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Treasure 36: Aberdeen City Libraries' First Book Sale, 24 February 1979
2327 National Libraries Day has been held every February since 2011 to celebrate and raise awareness of libraries, library staff and their communities all over the UK. It is an opportunity for libraries to showcase and promote what they have to offer and to attract as many visitors as possible to local libraries.
This month our selection from the Library archive brings the focus to a Library event the likes of which has never been seen before or since in Aberdeen City Libraries. The photograph shows the queue for the first ever Library book sale held in the Ballroom of the Music Hall on Saturday 24 February 1979, when well over a thousand people swarmed through the doors to grab a bargain. The Press and Journal covered the event with the headline: "Bonanza Day for Bookworms; bargain hunters pack the Music Hall".
In September 1978 the Aberdeen District Council's library committee agreed to a recommendation from City Librarian Peter Grant to hold a sale of more than 30,000 books which had been withdrawn from stock for various reasons. There was also considerable duplication of stock following local government re-organisation in 1975 when Aberdeen inherited six former county branch libraries.
Books were divided into three categories: Children's, Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction (including reference books) and prices were kept low at 20p for fiction books and non-fiction titles slightly more at 50p.
Best sellers included children's books purchased by play groups, out of date encyclopaedias and Whittaker's Almanacs, and bound volumes of National Geographic Magazine. By the end of the day, the event was deemed an overwhelming success, selling over 13,000 books and raising more than £3645 for the purchase of new stock.
The hard work and dedication of the Library staff was recognised by the Convener of the Library Committee Councillor Henry Rae who said "It turned out to be a resounding success and this was achieved by the dedication of the staff".
Treasure 37: George Kemp Lantern Slides Collection
206 2016 is the year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in Scotland and we will be highlighting some innovative items from our archive and collections throughout the year. This month we are showcasing Aberdeen City Libraries' unique collection of George Kemp lantern slides.
Lantern slides were manufactured in the mid-19th Century and were small pieces of glass featuring a painted image and measuring 3 ¼ inches square. A suitable light source and a combination of lenses created the 'magic lantern', also known as an optical lantern.
Dating back to the 17th Century, optical lanterns enlarged small images painted on glass and projected them onto a screen or wall, just as the slide projector does today.
Our lantern slide collection belonged to George Kemp, a native of Aberdeen and Town Council member at the turn of the 20th Century. Mr Kemp served in the council for 25 years from 1890 and as Governor of Robert Gordon's College from 1892. Upon his death in 1914, George Kemp's extensive collection of lantern slides was donated to the public library and is currently stored in Aberdeen Central Library. His obituary, published in the Aberdeen Journal, 26 October 1914, mentions the collection:
"[He] did much to preserve memories of ancient Aberdeen landmarks by his industry in collecting views, which he used in illustrating his admirable lecture on "Vanished and Vanishing Aberdeen", a lecture which has given delight to many audiences. He spent a good deal of money in making this interesting collection which he publicly stated his intention of leaving to the library for public purposes, and never to be broken up. The collection extends to over 500 slides."
The minutes of the Public library Committee from 1914-15 references the donation:
"The slides are now available in separate boxes in the Reference Department, and may be borrowed by any one who wishes to lecture on the subject. It may be expected that the value of the collection will increase with time, and although they may not be borrowed much for the present the possession of these historical slides by the Library will be a real educational asset to the city." (In Aberdeen Public Library. Thirsty-first annual report of the Committee for the year 1914-1915. Aberdeen: Central Press (John Milne), [1915], pages 8-9).
Treasure 38: The J. T. McIntosh Collection
207 J. T. McIntosh was a pen name of James Murdoch Macgregor (1925-2007). Born in Paisley, MacGregor moved to Aberdeen with his family at the age of 7 and stayed in the city for the rest of his life. He studied at Aberdeen Grammar School and graduated from the University of Aberdeen with an honours degree in English and literature.
After leaving education he taught music and English at Aberdeen Grammar School and became a journalist for the Bon Accord Magazine and sub-editor of the Press and Journal newspaper. MacGregor was a prolific writer from a young age and developed his skills producing many early short stories.
After finding success submitting stories to science fiction magazines on both sides of the Atlantic, MacGregor became a full time writer in 1952. He borrowed the pseudonym J. T. McIntosh from an old school friend and from September 1951 this became his most common pen name.
Aberdeen Local Studies has collected copies of many of his better known works, including editions from around the world. His science fictions novels from the 1950s are his best remembered: World Out of Mind (1953), Born Leader (1954), One in Three Hundred (1954) and The Fittest (1955). He published regularly until the late 1970s.
To accompany our wide selection of J. T. McIntosh works we have a collection of material on the author assembled by pupils and teachers from Torry Academy. The above biography has drawn heavily on their excellent work. We also hold a copy of a fascinating interview from 1986 in which MacGregor discusses his life and work. The National Library of Scotland has a significant collection of his written works too and in 2010 acquired his literary papers and correspondence.
MacGregor remains a neglected figure, awaiting the recognition deserving of this prolific Aberdeen author. Treasure 39: Aberdeen Ladies' Educational Association Minute Books, 1877-1886
208 There were a number of initiatives in 19th Century Scotland aiming to improve education for women including university local examination schemes, courses of lectures by university professors, and the formation of Ladies' Educational Associations.
Aberdeen Local Studies holds a Minute Book recording the relatively short-lived Aberdeen Association founded in 1877 to provide higher education for women. The volume also contains documents including the initial prospectus, six printed annual reports and a selection of newspaper advertisements for the lectures offered by the Association.
The Association ran courses for seven years which included 13 different subjects - physiology and the laws of health appeared in the 1881-82 session while German language and literature, along with physical geography and geology, were offered in the 1882-3 session.
However, the number of women attending the courses dropped during the 1882-83 session. Classes were discontinued in Spring 1884, and the Association was wound up in July 1886.
In 1892 the University of Aberdeen began to admit women to its degree courses.
Treasure 40: Valentine and Sons Postcards Collection, 1825-1963
209 Founded in 1825 as a printing firm based in Dundee, Valentine & Sons grew to become a prominent force in the postcard industry. Combining established printing practices with new developments in photography, Valentines were one of many companies able to exploit the growing Victorian tourist boom, aided in part by easier travel on Britain's new railway system.
James Valentine, son of the original founder John, became an early pioneer in photography with many of his works reproduced by the company from 1860. After James' death in 1879, the company continued under his two sons, George Dobson Valentine and William Dobson Valentine.
From 1896, Valentine and Sons began producing postcards to complement their existing business which included books of photographs, portraits and Christmas cards. As the postcard business grew in success, the company expanded into other tourist markets - including opening offices in Jamaica, Norway, North Africa, Canada and New York.
By the 1930s, the company focused solely on postcard production, but a focus on monochrome and sepia prints seems to have underestimated a growing demand for colour images. By the 1950s, the business was suffering and elected to change direction by returning to greetings cards. The company was purchased by Waddington & Co in 1963 - which in turn passed to Hallmark cards in 1980. Operations in Dundee ceased in 1994.
As with other producers of photographic material, the legacy of such a prolific business enables modern audiences a glimpse into the past with thousands of images from numerous locations capturing a given moment in time. Postcards have become a staple for those with historical interest, and many private collectors seek to hold the entire works of companies such as Valentine and Sons.
For the Local Studies service, the collection of postcards produced by Valentine and Sons offer some unique and fascinating insights into Aberdeen life in the past. Not only this, the messages written on the back of postcards - both from and to those in Aberdeen - can often bring a more human side to the historical picture.
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