University of Sussex Library

Title: University of Sussex Library

Description: The Library supports the teaching, learning and research activities of the University of Sussex. The collection contains over 750,000 volumes and more than 2,000 current periodical subscriptions, as well as substantial archival holdings. Material is collected in all areas of interest to members of the University. The majority of the collection is on open access and currently includes Short Loan and Reserve collections with multiple copies for student use. The Main Collection includes research monographs, periodicals, microforms and videos. Increasingly material is being acquired in electronic format. The Special Collections comprise rare and antiquarian printed books and archival collections, particularly the Mass Observation Archive and the Rudyard Kipling Papers, which are on deposit from the National Trust.
The Library has not collected Caribbean material on an area studies basis but reflects the University's major teaching and research interest in such areas as ethnicity, migration and post-colonial literature, as well as general collection building in history, social anthropology, sociology, politics, economics and literature. Works relating to the Caribbean are spread throughout the Library's collections and only a small number can be positively identified through the classification scheme (part Library of Congress, part local). Approximately 770 books (some multiple copies) are held in classmarks which relate specifically to the Caribbean but there are likely to be many more at other classmarks Individual titles can be identified through the OPAC (online public access catalogue), as all items in the general collections are catalogued. There are few specialised periodicals but the Library does hold the Caribbean Quarterly for 1949-1985. Besides English-language materials, the Library has a number of works from the Francophone Caribbean.
Similarly, the Library has not collected specifically on the history of Black and Asian people in Britain but reflects the University's major teaching and research interest in such areas as ethnicity, migration and race-relations, as well as general collection building in history, social anthropology, sociology, politics, economics and literature. Works of interest to the history of Black and Asian people in Britain are spread throughout the Library's collections. The Library also holds a number of periodicals on race relations and a pamphlet collection which includes many publications on this subject. Individual titles can be identified through the OPAC at http://catalogue.sussex.ac.uk/home.

Strengths: The Library does not have specific strengths in either Caribbean Studies or the history of Black and Asian people in Britain. However, it does have a broad general collection where researchers would find much background material of relevance to these subjects.

Size: c.770 books on the Caribbean; Over 700 items on the history of Black and Asian people in Britain, including over 200 books and 20 periodicals on race relations.

Catalogue: Talis

Catalogue URL: http://catalogue.sussex.ac.uk/home

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

Access: Access to the General Collections for reference-only is currently available to non-members of the University. Access to Special Collections is by prior appointment. Loan facilities are available subject to approval and payment of a membership fee. The Library participates in national inter-library loan arrangements. The Library is currently undergoing a major reorganisation and these arrangements may be subject to change.

Acquisition dates: 15th century to date with 80% of the collection published since 1960, when collection building began

Note:

Interest: Asian, Black, Caribbean

Complete: Complete

Subjects

Sociology

Social history

Social anthropology

Migration

Literature

Interethnic relations

Ethnic groups

Personal/Corporate names

Places

Caribbean