Philobiblon

The Philobiblon is a medieval Latin treatise on the love of books, written by Richard de Bury and completed in 1345. De Bury, Bishop of Durham and Treasurer of England, was a renowned bibliophile and collector. The work is considered one of the earliest and most important literary defenses of the study and preservation of books in Western Europe.

The Philobiblon is structured as a series of chapters that extol the virtues of learning and the indispensable role of books in acquiring knowledge and wisdom. De Bury addresses his readers, who are mostly students and scholars, urging them to cherish and respect books as vessels of divine and human knowledge. He details his own extensive efforts to acquire manuscripts for his library, describing the methods he employed, including purchases, donations, and commissions.

A significant portion of the Philobiblon is dedicated to the practical aspects of maintaining a library. De Bury offers advice on the proper care of books, including how to handle them, store them, and protect them from damage. He emphasizes the importance of discipline and order in the library, advocating for a systematic approach to cataloging and organization. The treatise also touches upon the ethical responsibilities of those who possess books, suggesting that they should be shared and made accessible to those who seek knowledge. The Philobiblon was first printed in 1473 and has since been translated into numerous languages, continuing to inspire book lovers and scholars for centuries.

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