In our new series Humanity Hits we present treasured items from our Special Collections by means of short film clips.

The Special Collections Research Room constitutes our Humanity Lab — the University Library's laboratory where humankind can be spread out like a patient etherised upon a table. Researching the past provides insight into people's behaviour. The world is changing constantly, but the essence of human behaviour decidedly less so. All books, maps, and other objects in our Special Collections are available for study, teaching, and research. Through these clips we are introducing a number of highlights.

Humanity Hits 1: the Luther bible

Martin Luther once held this book in his own hands. He wrote in it too, in response to the text. Others after him followed suit. The book is an edition of the New Testament, translated into Latin by Erasmus of Rotterdam. He did not like the existing translation and so, in 1516, he made a better one. In 1527, this fourth edition appeared in Basel. Luther bought a copy. This copy. Later, via Regnerus Praedinius, the book came into the possession of the University of Groningen Library.

This film clip tells us about the sparks flying in the margin of this book.