| Connections with mining history: |
The BCURA/BCC library is a unique collection of material on the subject of coal, particularly coal utilisation and also contains a significant component of reference books and other general reference material on a wide range of subjects. The library is fully catalogued and is supported by comprehensive indices in both paper and electronic form. These include a card file index of all material obtained by the library between 1948 and 1985,(indexed and classified by the Universal Decimal Classification system, author, subject and Patents by Patent number) and a CD-ROM of the library contents from 1985 to 1997. There are also Registers of the CRE Technical reports, text and reference books, (up to 1985) and pamphlets, (up to 1997). This Library was a full-time, fully active and comprehensive library until March 1995. Following this date, the library continued as an active library, supported by a librarian on a part-time basis, until the end of 1997. During the period 1995-2003, there continued to be some additions to the library, although these were relatively few and largely consisted of the up keep of a limited number of journals of interest to the coal industry. The BCURA/BCC Library was up until 2003, located at the site of the former British Coal Corporation's Coal Research Establishment, at Stoke Orchard, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. In March 2003, custodianship of this library was transferred, through BCURA, to the Coal Authority. The Library has now been partially relocated to the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineering, (NEIMME), Library at Neville Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (See Page 103) and some library material remains in storage pending the completion of shelving at Neville Hall. Some of the library collection is unique in that it represents the only copy of this material known to exist which is publicly accessible in the UK. The remainder of the library, although a unique collection, may have duplicate copies of its contents in other UK libraries and archives. However it is unlikely that there are other copies in the UK of the material that relates to external organisation (E.g. EU Commission, USA Companies / Bureau of Mines, as well as the UK (NCB and BCC)). For access to the Library, contact the Librarian at: North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Neville Hall, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1SE Tel: 0191-2332459 Email: librarian [at] mininginstitute.org.uk |
British Coal Utilisation Research Association Ltd