Given our old-school predilection for print, we found a kindred spirit in Starshaped Press, the print shop behind this exclusive letterpress print depicting our beautiful building.
Welcome to the Bookshop
Exhibition Titles
The Writer's Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands
It's one of the first things we discover as children, reading and drawing: Maps have a unique power to transport us to distant lands on wondrous travels. Put a map at the start of a book, and we know an adventure is going to follow. Displaying this truth with beautiful full-color illustrations, The Writer's Map is an atlas of the journeys that our most creative storytellers have made throughout their lives. This magnificent collection encompasses not only the maps that appear in their books but also the many maps that have inspired them, the sketches that they used while writing, and others that simply sparked their curiosity. Philip Pullman recounts the experience of drawing a map as he set out on one of his early novels, The Tin Princess. Miraphora Mina recalls the creative challenge of drawing up "The Marauder's Map" for the Harry Potter films. David Mitchell leads us to the Mappa Mundi by way of Cloud Atlas and his own sketch maps. Robert Macfarlane reflects on the cartophilia that has informed his evocative nature writing, which was set off by Robert Louis Stevenson and his map of Treasure Island. Joanne Harris tells of her fascination with Norse maps of the universe. Reif Larsen writes about our dependence on GPS and the impulse to map our experience. Daniel Reeve describes drawing maps and charts for The Hobbit film trilogy. This exquisitely crafted and illustrated atlas explores these and so many more of the maps writers create and are inspired by--some real, some imagined--in both words and images. Amid a cornucopia of 167 full-color images, we find here maps of the world as envisaged in medieval times, as well as maps of adventure, sci-fi and fantasy, nursery rhymes, literary classics, and collectible comics. An enchanting visual and verbal journey, The Writer's Map will be irresistible for lovers of maps, literature, and memories--and anyone prone to flights of the imagination.
$49.00
Iconic Transit Maps: The World's Best Designs
This visually stunning collection of iconic and historic subway, light rail, and streetcar maps from fifty of the world's most exciting cities is a map- and transit-lover's dream. Transport maps are some of the most frequently consulted and memorized navigation tools on earth. Millions use them daily to guide their journeys. Some have gained such familiarity they're revered as design classics, hunted by collectors. Taken for granted, without these everyday objects passengers would quite literally be lost without them. Best-selling author, Mark Ovenden who curated this collection dating from their earliest appearance 160 years ago, dissects the design decisions which led to today's intelligent wayfinding tools. Divided by continent, it features archival and modern maps from a dizzying array of locations--from Algiers and Cape Town; Boston and Chicago; Mexico City and Montreal; Bangkok and Beijing; Delhi and Doha; Amsterdam and Prague; to Auckland and Sydney.Perfect for the seasoned traveler, transit enthusiast, or anyone intrigued by the art and science of mapmaking this book provides a unique and informative exploration of urban mobility as it celebrates the functionality, universal appeal, and iconic status of transit maps.
$40.00
New Arrivals
Reader in Training Mini Tote Bag
Get your future reader started on the right track with their own mini tote! 100% cotton canvasBottom gusset10.5"w x 10.5"h5.5" strap (hanging)Made in the USA
$16.00
Kay Nielsen. 1001 Nights
In the late 1910s, in a Europe ravaged by World War I, Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen put the finishing touches on his illustrations of A Thousand and One Nights. The results are considered masterpieces of early 20th-century illustration: bursting with sumptuous colors of deep blues, reds, and gold leaf, and evoking all the magic of this legendary collection of Indo-Persian and Arabic folktales, compiled between the 8th and 13th centuries.However, publishers retreated from Nielsen's project in the financially strapped postwar climate, and the publication never happened. A rising star, Nielsen moved on to other work. This world heritage classic's spectacular pen, ink, and watercolor images remained under lock and key for 40 years. Published just once in the 1970s, the illustrations were rescued from oblivion after Nielsen's death in 1957 and are now held by the UCLA Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, the Art Institute of Chicago, and in two private collections.This publication is a unique compilation of fine art prints and stunning illustrations reproduced directly from Nielsen's original watercolors--the only complete set of his extraordinary drawings to have survived. The book features descriptions of all of the images and three generously illustrated essays on the making of this series, the origin of Nielsen's unique imagery, and a history of the tales. In addition, it shows many unpublished or rarely seen artworks by Nielsen and intricate black-and-white drawings Nielsen created for the original publication.
$60.00
Book Lover Conversation Heart
Cool enamel pin with rubber backing. Every pin is attached to a Library Cat Designs backing card. Measures 1 inch on the longest side.
$14.00
Blue Book Snakes
Bring the reading room home with my handmade book accessories! Based on the book handling supplies you can find in many special collections libraries, these accessories feature lovely marbled fabric. The snake weights are 20” long and weigh about 5 oz, to keep overly enthusiastic pages laying flat. Their marbled fabric coordinates nicely with the accents on the support pillows!
$25.00
Red Book Snakes!
Bring the reading room home with my handmade book accessories! Based on the book handling supplies you can find in many special collections libraries, these accessories feature lovely marbled fabric. The snake weights are 20” long and weigh about 5 oz, to keep overly enthusiastic pages laying flat. Their marbled fabric coordinates nicely with the accents on the support pillows!
$25.00
Pattis Award
Onward to Chicago: Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad in Northeastern Illinois
*Pattis award runner up*WINNER, 2023 Underground Railroad Free Press Hortense Simmons Memorial Prize for the Advancement of Knowledge! Uncovering stories of the freedom network in northeastern Illinois Decades before the Civil War, Illinois's status as a free state beckoned enslaved people, particularly those in Kentucky and Missouri, to cross porous river borders and travel toward new lives. While traditional histories of the Underground Railroad in Illinois start in 1839, and focus largely on the romanticized tales of white men, Larry A. McClellan reframes the story, not only introducing readers to earlier freedom seekers, but also illustrating that those who bravely aided them were Black and white, men and women. McClellan features dozens of individuals who made dangerous journeys to reach freedom as well as residents in Chicago and across northeastern Illinois who made a deliberate choice to break the law to help. Onward to Chicago charts the evolution of the northeastern Illinois freedom network and shows how, despite its small Black community, Chicago emerged as a point of refuge. The 1848 completion of the I & M Canal and later the Chicago to Detroit train system created more opportunities for Black men, women, and children to escape slavery. From eluding authorities to confronting kidnapping bands working out of St. Louis and southern Illinois, these stories of valor are inherently personal. Through deep research into local sources, McClellan presents the engrossing, entwined journeys of freedom seekers and the activists in Chicagoland who supported them. McClellan includes specific freedom seeker journey stories and introduces Black and white activists who provided aid in a range of communities along particular routes. This narrative highlights how significant biracial collaboration led to friendships as Black and white abolitionists worked together to provide support for freedom seekers traveling through the area and ultimately to combat slavery in the United States.
$27.95
Salt Shed: The Transformation of a Chicago Landmark
*Pattis 2025 runner up*The Salt Shed chronicles the compelling work of reimagining and transforming Chicago's impressive and iconic Morton Salt Warehouse while honoring its history and its working-class roots.Originally constructed in 1929, the Morton Salt Shed and Warehouse Complex has been a familiar and beloved Chicago landmark along Elston Avenue between Division Street and North Avenue. For decades, the iconic hand-painted sign has captivated people traveling along busy Interstate I-90 and on Elston Avenue at ground level. As times changed, the building was no longer used for salt storage and processing, and eventually lay dormant. Recently, the building has been repurposed and transformed into a stunning music venue. The Salt Shed tells the story of the building's reimagining and transformation. Photographer and writer Sandra Steinbrecher spent nearly two years documenting the deconstruction, reconstruction, and reinvigoration of this classic, industrial Chicago building. Through breathtaking photos and interviews with the people who made the restoration possible--including architects, developers and workers who did the daily labor-The Salt Shed takes the reader behind the scenes in one of Chicago's most distinctive restoration projects of the 21st century.
$45.00
Burning of the World: The Great Chicago Fire and the War for a City's Soul
*2025 Pattis award winner* WINNER OF THE MIDLAND AUTHORS AWARD FOR HISTORY - LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE - A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR - The "illuminating" (New Yorker) story of the Great Chicago Fire: a raging inferno, a harrowing fight for survival, and the struggle for the soul of a city--told with the "the clarity--and tension--of a well-wrought military narrative" (Wall Street Journal) In the fall of 1871, Chicagoans knew they were due for the "big one"--a massive, uncontrollable fire that would decimate the city. It had been bone-dry for months, and a recent string of blazes had nearly outstripped the fire department's already scant resources. Then, on October 8, a minor fire broke out in the barn of Irishwoman Kate Leary. A series of unfortunate mishaps and misunderstandings along with insufficient preparation and a high south-westerly wind combined to set the stage for an unmitigated catastrophe. The conflagration that spread from the Learys' property quickly overtook the neighborhood, and before long the floating embers had been cast to the far reaches of the city. Nothing to the northeast was safe. Families took to the streets with every possession they could carry. Powerful gusts whipped the flames into a terrifying firestorm. The Chicago River boiled. Over the next forty-eight hours, Chicago fell victim to the largest and most destructive natural disaster the United States had yet endured. The effects of the Great Fire were devastating. But they were also transforming. Out of the ashes, faster than seemed possible, rose new homes, tenements, hotels, and civic buildings, as well as a new political order. The elite seized the reconstruction to crack down on vice, control the disbursement of vast charitable funds, and rebuild the city in their image. But the city's working class recognized only a naked power grab that would challenge their traditions, hurt their chances to keep their hard-earned property, and move power out of the hands of elected officials and into private interests. As soon as the battle against the fire ended, another battle for the future of the city erupted between its entrenched business establishment and its poor and immigrant laborers and shopkeepers. An enrapturing account of the fire's inexorable march and an eye-opening look at its aftermath, The Burning of the World tells the story of one of the most infamous calamities in history and the new Chicago it precipitated--a disaster that still shapes American cities to this day.
$19.00
Newberry Exclusives
Baseball Cap - Black with Mulberry Logo
This imprinted cap is made from 100% cotton.Each cap features an unstructured, low-profile design with a soft-lined front.Designed with a six-paneled crown and a pre-curved visor.Includes a self-fabric closure strap with an antique silver buckle.
$19.95
Yellow Manuela Tote
This bright yellow tote features artwork from a woodcut lace border detail with grasshoppers and other local flora and fauna, from a doctoral Thesis Print on Logic. Original printed on satin by Manuela Cereza and defended in the Cathedral of Puebla, Mexico, in 1746.Call number: Ayer BC60.F74 1746$20.00
$23.00
Newberry Gift Certificate
Give the gift of choice to your favorite reader or Library fan!Sold in $25, $50, $75 or $100 dollar amounts, A Newberry Bookshop Gift Certificate can be used on any item in the Newberry Bookshop, including sale merch and Adult Ed titles.
$0.00
Gangland Map of Chicago 1932
This reprint edition of the 1932 Gangland Map of Chicago utilizes the devices of a classic seafaring map to humorous effect: a compass rose, cartouches, and (instead of sea monsters) neighborhood dangers. Printed on acid-free, heavy-weight paper, the map can easily be framed and used to decorate your den of iniquity.24in tall, 30in wide.
$24.95
Pop Up Newberry
In honor of the Newberry's 2023 exhibition, Pop-Up Books through the Ages, Hannah Batsel and Shawn Sheehy created a wonderfully wild (and also architecturally accurate!) pop-up version of the library. Brimming with detail and imagination, the pop-up is a celebration of the centuries of history lurking within the Newberry's walls.There are plenty of Easter eggs for keen observers to uncover: The mysterious unfinished arches on the exterior of the Newberry building, the bust of Walter L. Newberry at the foot of the library's main staircase, and an early 20th-century postcard Ferriswheel located in the library's third-floor reference center.Batsel wanted to give expression to the sense of possibility and discovery she feels when she’s in the Newberry.“ You don't know what you're going to find when you go around a corner at the Newberry. In our pop-version of the library, if you're willing to pry into little crevices and look into windows, you will be rewarded.”Hannah BatselArtistBatsel's illustrations bring the pop-up Newberry to life, while Sheehy's paper engineering gives it a structure worthy of the library's iconic architecture.“ The building has a lot of character. The building IS a character. There was strong interest in featuring it in the pop-up.”Shawn SheehyPaper Engineer
$9.95
The Newberry 125: Stories of Our Collection
Published to commemorate our anniversary, The Newberry 125: Stories of Our Collection features images and essays highlighting 125 outstanding items from our collections. Each item is presented with a one- or two-page spread that includes stunning high-resolution photographs and an essay by a Newberry curator, librarian, or researcher documenting the item’s historical context, literary significance, and amusing tidbits about production, reception, and provenance.Arranged so as to tell both the story of the library as an institution and its collecting history, The Newberry 125 covers a wide range of topics, including American culture; the history of Chicago and the Midwest; geography and exploration; religion; music and dance; medieval and Renaissance studies; and the indigenous peoples of North America.The collection includes items as varied as a painting by 19th-century artist Elbridge Ayer Burbank; the correspondence between Ernest Hemingway and Sherwood Anderson; the earliest print version of Voltaire’s Candide; and a copy of Ptolemy’s Geographia that dates from the fifteenth century.The Newberry 125 serves as a wonderful introduction to our collection and provides a new and fascinating lens through which visitors can view our library.To mark its 125th anniversary, the Newberry has assembled one hundred and twenty-five of its most significant objects in one beautifully illustrated volume. Arranged in order to tell both the story of the library as an institution and its collecting history, The Newberry 125 covers a great breadth of topics including: American culture throughout the ages; the history of Chicago and the Midwest; geography and exploration; religion; music and dance; Medieval and Renaissance studies; and the indigenous peoples of North America. Each of the highlighted items has been photographed in stunning full color and is accompanied by a brief description, its call number, and a concise yet informative essay by a Newberry curator, librarian, or researcher on the object's importance to the collection. By describing the unique physical qualities of these items, as well as their great scholarly import, these essays remind us how irreplaceable many of these maps, books, and documents are--and how much they still have to offer us. The pieces themselves show us the amazing power of physical objects, particularly the products of humanists over many centuries. Included are items as varied as a painting by Elbridge Ayer Burbank, the correspondence between Ernest Hemingway and Sherwood Anderson, the earliest print version of Voltaire's Candide, and a copy of Ptolemy's Geographia that dates from the fifteenth century. The Newberry 125 is as wide-ranging and impressive as the library itself, and it serves as a wonderful introduction to the collection, as well as a new and fascinating lens through which visitors and fans can view the Newberry.
$35.00