Below is a small selection of items from our Rare Books and Special Collections. Included are materials from authors such as Hippocrates, Aristotle, Claudius Ptolemy, Euclid, Saint Albert Magnus, Sir Francis Bacon, Johannes Kepler, Evangelista Torricelli, Robert Boyle, Sir Isaac Newton, Daniel Bernoulli, Benjamin Franklin, Guiseppe Toaldo, and Michael Faraday. Within the NOAA Central Library's Rare Book Collection, titles date from 1400 through the late 1800s. The library currently holds 2 incunabula and over 500 titles. Rare and special collection materials do not circulate, but patrons are able to view and use materials within the library. For a tour of our rare book and special collection room please contact the library reference staff.
[Prognostica Latin. 1485] Opusculum repertorii prognosticon mutationes aeris tam via astrologica... (PDF, 5.2 MB) Venice: Impressus est arte ac diligentia mira Erhardi Ratdolt...
Collection of 7 Aristotelian tracts (Weather Bureau Library, December 15, 1910)
1. [Meteorologica. Latin. 1558] Aristotelis Meteorologicorum libro quatuor... (PDF, 9 MB) Paris: Ex typograhia Thomu Richardi... 2. [De anima. Latin. 1560] Aristotelis De animo libri III... (PDF, 6.4 MB) Paris: Apud Thomam Brumennium... 3. [De caelo. Latin. 1560] Aristotelis De culo libri IIII... (PDF, 36 MB) Paris: Ex officina Gabrielis Buon 4. [De generatione et corruptione. Latin. 1560] Aristotelis De ortu & interitu libri duo... (16 MB) Paris: Ex officina Gabrielis Buon 5. [De mundo. Latin. 1560] Aristotelis Liber de mundo... (PDF, 8.7 MB) Paris: Ex officina Gabrielis Buon 6. [Parva naturalia. Latin. 1560] Aristotelis Libelli, qui parva naturalia... (PDF, 6.9 MB) Paris: Ex officina Gabrielis Buon 7. [Physics. Latin. 1560] Aristotlis De natura, aut, De rerum principiis lib. VIII (PDF, 59 MB) Paris: Ex officina Gabrielis Buon
9. [Meteorologica] Aristotelous Meteorologika... Libri IV Leipsig: F.C.G. Vogelii 2 volumes Volume 1 (PDF, 34 MB) Volume 2 (PDF 30 MB)
10. [Meteorologica. French] Meteorologie d'Aristote: traduite en Francais (PDF, 20 MB) Paris: A. Durand
11. [In Aristotelis Meteoroloicorum libros commentaria] On Asistotle's Meteorology (PDF, 14 MB) Berolini: G. Reimeri
1. [Almagest. Latin] Claudii Ptolemaei Pheludienses Alexandrini Almagestum (PDF, 26 MB) Venice: Calcographica Luceantonii
2. [Syntaxis. Greek] Kl. Ptolemaiou Megalaes suntaxeos bibl., lib. XIII (PDF, 69 MB) Basil: Apud Ioannem Valderum
3. [Almagest. French and Greek] Klaudiou Ptolemaiou Mathematikae syntaxis... (PDF, 38 MB) Paris: H. Grand
[De meteoris. Latin. 1494] Liber Methaurorum (PDF, 19 MB) Venice: Impressi Johanem et Gregorium de Gregoriis fratres
[Works. 1825] The works of Francis Bacon, Lord Chancellor of England London: W. Pickering 16 volumes IN 17 parts Volume 1 (PDF, 16 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 18 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 18 MB) Volume 4 (PDF, 18 MB) Volume 5 (PDF, 17 MB) Volume 6 (PDF, 15 MB) Volume 7 (PDF, 16 MB) Volume 8 (PDF, 15 MB) Volume 9 (PDF, 16 MB) Volume 10 (PDF, 16 MB) Volume 11 (PDF, 16 MB) Volume 12 (PDF, 20 MB) Volume 13 (PDF, 21 MB) Volume 14 (PDF, 21 MB) Volume 15 (PDF, 18 MB) Volume 16 pt.1 (PDF, 16 MB) Volume 16 pt.2 (PDF, 17 MB)
1. Tabulae Rudolphinae: quibus astronomicae scientiae... (PDF, 31 MB) Ulm: Typis Jonaw Saurii
2. Joannis Kepleri astronomi opera omnia Frankfort: Heyder & Zimmer 8 volumes held out of 9 for complete series Volume 1 (PDF, 42 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 54 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 44 MB) Volume 4 (PDF, 44 MB) Volume 5 (PDF, 42 MB) Volume 6 (PDF, 48 MB) Volume 7 (PDF, 50 MB) Volume 8 pt.1 (PDF, 75 MB)
1. New experiments and observations... (PDF, 26 MB) London: Printed for John Crook
2. Hydrostatical paradoxes... (PDF, 9.1 MB) Oxford: Printed by William Hall for Richard Davis
3. The general history of the air. (PDF, 11 MB) London: Printed for Awnsham and John Churchill
4. The works of the honourable Robert Boyle London: Printed for A. Millar 5 volumes (Vol. 4 not available online) Volume 1 (PDF, 97 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 72 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 82 MB) Volume 5 (PDF, 98 MB)
1. [Arithmetica universalis. English] (PDF, 12 MB) London: Printed for J. Senex
2. Opticks, or, A treatise of the reflections. (PDF, 16 MB) London: Printed for William Innys
3. [Principia. English] London: Printed for H.D. Symonds 3 volumes Volume 1 (PDF, 12 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 15 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 9.7 MB) 4. [Principia. 1833.] Glasgow: G. Brookman 2 volumes Volume 1 (PDF, 39 MB) Volume 2 (PDf, 28 MB) 5. [Principia. English] (PDF, 32 MB) New York: Daniel Adee
Hydrodynamica, sive, De viribus et motibus fluidorum comentarii... (PDF, 19 MB) Basel: John Deckeri
1. Meteorological and miscellaneous tracts... (PDF, 5 MB) Memoir and remarks by Benjamin Franklin Cardiff: J.D.Baird 2. The complete works in philosophy, politics, and morals, of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin... London: Printed for J. Johnson 3 volumes Volume 1 (PDF, 19 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 18 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 20 MB) 3. Experiments and observations on electricity, made at Philadephia. (PDF, 22 MB) London: Printed for David Henry 4. Life of Benjamin Franklin, autobiography Philadelphia, Lippincott 3 volumes Volume 1 (PDF, 19 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 15 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 18 MB)
1. Della vera influenza degli astri... (PDF, 14 MB) Padua: Apresso Giocomo Manfrae
2. Della maniera di preservare gli edificj dal fulmine: informazione al (PDF, 1.4 MB) Venice: s.n. 3. [Della vera influenza degli astri...French] (PDF, 22 MB) Chembery: Imprimerie M.F. Gorrin 4. [Della vera influenza degli astri...] (PDF, 15 MB) Padua: Tommaso Bettinelli 5. Completa raccolta di opuscoli, osservazioni... Venice: Francesco Andreola 4 volumes Volume 1 (PDF, 7.7 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 7.1 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 7.6 MB) Volume 4 (PDF, 8 MB)
Experimental researches in electricity London: R and J. E. Taylor, 1839-55 3 volumes Volume 1 (PDF, 29 MB) Volume 2 (PDF, 15 MB) Volume 3 (PDF, 35 MB)