Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1924-1969 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.15 linear metres.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Richard Wright, M.C., F.L.A. (1890-1976) was a pioneer of the county library movement. His early library training and experience were gained in public and reference libraries in Croydon, Sunderland, Coventry and Wiltshire. In 1922 he was appointed County Librarian of Middlesex with the task of inaugurating a county library service, following the adoption by the County Council of the Public Libraries Acts of 1919. The service was founded on a Carnegie Trust grant of £1,500 and a budget estimate of £600 and was intended to provide for rural areas without district council libraries. The initial library service comprised collections of books at schools and other centres, open to the public for a few hours weekly and staffed by volunteers, chiefly teachers. From 1930 full-time branch libraries, with professional staff, were opened, and these gradually replaced the part-time library centres. Richard Wright built up a service that was regarded as one of the most comprehensive and efficient in the country. His great enthusiasm and organising ability were evident in the development of the County Library through the medium of local library centres, whole-time branch libraries and students' library services.
Richard Wright served in the Royal Garrison Artillery in the First World War and gained the Military Cross. Throughout the war of 1939-45 he gave encouragement and support to members of his staff on active service and the letters he received are a testimonial to the high regard in which he was held (see Acc/1312/1-60). At the same time he was a member of the Book Recovery Committee which was instrumental in saving books and manuscripts from salvage. He took a prominent part in the scheme for organising a Regional Library System in S.E. England, and, among other professional activities, served on the Council of the Library Association. He retired in 1952 after thirty years service with Middlesex County Libraries.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 ACC/1312 1924-1969 Collection 0.15 linear metres. Wright , Richard , 1890-1976 , librarian
Richard Wright, M.C., F.L.A. (1890-1976) was a pioneer of the county library movement. His early library training and experience were gained in public and reference libraries in Croydon, Sunderland, Coventry and Wiltshire. In 1922 he was appointed County Librarian of Middlesex with the task of inaugurating a county library service, following the adoption by the County Council of the Public Libraries Acts of 1919. The service was founded on a Carnegie Trust grant of £1,500 and a budget estimate of £600 and was intended to provide for rural areas without district council libraries. The initial library service comprised collections of books at schools and other centres, open to the public for a few hours weekly and staffed by volunteers, chiefly teachers. From 1930 full-time branch libraries, with professional staff, were opened, and these gradually replaced the part-time library centres. Richard Wright built up a service that was regarded as one of the most comprehensive and efficient in the country. His great enthusiasm and organising ability were evident in the development of the County Library through the medium of local library centres, whole-time branch libraries and students' library services.
Richard Wright served in the Royal Garrison Artillery in the First World War and gained the Military Cross. Throughout the war of 1939-45 he gave encouragement and support to members of his staff on active service and the letters he received are a testimonial to the high regard in which he was held (see Acc/1312/1-60). At the same time he was a member of the Book Recovery Committee which was instrumental in saving books and manuscripts from salvage. He took a prominent part in the scheme for organising a Regional Library System in S.E. England, and, among other professional activities, served on the Council of the Library Association. He retired in 1952 after thirty years service with Middlesex County Libraries.
Gifted to the Archive in June 1976.
Papers of Richard Wright, Middlesex County Librarian, 1922-1952, including letters and cards sent to Wright from members of staff serving in the Second World War; newsletters; newspaper cuttings; journal articles; and photographs of libraries.
ACC/1312/001 to 077.
Available for general access.
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Records prepared May to September 2011. Information sources Documents Primary documents Personal papers Archives Personal archives Information sciences Library science History of libraries Wars (events) World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Information/library personnel Librarians Organizations Military organizations Letter writing Writing Communication skills Communication process Armed forces State security Libraries Military personnel Wright , Richard , 1890-1976 , librarian County Library , Middlesex Middlesex England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Gifted to the Archive in June 1976.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Richard Wright, Middlesex County Librarian, 1922-1952, including letters and cards sent to Wright from members of staff serving in the Second World War; newsletters; newspaper cuttings; journal articles; and photographs of libraries.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
ACC/1312/001 to 077.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Information sources
- Documents
- Documents » Primary documents
- Archives
- Information sciences
- Information sciences » Library science
- Information sciences » Library science » History of libraries
- Information/library personnel
- Information/library personnel » Librarians
- Organizations
- Communication process » Communication skills » Writing
- Communication process » Communication skills
- Communication process
- State security » Armed forces
- State security
- Libraries
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English