The Philobiblon is a collection of essays concerning the acquisition, preservation, and organization of books written by the mediaeval bibliophile Richard de Bury shortly before his death in 1345. Written in Latin, as was the custom of the day, it is separated into twenty chapters, each covering a different topic relating to book collecting.
According to one scholar, the Philobiblon is "one of the longest extant medieval texts on the subject of library management." In it are several innovations such as the practices for circulation control among the students of the college, utilizing at times an open-stack rather than the dominant closed-stack system. Fifteenth century scholars cited it often. Thomas Kempis, the author of the devotional book The Imitation of Christ, borrowed a whole chapter of the Philobiblon for one of his works, and Mathaus Hummel read from it during the opening of the University of Freiburg.
List of Chapters Prologue
That the Treasure of Wisdom is chiefly contained in Books
The degree of Affection that is properly due to Book
What we are to think of the price in the buying of books
The Complaint of Books against the Clergy already promoted
The Complaint of Books against the Possessioners
The Complaint of Books against the Mendicants
The Complaint of Books against Wars
Of the numerous Opportunities we have had of collecting a store of books
How although we preferred the Works of the Ancients we have not condemned the Studies of the Moderns
Of the Gradual Perfecting of Books
Why we have preferred Books of Liberal Learning to Books of Law
Why we have caused Books of Grammar to be so diligently prepared
Why we have not wholly neglected the Fables of the Poets
Who ought to be special Lovers of Books
Of the advantages of the love of Books
That it is meritorious to write new Books and to renew the old
Of showing due Propriety in the Custody of Books
Showeth that we have collected so great Store of Books for the common Benefit of Scholars and not only for our own Pleasure
Of the Manner of lending all our Books to Students
An Exhortation to Scholars to requite us by pious Prayers