Antique fossil texts discovery is a turn up for the books

The shop swiftly contacted the library before the prestigious texts were sent home to Leeds, where they are now being assessed and condition checked by experts before being returned to the library’s special collections.

Whilst it is not known who last borrowed the books, fortunately late return fines were abolished by the library service in 2019.

Written in 1836, the remarkable tomes feature a series of extremely detailed drawings of various ancient fossils and prehistoric creatures, whose origins were first being studied and understood by scientists at the time.

The Rev. Buckland was among the leading lights in those early days of geology and palaeontology, using scientific analysis to write the first ever full account of a fossilised dinosaur in 1824 as well as proving that Kirkdale Cave in North Yorkshire was once a prehistoric hyena den.

Sally Hughes, librarian at Leeds Central Library, said: “It was a huge surprise to find out that these beautiful books had somehow turned up in such an unlikely place after all these years and we’re delighted to have them back home at the library, even if they are half a century late.

“We’ll never know who it was who borrowed them and why, but it speaks volumes about how interesting and influential Rev. Buckland’s observations were that enthusiasts were clearly still keen to read them more than a century after they were written.

“Preserving books like these as part of our collection helps us build a permanent archive of the different ways scientific knowledge has changed and evolved over the centuries. Hopefully now they’re back, they can continue to inspire readers and visitors for many more years to come.”

The books’ return comes as the library is currently hosting Story Explorers, a new free exhibition at Leeds Central Library, co-produced alongside the British Library.

Alongside immersive, family-friendly installations, the exhibition also includes books and objects exploring themes such as the natural world and the far reaches of space.

Councillor Asghar Khan, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, customer services and community safety, said: “It’s astonishing that these books have turned up after so much time and we’re grateful to everyone involved in their safe return.

“Our special collections contain a huge range of historic and prestigious texts spanning hundreds of years of research and literature, and our library team are proud to be the custodians of so much accumulated knowledge which our visitors can see and enjoy.”

For more information on Story Explorers, which is free to attend, please visit: https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/what-you-can-do/story-explorers

ENDS