CILIP Government Information Group visit: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Historical Library Collection / Thursday 10 July 2025, 2:30pm – 4:30pm

 

Image source: 

Chris Downer, City of London, King's College Library - geograph.org.uk - 865161, CC BY-SA 2.0

CILIP GIG are delighted to announce an in-person visit to King's College London's Maughan Library, focusing on the historical library collection of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The collection was transferred to King’s College London in 2007. This initial transfer of material has been supplemented by later additional transfers and the collection now amounts to over 140,000 items, ranging in date from the 16th century to the present day and covering the history and geography of all regions of the world.

On this visit you will be able to see highlights from the collection and to hear from members of the Special Collections team, who have charge of it, about some of the work they do to make it discoverable to students, researchers and the wider public both now and in the future. Topics covered will include cataloguing, teaching and digitisation. The visit will also include a tour of the historic grade II* listed Maughan Library building (the former Public Record Office) and an opportunity to view the current library exhibition, From streets to the stars: 500 years of maps, which contains material from the FCDO collection. Refreshments will be provided.

The Maughan Library is located on Chancery Lane, near the boundary of the Cities of London and Westminster and the Borough of Camden. The area is well served by public transport, with nearby tube and rail stations and bus stops. Maps, plans and further information about the building can be found on its page on the King's College London website.

Registration for the visit is available to CILIP members here.