The first week of June is Volunteers’ Week – an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering in their communities. We want to celebrate (and thank profusely) our very own Heritage Volunteers who have been beavering away at various tasks in the Local and Family History Library for…
Category: Collections
Trout in the Treasures
Did you know Trout season lasts from March to September? Library Assistant Becky Bavill went for a rummage in the reference and research stacks where she found ‘Yorkshire Trout Flies’ by TE Pritt (SR799.124 PRI) Published in 1885 the item is counted as one of our treasures, seeing as it is not only a first…
The Chimney Corner: Secret Books from the Secret Library #5
The fifth in a newly-regular series exploring books and other items selected from our vast collections. In this entry Librarian Antony Ramm showcases a wonderful collection of photographs showing Unitarian Churches across Yorkshire in the late 19th-century… This is a really nice volume, a collection of images and historical notes about Unitarian Chapels across Yorkshire….
Rare Book Round Up – Nature
Each week our Collections Manager Rhian, brings you our ‘Rare Book of the Week’ on social media. Too good to be lost in the daily deluge of tweets and instagrams we wanted to bring you a round-up of some of our favourites. The theme this time is nature. How stunning is this Granulated Cuttle illustration?…
Pearls in the Strong Room
Everyone is familiar with the sight of poppy sellers in the run-up to Armistice Day, but did you know that there was another campaign of remembrance before that? Library Digital Assistant Becky takes us hunting for Pearls in the strong room. Rachel Tretheway’s moving book, Pearls Before Poppies (361.76) relates the story of an appeal…
The Chimney Corner: Secret Books from the Secret Library #4
The fourth in a newly-regular series exploring books and other items selected from our vast collections. In this entry Librarian Antony Ramm is looking at the rather odd requirements of an 18th-century Lord Mayor in Yorkshire… Before discussing the book in question this week, it’s probably worth saying a little bit about how we’re choosing…
The Chimney Corner: Secret Books from the Secret Library #3
The third in a newly-regular series looking at books and other items randomly selected from our vast collections. In this entry Librarian Antony Ramm takes a look at an obscure (to us) religious manuscript… The first thing to say about today’s entry – the enigmatically-titled Manuscript – is the sheer solidity of its binding. And…
Discovering Leeds
We thought it was about time to shout a bit louder about the sister site to Secret Library Leeds – Discovering Leeds. Originally created as part of the Leodis project, the site was funded by the New Opportunities Fund and launched back in 2003. Since then it has had various updates and now sits as…
