Selected Archive of Events
Details of some of the events organised in the past by the Rare Book Group.
2007 Events
DCRM(B) Training
Senate House Library, University of London: 22nd December 2007 & National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, 23rd January 2008
The UK Bibliographic Standards Committee of the CILIP Rare Books Group held two training sessions on the newly updated cataloguing rules - Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Books) or (DCRM(B), published in 2007. The training sessions were aimed at those acquainted with the previous Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Books (DCRB), and focussed on the differences between the old set of rules and the new.
Annual Study Conference
Imagining the text? The role of images in printed books
Wellcome Library, London: 12-14 September
The conference examined the role of illustrations in printed books from the 16th century to the present day, from woodcuts to photographs. Visits and workshops were held at the British Library, National Art Library, British Architectural Library and the Wellcome Library and the conference reception and dinner was held at the Royal Society.
Click on link above to see some photographs from the conference.
Summer visit to Canterbury Cathedral Library
6th July 2007
A free day out to the historic Library, Archives and Conservation Department of Canterbury Cathedral. Books have played an important role in the life of the Cathedral since its foundation in 597 by Saint Augustine. The Library’s core holdings (some 30,000 books and pamphlets printed before 1900) include the Howley-Harrison Collection and Elham and Preston Parish Libraries. The collections are particularly rich in books on church history, theology, travel, natural science, medicine and the anti-slavery movement and boasts fine examples of early English printing, fine bindings and Books of Hours. Record-keeping, too, has been a tradition at Canterbury Cathedral for over a thousand years and records in the Cathedral’s Archives date back to the 8th century.
2006 Events
Bindings Workshop
Prints and Drawings Study Room, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Monday 27th November 2006, 10.00 – 13.30
The CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group offered this practical hands-on workshop for members interested in finding out more about historic bindings. Our speakers tackled such questions as: Why are bindings important? How do you differentiate between sheepskin, calf and morocco? Are there any guidelines to dating historic bindings? How should you best handle and house books with fine bindings? What features should you pick out in a catalogue record? There were opportunities to handle and study examples of historic and fine bindings from the collections of the V&A’s National Art Library. The workshop was aimed to coincide with the publication of a new guide, Understanding and caring for bookbindings, due to be published by the National Preservation Office later in 2006.
2005 Events
Annual Study Conference
Whose book was it anyway? Book ownership and provenance
New Hall College, Cambridge: 7-9 September
The 2005 Rare Books Group residential conference addressed issues connected with the growing interest in provenance research, relevant for all those engaged in working with rare books or with helping readers trace ownership. Participants also had the opportunity to visit Ickworth, Suffolk, and various libraries within the University of Cambridge not normally accessible to the public in support of the themes discussed.
Click on link above to see some photographs from the conference.
2004 Events
Annual Study Conference
Rare Book Futures: Curating Collections in the 21st Century
University of Sussex, near Brighton: 1-3 September
This conference focused on the wide range of managerial and technical skills rare book librarians need to bring collections to life in the 21st century. The conference helped delegates consider and develop a “toolkit” of relevant skills, including acquisition and disposal; publicity and marketing; intellectual property; widening access, and fundraising. A combination of plenary sessions and a range of workshops enabled delegates to learn from the expertise of others and to discuss issues arising from their own experience.
The 2004 conference was very successful (and sunny!) and feedback from delegates was generally very positive.
If you have any further thoughts about our training events, we would like to hear them - especially regarding any of the training workshops provided. Which of these did you enjoy most? Would it be useful to repeat any of them (perhaps on separate training days)? Was there any training topic that was not covered that you would like us to organise a workshop/seminar on?
Updated: 14 March 2008