{"id":3025,"date":"2017-09-17T15:18:10","date_gmt":"2017-09-17T23:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.tavbooks.com\/?p=3025"},"modified":"2017-09-17T15:18:10","modified_gmt":"2017-09-17T23:18:10","slug":"vic-visits-the-wine-viticulture-collection-of-the-uc-davis-shields-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.tavbooks.com\/?p=3025","title":{"rendered":"Vic Visits the Wine & Viticulture Collection of the UC Davis Shields Library"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Who has the greatest collection of wine & viticulture literature in the world? \u00a0The Shields Library at UC Davis, that\u2019s who! \u00a0To quote the August 22nd BCC announcement of this 15 September field trip, \u201c<\/span>The\u00a0<\/strong>wine library<\/a>\u00a0at UC Davis\u00a0houses\u00a0more than 30,000 books in more than 50 languages,\u00a0manuscripts, historic records, research data, and materials in every medium, from wine labels to videos.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_3691\"Yours truly, along with 14 other BCC members, on our\u00a09:30<\/span><\/span>\u00a0arrival at the library, were greeted by Axel Borg, the library\u2019s wine & food science bibliographer, and spent the next 4 and a half hours being regaled with all the treasures that this library has amassed over the years. \u00a0We started in the Maynard Amerine room, named after the man who exerted a profound influence on the collection. \u00a0Amerine [1911 – 1998] was a “pioneering researcher in the cultivation, fermentation, and sensory evaluation of\u00a0wine<\/a>.\u201d \u00a0No doubt many of the booksellers & collectors reading this blog will hold one of publications, the 1996\u00a0<\/span>BIBLIOGRAPHY On GRAPES, WINES, OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, And TEMPERANCE [co-authored by Axel by the way].<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3698\"After giving us an overview of the collection, and its history, we eventually found our way to Special Collections, where Axel tantalized us with one interesting & fascinating item after another\u2026 \u00a0here I wish I\u2019d taken notes, for memory fails me as to most specifics, other than the 1287 deed for a vineyard land transfer & a cute little accordion miniature that on first blush appears to be a wine cork. \u00a0That said, my fellow attendee, Anne Smith, did, however, take notes, so see her soon-to-be-published BCC piece for more specifics on the books Axel had at show-n-tell.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3731\"Next on the agenda was a buffet lunch, which, given we were a willing captive audience, included a presentation on projects UC Davis has in the works\u2026 one is a interactive social map showing wine-related connections. \u00a0Intriguing, to say the least. \u00a0Another is the\u00a0digitization & searchable compilation of wine price lists, et al. \u00a0For food & drink historians, invaluable.<\/p>\n

We ended the day in the\u00a0<\/span>Harrison Western Research Center<\/a>, which holds more than 21,000 volumes related to the history of the Trans-Mississippi West, collected by Michael & Margaret Harrison. \u00a0Noteworthy in that collection were Catlin’s\u00a0North American Indians<\/i>, and Ansel Adams & Mary Austin\u2019s\u00a0Taos Pueblo<\/i>. \u00a0I confess, the bookseller in me was covetous, but I also assure you, I left empty-handed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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And so ended this engrossing trip. \u00a0My thanks to all the staff at the BCC & UC Davis who made this day possible. \u00a0It was wonderful.<\/p>\n

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