Richard Lander School students visit Cornish Studies Library

Another Heart of Conflict visit today: students from Richard Lander School visited the Cornish Studies Library, Redruth, to see resources available there and and to learn how to view newspaper archives on microfiche.
A huge thank you to Kim Cooper, who runs the library, for helping to organise the visit.
Sally Wright from Richard Lander School, who accompanied the students, wrote:

"The students really enjoyed it and now have a focus for their next film – The War Effort Back Home, having spent their time looking at old West Briton newspapers which they found fascinating!
Kim offered them other things to do as well, but the microfilm newspapers really were the stars of the show."

A library can be more than just a library

An early morning visit to the Cornish Studies Library. A meeting was planned there but snow has fallen in the night and higher roads in the Camborne/Redruth area are treacherous so we postpone until tomorrow.

 I have a chance to look at the  glass cases in the exhibition space with Kim Cooper: Heart of Conflict is due to open on Tuesday 17 February.
This library is more than just a library: while I'm there an elderly man calls by just to say that he'd seen a piece in Interiors magazine this month featuring a Cornish house. He thought they would like to know.
Regulars are deeply engrossed in study.
A unexpected bonus: Cornwall Libraries are divesting their stocks of Cornish church guides and I find one on Paul Church published by the Newlyn Press in 1910.

Visited Paul Church late last year to talk to the vicar, Andrew Yates, about his work there and the remarkable memorial window to one of the Bolitho family. Andrew helped to get Bridging Arts projects with migrant workers and local people off the ground in west Cornwall.

Visit to Cornish Studies Library, Redruth

A great visit to the Cornish Studies Library, Redruth, as part of Heart of Conflict today.  Kim Cooper, Principal Library Officer, gave a fascinating 'behind the scenes' tour. Kim's obvious enthusiasm and love of her job came through - very inspiring, particularly for the students from Redruth School who have such a keen interest in World War One history. Today's visitors helped to create the amazing Remembrance Room at the school - more here. 

Some of the poems written by the students will be on display at our exhibition at the Cornish Studies library in February.








The library houses anything with a link to Cornwall - not just the Camborne/Redruth area. Its oldest book dates from 1602. We went behind the scenes to see the archives.

Kim also showed us how to read archive copies of newspapers on microfiche. Must say I always find these machines tricky - but the students were very quick. Another visitor, Viv Broadhurst from Praze W1 brought a pamphlet that she wanted to research. This proved very useful: the archives are so huge that it's important to have a starting point. The library holds (on microfiche) all copies of the West Briton since 1810 - as well as the Royal Cornwall Gazette, The Cornishman, The Cornubian and The Cornish Post and Mining News

Also on display were various items relating to World War One held by the library: points of inspiration.

I was particularly interested to see this book, which I didn't know about - very useful when researching the background of names on war memorials.

Also fascinating: something that I didn't know was in the archives - The Future Within by Martine Knight. A history of Sithney School written by my oldest schoolfriend (definitely so as she started primary school on the same day as me!).
A fantastic book - so detailed and so well researched. Relevant and inspiring for us all - showing how worthwhile it is to make history come alive.
Martine is working in Helston on the town's exhibitions and events to mark the World War One centenary.

Research at Cornish Studies Library, Redruth

An early start at the Cornish Studies Library, Redruth: the weather has turned colder and hail settled on the car overnight. The Library is an oasis on a bleak morning.

Kim Cooper has kindly arranged for us to look through boxes of photos that might be relevant for our Heart of Conflict exhibition.

Also a chance to have another look at the exhibition space.
It's quite a big room but well equipped - lots of power sockets and display boards plus a wealth of display cases.

Am extremely impressed by the exhibition there at the moment by Trewirgie School about local mining heritage.

Cornwall Studies Library, Redruth: planning for 2015 exhibition

At Cornwall Studies Library, Redruth, making plans for the launch of the Heart of Conflict exhibition at half term (February) 2015.
On display: artefacts gathered by local groups, with their background. Plus sound recordings created by local youth groups, including Camborne Guides.
At the moment we're making plans for visits and training, and eying up the space.