Go to Print: St. Louis Mercantile Library

The leather binding, the texture of the pages, even the scent—there is something powerful about the printed word, but in our digital age, it can be easy to forget the tactile experience of holding a book. Thankfully, the St. Louis Mercantile Library at UMSL is here to remind us. As the oldest library in continuous operation west of the Mississippi River (founded in 1846), it has remained a vibrant cultural asset. The library provides members with access to several collections of books, art and archival materials, including historic newspapers and presidential and Civil War-era letters.

The St. Louis Mercantile Library is more than just a library. “We were the first art gallery in St. Louis and have remained a center for education and culture for 175 years,” fine arts curator Julie Dunn-Morton notes. “We have an extensive selection of rare books, artwork and artifacts, including the largest collection on railroad history in North America.” The library also is home to one of the largest river collections in the country, and it is dedicated to collecting and preserving the regional art of Missouri.

Showcasing its extensive collection, the library offers special exhibitions. Pencils on the Frontier focuses on artwork created in the 1840s and ’50s by early residents and explorers of the American west. “You get a real sense of what it was like carrying art supplies in a saddle bag—we even have some oil paintings on paper boards that were chipped during the journey,” Dunn-Morton says. “Currently, we also have an exhibit of pictorial maps that features everything from important surveys of American folklife to children’s restaurant menus.” Soon the St. Louis Mercantile Library will be able to better display more of its impressive collection with a new gallery dedicated to Missouri art as well as another exhibition space on the entry level of UMSL’s library.

To build and maintain its collections, The St. Louis Mercantile Library relies on community support. “As an organization, we are dedicated to continuing to acquire important artifacts,” Dunn-Morton explains. “Conservation also is a key component of what we do, and an important part of our mission is ensuring that everything in our collection is stored properly and that repairs can be handled by professional conservators.” Memberships are one way to support the library, and along with providing access to its collections, they offer perks like special rates on events, which are another way the library raises funds

On Nov. 10, St. Louis Mercantile Library will host the Autumn Fine Print Dealers’ Showcase & Silent Auction at the St. Louis Club. Guests will have the opportunity to bid on unique auction items, such as a day aboard a working harbor boat or a printmaking workshop with Central Print. The event also gives rare book and print enthusiasts the chance to meet with a selection of local and national dealers. “It’s a great opportunity to grow your collection or just learn more about the materials,” Dunn-Morton says. “We’re also looking forward to a great presentation from Lilla Vekerdy, the head of special collections for the Smithsonian. It will be a stellar evening.”

The St. Louis Mercantile Library at UMSL is the oldest library in continuous operation west of the Mississippi River. Its Autumn Fine Print Dealers’ Showcase & Silent Auction is Nov. 10 at St. Louis Club. Pictured on the cover: Guests at the 2022 showcase & auction. For more information, call 314.516.7240 or visit umsl.edu/mercantile.

Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photos courtesy of St. Louis Mercantile Library at UMSL

Pictured at top: Guests enjoy the 2022 Autumn Fine Print Dealers’ Showcase & Silent Auction.
Photo courtesy of St. Louis Mercantile Library at UMSL