De Morgan Library Project

Latest News: a fascinating cartoon uncovered>

A project has now taken place to promote access to the De Morgan Library, one of the two foundation collections of the University of London. Augustus De Morgan (1806-1871) was the first Professor of Mathematics at University College London and one of the most respected British mathematicians of the nineteenth century. In addition to writing on almost every aspect of pure mathematics, he was responsible for the De Morgan theory of relations (1847) and the De Morgan Index (a metric of complexity). He was also an important historian of mathematics and science and a mathematical bibliographer noted by his contemporaries for his scholarship. His bibliography of arithmetical works was based to a large extent upon his own collection. The significance of this is such that it has been highlighted in the Dictionary of National Biography and the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and it has been described as one of the finest accumulations of books on the history of mathematics in the United Kingdom. The Vice-Chancellor’s Development Fund has provided a grant in order to make De Morgan’s library of mathematical works available in the following ways:

  • detailed catalogue records for printed books, manuscripts and papers in the De Morgan Library, and other printed books closely allied with and complementary to his main subject concerns;
  • conservation of priority volumes, manuscripts and papers;
  • a De Morgan Library website to promote website access to and knowledge of the collection and provide a virtual tour;
  • exhibitions and displays which contextualise the library’s importance;
  • articles about the De Morgan Library for publication in scholarly journals, and presentation at conferences and seminars.

Cataloguing of the printed books began in autumn 2004 and finished in summer 2006. Catalogue records include copy-specific features such as De Morgan’s manuscript notes at the front of books. Catalogue records are available from the library’s own electronic catalogue and via COPAC. Records for pre-1801 British material will be submitted to the English Short Title Catalogue (ESTC) and, where appropriate, records for pre-1830 imprints will be submitted to the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL) Hand Press database. Archival and manuscript records have been included in Senate House Library’s ADLIB archival catalogue.

For further information about this project, please contact:

Christine Wise, Head of Special Collections,Email, Phone020 7862 8471

Email shl.specialcollections@london.ac.uk Phone 020 7862 8470