Handwritten notes in private press books are quite rare. Universities used to lend their books to students and professors, even private press books and limited editions, and at home users would be tempted to make notes and text corrections in library books - however, in general, examples of such traces are not catalogued, and rare to find.
We often don't know if and how often such books were loaned, but thanks to digitisation projects, occasional examples of them come along.
 |
| The Kingis Quair (Vale Press, 1903) [Collection: Southern Regional Library Facility, UCLA, Los Angeles] [Access: Internet Archive] |
A copy of the Vale Press edition of James I of Scotland's poem The Kingis Quair at the California Southern Regional Library Facility, UCLA, Los Angeles (PR2002 .K61 1903), does not contain handwritten marks by users.
However, librarians have made notes in it, and several stamps were used to identify the book's shelf number. At the front we find markings such as 'Engl. Dept' (stamped), '1/15/41' (in pencil), presumably the acquisition date, and 'April 22 '41' (stamped), the latter possibly the cataloguing date.
Still, at the back of the book, is the page with date stamps and these run from 13 February 1946 to 16 February 1976.
 |
| The Kingis Quair (Vale Press, 1903) [Collection: Southern Regional Library Facility, UCLA, Los Angeles] [Access: Internet Archive] |
The book was lent, also through Inter Library Loan, in 1952, 1953, 1957 (twice), 1959 (twice), 1960, 1963 (four times), 1964, 1966, 1973, and 1976 (twice).
It cannot be seen for what purpose the book was loaned and to whom. It could have been for several reasons: students who needed to read the text and could not get hold of another edition or researchers who wanted to study this as a private press book.The book still has the original blue paper publisher's binding