This revised edition lists approximately 1200 libraries in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, some included for the first time, with details of their rare and special book collections. It covers mainly those printed before 1850, but includes manuscript and modern material where related.
Since it was first published in 1982 British Archives has established itself as the premier reference work to holdings of archives and manuscript collections throughout the UK. The 3rd edition has been extensively revised and enlarged with more than 150 new entries, further widening the range of the book. Entries are structured to show the archives of the organisation as distinct from deposited collections and significant non-manuscript material, and additional details of fax number and conservation provision are included for the first time. All the existing entries have been significantly updated, together with the select bibliography and list of useful addresses of various organisations involved in the care and custody of archives. The introduction provides an invaluable guide to researchers using archives, including a summary of the relevant legislation and a detailed description of the usual holdings of county and other local authority record offices.
This volume, the eighth in The History of the University of Oxford, shows how one of the world's major universities has responded to the formidable challenges offered by the twentieth century. Because Oxford's response has not taken a revolutionary or dramatic form, outside observers have not always appreciated the scale of its transformation. Here full attention is given to the forces for change: the rapid growth in provision for the natural and social sciences; the advance of professionalism in scholarship, sport, and cultural achievement; the diffusion of international influences through Rhodes scholars, two world wars, and the University's mounting research priorities; the growing impact of government and of public funding; the steady advance of women; and the impact made by Oxford's broadened criteria for undergraduate admission. The volume also provides valuable background material for the discussion of educational policy. In short, its presents the reader with a rich cornucopia of insight into many aspects of British life.
