson in saying that it works far better. There is also the fact that it is generally not a good idea to have giant books on the top shelf, as they are quite heavy, and will pull smaller books with them if they are deeper on the shelf. It is also not necessary to have them all on one shelf, if one has a) a good memory for what size a book is, and b) a list of all the books and where they are. So not unreasonable at all.
You'd have done the same thing if you had been born a wealthy plantation owner back then. I hope you're this upset about modern day slavery...I'll wait.
Thank you Tabatha!
More content about Jefferson‘s library please.
Thank you for posting this! Mr Jefferson's library has the most beautiful aesthetic; the care Monticello's team takes in preserving the books and every other detail of the home are so admirable! Thank you!
This is great! Thank you for posting.
Thomas Jefferson would have approved of this painstaking labor with his books!
Awesome job! Love this
So very interesting. Here is a part of President Jefferson that tells us more about him; explaining his success. A president just ought to be bookish by nature.
Thanks
My understanding was that his original collection of books was sold. Is that correct? Was Monticello able to reaquire some of these, or replacement books?
Jill E. Yes, his largest collection of books was sold to the Library of Congress in 1815. Many of those were lost in an 1851 fire, and the Library spent a great deal of time in recent decades rebuilding the collection with exact edition replacements. But Jefferson had multiple libraries and started rebuilding the collection at Monticello almost immediately after the 1815 sale. We have a few of his original books, but most of the titles are also replacement editions. You can learn more about all his collections and lists of recommended books at tjlibraries.monticello.org.
@@TJMonticello Thank you so much for replying and for the great video. It's always fascinating to learn a little something more about Jefferson.
Are the book boxes original? How many books did he own at his death, and what happened to the books? Did they stay in the family? Thanks
Though I'm not aware about the authenticity of the boxes, but I can tell you that at the time of his death, he was in possession of around 2000 volumes which he'd collected in times of his retirement after he'd sold his collection of around 7000 volumes to Library of Congress when it was torched down by the British. Much of the volumes remain at the Monticello itself, some, if I'm accurate, can be found at the University of Virginia, and others may have been transferred to the LOC at the Capitol.
Kimberly, The book boxes currently at Monticello were made in 1959 to recreate the originals as described by Jefferson. The specifications were carefully drawn up after compiling all written evidence as well as measuring remaining volumes from the Jefferson library at the Library of Congress. The reproductions were made from pine, as Jefferson's original boxes were.
It is rather interesting that I have done almost the same thing with mine. I thought I was an innovator!
How did all his books find their way back to Monticello?
Poor people own large Tv's, Rich People own large Libraries. Kiyosaki💰💰💰💰
I thought he owned 10,000 books on site at Monticello?
Over his lifetime, he would have owned that many volumes. He had libraries at his birthplace, Shadwell. Another at his retreat home, Poplar Forest. And two substantive collections at Monticello, though many of the titles in the smaller second collection would have been the same as many in first.
I know he had to sell many books at one point and had to refill his library. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t able to retrieve some.
This is the third story I've seen regarding this device. Each of them are different. Despite the fact that at least two of thses stories aretotal fabrications, this is a cool little thing. The ad is hype. The ad is lies.
The thing works well, though. Maybe not the miracle it's made out to be, but it works well.
Forgive me for thinking organising a Library's books *by size*.... for *aesthetic appeal* would have to be the most ridiculous, pompous, and anti-reason based system possible! Who would think this was a good idea?
What a nightmare to navigate! I seriously doubt Jefferson would approve.
Obviously organising them by subject makes far more sense.
I have most of my books arranged by chronological order... either of the date they were published, or of the times they reference so as to have a lay out of the history of Ideas.
This is just my personal opinion.
It is not for aesthetic purposes- I used to have a similar system, except it only went via subject, for all of my books (several hundred of all sizes, hard/soft). When organising by subject and not size, you arrive at an enormous problem, that your large books fall over, and your small books get squished, and the larger books bend because gravity pushes them together (shelves bend) and they have small ones in between- which cause the backs to open out- it is just very bad for the books as objects.
This year I went through and reorganised them based on size, as well as subject, and I can vouch for Jefferson in saying that it works far better.
There is also the fact that it is generally not a good idea to have giant books on the top shelf, as they are quite heavy, and will pull smaller books with them if they are deeper on the shelf.
It is also not necessary to have them all on one shelf, if one has a) a good memory for what size a book is, and b) a list of all the books and where they are.
So not unreasonable at all.
He spent more time organising his books by size than he did on giving adequate provisions to the human beings he owned
You'd have done the same thing if you had been born a wealthy plantation owner back then. I hope you're this upset about modern day slavery...I'll wait.