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Edward Gorey Personal Library

Welcome fans of Edward Gorey to the Edward Gorey Personal Library page.

How to Search the Edward Gorey Personal Library at SDSU Library

Browse the collection using the library's collections module.

OR

Search the SDSU library catalog for books in the Edward Gorey Personal Library.

1. Start at library.sdsu.edu

2. In the ONESEARCH box, type in Edward Gorey Personal Library

3. Click on Search

4. First, narrow your search by date range. Set the date range on the left hand side of the screen so that the number under TO reads 2000. This is important because Gorey's collecting ended the year he died, in 2000. 

5. Next, use the facets on the left hand side of the screen to narrow your search by subject. Click on the down arrow next to the word SUBJECT to reveal the available subjects.  Select any subject of interest that appears. The numbers that appear beside each subject indicate how many books there are in the library on that subject. Simply click on the subject to  search for the list of books on that subject. 

6. When you click into each book title, you will find more information about each title. If you look under LOCAL NOTES, often you will find Gorey's own reading notes that were written in his own hand on his books. For example, "San Diego State University Library's copy: in Edward Gorey's handwriting on inside of back cover: 11.xii.94 [i.e., acquired Dec. 11, 1994]."  This means that Gorey acquired this book on this date. Other book records indicates dates that Gorey read each book, sometimes the date she began reading, and finished reading it, or reread it. In the LOCAL NOTES field you will also find information about any notes Gorey made in the book or materials he tucked away in the leaves of a book.