3. Library - Periodicals

Range, scope and location

The society has an extensive range of publications in English and foreign languages, extending from the nineteenth century to date. The majority of British philatelic periodicals are held, mostly in complete runs, along with good holdings of those published in English in other countries. There is a substantial collection of Australian and Canadian titles and, although the holding of specialist US-based titles is small, it does include most major publications. The remainder published in other languages includes a significant number of the world?s main periodicals, although there is only a small proportion of the world's specialist society titles.

Around 300 titles are received currently from publishers and societies, representing approximately 1,000 issues per annum. Members querying the absence of a particular title are asked to help set up an exchange arrangement. All titles are bound as volumes are completed; parts of incomplete volumes are housed in the lockers in the large library.

Bound copies are held in several locations, due to limitations on shelf space in the building as currently configured. At the present time the large library houses long runs of important titles, issues relating to Great Britain, active specialist society titles and long runs of key European journals. Australian-related periodicals may be found in the small library. Issues published in the United States, including a unique run of (US) "Stamps", are held in the Council Room, together with issues published in German and on the subject of aerophilately.

Some historic publications, generally of short duration, are kept unbound in boxes in the basement stack area. Some bound volumes may also be found here, as well as periodicals relating to certain Asian countries, due to shortage of space elsewhere.

Key to access

The majority of bound volumes are held on open access for consultation on the premises. Borrowing by members is not permitted to ensure they are always available for immediate use. Current unbound and other historic issues may also be consulted. Issues in the basement stack area may be obtained on application to the House Manager or a member of the Library Committee for entrance to this limited-access area.

A detailed data-base covering the majority of the Society's holdings has been constructed, including references to name changes and the volume or issue numbers held. A hard copy of this index is available and should be consulted for shelf locations. It is kept up to date in manuscript, and up-dated hard copy is reissued periodically.