Dear Jenny, Sharon, and all,
Thank you for your replies which I will feed into my reply to the email below.
Best wishes,
Falco
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From: Richard Espley <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 09 May 2018 11:59
To: Falco Pfalzgraf
Subject: RE: request: stack service
Dear Professor Pfalzgraf,
I’m sorry to read of this unsuccessful request from the collections of the former Institute of Germanic Studies. The most important thing I’d like to stress is that we are still searching for the items, although clearly it is very unlikely that you will be able to see them tomorrow as you wished to.
For context, as I’m sure you know, the holdings of the IGS were moved to Senate House Library almost ten years ago, and the scale and complexity of that move meant that we merely reproduced the data they gave us about their holdings and locations. We sadly had neither the time nor the resources to verify the accuracy of that information or to attempt any kind of stock check except in the material that was anticipated by its former custodians to be in higher demand and was therefore placed on open access. The periodicals, arranged in a simple alphabetical sequence in their former home in Russell Square, were moved en bloc in that same sequence. Klüter Blätter is not where it should be in that sequence, and is also not filed by its subtitle or corporate author. It has not in fact been requested since the Library was integrated into our service, and I can see that no changes have been made to the record by our staff, so that in effect we are unable to say whether it has ever been seen by Senate House Library. I am not suggesting that this record was inaccurate, but in the most well regulated library there are always local exceptions and understandings about where material is shelved that do not easily transfer to new institutions, and I suspect that this is the case here.
In terms of trying to remedy the situation, we have thoroughly searched the periodical sequence, and also some subsidiary sequences the IGS maintained and arranged by size of publication, as well as its specific sequence of underground and alternative periodicals. We are also, where possible, seeking to check the contents of the pamphlet collection in case the few issues of this title have become confused with such material at some point. We have previously, in similar circumstances, also contacted the former librarian of the collection but he was unable to offer any advice. The unsuccessful retrieval will now be passed to the Library manager responsible for the Depository, and we will certainly let you know if the items are found.
Otherwise, while I appreciate it is highly inconvenient, I note that there are good holdings of this title in the University of Southampton. I have also sent a couple of emails to colleagues elsewhere whose collections are not catalogued in the hope that they might hold this title, and I will let you know if I hear anything.
Do feel free to let me know of any other concerns,
All best wishes,
Richard
Dr Richard Espley
Head of Modern Collections
020 7862 8421
Senate House Library - University of London, Senate House, Malet St, London, WC1E 7HU
The University of London is an exempt charity in England and Wales
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