The Thomas Jefferson Architectural Books Collection matches on a one-to-one basis titles owned by Thomas Jefferson in either identical or earlier editions. The Oberlin collection is based on Fiske Kimball’s 1916 bibliography Thomas Jefferson, Architect (OBIS record).
Fiske Kimball documented when specific titles passed in and out of Jefferson’s possession, thus allowing scholars to trace his library's influence on his architectural practice. Oberlin owns all but a handful of the 62 titles listed by Kimball.
Oberlin is one of a handful of institutions [1] who have duplicated all or portions of Thomas Jefferson’s library. It has been described as the finest such collection outside of the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University. [2]
Image Credit: Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale, 1800
1. 1) Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson's Library; 2) University of Virginia, titles listed in William B. O'Neal's A fine arts library: Jefferson's selections for the University of Virginia together with his architectural books at Monticello. (Charlottesville, 1976).
2. John Harwood, Ph.D. (University of Toronto). Jefferson Architectural Book Collection seminar, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. Fall 2011.