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Academic Support - Library and Learning Support

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Special Collections

The Special Collections Room is on the top floor of The Sir Michael Cobham Library. It exists to provide access to the collections which support the research of the University's Schools and to secure where possible, through the quality or uniqueness of its collections, distinction within the higher education community. As well as the collections themselves, the room provides a silent study area, PCs, network sockets and wireless capability for laptop use and a photocopier/scanner. For some resources, kept in secure off site storage, appointments will be necessary.

Contents:

Broadcasting History Collections

The Broadcasting History Collections focus on all aspects of broadcasting history in the United Kingdom from 1920's to the present day. They comprise:

BBC Radio 4 Analysis
The BBC Radio 4 Analysis collection comprises audio-tapes 1970-1994, stored in a remote location, and transcripts 1970-1990, located in the Special Collections Room. The collection is supported by a small grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Board [AHRB]. BBC Radio 4 Analysis has its own website, Analysis Online.

Broadcasting Audience Research
The collection consists of data sets from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB), Joint Industry Committee for Television Advertising Research (JICTAR), Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd. (RAJAR), and associated material dating from 1966-2001.

Channel Four Television - Press Information - 1990-2001
For researchers, Press Information is an invaluable source of information on 'hard to find' programmes and provides the most comprehensive overview of television output. Press information list weekly schedules with brief synopses, information on where programmes fit in the schedule and the contribution that they make to series or themed seasons. Where programmes are reviewed elsewhere, reviews are quoted together with relevant information on awards, background of presenters and production credits.

History of Broadcasting
Collection of books, annuals and reviews for the period 1920-1980 and journals including Ariel 1936-1991, BBC Record 1961-1975, BBC Quarterly 1949-1954, The Listener 1930-1990 and The Radio Times (London Ed.) 1936-1987.

In Touch Collection
Collection of nearly 20 years worth of recordings and broadcast information for the IN TOUCH radio programme, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from c1969 to 1995. This unique programme provides a critical consumer evaluation of aids and services for people with a visual handicap. Bulk of the collection dates from the late 1970s and also includes copies of the IN TOUCH bulletin which from 1974 was produced quarterly with a summary of the broadcast information.

Independent Local Radio Programme Sharing Digitization Project Archive
Digitised archive of local radio programmes from c1980-1990. The Independent Local Radio Programme Sharing Scheme, organised by the Association of Independent Radio Contractors [AIRC], enabled independent radio stations to share features, drama and music. The scheme ended after the 1990 Broadcasting Acts relaxed the requirement for speech based broadcasting which it served. The collection, located in the Special Collections Room, was digitised in a partnership with the British Library, National Sound Archive and Bournemouth University. The Collection is supported by a Resource Enhancement Grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Board [AHRB].

Independent Production Collection
Collection of material related to the introduction of Producer Choice into the BBC, Channel 4 and Flashback Production. The material is on permanent loan from Victoria Wegg-Prosser.

Independent Television Authority / Independent Broadcasting Authority (ITA/IBA) / Cable Authority Archive 1953 - 1990
Bournemouth University now holds the ITA/IBA Cable Authority archive, donated to the University by OFCOM. If you wish to consult the archive please contact Stephen Parton. Once accredited you will be sent a password to enable access to the archive catalogue. You will then need to select those boxes you wish to consult.

Viewing material is by prior arrangement only.  Up to four boxes of material may be requested for retrieval from the off site store.  Consultation is in the Special Collections room in The Sir Michael Cobham Library. All researchers will be required to sign a disclaimer before viewing material.

TV Times Project
TV Times from 1956-1985 on microfilm, located on the ground floor of The Sir Michael Cobham Library. The microfilm is the first output of an extensive project to create a digital copy of the TV Times and a database containing the Schedules from 1956-1985. The project is supported by a Resource Enhancement Grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Board [AHRB].

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History of PR/Advertising and Journalism Collections

History of Public Relations and Advertising
Small collection of seminal texts in Public Relations and Advertising 1920-1980. The collection is enhanced by an extensive collection of books and journals located in the main collections and databases available from the Library website.

Segrue Journalism Collection
One of the largest collections of books on the British Press 1910-1970 to remain in private hands donated to the University in 2002 by the Segrue family. The University is currently seeking financial support to add this material to the Research Collection.

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Archaeology, Local and National History Collections

Arthur Brown Collection
Press cuttings and other printed material relating to riots and civil disobedience in the UK covering the period 1976-2000.

Country Life Collection
Country Life 1944 -2000 with an index of properties covered during this period .

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Collection
A collection of the proceedings, reports, newsletters and bulletins of the Society covering the period from its formation as the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club in 1876, up to date.

Wedlake and Greening Collection
A collection books and pamphlets on archaeology split between the Special Collections Room and the open shelves. The material covers a period from c.1840 - 1976.

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Environmental Studies Collection

Environmental Collection
Reports, ephemera and interpretative material on environmental issues. This material is in the Special Collections room.

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Use of the Special Collections Room

Student Use

Students who wish to use the collections must fill in a permission form and have it signed by a tutor. The forms are available from the Information Desk and once completed are valid for one academic year.

Students are then issued with a TDSI card which will give them access to the Special Collections Room.

Single Items

Users are asked to complete a book store request which is available from the Information Desk. A member of staff will then retrieve the item from the Special Collections Room for use elsewhere in the Library.

Staff and Researchers

Please apply in person to the Information Desk at The Sir Michael Cobham Library for a door pass to the Special Collections Room. This will be issued to you for the day, using your ID card. For the ITA/IBA Cable Authority Archive 1953-1990, there are special arrangements in place.

External Users

All external users should write to the Head of Academic Development Services to request permission to access to the collection.

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