Those words were never spoken by the character Sherlock Holmes in the novels by Conan Doyle. But like many wonderful literary characters, they often take on a life of their own. Sherlock Holmes is now part of our popular culture, from his misquoted “Elementary, my dear Watson!” to his noticeable deerstalker hat and smoking pipe.

Back in 2007, the Free Library asked science-fiction icon and novelist William Gibson what his favorite childhood book was; he responded, “a two-volume set of Doyle’s Complete Sherlock Holmes was an early favorite.” (Read the full Take 5 Interview)

And for the real Sherlock Holmes fans, The University of Minnesota released a YouTube video showcasing their collection, home to the largest collection of artifacts related to Sherlock Holmes in the world (watch below).

Now the literary figure is being re-launched on the big screen in a new film called Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law. But before you rush out to the movie theatres, check out our collection of Sherlock Holmes materials, from novels and DVDs to audio recordings and sheet music!