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Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

College Library, Library Committee and successors

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 1538 RCOG/B6

Held at: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Title: College Library, Library Committee and successors

Date(s): 1926-2006

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 8 boxes and 5 volumes

Name of creator(s): Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The establishment featured in the early vision for the College. In April 1933, A E Giles (1864-1936) was elected as the first Honorary Librarian and a Library Committee was formed. Giles became Resident Librarian in 1937. After the Second World War this post was discontinued, and in 1946 W J Bishop (1903- 1961) became part-time librarian (later Consultant Librarian). Hitherto the collection had been primarily historical, but when the College moved to new purpose-built premises in 1960, the Library was an important element in the design of the new building and it extended its activities to cover current literature in the specialty. Grant funding from the Wellcome Trust enabled major developments in the 1960s and in 1970 the Library premises were further extended. Meanwhile, the rare book collections continued to grow. Notable donors included Roy Samuel Dobbin (1873-1939), Sir Eardley Holland (1879-1967), and Miles Phillips (1875-1965). In 2000, the Library Committee changed its name to become the Information Services Committee in order to reflect the developing activities of the Library in this area. In 2001 it assumed additional responsibilities with regard to Information Technology and the College website from the previous Information Technology Committee and Website Working Group. In the same year, the Library became the major constituent, along with the College Archives, of a new department, the Information Services Department. The Information Services Committee met for the last time in March 2003. The Information Services Department continued to function, reporting to Services Board, and in 2005 acquired responsibility for the College web-site.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' Library, Library Committee and successors, 1926-2006. This series mainly comprises papers of the College Librarian relating to acquisitions, gifts and Library administration. Also included are Library (later Information Services Committee) minutes and papers, 1961-2003.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

As set out above in Scope and Content.

Conditions governing access:

Open, although restrictions apply for items containing personal information.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

RCOG/B3/2 have been indexed and the names of successful candidates will be found in the Index to the Guide to the College Archives.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

In 1999 a Disposal Agreement (DA/5) was made between the Administration Department and the College Archives to destroy unsuccessful applications.

Accruals:

No further accruals expected.

Archival history:

In 1985 a collection of papers concerning the elevation to Honorary Fellowship, Fellowship Ad Eundem, and Fellowship without Membership were found in a storeroom; these were all retained permanently and are at B3/2. Later records were transferred at various times by the Fellowship Selection Committee secretary. The minutes at B3/5 were transferred in 2003 by the Membership Services Department. In 2007 it was decided to move much of this fonds to A12.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Records are transferred by the Committee Secretary. B4/5 was transferred by the President's Office with a batch of files in 1994.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Copy minutes of the Library Committee are at MR17 (1934-1961) and MR20 (1961-1973).

Related material:

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Imported from the RCOG catalogue and edited by Sarah Drewery.