THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
July 19, 1982
To:
R.M. Dougherty
From:
Mona East
Subject:
Further purchase of papyri
Prof. Ludwig Koenen showed Karla Vandersypen and me the papyri he acquired with funds provided by the Library last fall. As he describes them, the materials seem interesting and of research value. I am forwarding his account of expenditures to Yo and to Edna Laughrey for review; he will add any information considered necessary or make changes in format if that is needed.
Prof. Koenen has discovered, as he stated in his letter to you of July 15, another group of papyri available from a dealer (Facklemann) in Vienna. Cost is about $10,000, and the decision would have to be made very soon, although payment could be in installments.
Several questions arise:
1) Is it wise to make another purchase immediately, probably the only one we could afford for the year? Should we hope for other offers, now that our interest has been demonstrated?
2) Should we acquire further documentary materials, or try to obtain literary papyri, in which our collection is less strong?
Karla will talk to Mrs. Youtie today. Prof Koenen will bring in photographs of the propsed purchase. We should then reach a decision, as both Princeton and Fordham are interested in the collection.
My own incliniation is to refuse to do this and hope for another opportunity later in this year. When it is possible, I should like to consider with Prof. Koenen and Mrs. Youtie what our buying policy for papyri should be. When we developed a selection policy statement for papyrology we were not considering buying more papyri.
But 7/20/82, MAE, KV, RVD, and Wendy Lougee met and decided to provide $10,000 [from spending fund] for this purpose.
Papyri received 6/83
