
Thousands of objects were uncovered during a lockout at a Leeds library, including a tiny bible.
The 1911 reproduction of a so-called Chained Bible comprises both the Old and New Testaments in type so tiny that it requires a magnifying glass to read.
The origins of the bible, which measures 1.9in (50mm) by 1.3in (35mm), are unknown, according to library employees.
During the lockdown, almost 3,000 new objects were classified, including some going back to the 15th century.
According to Rhian Isaac, special collections senior librarian at Leeds Central Library, the book was promoted as the world’s tiniest bible when it was printed, although this was probably definitely not true.
Speculating on where it may have come from, she added: “We don’t know. It’s a bit of a mystery, really.
“A lot of items in our collection were either bought over time or they might have been donated.”
She stated that employees had worked hard throughout lockdown closures to categorise the library’s rare volumes and special collections, with around 3,000 items freshly classified.
Other discoveries were a copy of Bernard Forest de Bélidor’s (1725) Nouveau Cours de Mathematique and Oliver Twist – a scurrilous pirated edition of Oliver Twist produced by the Penny Dreadfuls producers.
Ms. Isaac said: “Now people can come in and find them and look at them.”
“Before that, hardly any of these books had ever been seen by anyone or ever been found, really.”
She urged people interested in viewing the bible and other finds to visit the library.
“We would rather these books were used and read. That’s what they were made for and that’s what we encourage people to come in and do, instead of locking them away.
“They belong to everyone in Leeds. We’re just the guardians of them, really.”
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