An exhibit commemorating, on the 25th anniversary of his death, book designer, printer, and publisher Peter Beilenson. The beautiful and well-made little volumes distributed by his Peter Pauper Press were a fixture in the world of books for fifty years. One of Peter's sons, Nicholas Beilenson, together with his wife, has recently reestablished the press that began in Beilenson's basement in 1928.
The exhibit displays 82 pieces of Beilenson's work, all but three chosen from among the more than 400 items in the library's extensive collection. This collection was begun at Georgetown, and has been continued, largely through the generosity of Patricia G. England, who has given more than 200 volumes over the past several years. While the collection has grown from a variety of other sources, it most recently owes considerable strength to more than 20 duplicate volumes purchased from William Spangler, who is working on a complete bibliography of Beilenson's output, and the gift of 63 volumes by library staff member Todd Haines, another Beilenson collector who has chosen to share part of his private collection with the library.