The British Library`s Hebrew Collection: A Brief History

The present collection of Hebrew manuscripts and printed material preserved in the British Library is a prized and unsurpassed scholarly resource of international standing. The collection comprises the library’s holdings of material written and printed in Hebrew characters, ranging from manuscripts copied over a millennium ago to the most recent monographs and serials. It consists of over 3,000 manuscript volumes and some 8,000 manuscript fragments derived from the Cairo Genizah, around 70,000 printed book titles, and nearly 1,000 serial titles. The lecture will trace the history of the collection showing how Hebraic material reached the Library, while paying tribute to the personalities whose passion for books led to the creation of an outstanding Anglo-Jewish cultural treasure.