The McCune Collection

To the mayor and city council:

I am responding to Noah Dove’s remarks to the Vallejo City Council the night of Feb. 9. I gather that some people believe the McCune Collection is racist, elitist, not family friendly and a financial burden to the city.

Dr. McCune developed and donated a collection, in hopes of preserving the art of the printed word for future generations to the City of Vallejo — a collection of books, printing and binding equipment and materials as well as research materials to assist with the creative process I will also refer to as the Art of the Book. His portrait, which was created recognizing his importance with Kaiser in Vallejo, hangs in the display acknowledging this legacy gifted to the city for the benefit of the community. Hardly a case for elitism, when the gift was keep the collection and its resources available to the community. It is commonplace to acknowledge the donor of major gift. The collection is not a self-centered tribute to himself, as implied, you’d be hard pressed to find much more information about him in the room.

The collection contains numerous objects that are valuable, delicate and sensitive to being handled. The very nature of these materials and sensitivity to their safety and preservation predicates that it is an adult venue. This was one of the factors in creating a room to house the Collection and keep workshop activity out of the main library. It is not a place where children could benefit or derive enjoyment on their own. Unfortunately the majority of people who come into the room with children do not control their actions. It is easier to dissuade all children rather than go through the arguments of why some, not all, children are allowed. It is for their safety and the security of the Collection. The children’s library is located directly across the lobby and is more suitable for their entertainment and edification.

The Collection, as it currently exists, is only a portion of Dr. McCune’s gift.

His donation included many other books in addition to the equipment, artwork, materials and current collection of printed materials. Since the gift did not include funds to run the envisioned programs or maintenance for the room and collection, a librarian was charged with assessing the Collection for the owner, City of Vallejo. A librarian, not a museum curator, whose main objective was to see how the Collection fit into a typical library model and determine the value of the collections contents. Obviously, most of the collection did not fit a lending library model, which made the decision one of value.

How much can we get for it? The non-book material would have no intrinsic value other than for the purpose that it serves for the McCune Collection, being the preservation, history and promotion of the Art of the Book. It is important for the tools and materials required for printing and book binding be represented. Ephemera to provide research material for anyone wanting to gain more knowledge of processes and techniques is equally important to complete the educational component.

The content of the remaining books has come into question. Content refers solely to what is read or seen in printed matter. Not the binding, paper and type, removing the container so to speak. The question being, what is acceptable or unacceptable? Currently, racism is the topic of censorship. By definition censorship being the removal of content from public access. There is content that may offend someone located in this collection, our libraries, and even in the personal libraries worldwide.

History is just as subjective as any other topic. Constantly rewritten as information is checked and rechecked. In Italy most history textbooks basically end at the beginning of World War II. Why? Because most cannot agree what history should be taught, much depends on the faction in power and how they are portrayed. Most biblical scholars can cite many examples as to how King James made changes to the Christian Bible during translation to benefit his rule. And yet his translation continues to be published worldwide.

If we do not have access to these older publications we cannot make judgement as to accurate accounts or refine the history we keep piecing together. The fact that we have cultural history months to share and inform each other tells us that much of history is still unshared. Removal of these anecdotes does our society a disservice.

Although many of the McCune Collection’s rare books were sold, we still have a few gems left. The Kelmscott

Press Chaucer is one of only three copies in the United States —one in the Library of Congress, one in the Huntington Library in Southern California and the one in the McCune Collection in Vallejo. The Collection contains a page from a Gutenberg Bible, first book printed with moveable type. A Euclid text printed in five color illustrations from 1847. Numerous Latin texts dating from 1561 to the 1700s. Several Incunabula, printed books prior to moveable type, 1501 AD. Some of these may singular examples of their kind. Incunabula were printed on personal demand and were often costly to produce as a single copy or perhaps if the work was scholarly a quantity of 10-plus. The person producing the volume might have collected various writings maybe even their own and would have it bound for handier, future reference. So contents could be in several languages. These are so sought over that they are often torn apart and sold by the page leaf.

The next most important group of books in the Collection are what collectors refer to as fine print/limited editions. The advent of mass produced print more readily making books available to everyone. However, artisans continued to print and publish small editions/runs of books with quality of paper, type and binding as their priority.

Mass produced books, journals and ephemera having to do with printing and binding make up the rest of the print collection. References for anyone wishing to learn the history, techniques and methods for the Art of the Book. These, along with the tools, machinery, paper, leathers for binding, decorative end papers and even lead type in several fonts in different points are part of the resources that Dr. McCune envisioned anyone following his passion for the Art of the Printed Word could utilize. The Collection was envisioned closer to the model of the Exploratorium not a reading reference library. Workshops and demonstrations were given during Dr. McCune’s time and even for a very short time after his death. Over the years after volunteers managed the collection and hosted lectures, kept limited hours of operation but never had the expertise to revive the workshops. Volunteers also arranged and facilitated the rebinding of the rare Kelmscott Chauer by the same binder who also restored and rebound the other two copies in the United States. Arrangements were made to have the McCune volume rebound with the exact same materials used as the others, making al three copies match — a testament to the Collection’s mission to place value on the Art of the Book. The words that comprise content can be downloaded and read or listened to on audio recordings, but the illuminations, type font, binding and feel of the paper cannot be reproduced in any other way.

Financially, the McCune Collection is like most museums, galleries and libraries. It should be a nonprofit but has not been certified due to the strange relationship it has with the City of Vallejo.

Perhaps it is best to sell it off for 20 pieces of silver. The amount of money generated, in these economic times, might fill a few potholes. What was sold in the auction were the jewels in the crown, we will not get much for several hundred pounds of anachronism or the books left, in a time when even the Friends of the Library stop accepting books because they nowhere to store them. The value is in the context that the collection is pulled together, a history, a tool for researchers and lovers of the Art of the Printed Word.

Perhaps Vallejo does not deserve such an entity. We may not need to be inspired or find creativity beyond the written word. Researchers be damned. The City of Vallejo, the current owner, saw fit to hand over oversight of the Collection to Solano County Library with a local committee of volunteers to manage and care for operations. Only a few years ago did the city decide to create a commission and get involved again, albeit superficially, the volunteers again doing all the work with minimal funding or support.

I served on the McCune Collection Committee for many years before the commission was formed. I feel I can speak to its purpose and value the McCune Collection can bring to the community. I for one, do not think the Collection should be sold off. It is time for the owner, the City of Vallejo, to see what the Collection is meant to be. It is a resource more inline with a museum rather than a lending library. I would propose that the McCune Collection and its endowment be placed in the charge of the Vallejo Museum. Funding should be made to compensate the museum for the additional workload should the Collection not transition to their facility. A museum is better suited to arrange programs and research in keeping with the nature of Dr. McCune’s vision and the contents of the Collection.

— Ric Duran/Vallejo