Elsevier launches online catalogue of Elsevier Heritage Collection

Elsevier announced today the launch of an online catalogue of the Elsevier Heritage Collection, comprising over 2,000 rare books with more than 1,000 distinct titles published by the original Elzevier publishing house from 1580 to 1712. Based in the Netherlands and closely tied to the University of Leiden, the original company published groundbreaking work from contemporary scholars including Descartes, Huygens and Galileo. Elsevier, the modern publisher was named after the original firm when it was founded in 1880 as a tribute to the publishing achievements of the Elzeviers.

The online short title scholarly catalogue was created with the expertise of curatorial consultant and digital librarian Donna Sy. Nearly 2,000 documentary photographs will accompany the online catalogue, illustrating the beauty and fine craftsmanship of many of the book bindings in the collection.

"It's been a privilege to work with the Elsevier Heritage Collection.  When we first created a catalog for local use in 2009, our hope was that we would eventually be able to bring it online, and that day has finally come. Since every book in the Collection is in many aspects unique, I hope that the online catalog will serve as a starting point for scholars to make exciting new discoveries in the Collection."

"As the stewards of the Elsevier Heritage Collection, it is our obligation-and pleasure - to ensure that the Collection can be fully appreciated and readily accessible for scholars to research. The Collection represents a tangible connection to a great publishing past and reminds us of the partnerships forged by publishers with the great minds of the Renaissance," said David Ruth, Senior Vice President of Global Communications.