IWM Photograph Policy in the Library?

[MartH]

Last Thursday I was visiting the IWM with my 11 year old nephew and we went into the library so I could photograph the title pages of the parts of the Official History of Munitions. After photographing about 8 pages I was ticked off by an assistant and was told photograph is not allowed in the library.

 

Does anyone know if this is correct? It seems barking in this modern world.

[Guest]

   I think any photography of any book or manuscript is covered by their charges for a photographic licence.

My old college library, the London School of Economics, has Min. Munitions on the open shelves. They have quite a liberal entry policy and I would be happy to support you to be admitted,should you wish. I have yet to check their holding of the other official histories, though some are represented twice over-so there is a hope that some of the OH variations may be lurking in the LSE's large collection of government publications of all sorts

[MaureenE]

Ten of twelve volumes of History of the Ministry of Munitions are available online, so perhaps some of what you want may be there.

History of the Ministry of Munitions Volumes 1-8, of a 12 volume series, published 1922 by HMSO. Archive.org. Note: Each Volume may consist of a number of different parts, separately numbered, each with its own Contents page. Volumes 10 and 12 The Supply of Munitions, and additional restricted viewing editions Hathi Trust Digital Library.Volume 10 consists of Guns, Gun Ammunition: General, Gun Ammunition: Shell Manufacture, Gun Ammunition: Explosives, Gun Ammunition: Filling and Completing, Anti-Aircraft Supplies. Volume 12 consists of Aircraft, Aerial Bombs, Tanks, Mechanical Transport Vehicles, Railway Materials and Ropeways, Agricultural Machinery.

 

Cheers

Maureen

[MartH]

Thank you for both replies.

 

I have looked at the ones online and got useful information and looked at my own copies, both the bound versions and the grey covered as issued as parts.

 

My question is in the reference library can I use a camera to take photographs of pages of books that are old. And whats this photographic license? I thought that was for using the IWM photographs.

 

And  François60 is correct I am after OH variations. I think there where three printing of the OH Munitions Series, certainly two, but can't prove it the three...yet.

 

 

 

[Guest]

31 minutes ago, MartH said:

Thank you for both replies.

 

I have looked at the ones online and got useful information and looked at my own copies, both the bound versions and the grey covered as issued as parts.

 

My question is in the reference library can I use a camera to take photographs of pages of books that are old. And whats this photographic license? I thought that was for using the IWM photographs.

 

And  François60 is correct I am after OH variations. I think there where three printing of the OH Munitions Series, certainly two, but can't prove it the three...yet.

 

 

 

   Mart-If you can tell me what you want, I will go and sus the LSE set. I have my own set in parts-  in the grey wrappers, tied up per volume-It was the set given to Maurice Hankey.  The LSE Library catalogue has 2 entries for the blockade volume on the shelves- so I will check both.

    I suspect that  the House of Commons Library may hold some variants but where it's stock of the OHs are I haven't a clue. Some of the older government libraries seem a good bet also, though they have been heavily culled in recent years- On the basis that an internal version is far more likely to be kicking around another department in Whitehall. My best bet for blockade would the Treasury Library but it is more than 30 years since I was there-(To buy books!!).  I am aware that there are runs of the OHs in the Cabinet Office, with some of the unpublished there (eg Fire Service,WW2)  Most government departments are usually quite helpful-if they treat you benignly, it is because they recognize a passing harmless loon rather than a pushy investigative journalist with a pre-formed agenda.  An older library  that does retain stuff is the Bank of England, where, of course, the blockade volume variant could likely lurk.

    Let me know what to look for and I will make a mental note. You are welcome to come up to LSE anytime.

 

Hope the mutt is still OK

[MartH]

Kai is fine, and enjoying life, though is upset he can't sun bathe  at the moment.

 

I will work on the Munitions set of my OH Bibliography, all 56 parts. 

 

The Official History of the Administration of the Blockade (super rare), the the big blue Blockade I have, so understand that.

 

The Administration of the Blockade and the Munitions where done by Emergency Departments that were wound up at war's end. 

 

The Munitions was released in a draft edition, to be  revised later. I am trying to understand if that happened at all and to which of the 56 parts was revised.

[Terry_Reeves]

MartH

 

You may already be aware of this, if not the drafts are at TNA. This particular file, MUN5/321A, might be of interest:

 

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=history+of+the+ministry+of+munitions

 

TR

Edited 14 August , 2018 by Terry_Reeves

[MartH]

Terry

 

Many thanks, I was aware that there were files at the NA, but not of the MUN5/32A it looks very interesting. I love the title "History of the Ministry of Munitions. [Containing 63 parts in 12 volumes, including some superseded parts and separately printed chapters. A Part II replaced the original Parts II and III of Vol. VI, and Part III of Vol. IX was not published], HMSO, 1918-1922. Printed."

 

There's me accepting others saying 56 parts, from like the IWM listings, 

 

I have at least two different Parts II of Vol. VI, one off which suggests a print run of 6, and I know the title of part IV changed. Maybe the one with a print run of 6 is the draft, it sounds extremely rare.

 

Yet again it shows you must do research, proper research,

 

Terry, magnificent steer, many thanks I will visit the TNA in the next month for the first time.

 

 

[MaureenE]

The British Library catalogue entry on  three part volumes  says "Notes: Confidential. For official information only. Cover-title". 

UIN: BLL01015234212 UIN: BLL01015234213 UIN: BLL01015234214

There is also a comment about provisional volumes. UIN: BLL01001114649

 

Cheers

Maureen

  

[AOK4]

17 hours ago, MartH said:

Last Thursday I was visiting the IWM with my 11 year old nephew and we went into the library so I could photograph the title pages of the parts of the Official History of Munitions. After photographing about 8 pages I was ticked off by an assistant and was told photograph is not allowed in the library.

 

Does anyone know if this is correct? It seems barking in this modern world.

 

To return to the original question. It doesn't mention on the website whether taking pics is allowed in the library (nowadays there's less and less information is to be found on the website compared to earlier), but in German archives it is usually not allowed either. So, it is not that weird, although a bit dated perhaps. It can be weirder though: in the Brussels Royal Army Museum, they introduced a few years ago a fee to take pictures of docs.

Edited 15 August , 2018 by AOK4

[MartH]

9 hours ago, Maureene said:

The British Library catalogue entry on  three part volumes  says "Notes: Confidential. For official information only. Cover-title". 

UIN: BLL01015234212 UIN: BLL01015234213 UIN: BLL01015234214

There is also a comment about provisional volumes. UIN: BLL01001114649

 

Hi Maureene, thanks for this, it is clear that there were at least 2 printing, and at least 59 issued parts over the printing.

 

4 hours ago, AOK4 said:

 

To return to the original question. It doesn't mention on the website whether taking pics is allowed in the library (nowadays there's less and less information is to be found on the website compared to earlier), but in German archives it is usually not allowed either. So, it is not that weird, although a bit dated perhaps. It can be weirder though: in the Brussels Royal Army Museum, they introduced a few years ago a fee to take pictures of docs.

 

I did check there was no signs or as know nothing on the website. It is a strange state of affairs.

[themonsstar]

Hi Martin

 

I photograph the 12 Vol set at the NA have if you need anything let us know. 

 

Roy

[MartH]

Hi Roy pm sent,

 

Many thanks

 

Mart

[Sidearm]

The IWM document archive requires you to purchase a licence to take photos of documents. I think I paid £10 for a day, which is on the steep end for such charges.  The National Archives at Kew has no such charges, but they are commonplace in local authority archives.  I have not used the IWM library so I don't know the situation there, but I would be surprised if a licence was not required.

 

Gwyn

 

[MartH]

On 19/08/2018 at 15:14, Sidearm said:

The IWM document archive requires you to purchase a licence to take photos of documents. I think I paid £10 for a day, which is on the steep end for such charges.  The National Archives at Kew has no such charges, but they are commonplace in local authority archives.  I have not used the IWM library so I don't know the situation there, but I would be surprised if a licence was not required.

 

Gwyn

 

 

Thanks, did not even get as far as a license, just said no photography.

[Keith_history_buff]

On 19/08/2018 at 15:14, Sidearm said:

The IWM document archive requires you to purchase a licence to take photos of documents. I think I paid £10 for a day

That's what I paid when I took some Navy List images at the Portsmouth City Library.

I think it's still free at the Caird Library at Greenwich. I can't recall what the price is at the London Metropolitan Archives.

[Keith_history_buff]

Apparently it's £5 at the LMA
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/london-metropolitan-archives/visitor-information/Pages/plan-your-visit.aspx