Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1895-1987 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
18 boxes and 10 volumes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Library provision at the South-Western Polytechnic was restricted to the availability of reading room space. Students were expected to use the adjacent Chelsea Public Library in order to consult books and periodicals. The inconvenience of this arrangement led to the creation of a Library Committee in 1921. The consequent library remained comparatively small until the post-World War Two expansion in provision that witnessed an increase in the number of titles from around 8000 in 1960 to 80,000 in 1970. These were divided between the Main Library, branch libraries situated on the principal College sites, and departmental collections of reference volumes. All of these were combined with the King's Library when the Colleges merged in 1985.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0100 KCLCA 1986/CAL, 1992/CAL, CAL/H, CAL/FP, CAL/RG, CAL/CB, CAL/RJ 1895-1987 Sub-fonds of King's College London Archives 18 boxes and 10 volumes South-Western Polytechnic
Chelsea Polytechnic
Chelsea College of Science and Technology
Chelsea College
Library provision at the South-Western Polytechnic was restricted to the availability of reading room space. Students were expected to use the adjacent Chelsea Public Library in order to consult books and periodicals. The inconvenience of this arrangement led to the creation of a Library Committee in 1921. The consequent library remained comparatively small until the post-World War Two expansion in provision that witnessed an increase in the number of titles from around 8000 in 1960 to 80,000 in 1970. These were divided between the Main Library, branch libraries situated on the principal College sites, and departmental collections of reference volumes. All of these were combined with the King's Library when the Colleges merged in 1985.
Chelsea College Library
Chelsea College Library records, 1895-1987, comprise papers collected by the College Library or describing the work of the Library on the Chelsea campus following the merger with King's College in 1985, notably correspondence with the College Secretary and departments, 1974-1980; papers relating to Library computerisation, 1979-1987; staffing and salary matters, 1978-1985; University Grants Committee papers on libraries, 1974-1982; History and Philosophy of Science Library correspondence and bibliography, 1964-1987; Chelsea Campus Libraries Users Committee notes, 1985-1987; finance, 1975-1977; concerning the College History Collection, 1965-1974; notes relating to building and planning at the King's Road site, 1971-1987; University of London merger and other papers, 1978-1983; reports on medical education in London, 1980; concerning Library private papers, 1949-1970; Library Annual Reports, 1963-1987 (1992/CAL, CAL/1986); correspondence concerning Library donors and Zoology reprints, 1967-1985 (Ref: 1986/CAL); accessions registers, 1921-1975 (Ref: CAL/RG); lists of current periodicals, 1960-1974 (Ref: CAL/RGJ); payments books for stock, equipment and expenses, 1960-1973 (Ref: CAL/CB); Library staff personnel files for leavers between 1970-1976 (Ref: CAL/FP); material concerning the history of the College accumulated by the Library, including charters, official reports, with some press cuttings, 1914-1981 (Ref: CAL/H).
The collection is arranged into the main series outlined in the Scope and Content section.
Administrative records are generally closed for thirty years from the last date on the file. Personnel files are closed for eighty years.
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, can be supplied to appropriate College staff. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services, King's College London.
English
Detailed contents list is available for consultation in hard copy in the King's College London Archives Reading Room.
King's College London Library papers (Ref: KAL). The main Secretarial and Minute Book series for Chelsea College also cover the administration of the Library (Ref: CAS, CA/M); Title Deeds and Legal Documents, Press Cuttings (Ref: C/CSA, C/PC).
Sources: H Silver and S J Teague eds, Chelsea College - A History (London, 1977). Entry compiled by Geoff Browell as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997; ISAD(G), Second edition, 2000. March 2002 Academic libraries Accessions lists Bibliographies Biology Books Catalogues Chelsea College Chelsea College of Science and Technology Chelsea Polytechnic Economics of education Educational finance Educational history Educational sciences Educational supervision Governing bodies Guidebooks Guides Higher education institutions Information/library administration Information/library facilities Information/library personnel Information/library planning King's College London Librarians Libraries Newspaper press Personnel management Press Press cuttings Publications Secondary documents South-Western Polytechnic UGC , University Grants Committee x University Grants Committee Universities University governing bodies University of London x London University Wages Zoology Communications media Information sciences Organization and administration Health services administration Public administration Government Organizations Educational institutions Educational governing bodies Educational administration
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Chelsea College Library
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Chelsea College Library records, 1895-1987, comprise papers collected by the College Library or describing the work of the Library on the Chelsea campus following the merger with King's College in 1985, notably correspondence with the College Secretary and departments, 1974-1980; papers relating to Library computerisation, 1979-1987; staffing and salary matters, 1978-1985; University Grants Committee papers on libraries, 1974-1982; History and Philosophy of Science Library correspondence and bibliography, 1964-1987; Chelsea Campus Libraries Users Committee notes, 1985-1987; finance, 1975-1977; concerning the College History Collection, 1965-1974; notes relating to building and planning at the King's Road site, 1971-1987; University of London merger and other papers, 1978-1983; reports on medical education in London, 1980; concerning Library private papers, 1949-1970; Library Annual Reports, 1963-1987 (1992/CAL, CAL/1986); correspondence concerning Library donors and Zoology reprints, 1967-1985 (Ref: 1986/CAL); accessions registers, 1921-1975 (Ref: CAL/RG); lists of current periodicals, 1960-1974 (Ref: CAL/RGJ); payments books for stock, equipment and expenses, 1960-1973 (Ref: CAL/CB); Library staff personnel files for leavers between 1970-1976 (Ref: CAL/FP); material concerning the history of the College accumulated by the Library, including charters, official reports, with some press cuttings, 1914-1981 (Ref: CAL/H).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The collection is arranged into the main series outlined in the Scope and Content section.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Administrative records are generally closed for thirty years from the last date on the file. Personnel files are closed for eighty years.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, can be supplied to appropriate College staff. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services, King's College London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
King's College London Library papers (Ref: KAL). The main Secretarial and Minute Book series for Chelsea College also cover the administration of the Library (Ref: CAS, CA/M); Title Deeds and Legal Documents, Press Cuttings (Ref: C/CSA, C/PC).
Finding aids
Detailed contents list is available for consultation in hard copy in the King's College London Archives Reading Room.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Libraries » Academic libraries
- Secondary documents » Accessions lists
- Secondary documents » Bibliographies
- Biology
- Books
- Secondary documents » Catalogues
- Economics of education
- Economics of education » Educational finance
- Educational sciences » Educational history
- Educational sciences
- Educational supervision
- Books » Guides » Guidebooks
- Books » Guides
- Higher education institutions
- Information/library administration
- Information/library facilities
- Information/library personnel
- Information/library planning
- Information/library personnel » Librarians
- Libraries
- Press » Newspaper press
- Personnel management
- Press
- Press » Newspaper press » Press cuttings
- Secondary documents
- Higher education institutions » Universities
- Personnel management » Wages
- Zoology
- Information sciences
- Government » Public administration
- Government
- Organizations
- Educational institutions
- Educational administration
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997; ISAD(G), Second edition, 2000.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English