The world will celebrate World Book and Copyright Day on April 23.

UNESCO has set this day aside to pay tribute to authors, publishers, and the books they create. It’s on this day that we recognize the power books have to communicate, educate, and inspire. 

For International Day of the Book, the Library has selected a few of the historical treasures we have on our shelves:

La Mandragola by Niccolo Machiavelli. Also, known as The Mandrake, this play was published in 1524, and first performed during the carnival season of 1526. A satirical look at the political life of Florence following the 1512 reversion to Medici rule, La Mandragola continues to be produced today, and has also been adapted for opera, film, and musical theatre.

Sweet Lavender by Arthur W. Pinero. First produced on March 21, 1888, the script includes a copy of the original production’s Opening Night program from Terry’s Theatre in the Strand, London. The play was extremely popular and was produced in New York, Australia, South Africa, Russia and the West Indies by 1893 as well as being translated into Italian and German.

The Streets of New York by Dion Boucicault, author of Rip Van Winkle and 150 other plays. The Streets of New York ran for three weeks at Wallack’s Theatre in New York City in the mid-1850s before going on tour. It has a complicated plot with all the classic villain-hero-heroine plot twist and turns. It was well-loved at the time and is still produced today.