Some participants in the SHARP-L discussion were interested in the time span and locations of Jefferson’s book collecting. From Jefferson’s letter to his friend Samuel Harrison Smith, dated Sept. 14, 1814, and printed in Johnston (1904) p. 69-71:

I have been fifty years making it, and have spared no pains, opportunity or expense, to make it what it is. While residing in Paris, I devoted every afternoon I was disengaged, for a summer or two in examining all the principal bookstores, turning over every book with my own hand, and putting by everything which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable in every science. Besides this, I had standing orders during the whole time I was in Europe, on its principal book-marts, particularly Amsterdam, Frankfort, Madrid, and London, for such works relating to America as could not be found in Paris. So that, in that department particularly, such a collection was made as probably can never again be effected, because it is hardly probable that the same opportunities, the same time, industry, perseverance and expense, with the same knowledge of the bibliography of the subject would again happen to be in concurrence. During the same period, and after my return to America, I was led to procure, also, whatever related to the duties of those in the high concerns of the nation.

I offered two wishes for Mark Dimunation and his team:

1. Compare Jefferson’s library to the books previously held in Congress’s library. The list of books purchased from Caddell and Davis in 1801 exists, as do catalogues for the collection prior to 1815. Comparative analysis could be quite interesting.
2. Add the comparator list/catalogue to LibraryThing. Putting Library of Congress photographs on flickr has been a huge success and has created much additional appreciation for what the Library of Congress does. Participating in LibraryThing could have a similar effect.