The core of the interesting CWAAS library is the collection of journals built up since the turn of the 19th century by exchange with other county societies and some foreign institutions. Over the years, of course, some exchanges have lapsed; and in addition the Society has also acquired runs of other journals from various sources. The collection has grown in the last few years as the Society has received some substantial donations and bequests of books, giving it decent holdings on archaeology and Cumbrian local history. The most substantial of these are from Richard Read (Roman history), W.K. Calvert (Furness), and Clare Fell (prehistoric and other archaeology, and local history). We also try to accession all the books received for review in the Newsletter. Many other individuals have donated single books or smaller collections.

The Society's library is quite wide-ranging, including valuable books, microfiches and CD-ROMs, and ephemera such as Newsletters and offprints, in addition to the British and foreign journals. A few of the older, fragile, journals are still not accessible to readers pending rebinding. The consistently maintained rebinding programme has been prioritised to give access to those journals most likely to be needed.

As the Society has never had a permanent base, it has always been the guest of one of the institutions in Tullie House Library and Museum. Early descriptions of the Society's holdings make it clear that, besides the exchange journals, the Society owned maps, excavation records and other archival material. In the course of the years these have been absorbed into either the Jackson Library (part of Carlisle Library) or Tullie House Museum and no longer form part of the CWAAS library.

Since the late 1970s the Society has continued to receive donations of excavation archives, (e.g. George Richardson's papers). These are still housed in Tullie House Museum but are clearly distinguished as Society property. Excavation archives properly belong in a museum collection, rather than a library or record office, especially if there are also finds involved.

The Society also retains all the artwork, photographs, etc. used in its publications, mainly Transactions, when authors do not reclaim them. These are also in Tullie House. The Society's administrative archives are, or will be, deposited in the County Record Office, Carlisle (DSO 1). Occasionally donations include documents, manuscripts and photographs, which it is impractical to care for adequately in the Library. These are also deposited in the Carlisle Record Office. Clare Fell's papers, which were given to the Society, are in the Kendal Office (WDX 1408).

The Society looks after the small library of the Cumbria Industrial History Society on its behalf.

Donations: We are happy to continue receiving donations of relevant books and journals within our areas of interest, namely archaeology, history, and Cumbria. It is not appropriate for the Society to maintain collections outside the purposes outlined in our constitution. Nor can we justify holding duplicate copies of most books. The Society is happy to accept any and all books on the understanding that the Society can sell anything which is surplus to its needs and the proceeds will be used to further the Society's purposes. The present librarian will happily undertake collection and disposal.

Transactions:

The CWAAS library holds many of the Transactions volumes, though not a complete set.

Please note:

Carlisle Library holds a complete set of the CWAAS Transactions.

Contact details:

Address: Carlisle Library, Globe Lane, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8NX

Telephone: 01228 227310