Cataloguing the SJC Archive: Introduction

The School of Pythagoras now houses the College’s entire archival collection of papers, books and maps. Although listed and catalogued to a basic level much of this material remains inaccessible to the researcher.

The production of a full and accessible catalogue of the collection is a priority for Archive staff. The relocation of the Centre to the School of Pythagoras last July has provided us with an excellent opportunity to focus on unprocessed and undiscovered items within the collection.

Archival cataloguing is hugely important because it greatly facilitates access for researchers, by identifying and explaining the context and content of the material. The product of this work is an online catalogue, which is full text searchable. Additionally, cataloguing work also helps to ensure that the archive material lasts for future generations by highlighting the need for vital preservation work.

                        Before cataloguing                                                           After cataloguing