Anyone who has enjoyed Jeff Cooper’s writing can attest to the fact that he was an unusually well-read man with a wide variety of interests. Those who have attended classes at the Gunsite Academy and toured his home, the Sconce, will have seen his library, just outside the armory. There, a comfortable chair sits under a reading lamp between two floor-to-ceiling walls of bookshelves. We know that Jeff considered the books there worth keeping for future reference because in that same room sat a basket of discards, free for the taking for any visitor. Those were the books that he considered unworthy of a place in the permanent collection.

Among admirers of Cooper, there has always been an interest in the contents of that library, curated by Jeff himself. Over the years, several people had undertaken the task of cataloging this library but became discouraged by the extent of the project. In 2018, Gunsite graduate Kevin Beavers offered to give it a try, using the Libib cataloging program. Spending a week at the Sconce, he got the majority of it done, then returned later with his two sons, also Gunsite grads, and finished the task of cataloging the 1,856 volumes. Kevin said, “Like the Colonel, two of my passions are guns and books. I am always interested in a person’s library as I think it provides a unique look into that person’s mind. Cataloging the Colonel’s library was a labor of love and having my sons help made it a memory we will cherish.”

We are now able to make the catalog of Jeff Cooper’s library accessible to anyone curious about the books that interested this remarkable man.

You may access the index here.  As a reminder, if you find the index useful and feel so inclined, a donation to the Jeff Cooper Legacy foundation is always appreciated.  You can make your donation here.