In 1623, the London printers William and Isaac Jaggard published a monumental collection of the plays of William Shakespeare (1564–1616).

Of these thirty-six plays, only half had been previously published. This volume has come to be known as the “First Folio” of Shakespeare, and it represents the first time that all of Shakespeare’s plays were collected and printed together. Compiled by John Heminges and Henry Condell, two actors who worked with Shakespeare in the King’s Men, it was a historic feat of printing, and it is one of the most studied books in the history of the English language.

For its four-hundredth anniversary, the Lilly Library celebrates our copy of the Shakespeare First Folio, one of the most frequently requested volumes in our collection. We also celebrate the rich tradition of performance and publication that the First Folio made possible, with highlights from our wide-ranging collections of illustration, fine binding, drama, and adaptation.