Twelfth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Collection is a worldwide, timeless phenomenon adapted by a diverse community of individuals interested in the tradition of compiling a multitude of similar and valuable items. Book-collecting has provided individuals with the opportunity to safekeep some of their favorite texts. Overtime, certain books become recognized as more valuable than others and can be auctioned for thousands of dollars. However, distinct collectors are not interested in the price of these books, but rather have their own way of defining how valuable a book can truly be. The determination of the value of a book is crucial to understanding the worth of its existence among a personal library. With endless opportunities to contribute more content to a collection, distinguishing which books are valuable enough to stand amongst other collected items allows a collector to better execute their search. Value is a rather personal approach to identifying the meaning and importance of a book to a collector. It is the deciding factor for a book collector, pulling a particular book away from others and placing it into an exclusive library. This study considers two historically famous figures were simultaneously growing their collections and sharing a similar philosophy of defining value through a personal lens during the twentieth century. American author Alfred Edward Newton and German philosopher Walter Benjamin both individually established an amazing array of books and dedicated their lives to aggrandizing their library as book collectors.