Introduction

"Take Your Pick of the Books We Make and Sell"

Austin: W. Thomas Taylor, 1986

A tri-fold flyer, promoting recent publications and antiquarian books for sale by the firm

Gift, Tom Taylor, 2017

Like all libraries, the DeGolyer Library and the Bywaters Special Collections benefit greatly from donors. In fact, both collections were originally gifts to SMU and have been sustained and supported by gifts (of materials or money) ever since. While we always thank our donors in our annual reports, from time to time we also like to mount exhibitions of recent (and not so recent) gifts as a way to highlight the delightful variety that comes our way.

Here, then, are “Old Friends and New Arrivals,” an eclectic blend of materials from a host of generous donors. Our staff has selected pop-up books, postcards, ephemera, rare books, photographs, manuscripts, maps, games, and SMU memorabilia from the University Archives.

As one promotional flyer on display puts it, “Take Your Pick”!