BCRA > Library

The National Caving Library is maintained and operated by BCRA in the Local Studies Department at the County Offices, Matlock, Derbyshire.

The library consists of a large collection of books and journals on caving topics from Britain and abroad, which is frequently updated. The Association maintains journal exchanges with many caving clubs worldwide. The library is managed by BCRA on behalf of BCA. (However, please note that ownership of individual items may remain with the donor and that for the avoidance of doubt neither BCRA nor BCA asserts ownership of the total collection). The National Caving Library is open to all personal callers, whether or not they are members of BCA. However, the services of the librarian (e.g. photocopying; answering postal enquiries) are only available to members of BCA

• News
• How to get to the library
• Using the library for research
• Making requests for searches
• Depositing material in the library
• Job Vacancies

1 Jan 2008: Following the placing of the advert shown below, BCRA has appointed a librarian, and has received other offers of help from volunteers. Further information about the library will be given as soon as possible. In the meantime, we still need all the volunteer help we can get!

20 August 2007: Following the sad death of our librarian, Roy Paulson, (Speleology 9, p4) and the unearthing of yet more archive material from cavers' personal collections (BCRA Newsletter 7, p10), BCRA urgently needs to recruit volunteers to help to fulfil its librarian function, and needs a new post of archivist to document and catalogue all the archive material currently in storage. An online publications sub-editor is also required.

Job adverts

In the 21st century, we ought to have at least a printed library catalogue of library acquisitions, if not a searchable online catalogue. We don't have either; and we will continue not to have these until we manage to recruit top-class, skilled volunteers with the appropriate skills. We therefore need to recruit at least two 'team leaders' - a librarian and an archivist - and we need any additional help we can find. A related problem is, of course, the finding of a suitable secure location in which to house the ever-increasing volume of material we have.

Contact the chairman, Steve Whitlock, for further information and refer to the job adverts below.

20 February 2007: We have just heard the sad news that our librarian, Roy Paulson has died. Roy became the BCRA librarian in 1980, and has been described as "one of those unsung heroes that did so much, quietly, behind the scenes". Roy carried out an enormously time-consuming task expertly and diligently and he is going to be a difficult person to replace.

In the immediate future we shall, unfortunately, have to suspend the enquiry and photocopying service we offered to BCA and BCRA members.

Postal Enquiries about the library should now be sent to our General Enquiries address (see Contacting Us). Items for Deposit should henceforth also be sent to that address. Please mark such items clearly as "BCRA Library Deposit".

For the past few years, the lack of storage space at the present facility has been a problem, and this has recently been made more acute by the acquisition of a large amount of fresh material from various personal collections. The National Caving Library needs to move to larger premises which, of course, need to be secure and suitable. BCRA has been looking for a new location for some time, but without success so far. BCRA is also, of course, now seeking a new librarian and it is possible that this may need to be a remunerated post. Anyone who can assist in any way is asked to contact the BCRA secretary. (see Contacting Us)

• Preparing abstracts and contents lists in a prescribed database format
• Rewriting PDF master documents to form PDFs of individual articles at varying graphics resolutions
• For these tasks you must have a good working knowledge of PDF, PostScript and graphics formats.

• To document all new library acquisitions; labelling them and transferring them to the library at Matlock
• To answer enquiries from members wishing to find material in the library and to send them photocopies of items they request
• To maintain up-to-date contact details of organisations, internationally, that participate in our journal exchange programme
• To document all items sent and received as part of the journal exchange programme
• To liase with the BCA membership secretary, providing him with up-to-date details of members of the journal exchange programme
• To liase with the Foreign Secretary on matters to do with journal exchanges and representation of BCRA internationally

• Making the collections available in innovative ways (e.g. scanning for online viewing)
• Making arrangements for the long-term loan of duplicate copies of library acquisitions to suitable club libraries, thereby increasing the availability of the material
• Updating our long out-of-date lists of which libraries (in the UK and overseas) hold collections of BCRA publications
• Making available a comprehensive catalogue (paper and online formats) of BCRA library material
• Candidates for this post must have suitable skills, which will be discussed at an interview. Although it is not essential that you live in proximity to Derbyshire, this is where the archive is currently in storage. You will be able to count on the support of other BCRA volunteers who live locally.