Institute of Historical Research and Senate House Library host an annual History Day. This year’s event is on 31 October 2017 at Senate House. The day is a way for libraries and archives to promote their collections and for students and researchers to find out about a range of historical collections in one place. Throughout the year we share blog posts about collections on the related History Collections website. A special theme this year given the date of History Day is ‘Magic and the supernatural’, but blog posts on any subject are welcome.
The day includes a history fair where libraries, archives and other historical organisations have stands. Researchers can browse the materials and chat to staff members. We get around 200 attendees, mostly history postgraduates and also academic staff, undergraduates and private researchers. It’s also a great opportunity for the library and archive staff to talk to each other and catch up with collection news, all helpful in promoting each other’s collections to users. Lunch is provided for staff running stands.
More than 40 organisations from London and throughout the UK are planning to join this year’s celebration of history. They range from the Science Museum and the Royal College of Physicians to the Black Cultural Archives, the Geological Society and the German Historical Institute. A full list of participating organisations can be found on the History Day 2017 event page.
As well as the history fair, panel sessions are held throughout the day. They have always been very well attended. This year’s sessions are on the themes of Public History, Discovery in Libraries and Archives, and Digital History.
If your organisation would like to be involved by having or sharing a free stand please contact ihr.library@sas.ac.uk. Even if you don’t want a stand you are welcome to come along on the day, meet colleagues and find out about other collections.
Kate Wilcox & Jordan Landes
Institute of Historical Research and Senate House Library
CILIP Local Studies Group 