Queen Mary, University of London: Main Library

Title: Queen Mary, University of London: Main Library

Description: Queen Mary is one of the large colleges of the University of London, which undertakes teaching and research across the academic range. It is also conscious of its location in the East End of London, traditionally a starting point for immigrant groups. Although the library does not have special collections for Caribbean studies and the history of Black and Asian people in Britain, such material can be found throughout the library's general collections: specifically in the literature, history and sociology collections which support research and teaching in various departments. The college has an active Centre for Migration Studies and a strong interest at teaching and research level in new and postcolonial literatures in English. The total size of the library is 620,000 volumes and 4689 periodical titles.
The major holdings of importance in Caribbean Studies are the literature collections, which support research and teaching in new and postcolonial literatures in English. There are some 400 volumes of literature and criticism of the Caribbean area. The Library of Congress classification for this part of the collection is PR9200 onwards. There are also six periodical titles specifically concerned with the study of this literature.
Black British and Asian writing is classified in PR 9200 onwards (the Library of Congress classification for English literatures outside Britain) if the author was born outside Britain. If the author was born in Britain, then their works will be classified with English Literature at PR6000 onwards. There are about 400 volumes of Asian literature in English. Also classified here is literature in English from Asia and Black and Asian literature from Canada.
800 books on immigration and race relations are classified in the HT and JV sections of the library (Library of Congress classification.) There are 4 periodical titles specifically on race relations and migration.
Guides to the use of Queen Mary Library and its collections, both general and subject specific can be accessed from the library web page at http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/.

Strengths: Resources for the study of new/ postcolonial literatures in English and books covering issues related to migration and race relations in the UK.

Size: c.400 titles on Caribbean literature and c.800 titles on the history of Black and Asian people in Britain.

Catalogue: Unicorn

Catalogue URL: http://www.library.qmw.ac.uk/catalogues/mainlib/index.htm

Main URL: http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

Access: Admission for visitors during term-time is restricted to Saturdays, and weekday evenings after 5pm (except for University of London staff and internal students and M25 Access Scheme card-holders, who will be admitted in the daytime on weekdays). There are no restrictions on time of admission during vacations. Visitors need to show some form of identification and obtain day tickets from the Library Attendant at the entrance. Further details about access to the library are available from the web page http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/.

Acquisition dates: Earliest acquisitions date back to the 1880s, but most of the stock has been acquired since 1970.

Note:

Interest: Asian, Black, Caribbean

Complete: Complete

Subjects

Interethnic relations

Politics

Migration

Immigration

Literature

Caribbean literature

Personal/Corporate names

Centre for the Study of Migration

Places