Main Street Library Acquisitions: Fall 2025
Spotlighting the Newest Disney History Resources Added to My Collection
From visiting used bookshops, hunting on Facebook Marketplace, and in some cases, buying brand new, I was able to acquire some wonderful Disney history resources this season that will all no doubt assist me with my current, and future, research endeavours. Let’s take a closer look at them all!
Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue
Some of you may be wondering why this made the list, but believe it or not, this catalogue actually has ties to Disney history!
Through my Disney Studio Library research, I’ve been learning a great deal about the different kinds of resources the library once had in its collection. One of my favourites I’ve learned about has been the full set of Sears Roebuck catalogues they once had. The library’s collection had issues dating back to the early 1900s and they were packed with illustrations of clothing, furniture, and just everyday items. These catalogues were used by studio employees as reference for their work.
I bought this 1908 replica, because I’ve been wanting to collect various resources the studio library once had in their possession in order to gain a better understanding of the types of sources they had to offer.
Hyperion Historical Alliance Annuals: 2021-2022 & 2023
The Hyperion Historical Alliance is a professional organization and non-profit association that works to preserve documents, artwork, and other materials related to Disney history. HHA has two primary publications, which includes their Monograph Series, as well as their Annuals.
I really like the monographs that the HHA has published over the years, as they focus on very specific topics in Disney history that haven’t been widely published on before. While already having a love for their monographs, I was curious to see what their annuals also had to offer.
HHA’s Annuals contain extensively researched essays that focus on a variety of Disney history topics and written by various HHA members. Since I didn’t own any of their annuals, I decided to pick up a couple to see what they were all about. There are five currently published in total, but I decided to purchase just two of them—the 2021-2022 annual, as well as their 2023 edition—as these issues contained particular essay topics that were of interest to me.
Before the Animation Begins: The Art and Lives of Disney Inspirational Sketch Artists by John Canemaker
In Before the Animation Begins, historian John Canemaker takes a closer look at inspirational sketch artists starting in the 1930s and highlights their lives and work.
Filled with art from painters, designers, and illustrators, this book showcases these artists’ attempts at coming up with the look and feel of a film.
I personally found this book helpful for my research, as it aided me in understanding how sketch artists worked and how they may have used the library during this time at the Walt Disney Studio.
The Disney That Never Was: The Stories and Art from Five Decades of Unproduced Animation by Charles Solomon
Yet book I acquired to assist with my studio library research, The Disney That Never Was is quite an interesting book as it takes a closer look at all the animation projects that could have been, but never were within the Disney company.
What I love most about this book isn’t just learning about all of the stories Disney considered producing, but seeing how close some projects got and which ones never really left the ground. I’m very much a process person and I’m fascinated with what makes or breaks a project, so reading about these unfinished stories and animation pieces was really interesting.
Again, this book helped with my own research purposes, as it explores a time within the Walt Disney Studio when the library would have been in operation, thus giving me an idea of the kinds of projects they would have assisted with, as well as giving me a better sense of what was going on at the studio at that time.
The Music of Disney: A Legacy in Song by David J. Fisher
Now some of you may see this book and recognize that it’s from a specific kit—you’re right! This book is actually a part of a greater set that contains CDs, but when I happened to come across just the book at my local used bookstore for such a cheap price, I figured I would go ahead and pick it up anyways.
The complete kit includes three CDs filled with music from various Disney films, TV shows, and theme park attractions. To accompany these albums is this book. The Music of Disney: A Legacy of Song celebrates Disney’s musical history. The songs featured span from 1928 up until before the Renaissance era.
I don’t have any Disney history books that look specifically at music, so I thought this book, even though it doesn’t have the CDs, would make a great addition to my collection!
The Art and Flair of Mary Blair: An Appreciation by John Canemaker
Another masterpiece by historian John Canemaker is The Art and Flair of Mary Blair. Known to be one of Walt’s favourite artists, this book celebrates the infamous artist Mary Blair. Mary’s work is recognizable for it’s vibrant colour palette and uniqueness. From films and theme parks, to architecture and beyond, Mary’s art had a flair of it’s own and was championed by Walt Disney himself.
This text is filled with art and photographs, sprinkled with commentary throughout—it’s just filled with such fantastic information about Mary and her work. I’m a huge Mary Blair fan, so I can’t wait to dive into this one!
Since the World Began by Jeff Kurtti
Since the World Began takes a closer look at Walt Disney World’s first 25 years. Filled with facts, stories, and behind-the-scenes content, this book provides a concise overview of Walt Disney World, from dream to reality.
My first time visiting Walt Disney World was during it’s 25th anniversary celebration, so this book’s milestone is personally meaningful to me, which is why I was quite excited to acquire it.
I hope you enjoyed previewing the latest additions to my Disney research collection! I plan on doing a post like this every season, so stay tuned for my winter acquisitions, which I plan to share in just a few short months!
Are there any titles you hope to see me add in the future? It can be books, magazines, maps, other sorts of ephemera—let me know in the comments!