Ringing Forums

For those who do not receive the Ringing World for information:

We are now able to finalise the move of the Library Collection from Worthen to the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust (LBT) following the completion of the renovation work there. We are grateful to Alan Glover for his patience while the new arrangements have been made, especially providing the facilities in his home to house the Collection of around 4,500 books together with other archive material.

The Collection will be moved between the 8th and 9th August using a professional removals firm given the size of the Collection. Packing the collection will begin in the first week of August and it will be unavailable for consultation until it is in its new home and a successor as Library Steward has been appointed by the CCCBR Executive. Although the new Library Steward once appointed will continue to help with historical enquiries on bells and bellringing, the new Library location means they will not have material to consult in an adjacent room. As a consequence ringers will be encouraged to use the new Library facilities at Loughborough themselves to undertake their own research where practical, although the Library Steward will still be able to help with enquiries when visiting Loughborough.

The CCCBR Library Collection at Loughborough will be open to visitors wishing to consult publications Tuesday to Friday between 10am and 4pm. Visitors will need to book a visit in advance through the LBT contact (infoatbelltrustdotcodotuk) copied to the CCCBR Library Steward (librarystewardatcccbrdotorgdotuk). Any requests to research the Taylor’s archive must go through the LBT contact separately. Visitors will need to sign in and then out again at the LBT Reception Desk on each visit and may be required to have their bags searched on leaving.

A Reading Room at the LBT is available with access to electrical points to enable visitors to consult material and work during their visit. Visitors will be able to access the book storage with a member of LBT staff to select their reading materials, but then leave items on the table for LBT staff to put back in the bookcases at the end of the visit. If access to any further document is required then a member of the LBT staff will again help to facilitate this. Visitors will further need to ask permission from LBT staff before venturing elsewhere in the LBT given certain areas may have restricted access or be limited to specific visitor requirements.

A few valuable items, including some early books and the badge collection, will be kept in a secure safe and permission to access these will need to be first sought from the CCCBR Library Steward before booking a visit to view these items. The Library Steward will inform the LBT when permission has been given. Visitors will have an item brought to them in the Reading Room and should handed it back to the appropriate LBT member of staff when they have finished consulting it (they should not be left unattended in the Reading Room). The LBT staff will then return them to the safe.

Arrangements to borrow certain items from the Library Collection, for a period of up to 4 weeks, will continue to be available. Such requests will initially need to go to the CCCBR Library Steward who will liaise with the LBT to make suitable arrangements. Those requesting material will be required to cover the cost of post and packing. Items held in the secure safe will not be available for loan.

Due to its fragile state the Carter Ringing Machine is to remain on permanent display at the LBT and is not available to borrow for external exhibitions and similar events