Recent acquisitions [1]: an exhibition of material from the Rare Book Collection. Monash University Library, 5th December 1990 - 31st March 1991

The exhibition was held in the Rare Books Exhibition space, Sir Louis Matheson Library, Monash University from 5 December - 31 March 1991. Monash University Library has good reason to be proud of its Rare Book Collection. The areas of collection development relate to the needs of the Monash research community and the material acquired usually builds upon an existing strength in the collection. During the past few years we have been fortunate in our benefactors. Sandy Michell donated a collection of cookery and household management books, mainly eighteenth-century French material. An exhibition of these was held in 1989; item 84 in present exhibition is from that collection. The Friends of the Library have helped defray the costs of some unique Swift-related items, notably a pamphlet heavily annotated in Swift's hand, and a letter of Swift to his publisher, Charles Ford. These items were displayed in our Swift Exhibition held in June 1990 to coincide with the 8th Nichol Smith Seminar. The other major item paid for partially by Friends money was the Harris/Shaftesbury letter-book, item 5 in the current display. Lindsay Shaw, a Friend who has long been our major benefactor, has continued to donate Australian children's books, an Exhibition of these will be held in early 1991. Lindsay also donates general Australian literature; item 60 is one of his gifts. The Rare Book staff conducts a regular programme of Exhibitions to publicise the Collection. This Exhibition is general in its range and is intended to give some idea of the diversity of research interests which can be satisfied with the resources available