Special Collections – Know How, the blog of the Great Library

Spring has Sprung! The Books are Getting Clean!

As the winter melts and spring flowers bloom, many people take the opportunity to do a bit of spring cleaning. It’s no different here at the Great Library, where the increasing warmth and sunshine have inspired us to give our books some extra attention. Books gathered in one place tend to create a lot of dust. One of the duties of library workers is to make sure that the books (and the shelves) are cleaned every so often so that dust and other particles don’t cause damage, either to other books or to people’s lungs.

Have you ever wondered what the process is for cleaning library books? Well, look no further for the answer!

Ye Olde Holiday Cuisine: Recipes from a Historical Cookery Book

The winter holidays are a time when families gather in the warmth of their homes to share meals together. Often, recipes that have been passed down for generations are dusted off, and Grandma’s famous candied yams are proudly placed on the table for everyone to enjoy.

Not everyone has a recipe that has been passed down for generations, however. In an effort to help you create your own traditional meal, we are providing some suggestions. Now, these recipes aren’t from the staff’s own personal collection, but were found in a book in our special collection. They are historically authentic, given that they were originally gathered way back in the 17^th century.

Of Ghosts, the Supernatural, and….Skepticism?

It’s that time of year again: when the leaves turn colour, the air gets cooler, the nights longer, and the librarians delve into our special collections to find the creepy and weird. This year, two librarians picked a title that sparked their interest and came up with two unique books: one discussing the various types of ghosts, monsters, and fae creatures, and one musing on the supernatural. Each description is written in the librarian’s own voice.