| Description | Material relating to Bedford College Library, 1849-85, notably Minutes of the Library Committee, 1886-1983; Library working files, 1918-1985, on subjects including war arrangements, grant, University libraries, estimates and expenditure, staff and salaries and departmental matters; correspondence between the Librarian and the Secretary of the Council, 1889-1950; Library correspondence relating to alterations and repairs, 1932-1954; Library lists and registers, 1849-1985, including a Visitors' Book, 1953-1985, and Withdrawals Registers, 1917-1922 and 1954-1974; papers relating to insect problems in the Library, 1951; Doris Bain's statistics book and Library Staff Book; miscellaneous literary works, [1940-1959]; UGC liaison reports, 1964; papers relating to the reclassification of the Library stock, 1969-1970; Library Accessions Register, 1897-1971; Pamphlet Accessions Register, 1921-1971; Donations Register, 1963-1970; plans by Maxwell Ayrton relating to the Tate Library extension, 1932-1950; plans by Easton and Robertson relating to the Tate and Herringham Library extension, 1961-1963. |
| Admin_History | The Council set up the Library Committee in 1886, though Rachel Notcutt had been Librarian since 1872. The original Committee included six former students, a representative of the present students, the Secretary of Council, and the Librarian. A member of the Council and a further two present students were added in 1890, but staff were not represented until 1895, when two were allowed to sit on the Committee. At the same time, the former students were removed from the Library Committee and replaced by the Chairman and seven members of the Council. The Principal became an ex officio member, and a fourth present student was added. The 1909 Charter removed student representation altogether. The composition altered once more in 1937, and the Committee comprised all Heads of Departments, a member of Assistant staff from each Faculty, four Council representatives and the ex officio Committee members. The Librarian has throughout acted as Secretary to the Committee. After the resignation of Rachel Notcutt in 1896, volunteers held the post until 1902, when a full time Librarian was appointed. The Library staff slowly increased, and in 1926 the Librarian was assigned the status of Head of an academic department. The scope of the Committee was to draw up rules for the use of the Library, to arrange the books, CHECK |