The Limited Editions Club was founded by George Macy in 1929. Financed by subscriptions from its members, the Club published fine editions of the classics of world literature. The books issued by the Limited Editions Club were designed by leading book designers, such as John Fass and Bruce Rogers, and were printed at a variety of small presses. The books also featured illustrations by leading artists and book illustrators, who usually signed each copy. The print run was limited in most cases to 1500 copies of each book. After Macy's death in 1956, the Limited Editions club was run first by his wife Helen Macy, until 1968, and then by their son Jonathan Macy, until 1970. The Club then passed through the hands of various corporate owners. In 1978 Sidney Shiff acquired the Limited Editions Club and slowly changed its focus towards the productions of livres d'artistes. No Limited Editions Club books have been issued since Shiff's death in 2010.

Special Collections has over 400 books published by the Limited Editions Club. About 70 of these were published in the first decade of the Club’s existence, which coincides with the final years of the fine press movement. The Limited Editions Club books held by Special Collections include the two most sought-after books published by the Club: the 1934 edition of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata (PA3877 .L8 1934), illustrated and signed by Pablo Picasso; and the 1935 edition of James Joyce’s Ulysses (PR6019.O9 U4 1935), illustrated and signed by Henri Matisse.