Show Early Deseret Book Returns Unique Gifts to U. U Library I By DeVan Shumway Shum A little very short book published published published pub pub- by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Latter Saints is bringing brInging- a a. lot of good will for forthe forthe forthe the University of Utah library library- and incidentally helping it in getting more valuable and rare i books I That book bookas was as written in 1869 after being formulated being formulated by a comI committee com corn i I of the university board of regents The university was then the University of It is named Deseret First Book but these words arc not easily deciphered on the old darkened darkened dark dark- ened covers because they are inthe inthe in inthe the alphabet recommended by the leader of the church at nt that time Brigham Young I The Mormon leader leading leader leading a group of people wishing to be unique in their new land speak land speak speaking ing before the regents in the tabernacle tabernacle tabernacle tab tab- on April 8 1852 recommended recommended mended they form a a. language in which tho the sound of one particular symbol always would be the same And he referred to the letter A pronounced in about five different ways depending on the word in which it i 1 iS used i I I I So the new ne' Deseret First 1 Book outlining the principles of I tho new nev alphabet was as published in in 1869 But it failed People were not willing to abandon the ol old alphabet alphabel The book found its way into the shelves of the university library pu pushed hed into the background by later publications Recently L. L H H. H Kirl Kirkpatrick university tint uni librarian found a use for forthe forthe forthe the hundreds of copies remaining from the several se hundred pub pub- He decided that In commemoration commemoration tion of the university's centennial year he would mail mall copies of the book to some 75 colleges and un universities universities uni uni- iI i- i in the United States Stat England and France And in return return re rc- re- re turn he requested the colleges to send one of their choice items to the University of Utah library He got in return everything from an Indian guide booklet to rare poetry books s. This week he placed the books bookson on display in the library where they will remain until after the centennial celebration which will sili end in June |