I am glad there are Books. They are better than Heaven,
for that is unavoidable, while one may miss these.
-Emily Dickinson to Frank Sanborn, 1873
The Dickinsons were readers! Books were vital – a source of pride, pleasure, discussion, and even competitiveness – among family members. Through the three decades that Emily Dickinson wrote her poetry, ample, eclectic libraries stood open to her perusal in the Homestead and The Evergreens. Today the museum is working to restock the shelves.
Books from the Homestead and The Evergreens libraries having close association with the poet, became the gifted property of Harvard University in 1950. Housed at the Houghton Library, the Dickinson collection is restricted even to scholars because of its fragile condition. The remainder of the libraries of both houses was transferred in the early 1990s to the John Hay Library at Brown University, under terms of the will of Mary Hampson, legatee and last resident of The Evergreens.
Harvard holds over 600 Dickinson library titles, and Brown more than 2,000. Included in the latter group are books belonging to Samuel Fowler Dickinson, the poet’s grandfather, from the time he was a student at Dartmouth in the class of 1795, and the books of six other family members, ranging from law books through histories to hymnals. At Brown is the “lonely, rigorous” reading of Edward Dickinson, the romantic boyhood books of Austin, the poetry, novels, and intellectually stimulating acquisitions of Sue, and popular classics read by Sue and Austin’s children.
As the Museum has restored and refurnished the Dickinson homes in keeping with their nineteenth century contents, we have also dreamt of restoring the books, those treasures the poet called “The strongest Friends of the Soul.” Efforts to replenish the library shelves rely upon the generosity of many friends of Emily Dickinson, some of whom themselves appreciate the pleasures of finding and purchasing the books that inspired her genius.
The Replenishing the Shelves project is dedicated to Polly Longsworth, a Dickinson scholar and the first Chair of the Board of Governors of the Emily Dickinson Museum. By establishing the program in her name in 2007, the Board of the Emily Dickinson Museum acknowledges her devotion to Dickinson, her commitment to the Museum’s founding and growth, and her strong interest in this experiment.
Identifying and Prioritizing the Books
The full Dickinson library booklist has been added to the Museum’s online collections database.
Browse through records via the “Replenishing the Shelves Library” tab or search for titles, authors, or publication date by searching in “Advanced Search.” Each entry has a status of acquired or not yet acquired, noting whether or not the Museum already has a copy on the shelves. Items of most interest have a status of priority – not yet acquired. On the “Advanced Search” tab, type priority into the “Acquisition Status” field to bring up the titles of most current interest for adding to the library shelves.
As they are acquired, the books are displayed as they were when the Dickinson family occupied their homes. A bookplate in each volume identifies both the Replenishing the Shelves project and the name of the donor of either the volume itself or the funds used to acquire it.
Guidelines for Contributing to the collection:
- For information about the project and giving opportunities, please contact Collection Manager Megan Ramsey, mramsey@emilydickinsonmuseum.org
- Individuals interested in supporting this project can do so by contacting Collections Manager Megan Ramsey mramsey@emilydickinsonmuseum.org, who can assist with contributions of specific titles or funds to acquire volumes.
- Those knowledgeable about the collecting of rare and antique books may acquire titles from the list and donate them directly to the Museum. Before acquiring volumes, donors are urged to consult with the Collections Manager to ensure that no other plans for acquisition of the same volume are in process.
- Those wishing to participate in recreating the Dickinson’s family library without themselves finding and buying particular volumes may contribute to the Emily Dickinson Museum Library Replenishment Fund. The gift will purchase titles for the Museum in your name. Please donate online or send your gift to Emily Dickinson Museum, Administrative Office, 20 Triangle Street, Amherst, MA 01002-5000. Earmark it for the EDM Library Replenishment Fund.
The reassembling of the Dickinson family library is a vital part of the Museum’s mission to preserve the legacy of the Dickinson family. Few possessions meant so much. One can never, of course, read all the books Emily Dickinson read, but we welcome the support of friends as we pursue this ambitious project