The
Institute of Archaeology was founded in 1937. The Institute
is the single largest such department in the country and
enjoys a world-wide reputation in its field.
The
Library is to be found on the fifth floor where it moved
three years ago. It supports the teaching and research interests
of the Institute and is recognised as a collection of national
importance, itself attracting scholars from elsewhere in
the UK and from all over the world.
It has
important historical collections over a wide range of subjects.
It is particularly strong in the archaeology of the ancient
Near East, Egyptology, and sub-Saharan Africa and Europe
of the period of the migrations. It also places great emphasis
on the theoretical side of the subject and the scientific
disciplines employed in archaeology (including as well as
excavation techniques the science of materials and their
conservation). One of the areas of greatest growth over
the last few years has been in courses offered in museum
studies and public archaeology.
The
Library subscribes to over 700 current journals, many of
them on a gift or exchange basis with its own publications.
It has a large collection of Issue Desk books and teaching
collection items to support teaching at the undergraduate
and taught postgraduate levels, as well as purchasing widely
in research monographs.
It also
has an impressive archive of manuscript materials now housed
with the Library MSS and
Rare
Books department in the Science Library, including papers
of pioneers in the field such as W.M.F. Petrie and Gordon
Childe (to name only two seminal figures) as well as early
photographic materials (contact: Gill
Furlong: g.furlong@ucl.ac.uk).
The
Library is busy but very friendly. You will always be assured
of a welcome in Gordon Square.