Book history and typographical punches
If you are curious about the history of typographical punches this project may shed some light on their use in historic book production. This project from the UK is called ‘Small performances’ and investigates the typographic punches of John Baskerville (1707–75). Baskerville Punches This page from the University of Cambridge includes a history of these punches, thier use and links to images of the collection.
Is it history or is it hoarding?
A great podcast which explores the history of the collections held by one of Australia’s oldest libraries. Journalist Annabel Crabb asks us to consider if these collections are history or hoarding in a multi-episode deep dive into the story of the State Library of New South Wales. History Or Hoarding? With Annabel Crabb
A glimpse into a 1950s library
Step back in time and have a look at this wonderful film from Libraries Tasmania about library services in Tasmania (Australia) in the 1950s. It includes a glimpse at the Archives, Children’s Library Bookmobile, book repairs, book processing, microfilm, librarian training, school libraries and more about all the library had to offer. Enjoy! For All Who Read.
The Liberty to Read:A history of libraries in Trafford in the UK
This is a lovely page from the UK outlining a brief history of each of the libraries in the Trafford network, a project which is part of the annual Manchester festival of libraries. The liberty to read. Over the years the festival has recorded some wonderful insights into Manchester’s historic libraries including three of my favourites the John Rylands library , Chetham’s library and the Portico library. . Great to explore.
The Australian Museum turns 190
A short video to mark the 190th birthday of the research library of the Australian Museum in Sydney, Australia. The video shows not only some favourites from its collection but shows a comprehensive history of the library and its collection from an unpublished thesis. See the Video. If you want to learn more about the library and its history have a look here: History of the library
LIS Education Internationalisation Webinar series: Webinar 2
Topic: The Vatican Apostolic Library’s Pivotal Role in the Birth and Early Years of IFLA
Speaker: Raffaella Vincenti When: 22 June 2026 at 15:00 CET Where: Online
Description: The IFLA Library History SIG, invites you to the second of its Library Information Science (LIS) Education Internationalisation Webinar Series. This Webinar, presented in the context of the IFLA Centenary, explores the extraordinary role the Vatican Apostolic Library played in founding and in the early years of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). The Library’s reorganization in the 1920s, largely funded by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was a major catalyst for international cooperation. This project brought together American experts and European leaders who were simultaneously working to establish IFLA. The event will specifically highlight the collaboration between the Vatican Apostolic Library and IFLA’s first two presidents, Isak G.A. Collijn and William Warner Bishop. Both were hosted by the Library while engaged in the project for its reorganization between 1928 and 1929. This historical perspective contributes high scientific and symbolic value to the IFLA Centenary celebrations, emphasizing the deep connection between the Library’s tradition and the evolution of international library education.
Registration and Further Details: https://www.ifla.org/events/library-information-science-lis-education-internationalisation-webinar-series-webinar-2/
Lecture: Friends of the Bodleian Annual Lecture // Richard Ovenden: Defending Knowledge: Why Libraries Matter.
Listen to Richard Ovenden OBE, Bodley’s Librarian, as he explores the deliberate destruction of knowledge throughout history and its urgent relevance today.Drawing from his acclaimed book Burning the Books: A History of Knowledge Under Attack, Richard disusses how libraries, librarians, and archivists bear the profound responsibility of preserving and transparently sharing information, and their critical role in safeguarding knowledge for future generations.“Why are books destroyed? It’s about control—controlling knowledge to control societies, to control the way people behave, the way people think, the way people spend money.”(Richard Ovenden). https://youtu.be/TlKBAYH1KAc?si=D0BAYNzWBcsaV0pE
Upcoming in 2026
Coventry’s Lost Library: Exhibition 3 September 2025 10.00am – 1 September 2026 4.00pm.
Find out about Coventry’s old school library, founded more than 450 years ago! See a magnificent medieval manuscript and discover what a Tudor schoolchild would have been reading.
Herbert Art Gallery & MuseumJordan Well, Coventry
Institute of English Studies: Upcoming Events
Early Modern Cultures of Reading in North West England: Case Studies from the collection of Chetham’s Library 2nd June 2026 https://ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/events/early-modern-cultures-reading-north-west-england-case-studies-collection-chethams-library
What is Library History? What is Information History? IFLA WLIC 2026 Satellite Meeting
The IFLA Library Theory and Research Section and the Library History Special Interest Group call for presentations for the Satellite Meeting hosted by the Pusan National University of the Republic of Korea in Busan, Korea, on 7th August (morning) 2026. Deadline for submission of proposals: 29 May 2026
Celebrating a 200 year long history: The State Library of New South Wales, Australia
Learn a little about the history of the State Library of New South Wales from Mitchell librarian Richard Neville as the library celebrates 200 hundred years of library service https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/shorter-history-state-library-nsw. You can find a little more about the foundation of the Mitchell collection here https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/research-and-collections/about-collections/david-scott-mitchell-collection.Richard has also authored The Library That Made Me: 200 Years of the State Library of NSW in celebration of this milestone. If you are not familiar with the library here is a little more information about its collections https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/200-years-on-display Or maybe you would like to learn a little about the ghosts that haunt the library https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/ghosts-collection !
Library History SIG Satellite Meeting Papers (2023)
A treasure trove of library history scholarship!! Check below for the prepublication prints resulting from the most recent IFLA WLIC 2023 Library History SIG satellite meeting held in Mons, headquarters of the Mundaneum:
Bertram, C. (2024). Preserving the history of the American Library Association. IFLA Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352241246445
Black, A. (2024). Memory and amnesia in the archival practices of national library and information associations. IFLA Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352241236733
Carroll, M., Garrison, K., Oddone, K., & Wakeling, S. (2024). School libraries in Australia: A preliminary analysis of the Knowledge Bank of Australian and New Zealand School Libraries. IFLA Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352241246442
Lor, P. J. (2024). Librarianship and bibliography in the international arena: The Subcommittee for Bibliography of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, 1922–1930. IFLA Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352241236718
Lor, P. J. (2024). Published sources and themes for the historiography of IFLA. IFLA Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352241236731
Schachter, D., & Millward, D. (2024). An oral history of the rise and fall of a newspaper library: The Vancouver Sun and Vancouver Province newspaper library, 1968–2012. IFLA Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352241236730
Many thanks to Blog Committee member Dr. Mary Carroll for alerting us to these papers!
Were you able to attend the IFLA WLIC 2023 Library History SIG satellite meeting ? If so, please consider submitting your reflections to the blog: lhrtnewsandnotes@gmail.com
Podcasts and blogs to get you thinking
A few podcasts and blogs to ease you in to the history of libraries in Australia and to explore libraries in that part of the world a little further.
Archives Fever https://www.archivefeverpod.com/
Libraries Research Group blog
A reflection of the origins of Australian public libraries https://librariesresearchgroup.csu.domains/blog/2021/12/17/a-reflection-on-the-origins-of-australian-public-libraries/
Australian public libraries by design https://librariesresearchgroup.csu.domains/blog/2022/02/08/australian-public-libraries-by-design/
SICS Radio https://2mce.org/podcastfilter/sics-radio/
“The Bodleian Libraries Unlocked”
Even though Britain is back in lockdown, the Bodleian Library in historic Oxford is still finding ways to inspire others and share knowledge through “The Bodleian Libraries Unlocked.” For every day of Britian’s national lockdown, the library will post creative, unique, and fun content relating to the library and its collection.
Follow #BodUnlocked on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to explore what the Bodleian has to offer. https://www.facebook.com/bodleianlibraries/
Always controversial-New Zealand National library to deaccession 600000 ‘old’ non New Zealand books.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/11/i-literally-weep-anguish-as-new-zealands-national-library-culls-600000-books
Interesting new book on Merton College library, Oxford, UK
An interesting history of Europes’s oldest academic library- Merton College Library, Oxford established in the 13th century.
https://bodleianshop.co.uk/products/merton-college-library?variant=30270924750907
The Bibliographic Society of Australia and New Zealand will be hosting its annual conference in late November and Early December 2020. Due to the current pandemic alert in Australia this conference will be held virtually and attendance virtually will be FREE! More details can be found here https://sites.google.com/view/bsanz-conference-2020/home
Shadow signs and remnants:Hygenic Libraries
A small collection of links to some posts on the remnants of some early 20th century hygenic libraries.
Girdwood’s Hygenic library https://historicalragbag.com/2020/03/28/hygienic-libraries/
Deakin University’s Special collections https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/article/hygienic-libraries/
Sam Merrifield Library, Community Heritage Collection http://timetravellers.pbworks.com/w/page/98537676/Libraries-Hygienic-Public-Circulating
‘Choose your author as you would choose your friend’ http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-40/latrobe-40-077.html
Print History
If you have an interest in international print history here are two great resources to keep you busy. From the Rarebookdetetctive https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallatango/albums and a great infographic on The Largest Print Centres Through Time (1450-1650) https://pwrb.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/off-to-the-bar-chart-races-the-largest-print-centres-through-time-1450-1650/
Renovating a historic library for the 21st century
The State Library of Victoria, Australia has just undergone a huge renovation to its 1850’s building. See what you think.
History of Libraries in Canada Project Call for papers
A History of Libraries in Canada. Papers and essays in English or French on any and all aspects of library history in Canada and in its predecessors with the hope of a useful reference tool for future studies in this field and with a view to putting out a book on the subject in 2020.Please send a summary of what you wish to work on, or have already completed, and the length and some biographical information about yourself.It can be on such subject areas as Public Libraries, Provincial Libraries Government and Legislative, Libraries during times of crisis or war, travelling libraries, floating libraries, Libraries that burned down, Libraries as Culture centers, etc. .Contact:Ross Gordon Rgordon2@uottawa.ca
Winners of the CILIP Library History Essay Award have just been announced. The CILIP Library and Information History Group’s Library History Essay Award is an annual prize for the best essay on library history published in, or pertaining to, the British Isles.
Winner
Sophie Defrance, ‘“He Was Always Fond of Books”: John Couch Adams’s Genesis as an Academic Collector’, in A. Bautz and J. Gregory (eds), Libraries, Books, and Collectors of Texts, 1600-1900 (Routledge, 2018), ch. 7, pp. 119–36.
Highly Commended
Karen Attar, ‘Folios in Context: Collecting Shakespeare at the University of London’, The Library, 7th series, vol. 19, no. 1 (March 2018), pp. 39–62.
Programme and registration for the 2019 Melbourne Conference Traditions & Innovations:Readers,Books and Libraries are now available. https://sites.google.com/monash.edu/2019bsanzalhfconference/home
Historic Libraries Forum, UK
Some of you may be interested in the activities of the Historic Libraries Forum found at https://historiclibrariesforum.com/
In Sunny Queensland
Public libraries in Australia often were not established until the 1950s with many town reliant on their Mechanics’ Institutes and Schools’ of Arts. This link tells the story of one such service in the Gold Coast, Queensland. Some great pictures and if you know how to say Coolangatta the story sounds even better! http://www.goldcoaststories.com.au/libraries-on-the-gold-coast/
Rare book Week concludes in Melbourne, Australia
The Melbourne Rare Book Week is an annual event which brings together bibliophiles, librarians, book collectors and those who love beautiful things. It includes a Rare Book Fair and a serous of activities, lectures and professional development activities. If you are curious have a look what was on offer this year in the programme section. Maybe it will wet your appetite for the future. http://www.rarebookweek.com/
The Australian Common Reader and the Exercise Book Archive
Two great resources online for those interested in the history of reading and education. The Exercise Book Archive is a participatory archive of old exercise books from all over the world. Anyone can contribute through the donation of old text books or volunteering to translate and transcribe the content of the exercise books. https://www.exercisebookarchive.org/about/
The Australian Common Reader is a database of the historic circulating records of five Mechanics’ Institute Libraries in small towns in Australia. If you don’t know much about these Institutes in Australia (a very different story to that in other countries) there are some great pictures here http://mivic.org.au/institutes.html . The Australian Common Reader provides an insight into the reading culture of the areas covered by the database through these historic circulation records. You can explore by occupation, gender, book title, author or borrower name. http://www.australiancommonreader.com/spotlight/australian-common-reader
Call for Papers
The Bibliographical Society of Australia and New Zealand (BSANZ) in collaboration with the Australian Library History Forum (ALHF) is calling for papers to be presented at their upcoming conference Tradition and Innovation: Readers, Books and Libraries . The conference will be held in the City of Melbourne, Australia. The dates for the conference are 28-29th November 2019 leading into the the Australian summer–an ideal way to end a year and escape to the warmth. Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, a UNESCO City of Literature and is home to the State Library of Victoria, founded in 1853 as one of the world’s first free public libraries.
The conference events will occur at the University of Melbourne, an institution founded by one of the driving forces behind the establishments of the State Library of Victoria, Sir Redmond Barry and at the Melbourne Museum. Details of the Call for Papers can be found at this address http://www.bsanz.org/conferences/upcoming-conference/ and proposals are due the 31st May 2019.
For those unfamiliar with the Australian Library History Forum some papers from a few of the previous forums can be found in the links below.
Libraries for the People: the 11th Australian Library History Forum at the State Library of NSW. and12th Australian Library History Forum held at the State Library of Queensland
International Library History Call for Papers
IFLA Library History:
The IFLA Library History group is to partner with the Section on Genealogy and Local History (Genloc) at the upcoming IFLA . Theme: “Local History Collections, Genealogy, and Oral History as Critical Information Services in Libraries”. The topics on offer are quite varied and include “history as told by and to librarians” and “library and cultural institutions as part of a community’s history”. You can find the CFPs here: https://2019.ifla.org/cfp-calls/local-history-and-genealogy-with-asia-and-oceania-and-library-history/ The deadline for abstracts submissions if March 31, 2019
CILIP Special Interest Group/Library & Information History Group: CILIP LIHG Conference 2019 Saturday 22nd June at The John Rylands Library, Manchester UK.
Call for Papers: Finding the women in library & information history. Call for 20 minute papers that address the gaps in the historical narrative and Celebrate women’s contribution to the professions. Topics could include; Female library founders and benefactors, the characterisation of female information professionals through time, female book collectors, learning networks, female library users, pioneering female librarians and any other aspect of library and information history relating to women. Please submit a 300 word proposal and a short biographical paragraph to jill.dye@imeche.org by Friday the 22nd March. pic.twitter.com/CcjlpObUM0
In honor of International Women’s Day 2019
March 8th is International Women’s day. Maggie Patton (manager Research and Discovery) from the State Library of New South Wales, Australia has taken this opportunity to celebrate the lives of four outstanding women who helped shaped the SLNSW and librarianship in Australia. These women were Nita Kibble, Jean Arnot, Phyliss Manders-Jones and the amazing Ida Leeson. To read a little more about these women check out Ms Patton’s post Women of the Library or follow this link https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/women-library
Latest Issue of IFLA Journal Volume 45 (March 2019) No. 1
For those interested in the the history of libraries internationally the latest Special Issue of the IFLA Journal (March 2019) with the theme Libraries in Times of Crisis edited by Steve Witt and Kerry Smith provides an opportunity to travel across the globe. The focus of this special issue is on exploring the role libraries have had in times of social and political upheaval in countries as diverse as the United States, the Philippines, Croatia, the West Indies and Romania.
The Library and Information History Group (UK) Library History Essay Award
Awarded as an annual prize for the best essay on library history either published in or pertaining to the British Isles the Library and Information History Group’s (UK) Library History Essay Award is currently open for nominations. Nominations close on the 30th June 2019. Details can be found at
https://www.cilip.org.uk/members/group_content_view.asp?group=201304&id=764175
The Library and Information History Group (UK) (CILIP) Calendar of events
For those of you who may intend travelling to the UK it may be worth while checking out the CILIP Calendar of events for the University of London seminar series on the History of Libraries. You will find the calendar here
https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/event_list.asp?show=&group=201304 Upcoming events include;
Tuesday 7 May at 5.30 p.m. in the Lecture Theatre of the Warburg Institute, Woburn Square, London, WC1H 0AB. Julian
Pooley (Surrey Heritage) will
speak on: `“Working tools almost daily in demand”: The Libraries of John
Nichols and His Family’.T
The final talk of the
current session will take place on Tuesday 4 June when Dr. Jean-Pascal Pouzet will
speak about the manuscripts in the library of Richard Holdsworth (1590-1649). This meeting will be held at Lambeth Palace
Library, London SE1 7JU. All are
welcome, but for security purposes those wishing to attend must send their
names in advance to melissa.harrison@churchofengland.org no later than
Friday 31 May.
Latest copy of the Historic Libraries Forum Newsletter now available online
The Spring Edition of the Historic Libraries Forum (UK) Bulletin is now available online at
https://historiclibrariesforum.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/historic-libraries-forum-bulletin-44-april-2019.pdf . Some things of interest are: the Répertoire International des Sources Musicales/International Inventory of Musical Sources , an international project that aims to describe and document historical musical sources worldwide https://opac.rism.info.; the CALCA: CATHEDRAL ARCHIVES, LIBRARIES AND COLLECTIONS ASSOCIATION Triennial Conference, Salisbury Cathedral, 12-14 June 2019 https://cathedrallibrariesandarchives.wordpress.com/events/; the INDEPENDENT LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION annual conference https://www.independentlibraries.co.uk/annual-meeting and UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON symposium on ‘Seventeenth-century libraries: problems and perspectives’ https://www.ucl.ac.uk/early-modern/events/2019/jun/seventeenth-century-libraries-problems-perspectives
Student bursaries for BSANZ/ALHF 2019 Conference
BSANZ/ALHF encourages the participation of postgraduate students in their conferences through student bursaries. Please indicate your interest when submitting your proposal, and include a brief budget outlining your anticipated travel costs. Applications are approved at the discretion of the BSANZ/ALHF Conference Committee, and must adhere to the following guidelines. All amounts are in Australian dollars.
1. The student must be a financial member of BSANZ at the time of the conference for which the assistance is sought.
2. Proof of enrolment status must be included with your application, e.g. a letter from your supervisor.
3. An amount of not more than AUD 2,000 is requested.
4. The student must present a full or work-in-progress paper at the conference, and submit a paper for peer-review and possible publication to BSANZ’s journal Script and Print.
Conference Website https://www.bsanz.org/conferences/ and membership information https://www.bsanz.org/membership/