The Miniature Book Society’s Traveling Exhibit presents a wide variety of miniature books along with photographs of collectors, designers and publishers. It also features books entered into last season’s Annual MBS Competition, “Distinguished Books” from previous competitions and other outstanding examples of contemporary miniature book publishing. This exhibit has been brought to Ellis Library in an effort to introduce contemporary miniature books to Mid-Missouri.
In addition, a collection of miniature books from Ellis Library’s Special Collections department has been assembled to display in accompaniment with the Miniature Book Society’s Traveling Exhibit. Books on display are children’s books, reference materials, art books, classic literature, and religious materials. While miniature books have been published as small as ¼” x ¼”, our smallest text on display is Holy Bible: contains a portion of the New Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which measures 1.13″ x 1.5″. Books measure from this size to just over the Library of Congress limit for miniature books, at 4″, with Robert Burns’ Tam o’Shanter measuring 4.3″ x 3.5″. Also noteworthy is Special Collections’ oldest volume in this exhibit, written by Emperor Justinian I in 1667, Imperatoris Ivstiniani Institvtionvm Libri IV. Publication dates range 337 years, from Emperor Justinian’s work to contemporary art works, published as recently as 2004.
For more information about miniature books, or a list of Special Collections titles on display, please visit: http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/exhibits/mini_index.htm, or call the Special Collections Reading Room at (573) 882-0076.