Join us as we explore the intriguing history of The Whole Book of Psalms, printed in 1640. Known as the Bay Psalm Book, it was the first book printed in British North America and an early acquisition made by AAS's founder Isaiah Thomas. This modest volume of metered psalms, meant to be sung during worship services, had many subsequent editions. The 1709 edition featured musical notations, making it the earliest example of printed music in the Society's collections. One of AAS's prized items (only eleven copies survive today), the 1640 volume suffered from three centuries of wear and tear when it first came to AAS. Since then, conservators have restored the seventeenth-century publication to readable condition for researchers.
This program features an engaging discussion between collector Michael Zinman; Nancy Fresella-Lee, conservation assistant; Babette Gehnrich, chief conservator; and Elizabeth Watts Pope, curator of books. Each will share their perspectives on the Bay Psalm Book, drawing from their own areas of expertise.
Nancy Fresella-Lee, conservation assistant at AAS, received a master’s degree in art history from the University of Pennsylvania, completed additional graduate studies in art history at the University of Cambridge, and graduated from the bookbinding program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. Her affiliation with the Society began while a student at North Bennet, when she undertook an internship in the Conservation Lab with Chief Conservator Babette Gehnrich. A member of the Concord Historical Commission, Fresella-Lee is also working on a project to house the Concord Museum’s book collection, following conservation practices learned at AAS.
Babette Gehnrich has been the Society’s Chief Conservator since 1989. In that capacity, she is responsible for managing a comprehensive preservation program for the library's collections. She received her formal training in book and paper conservation and hand bookbinding in Berlin, Germany, and the Centro del bel Libro in Ascona, Switzerland. Prior to joining the AAS staff, she held the position of assistant book conservator at Yale University Libraries.
Elizabeth Watts Pope is curator of books and digitized collections at the American Antiquarian Society. She works closely with digitization partners to make AAS collection material as widely available as possible. She has also served as head of readers' services and in acquisitions at AAS, as well as in the archives at the Dodd Center at the University of Connecticut. She has a master's degree in history from the University of Connecticut.
Michael Zinman collects early American (pre-1800) imprints and manuscripts. He was elected to AAS Membership in 1985