| Description | The records of the RCS, from its foundation as the Colonial Society in 1868 until approximately 1990-1993, form part of the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) Library collection, which since 1997 has belonged to Cambridge University Library. It moved to Cambridge in 1993. More information on the history of the Society and its collections is provided on the Cambridge University Library website. The records of the Society include its Charter and rules, minute books, special committee files (e.g. on Migration, Education, and its Library), Library accessions books, letter books, correspondence files, subscription and membership records, portrait photographs of Fellows (1882-1920s), AGM records, annual reports, Appeal correspondence, records of Empire Day and Commonwealth Day celebrations, records of tours, such as School Empire Tours, records of the Society's war-time activities, records of local and international branches, records of its Masonic Lodge, records of Commonwealth Arts Festivals, plans and records relating to its headquarters building and furnishings, essay competition entries, records relating to lectures, talks and social events held at the Society and approximately 2000 photographs of the Society's London building, people and events. The RCS Library collection holds sets of the periodicals published by the Society, namely Proceedings of the Royal Colonial Institute, Journal of the Royal Colonial Institute, United Empire, Journal of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Commonwealth Journal and Library Notes. The 2000 photographs are currently being catalogued and descriptive records will appear on Janus, the Cambridge archives portal, where catalogue records for hundreds of other manuscript and photographic collections forming the RCS Library may also be searched and browsed. Catalogue records for published materials - books, pamphlets, periodicals and official publications - are being added to Newton, the University's online public access catalogue. Both projects are on-going with new records being added each month. Links to and More information about these catalogues.
The administrative records of the Society are currently closed, awaiting cataloguing. However, a three year project to enhance their preservation and increase access to them is planned and is likely to start towards the end of 2007.
(information sent by the Royal Commonwealth Society Library). |
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