Minutes. 23 June 1891 – 19 Nov. 1981.
Prior to 1891 Council considered Library affairs until the appointment of a committee set up to do so. On 11 Apr. 1876 the Museum Committee was asked to act as the Library Committee; on 13 Feb. 1877 appointments to the Museum and Library committee are recorded, and on 4 Nov. 1879 the report of this Committee was read and adopted; see Council minutes, A10:1, ff. 236, 265, 339. exchanges of publications are recorded regularly and purchases from time to time such as on 23 Jan. 1883, f. 9 the Assistant Secretary was authorised to spend up to ‘£40 at the sale of the late Dr Barnard Davis’ Library’ and on 13 Feb., f. 10 there is a report on the sale. On 26 Nov. 1889, f. 180 a committee was appointed to report on the state of the Library and on 10 Dec. 1889, f. 182 the report of the Library Committee was read and adopted; see A10:2.
The Library was presented to the Department of Ethnography (Museum of Mankind), British Museum on 27 Sep. 1976. The Committee continued to meet until 19 Nov. 1981. At the end of 1981 the Committee was dissolved and the Museum of Mankind appointed a Library Committee with three RAI representatives under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Keeper. The RAI then formed an internal committee to take an interest in the affairs of the Library.
1 23 June 1891 – 23 Nov. 1897; see A10:2
Library Committee minutes (some read only) are recorded in Council minutes: 23 June 1891, f. 219 (read); 26 Apr. 1892, f. 237 recommends the sale of the publications of the Ethnological Society and the Anthropological Society; 12 Dec. 1893, f. 269 recommends ‘that the Library Committee do hold three quarterly meetings during the session, and submit a written report to the next meeting of Council after each of the quarterly Committees.’; 12 June 1894, ff. 278-9; 9 Apr. 1895, ff. 288-9; 31 Mar. 1896, f. 302; 23 Nov. 1896, f. 310 (tipped-in) reports on the formation of a loan collection of anthropological photographs, negatives, and lantern slides (holograph); 26 Jan. 1897, f. 313 (read); 23 Nov. 1897, f. 324, resolution on binding.
2 24 Mar. 1898 – 30 Jan. 1900; see A10:2/6
Library Committee minutes are recorded in Council minutes on ff. 340, 346, 351, 359-60, 366, 371-2, 375-6, 383-4, 391, 400, 406-7, 409, 413, 421-2
3 17 Apr. 1900 – 13 May 1930; see A11:1-2
Library Business, following the ‘late Library Committee meeting’, is reported in Executive Committee minutes from 17 Apr. 1900 (see A11:1/3, f. 2) – 13 May 1930 passim
4 27 May 1930 – 7 June 1932; see A17:1
Library Committee minutes are recorded on ff. 1-14. Executive Committee minutes for 11 Oct. 1932 records: ‘It was resolved to recommend that the Library Committee be allowed to lapse and the Executive Committee to do its work as it did originally and to suggest the appointment of Mr [L.J.P.] Gaskin [Fellow and Horniman Museum Librarian; RAI Hon. Advisory Librarian, 1935-41] on the Executive Committee.’; see A11:3, ff. 42-3
5 11 Oct. 1932 – 31 May 1961; see A11:3-5
Library Business is recorded in Executive Committee minutes passim. The last Executive Committee meeting was held on 31 May 1961. It was superseded by the Library Committee, Publications Committee, and the Standing Committee (see Officers’ Meeting, 18 May 1961, A11:5, f. 79).
Library Sub-Committee minutes, 30 Oct. 1945 – 29 Jan. 1946 are recorded in A17:1, ff. 16-23; there is a draft copy of the 29 Jan. minutes (typed with corrections) inserted in the pocket.
6/ 24 Nov. 1961 – 19 Nov. 1981; see A17:2
1 Library Committee minutes covering LC/1/1 – LC/20/[7]. The meetings of 21 Oct. 1963 and 25 Apr. 1965 (LC/3/1, LC/4/1) are consecutive; the meeting called for 22 Oct. 1964 was not held as there was no quorum. The meeting called for 21 Feb. 1974 was postponed until 2 Apr. 1974 (LC/13/3); see A48, meeting attendance signatures. However, the previous minutes, 29 Nov. 1973 (LC/13/2) are signed by the Chairman, David M. Boston and dated 21 Feb. 1974. The final meeting of the Library Committee was on 19 Nov. 1981 which was not minuted; there are, however, signatures of those attending the meeting (see A48). The last meeting for which minutes were kept was on 11 June 1981, LC/20/6. These are the original minutes copied on acid-free paper.
2/ Inserts (bound-in except for 25-35, 38-40, 42-5, 47)
1 Memorandum on the position of the Library in the future Institute presented to the Standing Committee, 11 Apr. 1968, f. 33; see Minutes 28 Mar. 1968, Item 18. f. 32
2 Memorandum … for presentation to Council and its Committees; it expands the points raised in /6/2/1 above, 5 Jan. 1973, ff. 69-74; see Minutes 30 Nov. 1972, Item 13, f. 67
3 Clippings on agreement between the Library Association and the British Library on the deposit of the former’s library and British Museum departmental libraries, f. 104; see Minutes 4 Sep. 1975, Item 23, iiic, f. 102
4 Book selection advisory panel, f. 154; see Minutes 13 July 1978, Item 5a, f. 151
5 Anthropological Index, Indexer’s report, 29 Sep. 1978, f. 158; see Minutes 4 Oct. 1978, Item 7, f. 157
6 Ibid., budget for 1979, ff. 165-5a; see Minutes of 9 Feb. 1979, Item 2, f. 162
7 Report of the Photographic Sub-Committee, 31 Jan. 1979, f. 166; see Minutes 9 Feb. Item 3, f. 162
8 Ibid., 26 Mar. 1979, ff. 172-4; see Minutes 5 Apr. 1979, Item 2, f. 167
9 Recommendation of Sub-Committee to review the future of the Anthropological Index, 29 Mar. 1979, ff. 170-1; see Minutes 5 Apr. 1979, Item 4, ff.. 168-9
10 Minutes of an Extraordinary Meeting of Council to consider the Anthropological Index, 16 May 1979 (CM/79/3), ff. 175-6; see Minutes ibid.
/11 Extract from the Dainton report on open access and advertisements for a research assistant, ff. 181-3; see Minutes 6 July 1979, Items 5c, 7a, ff. 179-80
12 Memorandum to the Library Committee from the Director: Meeting with Malcolm McLeod, 27 July 1979, f. 184; see Minutes 6 July 1979, Item 5, c-f, f. 179
13 Ibid. on the meeting held on 18 Oct. 1979 between the Museum of Mankind and the Library Committee representatives on open access and the removal of older books to the closed stacks, f. 189
14 List of some well-known books that would be moved to the closed stacks with a pre-1945 cut-off date, f. 190; see Memorandum, 18 Oct. 1979, f. 190
15 Breakdown of time-sheet headlines for the Secretary to the Committee, ff. 191-2; see Minutes 12 Oct. 1979, Item 7, f. 187
16 Archives, space taken and list of important collections, ff. 196-7; see Minutes 14 Dec. 1979, Item 5, ff. 194-5
17 Memorandum from the Director for discussion by the Committee, 14 Dec. 1979 on the role of the Committee and the Archives, ff. 188-9; see Minutes 14 Dec. 1979, Item 5, ff. 194-5
18 Two letters on open access dated 14 Nov. and 11 Dec. 1979, ff. 200-2; see Minutes ibid., Item 6, f. 195
19 Request for budget information from the Secretary to the Director and reply, ff. 215-15a; see Minutes 23 Apr. 1980, Item 3b
20 Brief historical background to matters under discussion, budget, policy, accessions, review books, f. 216; see Minutes ibid.
21 Report on a discussion by members of the Committee on 19 June 1980 on monetary donation by Prof. Lucy Mair and the Committee approach to Council, f. 217
22 Statement of Library expenditure from Secretary to Committee, 5 June 1980, f. 218
23 Report on Library budget, 1980 by the Director, 1 July 1980, f. 219; see Minutes, 16 July 1980, Item 3a, f. 219
24 Report by Library Secretary clarifying the Director’s report, copy of letter to the Chairman 22 June 1980, and letters on salary, 2 July 1980, ff. 220-3; see Minutes ibid.
25-34 On the Memorandum prepared for the meeting of the Council 24 Sep. 1980
25 Memorandum signed by Robin M. Price, Chairman, Michael J. Rowlands, Deputy Chairman, Robin G. Harvey and David M. Boston previous Chairmen, 7 leaves
26 Comment on the Memorandum by Prof. Sir Edmund Leach, 16 Sep. 1980
27 Note by the Treasurer, 17 Sep.
28 Comment by the Director, 18 Sep.
29 On Leach’s comment by the Secretary to W.B. Fagg, 24 Sep.
30 Letters on future policy on book purchases and access from:
(a) 20 Apr., Prof. Philip J.C. Dark; (b) 24 Apr., Stephanie D’Orey; (c) 10 June, Dr Joanna Overing Kaplan; (d) 22 June, Prof. Lucy Mair; (e) 23 June, J.B. Donne; (f) 19 July, Prof. Lucy Mair; (g) 1 Aug., J.O. Pines; (h) 15 Aug., Juliet Walker, and reply by the Director, 21 Aug.; (i) 9 Sep., Michael Yorke (with autogr. note by the Director)
31 Appendix, copies of letters at 30 above: a-c, e-h
32 Letters (copies) circulated to Council by the Director from: (a) Director, British Museum, 12 Sep. on staff restriction of access; (b) Roy G. Willis on the Memorandum, 22 Sep.; (c) Dictated note by Roy G. Willis on Leach’s comment on the Memorandum
33 Introductory remarks by the Chairman of the Committee in tabling the Memorandum submitted to Council
34 Agenda for Council meeting, 24 Sep. 1980
35 Appendix 1 circulated with agenda for 22 Oct. 1980, LC/20/1: Minutes of the Council, 24 Sep.; copy of letter from Dr Joanna Overing Kaplan adding to her letter of 10 June (/30c above); Note by the Director on the Presidential succession; correspondence between the Director and the Director of the British Museum, July-Sep. 1980; see Minutes, 22 Oct. 1980, Item 3, ff. 227-8
36 Appendix 2: Current RAI subscriptions to periodicals; Duties of Secretary to the Committee, f. 230; see Minutes, ibid.
37 Notes of meeting at the British Museum, 6 Oct. 1980 and at the Museum of Mankind, 17 Nov. 1980 on security, access, borrowing rights, donations, etc., f. 231; see Minutes, 22 Oct. 1980, Item 4 and 4 Dec. 1980, Item 3, ff. 228-9, 232
38 Covering letter from the Library Committee to Council to accompany the report on the questionnaire, 30 Dec. 1980, signed by Robin Price (Chairman) and Michael Rowlands (Deputy Chairman)
39 Note by Jonathan Benthall on the Library questionnaire returns, 2 Jan. 1981
40 Letter from Michael Rowlands, Acting Chairman, to Jonathan Benthall, 22 Jan. 1981 on the instructions from the British Museum Director to the Museum of Mankind Librarian that no further donations by purchase may be received from the RAI
41 Recommendations of the Committee to Council, 28 Jan. 1981, signed by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, i.e. LC/20/3, ff. 235-6
42 Agenda for meeting held on 11 Feb. 1981, LC/20/4 (not minuted); see /43 below for Council minute on the Library, 28 Jan. which was considered by the meeting
43 Council meeting, 28 Jan. 1981 (CM/81/1) minute on the Library which the Committee considered on 11 Feb.; see /42 above
44 Comment on the questionnaire by A.V. Akeroyd prepared for the Council meeting 28 Jan.
45 Summary of the subject coverage of the Library, 5 June 1981; see Library Committee minutes, LC/20/6, Item 3, f. 240
46 Anthropological Index Sub-Committee: Matters covered by the Committee for insertion in Library Committee minutes, 11 June 1981, f. 242
47 Agenda for meeting held on 19 Nov. 1981, LC/20/7 (not minuted) [not bound in]
3/ Further documents relating to Anthropological Index; not bound in. See also A141
1 Report on Index to Current Periodicals for Library Committee meeting 21 Oct. 1963; see LC/3/1 for Minutes
.1 Draft of A17/6/3/1
2 Report on Index to Current Periodicals for Library Committee meeting 4 Nov. 1965; see LC/5/1 for Minutes
3 Notes on Index to Current Periodicals for Library Committee meeting 17 Nov. 1966; see LC/6/1 for Minutes
4 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 23 Feb. 1967; see LC/6/2 for Minutes. 7 leaves
5 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 18 May; see LC/6/3 for Minutes. 2 leaves
6 Notes on Anthropological Index for Library Committee meeting 19 Nov. 1968; see LC/8/1 for Minutes
7 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 30 Nov. 1972; see LC/12/2 for Minutes. 2 leaves
8 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 8 Feb. 1973; see LC/12/3 for Minutes
9 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 13 Sept.; see LC/13/1 for Minutes
10 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting [11 June 1974?]; see LC/13/4 for Minutes, particularly f. 91
11 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 17 Dec. 1976; see LC/16/2 for Minutes
12 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 11 Feb. 1977; see LC/16/3 for Minutes. 2 leaves
13 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 6 May; see LC/16/4 for Minutes
14 Ibid. for Library Committee meeting 3 Feb. 1978; see LC/17/2 for Minutes
15 Ibid. arising from Library Committee meetings 4 Oct. and 10 Nov.; see LC/18/1/ and LC/18/2 for Minutes
16 Agenda for Library Committee meeting 16 July; see LC/19/4 for Minutes
17 Notes on Anthropological Index, nd [1973?]. 2 leaves
18 Ibid. nd [1975?]
19 Ibid. nd [1976?]
20 Draft report on Anthropological Index, nd [1978?]. 4 leaves
