Sandars Readership in Bibliography

The Sandars Readership in Bibliography is one of the most prestigious honorary posts to which book historians, librarians and researchers can be appointed.

The Sandars Readership in Bibliography was instituted in 1895 with a bequest of £2000 left to the University by Mr Samuel Sandars of Trinity College (1837-1894), and continues today in the annual series of Sandars Lectures. Read more about the duties of the Reader here.

Sandars Lectures 2023-24

"Resistance to Bibliography"

Looking closely at examples of books that resist inquiry from readers, scholars, cataloguers, and historians, the lectures will use “resistance” as a method to question the status of bibliography in current practice.

From undated children’s books to Tarnschriften (clandestine anti-Nazi literature), the lectures will discuss books that deflect, deceive, and deny, arguing that there is much to learn from categories of books that do not readily reveal their identities.

Lectures will be held on 19 and 20 November, followed by a masterclass on 21 November (more details available summer 2024).

About the speaker

Timothy Young has been the Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts for the Yale Center for British Art since July 2023.

He previously worked as the Curator of Modern Books and Manuscripts at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library in Yale University from 2002 to 2023. He holds a MLIS degree from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Texas at Austin, Texas.

His publications include The Great Mirror of Folly: The History of a Book and Proceedings from a conference (2013), The Uncollected David Rakoff (2015), Story Time: Essays on the Betsy Beinecke Shirley Collection of American Children's Literature (2017), zines 10 Reasons Books Matter (2017) and 10 Reasons Libraries Matter (2021); he was also a regular contributor to the Yale Review, focusing on “Recordings in Review” and “Fiction in Review” (2005 – 2019).