Collection of books from Denmark, recently donated to the TRC LibraryIt may be grey, cold and wet outside, but we have a warm feeling because it's raining books here! The last week has seen three different collections of books arriving at the TRC.

The first was a donation of books by the Eva Andersson, director of the Centre for Textile Research, The Saxo Institute, Copenhagen University  from their impressive series of academic books about textiles and garments with ancient and archeological themes, such as Iconic Costumes: Scandinavian Late Iron Age Costume Iconography; Gods and Garments: Textiles in Greek Sanctuaries in the 7th to the 1st Centuries BC;  Textiles and Clothing along the Silk Roads, etc. We would like to thank Eva for organising this gift.

Then we were given three boxes of books by René Lugtigheid, a Dutch textile conservator and lecturer who is retiring and moving to a more peaceful life of gardening and embroidery (I can only approve). This was a mixed group and some of the books we do not have, others will be placed in the TRC Shop, with permission of René. It is her way of supporting the work and activities of the TRC.

Some of the books about Estonian textiles, recently donated by Merle Ernits to the TRC Library.

The third group of books consists of some beautiful and detailed books specifically about textiles and garments from Estonia. These books were organised by Merle Ernits, a long-term friend of the TRC who is from Estonia and who is also organising a study trip to Estonia for TRC staff in order to learn more about textiles and dress from this part of Europe.

Thanks to these and other donations of books the TRC Library is increasing and developing into a major source for the study of textiles and dress. With the dedicated work of the various TRC Librarians, more and more books are being registered, put on the shelves, and added to the Library online database (based on authors/titles, not scans of the actual books), which now covers well over 5,000 titles.

The publications are available for study at the TRC rather than for loan. Please note, alas we do not send books to readers via the post, etc! And yes, because of the number of duplicate books that are coming in we are already thinking about having another TRC Book sale in a few months time.

One of our volunteers, Beverley Bennett, who is focussing on the study of quilts and who catalogues the many quilts in the TRC collection, is looking for copies of the following publications by Barbara Brackman for the TRC Library. Could any of the readers help:

• Clues in the Calico - a Guide to Identifying and Dating Antique Quilts (1989)
• Making History - Quilts and Fabrics from 1890-1970  (2008)
• America's Printed Fabrics 1770 - 1890 (2010)

Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, 16 January 2023