Category Archives: contributing libraries

Introducing SUNCAT’s new Contributing Library: the Royal Academy of Dance

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We are excited to announce that the Royal Academy of Dance is our newest Contributing library. To tell us more about the organisation, the library and its serial collection, we invited Carlos Garcia Jane, Assistant Librarian, to write a few words.

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The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is one of the world’s most influential dance education organisations. Founded in 1920 to set standards for dance teaching within the UK, today we have a presence in 84 countries, with 36 offices and around 14,000 members worldwide. We count more than 1,000 students in our teacher training programmes and more than a quarter of a million students are being examined on our syllabi. Our membership is supported through the knowledge and expertise of RAD’s highly qualified staff and through conferences, workshops, training courses and summer schools. The Faculty of Education is dedicated to meeting the needs of our current and future dance teachers by providing dance teacher education programmes and qualifications. Our exams are recognised by Ofqual and contribute to UCAS points. The RAD’s patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

A photograph of the Royal Academy of Dance headquarters located in Battersea, London.

The Royal Academy of Dance, Battersea, London. (© Royal Academy of Dance.)

The Philip Richardson Library houses one of the largest specialist dance collections in the UK. Based at the RAD Headquarters in Battersea, London, we welcome visitors from around the world as well as RAD members, friends, students and staff. The open access collections include books, CDs, DVDs, conference proceedings, resource packs and Benesh Movement Notation Scores. The dance collection is supplemented by resources in the related fields of pedagogy, music, anatomy and physiology. Materials in the archives and special collections include rare books, theatre programmes, photographs, costume designs, pictures and artifacts, as well as audio-visual materials and paper-based documents and correspondence.

Our expanding collection of serials contains over 170 individual titles, 30 of which are print subscriptions, alongside online resources and databases. The serials collection focuses on dance history and criticism, choreography, dance education and training, and dance medicine and science. The collection includes a complete run of the Dance Gazette, a highly-respected international dance publication, produced by the Royal Academy of Dance since 1930. Among other important serial titles, our collection also features runs of Dancing Times, Dance Magazine, and Dance & Dancers.

Our collection will be beneficial to students, researchers and academic interested in ballet, dance and related topics. Find more information about our collections and activities on our website, our library catalogue, or follow us on twitter @RADLibrary. To arrange a visit contact us on library@rad.org.uk or 02073268032.

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SUNCAT would very much like to thank Carlos for introducing the library and its journal collection. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections please contact us at suncat@ed.ac.uk.

Welcome to Canterbury Christ Church University – SUNCAT’s newest Contributing Library!

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A new year and a new SUNCAT Contributing Library – that of Canterbury Christ Church University! We invited Ian Simpson, Library Collection Development Manager, to write a few words about the library and its collections.

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Canterbury Christ Church University is a modern, multi-campus University which is making a positive and lasting difference to local and global communities.

Christ Church has a vibrant community of more than 15,000 students and 1,800 staff studying and working across its network of campuses and centres in Canterbury, Medway and Tunbridge Wells, and it is one of only a handful of universities in the UK to be situated in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With nearly 90% of research submitted to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework assessed as world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised, the University is proud of its contribution to society and the economy, and will continue to look for new opportunities to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

A photograph of the Augustine House Library building, Canterbury Christ Church University

Augustine House Library building. (© Canterbury Christ Church University.)

The main University’s library is in the award-winning Augustine House. Located in Canterbury city centre, Augustine House opened in 2009 and has won several architectural awards for its contemporary design and its commitment to sustainability; a major feature of the building. During exam times, the library is open 24 hours for students, and external visitors can use the facilities between 8.30am and 6pm. There is also a library in the University’s Salomons Centre for Applied Psychology in Tunbridge Wells and the Drill Hall Library at its Medway Campus (shared with the Universities of Kent and Greenwich).

A photograph of the interior of Augustine House Library, Canterbury Christ Church University.

Interior of Augustine House Library. (© Canterbury Christ Church University.)

Christ Church has a print collection that matches our teaching and learning philosophies and an unusual collection of curriculum resources to complement our range of teaching qualifications. We subscribe to 800 individual journal titles alongside over 130 databases and journal packages. Our archives and special collections includes a children’s literature collection, a Gaskell collection and the Mary Braddon archive, John Jewel’s A Defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande, Conteining an Answeare to a Certaine Booke Lately Set Forthe by M. Hardinge, and Entituled, A Confutation of &c. (1611 edition) along with a Latin edition of Newton’s Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica.

We hope that our expanding collection will prove beneficial to academics everywhere, hence our inclusion on SUNCAT. For more information visit our website. Keep an eye on twitter @ccculibrary for the latest news. You can contact us by email library.canterbury@canterbury.ac.uk or call us on 01227 782352.

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SUNCAT would very much like to thank Ian for introducing the library and its journal collection. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact us at suncat@ed.ac.uk.

SUNCAT welcomes the Scottish National Portrait Gallery!

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The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is SUNCAT’s newest Contributing Library. We invited Becky Howell, the Librarian at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, to say a few words.

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The library at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is one of the three libraries held across the National Galleries of Scotland. The library holdings, including our journal collections, cover a large range of topics, including portraiture, art history, Scottish history and biography, and photography. Our collection is used primarily by our curatorial staff, but we also welcome visitors to use our resources in our reading room. We are open to anyone wanting to do research at any level, and have archive material and a large collection of prints, drawings and photographs that can also be consulted.

The library is a Victorian balcony library, and was moved during the Portrait Gallery’s renovations during 2008-2011. It was previously located on the opposite side of the building, but the library in its entirety, including the shelves and cupboards, was dismantled and then rebuilt in its current location. The reading room is located within the library, but there is also a public area where visitors can look at some of our object collection while enjoying the space.

 

SUNCAT welcomes the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow!

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The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow is SUNCAT’s newest Contributing Library. We invited Andrew McAinsh, Collections Manager at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, to write a few words about the library and its collections.

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The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow was founded in 1599 by the Scottish surgeon Peter Lowe and his compatriots, Robert Hamilton (a physician) and William Spang (an apothecary). More than four centuries later, the College remains the only multidisciplinary Royal College in the UK. We provide career support, education, training, examination and assessment to Fellows and Members around the world, including physicians, surgeons, dentists, and practitioners of travel medicine and podiatric medicine.

Photograph showing the interior of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Library

Interior of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Library Reading Room. (© Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow)

The College library was established around 1698, and our collections have grown steadily over the past 320 years to include everything from incunabula (books printed before 1501) to newly published textbooks and exam guides. The collection is particularly strong in medical and surgical publications of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and this is reflected in the journal holdings we have recently added to SUNCAT.

The Library is open to members of the College on weekdays from 9am to 5pm. Members of the public are also welcome to visit by appointment. Our library is a treasure trove of research resources for anybody with an interest in current medical practice, the history of medicine, and the history of Glasgow and the West of Scotland. We also have a range of resources for family history researchers, and can help you to trace your medical ancestors.

Photograph of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Library Store

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Library Store. (© Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow)

Beyond the library, our archive collections include the historical records of the College, and over 120 donated collections relating to Scottish medical societies and former College members. We are also an accredited museum, and our object collection includes thousands of medical instruments from the 18th to the 21st centuries as well as a diverse collection of paintings and other artworks.

We’re working hard to digitise items from our heritage collections, and lots of our objects, archives and rare books can already be viewed online. Check out our website at http://heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk and follow us on twitter @rcpsgheritage for the latest information on our collections and events. If you’d like to arrange a visit you can contact us by email (library@rcpsg.ac.uk) or telephone (0141 221 6072).

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SUNCAT would very much like to thank Andrew for introducing the library and its journal collection. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact us at suncat@ed.ac.uk.

The Geological Society of London – SUNCAT’s newest Contributing Library

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SUNCAT would like to welcome our newest Contributing Library, the Geological Society of London. The Geological Society is a not-for-profit organisation, and registered charity, founded in 1807. Its aims are to improve knowledge and understanding of the Earth, to promote Earth science education and awareness, and to promote professional excellence and ethical standards in the work of Earth scientists, for the public good.

We invited Eileen Jamieson, Serials and Information Librarian at the Geological Society, to write a few words about the library and its serials collection.

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Photograph showing the interior of the Geological Society Library.

Interior of the Geological Society Library. (© Geological Society)

The Geological Society Library is more than 200 years old and is currently based in Burlington House, Piccadilly. It contains over 300,000 volumes of books and serials and 40,000 maps, making it a collection of national importance covering all aspects of the geological sciences. The Library holds a collection of over 4,500 serial titles from all over the world. In addition to modern major journals, our collection includes many obscure or old journals. We also have several (mostly older) series that are not exclusively geological. More information about the Library and it’s collections is available on our website at https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/library.

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SUNCAT would like to thank Eileen for introducing the library and its journal collection. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact us at suncat@ed.ac.uk.

Welcome to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David!

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SUNCAT is very pleased to announce that the University of Wales Trinity Saint David has become our newest Contributing Library. This is the sixth Welsh institution to join SUNCAT. We invited John Dalling, Head of Collections, to write a few words about the University’s Library and Learning Resources service and its collections.

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The exterior of Carmarthen Campus Library

Carmarthen Campus Library. (© UWTSD)

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) was formed in November 2010 through the merger of the University of Wales Lampeter and Trinity University College Carmarthen, under Lampeter’s Royal Charter of 1828. On the 1 August 2013, Swansea Metropolitan University became part of UWTSD.  The University’s main campuses are situated in various locations in and around Swansea’s city centre as well as in the rural towns of Lampeter and Carmarthen in South West Wales.

Interior of the Carmarthen Campus Library.

Interior of the Carmarthen Campus Library. (© UWTSD)

UWTSD Library and Learning Resources has seven campus libraries in Carmarthen, Lampeter, Swansea and London, which include a collection of over 500,000 printed volumes and provide access to approximately 20,000 electronic books and 50,000 electronic journals.  The University’s special collections are held in the Roderic Bowen Library and Archives at Lampeter, which include over 35,000 printed works, featuring several medieval and post-medieval manuscripts.

Library_interior

Library interior. (© UWTSD)

Our libraries support programmes of study and research covering a wide range of subject areas, with particular strengths in education, humanities, art and design, architecture, engineering, and business.  The University subscribes to approximately 500 individual journals and holds archives for many more titles including a number in the Welsh language and of local interest to South and West Wales.  In addition, we also provide access to many more journals electronically through subscription packages.

We are delighted to be able to contribute our holdings to SUNCAT and hope that widening access to our periodical collections will prove beneficial to researchers throughout Wales and the whole of the UK.

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SUNCAT would like to thank John for introducing UWTSD Library and Learning Resources and its journal collection. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact us at suncat@ed.ac.uk.

SUNCAT welcomes the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

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SUNCAT would like to welcome a new Contributing Library, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, which has a well-resourced medical and surgical library, with all the latest in texts, journals and electronic resources and a wealth of fascinating historical stock dating from the 15th century to the present.

We invited Aaron Fleming, Library and Archive Assistant at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, to write a few words about the library and its collections.

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The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is the oldest and largest of the UK surgical Royal Colleges, and one of the largest of all the UK medical Royal Colleges. First incorporated as the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1505, the College has been at the vanguard of surgical innovation and developments for over 500 years.

The Lister Fellows Room in the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

The Lister Fellows Room, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. (© Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh)

The Library supports the research and information needs of the College’s membership, a global network of over 24,000 surgeons in over 100 countries. Housed in the renowned Playfair Building since 1832, it maintains a vast and important surgical, medical and historical collection, ranging from rare books and journals, to the Minute Books of the College which provide a continuous record of the institution from 1581. Among the rare books are a copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle dated 1493, two Books of Hours dated 1450 and 1490, and a first edition of William Harvey’s Exercitatio anatomica de motu cordis from 1628.

The Library holds over 600 journals. In addition to 50 current print subscriptions, there are complete runs of medical journals going back as far as the eighteenth century. These constitute a vital snapshot of the development of the surgical and medical professions and are bound and preserved in our designated basement store. New roller storage was installed in 2015 and this has ensured that the stock is preserved in a suitable environment.

It is hoped that the Library’s inclusion on SUNCAT will widen access to the collection for academics and researchers. For more information about the library, please visit https://library.rcsed.ac.uk or email library@rcsed.ac.uk.

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SUNCAT would like to thank Aaron for introducing the library and its journal collection. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact us at suncat@ed.ac.uk.

Welcome to SUNCAT’s newest Contributing Library – the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

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SUNCAT is very pleased to announce the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service as our newest Contributing Library. It is a welcome addition to the 42 specialist libraries already in SUNCAT. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is the specialist provider of safe high quality blood, tissues and cells products and services in Scotland.

We invited June MacLeod, Clinical and Scientific Information Manager at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service Library, to write a few words about the library and its collections.

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In November 2008 the Edinburgh and South East Scotland Blood Transfusion Centre Library moved to a new site and was amalgamated with the Protein Fractionation Centre Library.  The library is now called the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service Library.

The library is a specialist library for transfusion medicine and consists of about 1000 archive books, some dating from the 1930s, pamphlets, staff publications, theses, American Association of Blood Banks information and Council of Europe documents.

The library is also a specialist library for protein fractionation, pharmaceutical manufacturing, plasma fractionation and engineering.  It consists of books, videos, British Standards, European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products publications, Food and Drug Administration publications, Government Acts, Health and Safety publications, Medicines Act leaflets and almost 1000 Research and Development Reports.

The library holds 99 journals and newsletters, 16 of which are current.  The manufacture of the pharmaceutical products ceased in December 2007 so the majority of the pharmaceutical, engineering and laboratory journals are archive closed runs.

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SUNCAT would like to thank June for writing this post. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact the EDINA Helpdesk at edina@ed.ac.uk.

SUNCAT welcomes Truro & Penwith College – our first FE Contributing Library!

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SUNCAT is very pleased to announce that Truro & Penwith College has become our first Further Education Contributing Library! This takes the total number of libraries in SUNCAT to 109, plus the CONSER database, ISSN register and Directory of Open Access Journals.

Truro & Penwith College, who recently maintained their outstanding Ofsted rating, offers access to a diverse range of educational choices, supported by outstanding resources and purpose-built facilities from their campuses in Truro and Penzance. There is a wide number of courses available across many qualification types and levels, from traditionally ‘academic’ A Levels and Degrees to Apprenticeships, vocational courses and business training.

The College has Learning Centres located on both campuses and they offer learning environments for quiet work and group work with access to support from experienced staff, as well as being the hub for the provision of a wide range of physical and on-line resources.

If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact the EDINA Helpdesk at edina@ed.ac.uk

SUNCAT welcomes Lambeth Palace Library!

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SUNCAT is very pleased to announce that Lambeth Palace Library has become our newest Contributing Library. The library is situated on the south side of the River Thames, in Lambeth, London. Just over 3000 of its serial records have been loaded into the service. This takes the total number of libraries in SUNCAT to 108, plus the CONSER database, ISSN register and Directory of Open Access Journals.

We invited Hugh Cahill, Senior Librarian at Lambeth Palace Library, to write a few words about the library and its collections.

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Lambeth Palace Library is the historic library and record office of the Archbishops of Canterbury and the principal repository of the documentary history of the Church of England. Its collections have been freely available for research since 1610.

The Great Hall, Lambeth Palace Library

The Great Hall, Lambeth Palace Library. (© Jonty Sexton , 2016)

The manuscripts and books held here date from the 9th century to the present day, and their broad scope reflects the office of Archbishop as head of the Province of Canterbury, his national and international roles in leading the Church of England and the Anglican Communion worldwide. James I described the Library as ‘a monument of fame’ in his kingdom.

The Library collects around 100 current journals. These relate mainly to the history of the Church of England rather than to theology but the Library also collects current journals of institutions of which it holds the archive, such as the Mothers’ Union and the Ecclesiastical Architects’ and Surveyors’ Association. Our historical journals date from the 17th c. onwards with titles such as The Gentleman’s Journal, Journal de Hambourg, and Histoire des Ouvrages des Sçavans.

The Library also holds large numbers of diocesan and parish magazines /newsletters from the 19th c. onward. With around 16,000 parishes in England no such collection can be truly comprehensive but we have an extensive sample that is representative both geographically and chronologically. The Library also holds periodicals on social issues of interest to the Church such as temperance, with runs of titles like Temperance Action Songs, The Church of England Temperance Magazine, and The Band of Hope Chronicle. Missionary magazines and reports of missionary societies are also well represented in the collection with title such as Mission Life and The Colonial Church Chronicle and Missionary Journal. Another subject area covered by the collections is relations of the Church of England with other Christian denominations worldwide, meaning that we have journals/periodicals in Greek, Russian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Spanish, Swedish and Italian.

By joining SUNCAT it is hoped that that the diverse periodical collections at Lambeth Palace Library will become better known and better used.

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SUNCAT would like to thank Hugh for writing this post. If you would like to write a post on your SUNCAT Contributing Library and its serials collections or would like to join SUNCAT please contact the EDINA Helpdesk at edina@ed.ac.uk.