Managers report for January and July 1841

Report submitted by manager, July 7, 1841, listing donations of books and money to the society

College Book 6, 1726-1790

College Book 6 is often referred to as the Hollis book, reflecting its contents. It was created following an April 4, 1726 Corporation vote that "Mr. Treasurer procure a Book, into which shall be transmitted, and a Register kept of, Mr Hollis's Rules, orders, Gifts & Bounties past & to come; together with ye Names & age, & Charecter of his Scholars, ye time of their Entry and Dismission; and also all ye Votes of ye Overseers & Corporation from time to time relating to ye said orders, Bounties & Scholars of the said Mr Hollis." Entries are primarily in Benjamin Wadsworth's hand and record donations from Thomas Hollis and his descendants, with transcriptions of related Corporation minutes. They also provide detailed information about the allocation of Hollis funds and scholarships, and the rules governing the Hollis Professorship of Divinity (established in 1721) and the Hollis Professorship of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (established in 1727). The volume also contains inventories of books in the official library of the Hollis Professor of Divinity and two inventories – created in 1779 and in 1790 – of the mathematical and philosophical apparatus purchased with Hollis funds. Many entries related to the purchase of scientific instruments and supplies include the cost in sterling of each item. Also included are entries related to financial accounts and expenditures, as well as copies of letters from Nathaniel Hollis.

College Book 10, 1810-1827

College Book 10 consists of multiple paper-bound waste books bound together in one leather hard binding. It begins with an alphabetical index and contains minutes of Corporation meetings held from November 14, 1810 through March 31, 1827. The last page of the volume lists the number of each page on which donations to the College Library are mentioned. Bound with this volume is a printed pamphlet, To the Reverend and Honorable The Corporation of Harvard University, signed by eleven professors and tutors in 1824, along with a manuscript response from the Corporation, entitled Report of a Committee of the President and Fellows of Harvard College on the Memorial of the Resident Instructors Asserting their Chartered Right to be Elected to Vacancies in the Corporation. January 11, 1825.

Letter from Thomas Dawes of Boston to Thomas Hubbard, March 27, 1764

This letter to Harvard Treasurer Thomas Hubbard accompanied a gift of books from Dawes.

List of benefactors who contributed to replacement of books and philosophical apparatus, May 4, 1764

This document lists the names of subscribers who promised funds towards the rebuilding of the library and philosophical apparatus. Entries are divided among three columns, "Apparatus," "Library," and "At large," and include the donor's name and amount promised. Gifts to the library included actual books as well as funds for book purchases.

Letter from Dr. Nathaniel Lardner to Jasper Mauduit listing books donated to Harvard, July 12, 1764, and manuscript copy of the letter

A pencilled note in the hand of John Langdon Sibley reads: "Probably the handwriting of Dr. Lardner." Sibley based his attribution on a letter from Nathaniel Lardner to Edward Wigglesworth, also written July 12, 1764, in the Houghton Library's autograph file during the nineteenth century. Verso of letter contains list, in another hand, of books donated to Harvard by Joseph Jennings.

List of Dr. Avery's books donated to Harvard by Jasper Mauduit, Oct. 5, 1764

"Dr. Avery" is Benjamin Avery, chairman of the British Committee of Protestant Dissenters, who died in 1764. Mauduit took responsibility for shipping the books which Avery had bequeathed to Harvard.

Letter from Jasper Mauduit to Andrew Oliver, Oct. 10, 1764

In this letter, Mauduit informs Oliver that he is preparing to ship several cases of books to Harvard, and that they will contain books from the estate of Dr. Avery and from Mauduit himself. He enclosed lists of the books being shipped, and those lists (along with a bill of lading) are in the following folders.

"A Catalogue of Books Proposed for the New Hampshire donation," 1765

This catalog contains suggested purchases to be made with book purchasing funds provided by the Province of New Hampshire. Verso reads: "At a meeting of the President & Fellows of Harvard College – Voted that the above catalogue prepared by the Committee be accepted [signed] Edward Holyoke Presdt."

"A Catalogue of Books Proposed for the Hancock donation," 1765

This catalog contains suggested purchases to be made with book purchasing funds provided by John Hancock. Verso reads: "At a meeting of the President & Fellows of Harvard College – Voted that the above catalogue prepared by the Committee be accepted [signed] Edward Holyoke Presdt."