The Howey Economic History Collection
Established in 1978 in honor of the late Richard S. Howey, then Professor
Emeritus of Economics, who was largely responsible for the building
of the University's significant collections in economics and economic
history, the Howey Collection is made up of printed books and periodicals
from the 18th century through 1850. The Collection broadens our long-standing
interest in these subjects from Italy and Great Britain to include most
major European countries and their overseas possessions. The Department's
holdings in economic history now include over 15,000 volumes of broadsides,
acts, speeches, pamphlets, journals, and books. They include major works
(for example, 53 editions and translations of Adam Smith's The Wealth
of Nations) and minor ones, famous writers and those so obscure
that not even their names are known. Some indication of the remarkable
strength of this collection can be gained by measuring it against the
benchmark collection for this subject, the great Kress Library of Business
and Economics at Harvard University --approximately 40% of the Howey
holdings are not represented in that primary collection of economic
history.