Hello all! We’ve had another busy month at the Congregational Library – not that we ever have any other kind! We’ve had several readers on site to consult books, some coming from the other side of the country, so it looks like we are finally becoming established in our new location. Our collection of Congregational Yearbooks has been particularly popular, but readers have also asked for 18th-century pamphlets on the Countess of Huntingdon and a set of military memoirs from the Napoleonic Wars. We’ve also had many enquiries coming in for the Surman Index, as well as for digital copies of manuscripts, research on churches and chapels, and searches for the individuals connected with them. Keep your questions coming: get in touch if you think we might be able to help you with your research in any way. (Our catalogue can be found here, and our manuscripts handlist is here.)
The unpacking in the Cheshunt Room is going superbly, and our two volunteers are continuing their fabulous work. We have unpacked well over 200 boxes now, most of them since the volunteers arrived in April. and are moving at a steady clip of 40 boxes a fortnight. It’s still slow and hard work, particularly as some of the books need some minor conservation work done as they are coming out of storage, but it’s so satisfying to see them going up on the shelves at last.
As far as the Tower is concerned, we have finally had environmental monitors installed! These should give us a better insight into the temperature and humidity fluctuations in the Tower and confirm that these are due to the nature of the building and the impact of external weather conditions. Once we know this for sure, we can diagnose problems more accurately and fix them in a more targeted manner – so hopefully we should be able to put books in those rooms towards the middle of next year. Watch this space.
Finally, it’s time for our usual reminder that you should follow us on Twitter and Instagram if you have not already done so. Please also feel free to investigate our website to find out more about the Library and the Congregational Memorial Hall Trust.
See you next month!
