Protecting a library of treasures
JOHN ADAMS went on a shopping spree in the summer of 1774. He was in Philadelphia attending the First Continental Congress when he wrote Abigail, "I have spent an estate on books." Today that "estate of books" belongs to the people of Boston and it is on exhibit at the Boston Public Library.
"John Adams Unbound" marks the first time this extraordinary collection has been shown to the public. On shelves that nearly touch the elegant vaulted ceiling of the McKim Building visitors can read the titles of more than 3,700 volumes comprising one of the greatest libraries of early America. Curators have carefully removed the most dazzling jewels in this crown of books and laid them in cases where you can pause and reflect on the contents of the volumes and the mind that embraced them.
There are the curious titles, "William Peck's Natural History of the Slug Worm" (1799), as well as the physically impressive, such as an oversized French Atlas from 1778 with hand-colored maps. There is even a first American edition of the Koran.
We know that Adams loved and devoured these books for he did to them what no one would be permitted to do in the Boston Public Library today -- he wrote on the pages. In some cases he simply corrected errors, but in others he opened a vigorous dialogue with the author.
These treasures reside in one of the great libraries of our nation. David McCullough has described the BPL as one of the five most important libraries in America, the others being the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, and the university libraries at Harvard and Yale. Our library, however, unlike some of the others, is the property of the people and free to all.
Have we cared well for our property? No. In the midst of this grand exhibition there are reminders of poor stewardship.
In one case rests a small, seemingly non-descript book, Cicero's "Orationum Selectarum" (1734). Its modest appearance belies its historical importance. This is the first book John Adams ever owned and in it is the oldest signature we have of this founding father. The book is deteriorating. The centuries have not been kind; the pages are stained and frayed. If left alone, within a few decades this book will be a crumbling mass of paper. Fortunately, a generous benefactor has made a substantial gift to the library to conserve this volume.
Cicero's "Orationum" has been adopted, but there are many more orphans in John Adams' library facing an uncertain future.
John Adams' library is only one of thousands of national treasures in the BPL. The shelves in Copley Square groan under the weight of other rare books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and prints. Over the last several years the city, the Commonwealth, and the Boston Public Library Foundation have supported the restoration and preservation of the McKim Building. However, they have done much less to protect the building's previous contents. In the course of time McKim's grand palace will simply become a magnificent tomb filled with dust and bits of paper.
What can be done? Digitization is a partial answer. Electronic copies of books and documents will reduce the need to handle them, and thus help preservation. Such technology, however, will do nothing to repair damage already done or to prevent future deterioration. There is no substitute for careful conservation of the originals. The BPL's four sister libraries each have sizable conservation staffs. The BPL has only two conservators.
Both the city and the Commonwealth have supported the library, but given competing demands on the public coffers it is unlikely that they can provide more. The BPL must follow the path taken by the other four great libraries -- private fund-raising. The Boston Public Library Foundation has made gallant efforts, but much more needs to be done. While we must nurture those who have already given hoping that they will give more, casting our buckets into the shallow pool of local giving is not likely to produce impressive results. We are the custodians of national treasures that deserve national attention. Boston and John Adams once helped to start a revolution and the nation followed. It is time to reignite that bold spirit to save America's treasures.
William M. Fowler Jr. is professor of history at Northeastern University. 
