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Unites librarians responsible for collections
of rare books, manuscripts and special materials, with other interested individuals. RBG
promotes the study and exploitation of rare books, fosters awareness of preservation and
conservation issues and is involved in the maintenance and display of collections.
Three or four times a year, a talk and accompanying exhibition or library visit are held
in different parts of the country to cater for a geographically diverse membership. These
meetings attract an international audience, particularly to the well-attended residential
study conference held annually in the second week of September.
The Group liaises with others in related areas and organisations such as the Antiquarian
Booksellers Association with whom it produced advice on Theft of Books and Manuscripts
from Libraries and Bookshops. The Group gathers and disseminates information about
rare book holdings and current acquisition policies, exemplified by a major co- operative
effort to map the holdings of rare books and special collections throughout the United
Kingdom and Ireland. This project culminated in 1997 with the publication of the second
edition of The Directory of Rare Book and Special Collections (ed. Bloomfield, LA
Publishing).
The Group is involved in the revision of the MARC fields for rare books and recently
published Guidelines for the Cataloguing of Rare Books (ed. Hillyard &
Pearson, RBG 1997).
The Rare Books Newsletter includes articles, news and reviews, as well as the
text of many papers delivered at Group meetings. It is distributed free to Group members
and by subscription to other interested individuals and institutions (£16 for the UK and
Europe and £22 outside Europe). Subscription enquiries with cheques payable to The
Library Association Rare Books Group should be sent to the Editor, Richard
Ovenden, Special Collections Librarian, Edinburgh university Library,
George Square EDINBURGH EH8 9LJ.
Tel: 0131 650 3412 Fax: 0131 650 6863
E-mail: richard.ovenden@ed.ac.uk
Chair: Dr Timothy Hobbs, Librarian,
University of Leicester, PO box 248, Leicester LE1 9QD Tel: 0116 252
2031 Fax 0116 252 2066
Hon Secretary: Miss Yvonne Lewis MA Tel/Fax: 01344 862794
Email: yvonnel@easynet.co.uk
Editor, Rare Books Newsletter: Nigel
Roche, Deputy Librarian, St Bride
Printing Library, London Tel:
(020) 7353 4660 E-mail: nigel.roche@corpoflondon.gov.uk
Periodical: Rare Books
Newsletter 3 issues per annum
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