Princeton University has received a literally historic gift in $300 million worth of rare books, including the 1455 Gutenberg Bible.

According to Bloomberg News, the New Jersey Ivy League school received a collection of 2,500 books from a philanthropist named William Scheide. Scheide, who died in Nov. at the age of 100, left the books to Princeton in his will.

"Through Bill Scheide's generosity, one of the greatest collections of rare books and manuscripts in the world today will have a permanent home here," Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber said in a press release. "It will stand as a defining collection for Firestone Library and Princeton University. I cannot imagine a more marvelous collection to serve as the heart of our library. We are grateful for Bill Scheide's everlasting dedication to Princeton and his commitment to sharing his breathtaking collection with scholars and students for generations to come."

The 1455 Gutenberg Bible may well be the earliest printed book from Europe, the school said in its announcement. From the school's press release here are the other books in the collection:

"The original printing of the Declaration of Independence; Beethoven's autograph (in his own handwriting) music sketchbook for 1815-16, the only outside Europe; Shakespeare's first, second, third and fourth folios; significant autograph music manuscripts of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Wagner; a lengthy autograph speech by Abraham Lincoln from 1856 on the problems of slavery; and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's original letter and telegram copy books from the last weeks of the Civil War."

The books did not go far, in fact they stayed right where they were, as Princeton has housed Scheide's library since 1959.

"Bill's generosity was legendary," University Librarian Karin Trainer said in the release. "He was likewise generous with his library." She said that the Scheide Library's "true value" is the support it provides for the University's academic programs.

"There are discoveries to be made in every document and volume in the library," she said. "This is a scholar's library; its contents were acquired because of their research value."