posted on 2021-12-08, 00:00authored byGreene, Edward Lee, 1843-1915.
In addition to botanical specimens, [Edward Lee Greene (August 20, 1843–November 10, 1915)] collected rare books and herbals on pre-Linnean botany. He began building his personal library early in his career as a botanist, and by the time his career was drawing to a close, he felt that his library was 'the pioneer among American collections of pre-Linnaean, and rare though important post-Linnaean, books of botany.' He managed to assemble an excellent collection of journals, monographs, and standard botanical references that were used in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition, he acquired a fair number of titles that were published in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Among this group are such works as Charles Estienne's *[De Re Hortensi Libellus](https://onesearch.library.nd.edu/permalink/f/tgve9/ndu_aleph000220246)*, ... 1539, Johann Thal's *[Sylva Hercynia](https://onesearch.library.nd.edu/permalink/f/tgve9/ndu_aleph000361752)*, ... 1588, Jacques Cornut's *[Canadensium Planatarum](https://onesearch.library.nd.edu/permalink/f/tgve9/ndu_aleph000528644)*, ... 1776. Professor Willis Jepson, the best known of Greene's former students, wrote of Greene in 1918 that 'no other botanist of his day in America, and possibly none other living at the time of his ripest period, know so well the history of botany in the period proceeding Linneaus.' It was this [collection of some 3,000 volumes](https://onesearch.library.nd.edu/primo-explore/search?query=creator,exact,Edward L Greene 1843-1915, [Donor]&tab=nd_campus&search_scope=nd_campus&vid=NDU&offset=0) along with his [herbarium](https://biodiversity.nd.edu/collections/greene-nieuwland-herbarium/), [correspondence and personal papers](https://archivesspace.library.nd.edu/repositories/2/resources/514) that Greene transferred to the University of Notre Dame, in February 1915, in return for a modest annuity and living quarters for the duration of his life.... To date, the Library has completed the recataloging and part of the restoration of Greene's Library with funds granted for that purpose from the U. S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement's Strengthening Research Library Resources Program. This publication resulted from the project.... George E. Sereiko and Sylvia F. Akai, Project Directors, December 8, 1986 ******************** See also Rare Books and Special Collections, Hesburgh Libraries, University of Notre Dame, '[Natural Science, Natural History & Medicine](https://rarebooks.library.nd.edu/collections/science/index.shtml).' ******************** The record includes a searchable Excel file.