RT Article T1 Preserving and Presenting the Rotterdam Erasmus Collection since 1868 JF Erasmus studies VO 44 IS 2 SP 185 OP 210 A1 Steen, Sanne A1 Tholen, John A2 Tholen, John LA English YR 2024 UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1906559147 AB The unique collection of Erasmiana in the Rotterdam Public Library has a long history in which there has been varying attention to acquisition, preservation and presentation. This article describes how individuals such as donors, directors and curators developed the collection since it was first mentioned in 1868. This development is reconstructed through archival sources such as year reports, newspaper articles and material evidence in the collection itself. From this reconstruction, it is possible to distinguish three phases in the history of the Erasmus Collection in which it was treated as respectively an archival collection, a scholarly source and a heritage collection. The case study shows why it is important for scholars who make use of a collection to understand the historical development of its contents and the status of the collection as such. Furthermore, knowledge of the history of a collection is valuable for exploring today’s balance between preservation and presentation. K1 presentation K1 preservation K1 documentary heritage K1 Unesco K1 Erasmus K1 public library DO 10.1163/18749275-04402004