Smith's library and marginalia
Undertaking original research into the marginalia in Adam Smith's personal library will enhance our understanding of Smith's thinking.
Adam Smith's Library Today and in Future
A world-first workshop at the University of Glasgow brought together scholars, book historians and librarians in completing the analysis of marginalia in Adam Smith’s personal library.
Marginalia refers to marks made in the margins of a book or document, including scribbles, comments, annotations, critiques and doodles. Given that Adam Smith had his unpublished notes destroyed, the books he owned remain one of the final unstudied sources of potential original material to help us better understand his thinking.
'Adam Smith's Library Today and in Future' took place at the University of Glasgow in June 2023 and aimed to virtually reconstruct Smith’s library by sharing the latest techniques in the identification and interpretation of marginalia.
This was based on research led by the University of Glasgow’s Professor Craig Smith which examines the books owned by Smith and encourages scholarship on his intellectual context.
The workshop was chaired by Professor Smith, who was joined by members of the research team including Dr Alison Wiggins (University of Glasgow), Dr Shinji Nohara (University of Tokyo) and Michelle Schwarze (University of Wisconsin Madison).
This was funded by the John Templeton Foundation as part of the University’s Adam Smith tercentenary. Also attending the workshop were Leo Steeds and Ana Paula Londe Silva, who have, as Templeton Fellow Scholars, received funding to study in Glasgow this year.
Professor Craig Smith said:
At the heart of this research is the exploration of Smith’s own books, providing insight into his intellectual biography. By paying attention to and preserving the original artefacts and books that belonged to Smith, we had the unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of his intellectual biography"
Themes for discussion included authentication and analysis of handwriting, data, digital tools and methods, and using marginalia as a theme for researchers. Participants also enjoyed an exclusive viewing of materials in Glasgow University Library Special Collections.