Community, Identity, and the Dutch Church Library in London, 1550-1650

Abstract

Libraries and archives are important tools for historians, and we often view them as neutral information repositories. It is important to remember, however, they are historical actors, too, that can be employed to convey credibility, legitimize authority or power, or construct, challenge, and reinforce group identity (Burton, 2005, 7). These institutions have their own historical narratives to tell, which is the inspiration behind this project researching the history of the Dutch Church Library in London. The goal of the study is to understand the collection founded by sixteenth-century Dutch immigrants and to explore what shaped its development during its first century. Three key forces impacted its early growth, namely the rise in English Puritanism, the Remonstrant controversy in the Low Countries, and growing political power among London’s Dutch merchant community. The history of this library sheds light on how the foreigners living in London understood and adapted to the religious and political struggles of the period. The library was more than a neutral repository, serving instead as an expression of the Dutch community’s political power and identity.