Wednesday, June 12th - Kings College Maughan Library

We were invited to see materials from the Foyle Special Collections Library at the Kings College Maughan Library. The Maughan Library collection contains 200,000 items from the 15th century onwards and is about 90% print materials. They have some very rare and unique items, some of which are stored in a secure area and can only be used in the reading room. The collection covers a vast amount of topics including botany, history, languages, medicine, music, and theology. The collection is open to students and staff of the college, as well as members of the public as long as they register.

The collection has accumulated from a variety of sources (which may account for its vast subject matter), including the historical library of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the former library of linguistic scholar William Marsden, the former library of historian and holocaust survivor H.G. Adler, records from St. Thomas’s medical school, and the former library of scientific polymath Sir Charles Wheatstone.

Some highlights from the materials they showed us included:

• The 18th century charter of Pennsylvania signed by Benjamin Franklin. It was interesting to hear about the process of getting the signature verified.
• A book from 1776 from publisher Thomas Payne, in which he hand wrote the scandalous parts so he could not be prosecuted as the publisher.
• Autographed books from Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs.
• 18th century Jacobite bible with a letter hidden in the back.
• 1930’s anti-Nazi notes which people snuck into Nazi meetings to use as crib notes for counter points.
• Anti-Semitic children’s books from Germany.

I felt a particular nerdy kinship with the librarians there as they also showed us examples of their MARC records for certain items. They were the first library to do this and I really appreciated that they had given a lot of thought into what our particular group would find interesting. They also talked about the challenges of having hate materials in the collection and the balance between censorship and education. Right now they have the materials available for research but not on the open shelves.

Visit the King's College Maughan Library website here

Tuesday, June 11th - British Museum Archives

Today we were given the privilege of being allowed in the reading room at the British Museum. The archival collection began with the museums founding in 1753 and includes meeting minutes, legal documents, indexes, officer reports, ticket design drafts, original guidebooks, deeds, insurance documents, civil servant records, scrapbooks, architect plans, photographs, signatures of visitors to the reading room and objects relating to British history. The collection is open to any “studious persons”.

It’s been interesting to hear that so many archives, libraries and museums have the same problems, namely funding, staffing and storage. The archives of the British Museum had to be transferred up from the basement to the reading room because of a mold outbreak! One doesn’t think of an institution like the British Museum as having to deal with the same problems as the smaller institutions, but here we are! They also have challenges dealing with the massive amount of materials they have as the building was never designed to house a collection of this size. With only two staff members assigned to the task, they won’t be able to get through all the archival materials in their careers. Lack of staffing is a theme that we’ve come across in many of our visits.

Another aspect of the collection I found interesting was the index of antiquity. Franchesa mentioned that the way something was indexed originally may not be how we would search for it now, as the phrasing has changed over time. For example, "Abracadabra" is one of the terms in the original index. This is exacerbated by departments within the library changing, folding and merging over time. Even the most meticulously kept records can become obscured over time just by the changing nature of language.

Visit the British Museum Libraries & Archives website here

Monday, June 10th - Blythe House

Today we travelled to Blythe House to see the V&A Beatrix Potter Collection. It’s the largest collection of Beatrix Potter materials and includes original materials of hers like watercolours and manuscripts, as well as personal letters and family memorabilia.

It was fascinating to see her drawings and the varying styles and details she included, and how many of these subjects ended up appearing in her published works. I was wonderful to see all the steps, from inspiration to final product. After viewing the collection today I am not surprised that Peter Rabbit has never been out of print. Equally amazing was her coded journal! She began journalling at the age of 15 in a secret code only she knew, and it took Leslie Linder 5 years to decode it (15 years after her death). 

Linder is an important figure in scholarship on Beatrix Potter. He decoded her journal, but also collected her manuscripts, letters, drawings, watercolours and photographs. After his death in 1973 he left his collection of Potter material to the V&A, which paved the way for more donations, including the Beatrix Potter archives of Frederick Warne & Co., (the publishers of the Peter Rabbit books since 1902). Linder was able to spend years working on the code because he came from a wealthy family. Beatrix Potter was also upper middle class with a family that supported her interest in art. Her father Rupert Potter was an avid photographer, her mother Helen Leech was interested in watercolour and embroidery, and her brother Bertram also pursued a career as an artist. It made me wonder about how many more discoveries could be made if everyone was given these same opportunities to create and study.

I didn’t know that Potter had also studied mycology, and Andrew Whiltshire’s story about how Kew Gardens ignored her ideas because she was a woman, and this resulted in the invention of penicillin being pushed back 50 years, was really heartbreaking.

Visit the V&A Archives website here

Friday, June 7th - Christ Church Library

The Christ Church College Library is located in Oxford and serves the students and staff of Christ Church College. They have a large collection of early print books, some of which the librarian Steven Archer shared with us (including a miniature book of Greek psalms from 1030, illuminated manuscripts, and Queen Elizabeth I’s personal bible). Talk about a priceless and diverse collection!

The library also has a modern collection and add approximately 4,000 new items every year based on student needs. It was wonderful to have a tour lead by someone who clearly loves their job and wants to make a positive impact in their community. When Steven described the book buying process at Christ Church before he came to the position (only purchasing from the local Waterstones, never online) it was clear the needs of the students were not being met. It really resonated with me when he talked about not taking our jobs for granted, and when we stop appreciating the position we’re in then it’s time to move on.

The highlight of the day for me was without a doubt when Steven brought out the items related to Lewis Carroll. As a lifelong Alice in Wonderland fan it was incredible to see the first edition signed copy and the original sketches. When he revealed that we had been sitting in Carroll’s old office I was stunned!

Visit the Christ Church Library & Archives website here

Wednesday, June 5th - Royal Geographical Society

Today we visited the Foyle Reading Room at the Royal Geographical Society. The Society was founded in 1830 to advance geographical science. Our guide Eugene is the Principal Librarian of the reading room, and he made an excellent point that I think reflects how the Society has changed over the years. When describing the explorations in Africa, he said they no longer refer to it as just “discovery” because there were already people living there. They are more conscientious about specifying that this was the first time Western science had been there, but that it had been inhabited all along. I think this demonstrates a shift away from colonial thinking and it's clear that the Society has continued to develop and grow. They have over 2 million items in their collection, much of which has been made accessible by the opening of the reading room, which is is free for Society Fellows and members, and those in formal education.

One aspect of the Society's original work I found interesting was that they trained people to use the instruments they have in their collection. Members could learn how to use a compass or sextant, and the instruments could then be borrowed for expeditions. Because of this each item has its own unique biography and has been on many journeys throughout the years. I thought it was a wonderful idea not only to lend items but to teach people how to use them, and I wonder how this idea could be applied to modern libraries that lend objects.

Visit the Royal Geographical Society website here

Tuesday, June 4th - The British Library & Conservation Centre

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. The collection has over 170 million items, with about 3 million new items being added every year. Every item published in the UK gives a copy to the British Library so the collection is constantly growing. The library considers itself the custodian of a collection that belongs to the nation. Their goals for the future including expanding the digital resources available and enhancing access to the collection. The library is an important resource for researchers and is available to anyone wishing to carry out research. Anyone can register for a Reader Pass with personal identification and proof of address.

We visited the Conservation Centre and heard specifically about the Qatar Foundation Partnership that started in 2010. It deals with preserving archives and manuscripts from the Gulf area. The term “fit for purpose” was one I hadn’t heard before and it applies to objects that are meant to be handled. I hadn’t thought of conservation and restoration as that different, but they are! Their policy of minimal alteration and stabilization (not just making the items look pretty) really prioritizes making the items usable again. With a collection dating back to 3000 BCE, some items are bound to need a little TLC.

My favourite part of our visit today was speaking with the conservators. It was really interesting to hear not only about their practices but how they came to be in their current positions. Everyone's path was different! Showing the different types of papers and fabrics that they utilize in their work was fascinating. It's not just paper, but textiles, parchment, leather, wood, and even metal. The conservators talked about “befriending their objects” and it really goes to show how each unique item presents its own set of challenges.

Visit the British Library website here

Monday, June 3rd - Barbican Library

The Barbican Library is a public library located in the Barbican Centre that serves anyone who lives, works or studies in the City of London. The collection consists of 660,000 bound volumes and 370,000 reels of microfilm containing tens of millions of newspapers with 52,000 titles on 45 km of shelves. Some highlights of the collection include the music library, children’s library, and rotating art exhibitions.

I was very excited to start off at a public library since I work at one back home in Toronto. It was interesting to see what things are the same (helping newcomers with immigration paperwork, tech support, the emergence of self service technology) and what things are different (charging a loan fee for DVD’s and CD’s). There were some tips and tricks I’ll be taking back home. For example, Joe the children’s librarian spoke about how they frequently bundle events together with other organizations to increase attendance. I also found interesting the challenges the library faces as a mixed used space that caters to a wide range of users (public, academic, etc). Being in a building that also houses an art gallery, theatre, cinema and restaurants means that things aren’t always going to be quiet. The librarian spoke about how they set up a soft space for their programs like English conversation circles and crafting groups, but also have quiet study areas for students.

My favourite part of the visit was the Music Library! They have a listening station for their vinyl collection (today's selection was the soundtrack to Oklahoma!). They also have piano practice stations for members to use. The “Unsigned London” collection is a CD collection of London artists who are currently unsigned, and helps local artists to promote their music to a wider audience.

Visit the Barbican Library website here