Catalogue of the American books in the library of the British museum at Christmas mdccclvi. [With] Catalogue of the Canadian and other British North American books in the library of the British museum at Christmas mdccclvi [and] Catalogue of the Mexican and other Spanish American & West Indian books in the library of the British museum at Christmas 1856 [and] Catalogue of the American maps in the library of the British museum at Christmas 1856

This collection of catalogues was compiled and published in 1866 by Henry Stevens, an American bibliographer and bookseller based in London. Stevens served as the purchasing agent for the British Museum, where he was tasked with significantly expanding the institution's holdings of materials originating from North and South America. His efforts were instrumental in shaping the museum's Americana collection during the mid-nineteenth century, a period when the institution sought to formalize its international archives.

The volumes reflect the meticulous cataloguing standards of the era, designed to provide a systematic overview of the books, maps, and pamphlets acquired by the British Museum by Christmas 1856. Stevens, who was well-regarded for his deep knowledge of early American imprints and cartography, organized these records to assist scholars in navigating the rapidly growing collection. The publication serves as a primary historical record of the specific titles and geographical resources the British Museum deemed essential to document the history and development of the Americas at that time.