AdoptLINN finds new donors
From North American forestry to Native American culture and to the fascinating world of mosses, several donors are helping us protect and conserve our Collections
Published on 26th August 2020
The Mountain Laurel, pictured in volume 2 of François-André Michaux’s North American Sylva (Paris: C. d'Hautel, 1818-1819)
While the Society’s collections may have been closed to the public during the COVID-19 crisis, the continuing interest and support they’ve received from our Fellows, Associate Members, and other friends has been hugely encouraging. The lockdown period has been a particularly productive one for AdoptLINN, our book adoption scheme, with over £2,000 raised in the last three months alone. The generosity of our donors will conserve an array of vulnerable works for future enjoyment and study. We’re happy to give them credit here.
Prof Mark Otten FLS’s donation will help preserve Winthrop Sargent’s Papers relative to certain American antiquities(1796), one of the earliest archaeological tracts published in the United States, and an important early account of Native American culture.
Prof Gregory P. Copenhaver FLS and Susan Stagg have supported the restoration of the second and third volumes of François André Michaux’s North American Sylva. Michaux’s survey of 1818 is a landmark work of American forestry, stuffed full of hand-coloured botanical engravings. Susan lent her support to this work “in aid of the happy memories spent learning Latin names of plants for my degree in the 1960s”. Their gifts come hot on the heels of Anke TimmermannFLS and Type & Forme’s support of volume one in March of this year. It’s great to see the set completed.
And finally – just as we go to press – Martin Godfrey FLS and his wife Rosie have supported the restoration of Johannes Hedwig’s monumental Descriptio et Adumbratio Microscopico-Analytica Muscorum Frondosorum (1787-1797), a ground-breaking work on the morphology and reproduction of mosses. Martin and Rosie have made this donation to mark their 50th wedding anniversary.
We remain hugely indebted to our Fellows and friends for their support of our collections. Our work would not be possible without them. If you would like to join them in adopting a book, archival work, or other artefact held by the Linnean Society, our lists of vulnerable items are constantly updated. Please contact the library for more information.
Will Beharrell,
Librarian