LMU Library Entrusted with Page from Gutenberg Bible
Education Desk
September 04, 2009
LOS ANGELES — The newest library in Los Angeles now has another feature to brag about: a leaf from one of the original Gutenberg Bibles.
Cardinal Roger Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles, presented the leaf to Loyola Marymount University President Robert B. Lawton, S.J., at the dedication of LMU´s William H. Hannon Library on Sunday.
The Biblia Latina printed by Johannes Gutenberg around 1452 is considered the beginning of the print era, a revolution in learning and literacy that spread across Europe and formed the foundation of knowledge for centuries to come.
"I am entrusting to you a page from that famed book as a token of gratitude for the generosity of William Hannon, which is continuing forward through the two Hannon foundations," the cardinal wrote in a letter to President Lawton.
The text of the leaf is printed in two columns on each side of the page. It begins in chapter 33 of the Book of Isaiah, ending in mid-chapter 36.
For the library, the double-sided page featuring Gothic-lettered verses in Latin is more than just a collector´s item, said Cynthia Becht, head of archives and special collections for LMU.
"This is exactly the kind of thing we´d like to show to the many classes that visit us. Many professors bring their classes to talk about the transition from the medieval manuscript days to printing," Becht said. "This is the book that changed everything."
The library opening is the culmination of a $63 million project, $56 million of which was raised from private sources, starting with a pair of gifts from the William H. Hannon Foundation and the Bill Hannon Foundation. Planning and design for the new facility began in 2006, and construction was completed this July. It includes 121,000 square feet of space, and capacity for a collection of more than 1 million volumes. Designed by architecture firm AECOM, the library is situated on a bluff overlooking the Los Angeles basin and is expected to qualify for LEED certification based on its numerous "green" features. For more on the library, please visit www.lmu.edu/Hannon.
About Loyola Marymount University
Located between the Pacific Ocean and downtown Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive university offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees. Founded in 1911, LMU is the largest Catholic institution of higher education on the West Coast with nearly 5,500 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate and law students. Students can choose from more than 80 majors and programs in four colleges, two schools and Loyola Law School. For more LMU news and events, please visit www.lmu.edu/news.
Cardinal Roger Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles, presented the leaf to Loyola Marymount University President Robert B. Lawton, S.J., at the dedication of LMU´s William H. Hannon Library on Sunday.
The Biblia Latina printed by Johannes Gutenberg around 1452 is considered the beginning of the print era, a revolution in learning and literacy that spread across Europe and formed the foundation of knowledge for centuries to come.
"I am entrusting to you a page from that famed book as a token of gratitude for the generosity of William Hannon, which is continuing forward through the two Hannon foundations," the cardinal wrote in a letter to President Lawton.
The text of the leaf is printed in two columns on each side of the page. It begins in chapter 33 of the Book of Isaiah, ending in mid-chapter 36.
For the library, the double-sided page featuring Gothic-lettered verses in Latin is more than just a collector´s item, said Cynthia Becht, head of archives and special collections for LMU.
"This is exactly the kind of thing we´d like to show to the many classes that visit us. Many professors bring their classes to talk about the transition from the medieval manuscript days to printing," Becht said. "This is the book that changed everything."
The library opening is the culmination of a $63 million project, $56 million of which was raised from private sources, starting with a pair of gifts from the William H. Hannon Foundation and the Bill Hannon Foundation. Planning and design for the new facility began in 2006, and construction was completed this July. It includes 121,000 square feet of space, and capacity for a collection of more than 1 million volumes. Designed by architecture firm AECOM, the library is situated on a bluff overlooking the Los Angeles basin and is expected to qualify for LEED certification based on its numerous "green" features. For more on the library, please visit www.lmu.edu/Hannon.
About Loyola Marymount University
Located between the Pacific Ocean and downtown Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive university offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees. Founded in 1911, LMU is the largest Catholic institution of higher education on the West Coast with nearly 5,500 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate and law students. Students can choose from more than 80 majors and programs in four colleges, two schools and Loyola Law School. For more LMU news and events, please visit www.lmu.edu/news.
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