Fa l l 2012Vo l u m e 12№ 3

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 ~

Renovation project 1

Note from the Director 2

eBooks 3

Events and Programs 4

Children's Page 5

Special Collections 6 - 7

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

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

thurs 9:30-8pm

www.RedwoodLibrary.org

members who visited the library the week of august 13 were met with

towering boxes full of books along pathways of cardboard. over the

course of 3½ days, library relocation professionals from william B.

meyer moved about 3,435 linear feet of special Collections materials

out of the mcBean wing in preparation for the wing’s renovation. that

amount of linear feet is equivalent to about 1.4 times the amount of

compact shelving we have in the 2005 wing. It’s a lot of books!

shortly thereafter, workers from Behan Bros., the general contractor

on the project, began to demolish the interior of the mcBean wing,

carting away truckloads of debris. they completely emptied the

space down to its bare walls and concrete floor. during the next three

months, they will work from plans developed by mohamad Farzan

of newport architecture, llC, to build a new, stronger second floor,

move electrical outlets and safety systems, and completely refinish the

interior of the wing.

once the interior space is complete, workers from donnegan systems

will install compact shelving that will more than double the storage

capacity for special Collections. donnegan will reuse all of the flat

shelving pieces from the old mcBean shelves in this new installation,

which helps to reduce the overall cost of the project.

mCbean wing Renovation update

(continued on page 3)

Fa l l 2012 | Vo lu m e t w e lV e | № 3

It is such an honor to become part of the redwood library and athenaeum!

the redwood is a treasure in our historic seaside community. the

collections, programs and beautiful historic buildings and grounds provide

multiple entry points into an institution that has existed for 265 years.

although the autumn marks the end of the growing season and calm after

a social summer season, the redwood continues to be a hive of activity.

through the generous support of donors, construction projects are

underway at both the main building and the Ballard annex; our fall season

of the life of the mind salon series has begun; and we just launched our 3m

eBook service to members!

I recently asked the library staff what makes the redwood unique. the

resounding reply was that the redwood has the most comprehensive

collection of printed history of aquidneck Island and its environs. But

the redwood, like the other newport historic institutions, is also part of

the larger history of our nation. It is critical that we make our collections

available to as many people as possible. the staff is hard at work creating

the infrastructure to expand access to the collections via cataloging and

digital projects. soon we will be positioned to share more of the treasures

in our care to a national and international audience.

I look forward to the journey ahead!

warm regards,

Jen

dear members and Friends,

w e l Co m e

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

$5 per person, Free For

ChIldren under 12

2

a traditional

abbreviation of “et

cetera” is often found

in bibliographies 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 represent the rich

diversity of type, variety, and vintage

of the Redwood Library and Athenæum

collections. The name of the newsletter

was originally proposed for the first

edition in 1995 by Linda Gordon and

G. Spencer Berger.

Fa l l 2012 | Vo lu m e t w e lV e | № 3 3

m e m B e r n e w s

The Special Collections that are usually stored in the McBean Wing

have been moved offsite and are unavailable until March 31, 2013.

Reference service is still provided Monday - Saturday, 1:00 - 5:00 pm,

but the staff’s ability to answer reference questions and fulfill imaging

requests will be limited.

on the outside of the building, Behan Bros. will change the shape of

the roof and install new slate tiles to match the others. these primarily

cosmetic alterations will make the mcBean wing more consistent

architecturally with the earlier library additions.

the project will also bring new spaces to the library by filling in the gap

between the mcBean wing and the Van alen Gallery. the first floor will

become a gallery space leading from the rovensky delivery room out to

the pope Gardens. Both the new interior and exterior doors will be custom

made to match existing architectural features. the second floor will contain

a large, shared office for staff, as well as an additional restroom.

the entire construction project is scheduled to be completed by the end of

the year, and the first months of 2013 will be well occupied with fitting the

special Collections into their new shelves.

as described in previous issues of &c., the mcBean wing project is funded

by the alletta morris mcBean Charitable trust. the gallery to the garden

project is funded by the prince Family in honor of helen elizabeth peirce

prince. the library is grateful for this generous support. we also thank

mohamad Farzan and his team at newport architecture, llC, as well as

michael Behan, anselmo toni, the crew from Behan Bros., and all their

subcontractors.

the redwood library is the first library in rhode Island to offer 3m Cloud library eBooks. members may begin using this state-of-the-art technology now by using their own devices or by borrowing one of five 3m ereaders now available at the Circulation desk.

“this new eBook platform developed by 3m is both very flexible and extremely user-friendly,” said robert Kelly, Collections development librarian. “It really streamlines the user process and makes checking out eBooks easy to do, either at the redwood or at home, on travel, or anywhere one has wireless access.” 3m eBooks are compatible with pCs, macs and other apple devices, nooks, Kindle Fires, and android devices. members can directly browse, check out and read eBooks on the 3m Cloud library app.

You can also pick up a copy of our new ereader Quick Instructions brochure, which details the simple “how-to” steps of getting started with this wonderful new technology, or visit our website in the near future for instructions and how-to videos.

mCbean wing Renovation update(continued)

it’s easy to use ebooks at the Redwood!

eVents & proGrams

our fall salon series is already underway and will run for eight

consecutive thursday evenings at the library. this edition of the

highly popular life of the mind series will be varied enough to suit

any taste – from neuroscience to oceanography, from global weather

the Bolshevik revolution. other highlights will include:

b david niose , director of the humanist society of

america, debating anthony Zamarro, president of the

worcester Chapter of the G.K. Chesterton society, about

whether the increasing secularization of american society is a

good or a bad development.

b samueL white , grandson of famed architect stanford

white, speaking on “stanford white, architect.”

For a full list of programs, please visit our website. every program

begins with a wine and cheese reception at 5:30 pm, followed by the

presentation at 6:00 pm. the salons are free for members and $10 for

non-members (please note the change in the non-member price).

the weather was perfect for our annual garden party.

Photo by Jennifer Carter.

FaLL saLon seRies

don’t miss anotheR wondeRFuL Redwood pRogRam!

4 Fa l l 2012 | Vo lu m e t w e lV e | № 3

the next time you stop by, please

make sure that redwood has your

current email address. we often

send out email updates about our

special programs, and we will keep

you up-to-date on any changes or

additions to our schedule of events.

we will never disclose your email

or other personal information to

anyone – we simply use it to share

information about the redwood

with our members and supporters.

You may also update your

information by calling mary spotts

at 847-0292, ext. 115.

save the date for our holiday open house!

sunday, dec. 9th12:30 - 1:30

Children's library holiday party

2:00 - 3:00

redwood library open house

3:00 - 4:30

rI Civic Choral Chorus will be

performing in the harrison

room. Free for members,

$7 for students (with Id),

$10 for seniors, $12 General

admission.

our annuaL book saLe was a great success, raising close to $1,500 due in large part to our generous volunteers: amanda deluca, Jack dorato, wayne robinson and sylvia hampton. Visit our bookstore off the harrison room during normal library opening hours for year-round book bargains and we will see you again at the 2013 book sale!

C h I l d r e n ' spa G e

the Children’s library celebrated summer in newport with seven

programs that appealed to the arts -- Creating a Comic Book hero”

and “sleep masks”-- as well as creative movements in “stage sprouts,”

and music and song with Christopher Carbone.

mat Franco, our magician and Jonathan Breindel, our “mad scientist”

engaged the children with hands-on fun. magic tricks and science

experiments were happily performed by even the shiest participants.

we ended our summer with more rhythm and song at the annual

Children’s Garden party on with rick morin’s Band.

Join us this Fall for a presentation of Alice in Wonderland on

saturday, oct. 20 at 1pm by students from st. George’s school.

refreshments to follow.

on saturday, november 10 at 1pm, please join us as we highlight

and appreciate the wonders of winter on aquidneck Island with

instructors from the norman Bird sanctuary.

FaReweLL to summeR

Coming this FaLL

5

ChiLdRen’s Room houRsmonday & tuesday 9:30-12:30

wednesday 2:00-5:00

Friday 9:30-12:00

stoRytime FoR toddLeRs:

tuesdays 10:30am

stoRies & CRaFts FoR kindeRgaRtneRs to 4th gRadeRs: wednesdays 3:30pm

Fa l l 2012 | Vo lu m e t w e lV e | № 3

Fa l l 2012 | Vo lu m e t w e lV e | № 3

when the manuscript society visited the redwood library, dr. scott Gwara,

professor of english and Comparative literature at the university of south

Carolina, asked to examine one of our medieval manuscripts, a book of

hours previously believed to be produced in France in the sixteenth century.

dr. Gwara's analysis, summarized below, revealed that the devotional book

is much older. Based on the illuminations in the manuscript, the book was

made in what was then known as Flanders, and can be dated to around 1440.

a prayer book for the laity, the book of hours has psalms, antiphons,

versicles, and other pious readings for the eight “hours” of the day: matins,

lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, Vespers, and Compline. these texts

comprise the hours of the Virgin, which forms the core of the book of

hours. many books of hours, like the redwood’s, have short ancillary hours

called the hours of the holy Cross and hours of the holy spirit. the eight

hours correspond to periods of the waking day. theoretically, one is meant

to pray (recite three psalms, basically) for a few minutes at these specified

times. In addition to these essential texts, a book of hours typically has a

kalendar (to identify the appropriate saints’ days), a litany, an office of the

dead, the penitential psalms, Commendation of souls, and so on. these

books had multiple formats depending on one’s taste and pocketbook. the

redwood's manuscript has all these extra texts, and even more.

the redwood's book of hours is a thick quarto book in an elegant sixteenth-

century French binding. this codex was illuminated by the so-called

“masters of the Gold scrolls.” this imposing moniker has been given to

an undifferentiated group of artists working in the vicinity of Bruges from

about 1420 to 1450. By examining the background of the miniatures (the

Crucifixion panel is ideal), one may find gold squiggles; those curlicues

are the “gold scrolls” for which the artists were named. the redwood

manuscript, which can be dated at the height of the period, is a relatively

lavish production for these workshops.

each city, region, or country in medieval europe had its own way of praying

the hours; this varying form of prayer is called a “use.” many Gold scrolls

manuscripts are “use of sarum,” or english use. “sarum” is the latin word

for salisbury, from which the sarum use spread and became universal

throughout southern england by 1400. the redwood manuscript is use of

rome, and the lack of english saints in the kalendar and litany indicates it

was made for a local patron in French Flanders or northeast France. the

rubrics in medieval French confirm the book’s continental destination.

6

a new Reading oF an oLd bookIn the staCKs

Fa l l 2012 | Vo lu m e t w e lV e | № 3

an interesting aspect of the history of a book of hours is whether

it was written for a man or a woman. the prayers in this book

identify the speaker as male because the latin forms of certain

nouns and adjectives are masculine. however, the redwood

volume has some added prayers called the Obsecro te and

O intemerata, which were viewed as feminine appeals to the

Virgin and thus unsuitable for a man. a third added text is a

suffrage (metrical prayer) for st. Catherine. was the owner’s

wife named Catherine, or was Catherine her patron saint? was

this suffrage added so that she could pray the hours from her

husband’s book? why do the prayers have masculine forms?

perhaps a marriage prompted an update to the manuscript.

the redwood manuscript has eleven gorgeous illuminations and

ivy borders terminating in charming flowers and gold leaves.

the hours of the Virgin were commonly illustrated by two

different kinds of picture cycles: an Infancy Cycle and a passion

Cycle. the grim passion cycle featured the mocking of Christ,

the Judgment of pontius pilate, and the Crucifixion, while the

cheerful Infancy Cycle had the annunciation, adoration of

the magi, and Coronation of the Virgin. the redwood volume

boasts an artistically superior Infancy Cycle. there are eleven

full-page illuminations. each of the eight hours had its own

associated image. the hours of the holy Cross opens with

the Crucifixion, the hours of the holy spirit, with pentecost.

the office of the dead features mourners singing dirges at

a bier. the colors are fresh, and the bright palette for the

illuminations and borders perfectly matches that of the Gold

scrolls workshops. In some scenes, such as the Coronation of the

Virgin, the burnished gold leaf probably shines as brightly as the

day it was applied. since each of the hours begins with a capital

d, a large ornamental d in pure gold and brilliant hues appears

beneath each miniature.

In 1946 the reverend and mrs. andrew Chalmers wilson

donated this lavish manuscript to the library. records show

that it was sold by Bernard Quaritch, london, in 1886 and again

by Jacques rosenthal, munich, in 1905. Clearly, this volume

traveled widely, and the redwood is indeed lucky that it settled

in newport. dr. Gwara has proposed that the donor be honored

by calling the book “the wilson hours.”

Board president Garry Fischer recently brought a guest from hong Kong to the redwood library and reports that they were both thrilled by their special viewing of staunton’s China plates, which ezra stiles special Collections librarian whitney pape shared with them in a special vault visit. this superb folio, half-bound in polished calf and published in 1797, details the exploratory mission to China by sir George macartney, former Governor of madras, in 1792. the trip was commissioned by King George III with the intent to establish a British embassy in peking and thus open trade to that city.

their mission ultimately failed due in part to a diplomatic gaff in a famous, if not uncharacteristic, fit of anglo-saxon hubris wherein sir macartney refused to kowtow, or deeply bow, when presented to emperor Quinlong in the royal Court. the folio remains a fascinating and important account of their journey. Its plates depict a stunning variety of images, including illustrations of the Great wall, architecture, birds and other wildlife, weaponry, landscapes and portraits. a unique feature of this copy of the book is a meticulously rendered navigation chart, inserted behind the marbled front cover of the volume. the chart pinpoints macartney’s daily progress from london through the Yellow sea and “Gulph of pekin” to peking, as well as his return voyage via Cochin, pulo Condore, the nanka Isles, sumatra, Java, tristan d’acunha, st. helena, rio de Janeiro, st. Jago, tenerife, and madeira.

this wonderful volume was bequeathed to the library from the collection of r. Campbell “Zup” James, long-time newport resident, descendent of arthur Curtiss James, and loyal redwood supporter. James, a former member of the library’s Board of directors, was a CIa Cold war operative in southeast asia, and it is fitting that he not only owned this splendid folio, but that he gave it to the redwood (along with many others) upon his death. this gift joins a 2-volume dublin edition, 1798, of the authentic account, the gift of John G. whitehorne in 1810, brother of samuel whitehorne; his inscription dates his own acquisition to 1803.

7

FoLio oF 1792 China expedition deLights visitoR

From Atlas of Plates to Staunton's Embassy to China, London, 1796

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

paidnewport, rI

permIt 1150 Bellevue avenue, newport, rI 02840