The Newsletter of the Library History Group of the Library Association: No. 1-7, 1962/3 to 1966
Surviving copies of these newsletters have been scanned and OCRed, with the correction of minor misprints, to give a contemporary picture of the earliest days of the Library History group. As explained in no. 7, the Newsletter was replaced in 1967 by the twice-yearly journal 'Library History', which continues today. Later series of newsletters began publication twenty years later.
The first issue was published in late 1962 or early 1963. In view of its historical interest the stencilled typescript format, line-lengths etc. have been reproduced exactly. Later issues were produced (probably) on a Varityper and printed by offset lithography and such quasi-facsimile does not seem justified!
One or two historical notes may be helpful to those of later generations. 'Chaucer House' was the then headquarters building of the Library Association in Malet Place, adjoining the original building of the National Central Library (it later became the D.M.S. Watson Library of University College London).
'Mr Plumb' refers to Philip Plumb, at the time librarian of the Library Association (its library was later taken over by the British Library and formed the basis of the erstwhile British Library Information Science Service (BLISS), which was absorbed into the main collections when the British Library moved to Euston Road.)
Prices are of course given in pre-decimal form, with 12 pence to the shilling and 20 shillings to the pound. Prices such as 3/6 or 42/- are therefore to be read as 'three shillings and sixpence' and 'two pounds two shillings [or two guineas]' respectively. Post-decimal equivalents would be 17½p and £2.10.
Peter Hoare
Newsletter No 1 Newsletter No 2 Newsletter No 3 Newsletter No 4 Newsletter No 5 Newsletter No 6 Newsletter No 7
Updated: 20 November 2006