The club was established on 4 October 1903 on the initiative of Charles Sayle of St John's College, Cambridge to promote "bibliographical studies by publication and otherwise". Its members were limited to past and present members of Cambridge University and at its inception included A.F. Cole of King's College, A.T. Bartholomew of Peterhouse, C.D. Robertson of Trinity, J.M. Keynes of King's, F.J.H. Jenkinson of Trinity, University Librarian, G.I.H. Lloyd of Trinity, and S. Gaselee of King's. It took no annual subscription but the council called for special subscriptions as their activities required. It published bibliographies in particular and kept a library of both its own publications and those of John Baskerville (1706-75), the printer and typefounder after whom the club was named. Members of note included John Maynard Keynes, Geoffrey Langdon Keynes , Montague Rhodes James and successive University Librarians. The club was dissolved in 1931 with remaining funds made over to the Cambridge University Library.