The center has a reading room for scholars and galleries which display rotating exhibitions of works and objects from the collections. In the 2015–16 academic year, the center hosted nearly 6,000 research visits resulting in the publication of over 145 books.[2]
Historyedit
Harry Ransom founded the Humanities Research Center in 1957 with the ambition of expanding the rare books and manuscript holdings of the University of Texas. He acquired the Edward Alexander Parsons Collection,[3] the T. Edward Hanley Collection,[4] and the Norman Bel Geddes Collection.[5][6]
Ransom was only the official director of the center from 1958 to 1961, but he directed and presided over a period of great expansion in the collections until his resignation in 1971 as chancellor of the University of Texas System. The center moved into its current building in 1972.
After Roberts's tenure, John Payne and then Carlton Lake served as interim directors from 1976 to 1980. It was during this time (in 1978) that the center acquired its complete copy of the Gutenberg Bible.
In 1983, the institution's name was changed from the Humanities Research Center to the Harry Ransom Center.[17]
Notable collectionsedit
Two prominent items in the Ransom Center's collections are a Gutenberg Bible[18][19] (one of only 21 complete copies known to exist) and Nicéphore Niépce's c. 1826View from the Window at Le Gras, the first successful permanent photograph from nature. Both of these objects are on permanent display in the main lobby.
Beyond these, the center houses many culturally important documents and artifacts. Particular strengths include modern literature, performing arts,[20] and photography.[21] Besides the Gutenberg Bible and the photograph, notable holdings include:
A rare 1904 first edition of The Book of the Law (Liber AL) by Aleister Crowley (among other original Crowley first editions), also known as the Vellum books but more popularly known as the Holy Book of Thelema.
The Thomas James Wise collection consists of bibliographies and catalogs created by Wise and miscellaneous manuscripts and correspondence relating to Wise's forgeries and life.
The records of the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. publishing company.
An extensive library of early modern plays and theatrical books including three ShakespeareFirst Folios and one of only three known copies of the 1594 quarto of the True Tragedie of Richard the Third published by an anonymous writer.
A historic collection of 19th and 20th century portrait photography of actors and dancers, and production photography holdings including Joseph Abeles and Leo Friedman, Fred Fehl, and Bob Golby.
^"Annual Report 2015-2016" (PDF). Harry Ransom Center. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
^"Edward Alexander Parsons Collection". Archived from the original on 2018-10-14. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
^"T. Edward Hanley Library". Archived from the original on 2018-11-27. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
^Normal Bel Geddes Theater and Industrial Design Papers
^Lewis, Anne S. (September 10, 2012). "Normal Bel Geddes, Harry Ransom Center, Future Perfect exhibition". Wall Street Journal.
^Carlton Lake brief bio from "New Directions" Carlton Lake (1915–2006) was the Paris art critic for the Christian Science Monitor.
^Aldine Press Archived 2013-02-27 at the Wayback Machine Giorgio Uzielli was a New York stockbroker and book collector, born in Florence, Italy. After a 1982 visit to the Harry Ransom Center, he wrote into his will a bequest to the Center of his 287 books printed by the Aldine Press in Venice in the 15th and 16th centuries. Uzielli's gift was appraised at about $2 million.
^"Carl H. Pforzheimer Library". Archived from the original on 2018-11-10. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
^"Ernest Lehman Collection". Archived from the original on 2005-03-18. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
^"Director Thomas F. Staley: Major Acquisitions and Achievements". Archived from the original on 2017-03-14. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
^Bernstein, Carl; Woodward, Bob Woodward (2003). "Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein: An Inventory of Their Watergate Papers at the Harry Ransom Center". Harry Ransom Center. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
^"Stephen Enniss appointed new director of Ransom Center" Archived 2014-01-04 at the Wayback Machine, Harry Ransom Center.
^Faires, Robert (August 25, 2015). "The Remains of the Papers". Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2015-08-30. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
^Gans, Andrew (January 10, 2018). "Harry Ransom Center Acquires Arthur Miller Archive". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2018-08-09.
^"Ian McEwan's literary archive bought by Harry Ransom Center"
^"George C. (George Cunnibell) Howard and Family: An Inventory of Their Collection at the Harry Ransom Center". norman.hrc.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
^"Robert De Niro Donates collection of Film Materials to Harry Ransom Center". Harry Ransom Center. June 7, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^Vertuno, Jim. "Don Draper and 'Mad Men' archive land at University of Texas". Statesman. Austin, Texas. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
Sourcesedit
Max, D. T. (June 11, 2007). "Letter from Austin: Final Destination". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
Pearson, Rachel (March 7, 2006). "Center offers literary sort of Ransom". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2006-03-17.[permanent dead link]
Pearson, Rachel (March 8, 2006). "Ransom Center criticized abroad". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2006-03-17.[permanent dead link]
Page, Caroline (October 30, 2007). "HRC holds cultural gems". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2007-10-30.[permanent dead link]
Page, Caroline (November 15, 2007). "Ransom Center leads in conservation". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2007-11-19.[permanent dead link]
Page, Caroline (December 4, 2007). "Literary treasure hunt". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2007-12-04.[permanent dead link]
"Harry Ransom Center Acquires Rare Plantin Polyglot Bible". April 29, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harry Ransom Center.
Official website
Why do the archives of so many great writers end up in Texas?, The New Yorker, June 11, 2007