No apologies for cross posting news of vandals at work.
kind regards
neil
Dr Roger Neil Barton
Visiting Research Fellow, Institute of Historical Research
http://www.uclmail.net/~neil.barton/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian Gadd" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2008 4:53 PM
Subject: Sale of special collections from Cardiff Public Library
> Dear SHARP-ists,
>
> (I only receive SHARP messages as a daily digest, so I apologise if
> someone
> has already posted on this topic.)
>
> The BBC website last week reported that Cardiff City Council are
> planning to sell off a substantial part of the city library's special
> collections:
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7593883.stm
>
> As the Council's own report indicates, this is a significant and important
> collection of material, including incunabula, civil war tracts, early
> bibles
> and atlases, and private press material. Much of it is uncatalogued and,
> if
> the library's own website is any guide, there has been no promotion of the
> collection at all.
>
> http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/objview.asp?object_id=7331
>
> A campaign group has been established. I have been unable to find a
> website
> for the group but the following blogs provide further information:
>
> http://scriptandprint.blogspot.com/2008/09/destruction-of-cardiff-central-li
> brary.html
> http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/5169098/
> http://lampeterlibrary.blogspot.com/2008/09/cardiff-book-sale.html
>
> As someone who has made much use of the special collections held by Bath's
> public library both for teaching purposes and to promote its collection
> more
> widely, I hope that the city council will reconsider their decision -
> public
> libraries are one place where it is genuinely possible for non-academics
> to
> have direct access to 'old' books. I understand that local authorities
> often
> have to make difficult economic judgments but, on this occasion, I believe
> not only are they missing an opportunity to make a collection such as this
> a
> centrepiece of their public library collections but also a sale would
> represent a significant cultural loss to Cardiff and Wales.
>
> The Council's report was very coy about the actual extent of the
> collection.
> Consequently, I'd be keen to hear more about the collection itself - and
> the
> current situation about the sale - from SHARP-L members who are nearer the
> action.
>
> Ian Gadd
> --------------------------------
> Dr Ian Gadd
> School of English & Creative Studies
> Bath Spa University
> Newton Park
> Bath BA2 9BN
> [log in to unmask] / 01225-875455
> (alternative e-mail: [log in to unmask])
>
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