The Sydney Public Library began as the Australian Subscription Library and Reading Room which opened in Sydney on December 1, 1827, with 1,000 volumes. The Municipal Council of Sydney took possession of the library in 1909. The library evolved from a closed access, fixed shelf position library to an open access system in 1910. A complete…

Traces historical development of the John M. Wing foundation on the History of Printing beginning with its benefactor, John M. Wing, through the contributions of its custodians: Pierce Butler, 1920-31; Ernst F. Detterer, 1931-47; and James M. Wells, 1951-84. Focus is on the formulation and application of the collecting policy. (75 references)…

The Editing, Photoduplicating, and Distributing of the Research Library Catalogue of Boston Public Library Project, which is described in this report, was supported by grants awarded under the Strengthening Research Library Resources Program, Title II-C of the Higher Education Act of 1965 administered by the Office of Libraries and Learning…

Describes development of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, which opened in 1913, including the history of its research library. Library collections in support of biology and history and services to curatorial staff and other users are discussed. Director, collection and staff size, and main subjects collected are noted. (EJS)

A branch of Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the National Air and Space Museum Library provides materials and services to support research programs of National Air and Space Museum. Brief histories of museum and its library and summary of museum programs provide background for overview of current library users, resources, and services.…

Argues that the Museum of Comparative Zoology Library reflects the union between the nineteenth century natural history values of Louis Agassiz and the twentieth century library and information science methodology. Special collections, records, cataloging and classification, serials and their classification, policies, services, and procedures are…

This essay outlines the development, present condition, and future direction of the 20,000-volume Polish research collection at Alliance College, located in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. Alliance College was founded in 1912 by the Polish National Alliance (PNA), a life insurance fraternal organization. In 1931 its entire library collection was…

This history of the Library of the Deutsches Museum (Munich, Germany) covers the library's situation at end of the nineteenth century, library collections and buildings, use of the library for research, the rare book collection, and service statistics. Library director, collection and staff size, and main subjects collected are included. (EJS)

Subject concentration in the National Museum of American History Branch Library, a part of Smithsonian Institution Libraries system, is in the history of science and technology and American history, with emphasis on material culture and on documenting and servicing the museum's collections. Special collections include trade literature and…

This report provides a review of Bulgaria's history as it relates to library collections, and describes the current state of preservation activities at key institutions. The discussion includes: the political history of Bulgaria and its library collections; the Soviet state and its aftermath; economic constraints; decentralization of Bulgaria's…

Intended to contribute to a better understanding of research library development in the United States, this report describes the history of the development of the library of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin from 1904 to 1918. It is based on records of the relationships between three principals--John R. Commons and Richard T. Ely (members…

Description of the rapid growth and development of Texas A&M's Sterling C. Evans Library during the past decade focuses on collection growth to over 1.4 million volumes, staffing increases, automated programs and services including over 100 microcomputers for computer-assisted instruction housed in Learning Resources Department, and online…