A repost from my Facebook. Original November 28, 2015.
The Washington University Library in St. Louis is the third-largest holder of Jefferson’s books. They received the Jefferson collection through a donation in 1880, but it took 131 years to identify and confirm the original owner of these books was Thomas Jefferson. This collection contains what is likely the last book Jefferson read before his death July 4, 1826. It is a copy of Aristotle’s Politics.
To date, over half of Thomas Jefferson’s retirement library has been located.
Sources:
From Ridgley to Olin: The History of WashU’s Library
A Founding Father’s Books Turn Up
Politics (Aristotle)