The Angus Library and Archive has a new website!!

Please follow this link to visit our new website which replaces this blog:
The Angus Library and Archive

http://theangus.rpc.ox.ac.uk 

Slavery: The Historical and Modern Perspectives
FREE Exhibition and Talks

An ambitious exhibition of previously unseen original texts, manuscripts and artefacts which document the history of the Slave Trade and the Abolition Movement. The exhibition will include intriguing items such as pictures of the Jamaica Mission of Reverend William Knibb (1803 - 1845); abolitionist poetry; slave ship images; and items relating to the slave rebellion of 1832. Visitors will also be encouraged to contemplate modern issues of slavery and human rights. 

Click here to book tickets

The exhibition runs from 31st October - 5th December (Thursdays).

Two free talks will be run in conjunction with the exhibition:

31st October, 5.30pm - "Modern Slavery", Rod Leith, Anti-Slavery International

28th November, 5.30pm, Professor Cora Kaplan, The Politics and Poetics of Anti-Slavery Writing

Booking is essential.

For group bookings larger than 10, please contact: katie.pearce@regents.ox.ac.uk

Lesson Starters and In-Depth Teaching Resources

The Angus will be launching imaginative lesson starters and in-depth teaching resources, co-created with teachers. In October 2013, we are running Twilight sessions to plan the style, content and images used in our learning resources. Upon completion of the resources, schools will then be able to access the materials from our website and engage with others regarding exciting ideas for using the resources.

Twilight Sessions will be held at Regent's Park College on the following dates:

Monday 7th October 4.30pm – 6.30pm

Wednesday 9th October 4.30pm – 6.30pm

For further information or if you wish to attend a Twilight Session, please contact:             katie.pearce@regents.ox.ac.uk

During our teacher Twilight Sessions, images and documents will be chosen for their potential to develop enquiry-based thinking and prompt discussion. 

Treasures of The Angus

The Angus Library and Archive are excited to be taking part in the 2013 Oxford Open Doors weekend, run by the Oxford Preservation Trust.

On Saturday September 14th, we are offering visitors the opportunity to see rare books, diaries, letters and pamphlets in our Treasures of The Angus exhibition.

Please take a look at our video to see some of the highlights of our exhibition:

Treasures of The Angus Online Exhibition from The Angus Library and Archive on Vimeo.

Check back soon for details about our next exhibtion "Slavery: Historical and Modern Perspectives"

Thursday 31st October – Thursday 5th December

Booking essential, please contact: katie.pearce@regents.ox.ac.uk

Vacancy!

Cataloguer

RPC Library Service – The Angus

Full-time (1.5 years fixed contract)

£24,000 per annum

Regent’s Park College (RPC), a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, has a full-time, grant- funded position for a Cataloguer. RPC has secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Baptist Union’s Newington Court Fund to deliver an exciting project which will enable The Angus Library and Archive (The Angus) to realise its full potential as a treasure trove of primary sources.

We are therefore looking to recruit an experienced, highly knowledgeable and motivated person with formal experience in cataloguing procedures and practices to fill this important and interesting post. This position will focus on cataloguing the backlog of works in The Angus in collaboration with the Antiquarian Cataloguer, using Aleph, AACR2, DCRM(B) and an awareness of RDA cataloguing rules. The role requires knowledge of cataloguing standards and experience in the use of external bibliographic databases (RLIN, OCLC, CURL, LOCIS). Experience and knowledge of cataloguing procedures is essential as well as a keen eye for detail and excellent IT literacy. Knowledge of a Classical or at least one modern European language would be desirable but not essential.

For more information regarding this position or to request an information pack please contact the Project Administrator, anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk or (01865)288142.

Closing date is 5pm Friday 20^th September 2013. Interviews will be held on Thursday 26^th September.

Vacancy!

Antiquarian Cataloguer

The Angus Library and Archive

2.5 years, full-time

£30,000 per annum

Regent’s Park College (RPC), a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, has a full-time, grant- funded position for an Antiquarian Cataloguer. RPC has secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Baptist Union’s Newington Court Fund to deliver an exciting project which will enable The Angus Library and Archive (The Angus) to realise its full potential as a treasure trove of primary sources.

We are therefore looking to recruit an experienced, highly knowledgeable and motivated person with formal experience in cataloguing procedures and practices to fill this important and interesting post. This position will focus on cataloguing the backlog of works in The Angus and developing a plan to catalogue, conserve or dispose of items using Aleph DCRM(B)/AACR2 (with an awareness of RDA) cataloguing rules. The role will involve being responsible for all the cataloguing undertaken as part of the HLF project and will be the direct point of contact for all other cataloguing roles. The role requires knowledge of antiquarian cataloguing standards and experience in the use of external bibliographic databases (RLIN, OCLC, CURL, LOCIS). Knowledge and experience of Heritage Lottery Fund projects, and a knowledge of a Classical or at least one modern European language would be desirable but not essential.

For more information regarding this position or to request an information pack please contact the Project Administrator, anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk or (01865)288142.

Closing date is 5pm Monday 12^th August 2013. Interviews will be held on Monday 19^th August 2013.

Exhibition Research Volunteers Needed!

We need volunteers specifically to work on preparing materials for our upcoming exhibitions. Themes include: Women, Slavery, Fairtrade, and Literature. The exhibitions will coincide with national events: Black History Month, International Women's Day & Fairtrade Fortnight.

Volunteers will be able to interpret our archive treasures in a way to make them presentable to the public.

We rely on volunteers to make our outreach project work! If you are a keen historian, would like to work in museums or archives, or just have some spare time which you would like to donate to a good cause, then please get in touch!

As usual, my email address is: anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk

Looking forward to welcoming you into The Angus Family.

Vacancy - Educational Consultant DEADLINE EXTENDED!!!!

The Angus Library and Archive are seeking an Educational Consultant to oversee the development of creative and visionary National Curriculum resources with a focus on KS3 and KS4 History.

Key Responsibilities:

•        Oversee all development of educational resources to include the design of online content

•        Work with teacher volunteers in the co creation of educational resources for KS3 and KS4 students in the area of History

•        Liaise with the Learning and Participation Officer, College Librarian and volunteers in regard to resource development

•        Advocate for the project in regional and national arenas

The essential requirements are:

•        Demonstrated enthusiasm and passion about helping people engage with history, heritage and/or culture

•        Experience in public engagement in the museum, archive or other cultural sector

•        Experience in working with schools

•        Experience in the development of learning activities

•        Excellent IT literacy, with proven Microsoft Office experience

•        Strong interpersonal and communication skills

•        Ability to work on own initiative, with strong organizational and time management skills

•        Ability to work as part of a team and follow instructions

•        An appropriate degree

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 19th July 2013.

For full details, please see our website: http://www.rpc.ox.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=294&tln=AboutUs

Teachers! We need you!

Would you like your students to engage with exciting primary resources, such as this fifteenth-century Nuremberg Chronicle?

Please read our Teacher Information Sheet

With funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and The Baptist Union Newington Court Fund, we would like to see more people from a wider cross section of society using The Angus. We aim to help people engage with the heritage of the nation and the Baptist denomination, taking advantage of the true value of this wonderful collection.
We would like teachers to be involved both in the development stage and the testing of new educational resources. We will be creating National Curriculum Resources for Key Stage 3 and 4, covering subjects such as: 

·         The Victorians and non-conformists
·         Trade in the Edwardian period
·         Colonialism
·         The Slave Trade 
·         Religious liberty and tolerance

 

We will also be offering the opportunity for year 10/11 and A-Level students to gain first-hand experience using the archive. We would like to foster the students’ curiosity, helping them to develop independent study skills which are vital for university.  

Cultural Partnership Opportunity

The recent review of Cultural Education in England revealed the importance of schools making links with cultural organisations. Such partnerships offer students the opportunity to take part in academically and socially enriching activities outside of the classroom. We would like to work with teachers and schools to provide accessible and inspiring learning experiences within the library and archive setting. If you would like to discuss the possibility of forming a partnership with The Angus, please contact our Learning and Participation Officer, Katie Pearce, on: katie.pearce@regents.ox.ac.uk. 

Tips for using The Angus Library and Archive

We've been making flyers for our Open Days at Regent's Park College, including information and tips on how to use The Angus Library and Archive and some interesting facts about our collection. 

           Interested in running an Archiving for the Future course in your area?

At The Angus Library & Archive we are in need of volunteers to help run Archiving for the Future courses in churches across the UK.

We are looking for anyone with experience in training others, or with knowledge of archiving, to present our Archiving course to prospective groups.

Full ‘train the trainer’ training will be provided, as well as Archiving for the Future training for those coming from a different background.

Own transport is desirable as well as an understanding of religious history in Britain.

Would suit those with the ability to engage with others, and an interest in conserving the history of faith communities.

For more information, or for an application form, please contact: anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk, 01865 288 142

Meet our Team!

Emma Walsh has been the College Librarian at Regent’s Park College since 2008. She has qualifications in both library studies and theology. This job brings together the two main areas of her experience as a Librarian and a Baptist Minister. Although her strangest job has been as a fish monger!

Julian Lock has been part-time Archivist (looking after the library's collections of unpublished material) since 2005, having also done editing work, written for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, and - a long time ago - done a doctorate in Elizabethan religious history.

Emily Burgoyne has been the Library Assistant at The Angus since 2009, having previously worked at the Oxfordshire Records Office. Emily has a History BA, and drinks copious amounts of tea.

Anja Clark joined us in February 2013 as our Library/Project Administrator. She has a degree in German and Italian and has experience working in administration in the banking sector in London.

Katie Pearce joined us in April 2013 as our Learning and Participation Officer. She has an MA in Nineteenth-Century Studies and has experience volunteering with young people in the museum and heritage sector. 

Nathanael Hodge has been volunteering in the archive since 2011. He works at the Mills Archive in Reading and is currently studying for an MSc in Archive Administration.

Georgiana Datcu started as an Archive Volunteer in May 2013. She has an MSc in Marine Biology and also volunteers at the Natural History Museum in London and Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

John Jeffs joined us in May 2013 as an Archive Volunteer.  He is a retired actuary with an interest in history and has recently completed the Oxford University course for the Undergraduate Diploma in English Local History.

Blanca Verdía joined us in May 2013 as a Research Volunteer. She has an MA in Historiography and a PhD in Victorian Historiography and Religion. She has experience working as a teacher and volunteering in schools and museums of Oxford.

Jasmine Ansari has recently joined the Volunteer team at the Angus Library. Jasmine has wide experience of working in theological and specialist libraries. Her interests are in Pluralism and Interfaith studies. She has language skills in Indic/Arabic.

Mariam Noueiri joined us in May 2013 as an exhibition research and interpretation volunteer. She has an MSc in Cognitive Brain Imaging and also volunteers with dementia patients.

We have a wide range of volunteering opportunities at The Angus, for further information please email:  anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk

Rev. Dr. Joseph Angus

Rev. Dr. Joseph Angus left what is now the core of The Angus Library and Archive collection to Regent’s Park College. Rev. Dr. Joseph Angus was a Baptist minister and educationist; he was Principal of Regent’s Park College from 1849 to 1893.

Project Newsletter June 2013

Our first Project Newsletter is now available!

Click here to view! If you would like to subscribe to the mailing list, please contact angus.library@regents.ox.ac.uk

Free Courses!

New Vacancy: Antiquarian Cataloguer

 

 

Antiquarian Cataloguer

The Angus Library and Archive

2.5 years, full-time

£32,000 per annum

 Regent’s Park College (RPC), a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, has a full-time, grant- funded position for an Antiquarian Cataloguer. RPC has secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Baptist Union’s Newington Court Fund to deliver an exciting project which will enable The Angus Library and Archive (The Angus) to realise its full potential as a treasure trove of primary sources.

We are therefore looking to recruit an experienced, highly knowledgeable and motivated person with formal experience in cataloguing procedures and practices to fill this important and interesting post. This position will focus on cataloguing the backlog of works in The Angus and developing a plan to catalogue, conserve or dispose of items using Aleph DCRB/AACR2 cataloguing rules. The role will involve being responsible for all the cataloguing undertaken as part of the HLF project and will be the direct point of contact for all other cataloguing roles. The role requires knowledge of antiquarian cataloguing standards and experience in the use of external bibliographic databases (RLIN, OCLC, CURL, LOCIS). Knowledge and experience of Heritage Lottery Fund projects, and a knowledge of Latin or Greek or at least one modern European language would be desirable but not essential.

For more information regarding this position or to request an information pack please contact the Project Administrator, anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk or (01865)288142.

 Closing date is 5pm Friday 24^th May 2013. Interviews will be held on Monday 3rd June 2013.

 

 

 

 

The Beasts in The Angus: The Heraldic Pelican

PRO LEGE REGE ET GREGE: For the Law, the King, and the Nation.

“Love kepyth the lawe, obeyeth the Kynge, and is good for the Comm’n Welthe.”

This image is from the final page of the New Testament in English, edited from the Tyndale version and printed by the London-based printer and bookseller Richard Judge or Jugge (d. 1577). Judge’s printer’s device is prominently displayed: in the medallion is a pelican feeding her children by pecking her chest.

The Medieval tale of the pelican states that when the chicks begin to grow, they rebel against their father and incite his anger. The provoked male bird kills his chicks; when the female bird returns to the nest and discovers her dead young, she pierces her breast and feeds her blood to her brood. The mother’s blood revives the chicks, the mother pelican is therefore often depicted as an emblem of piety and charity.[i]

Naturalists observed that the pelican had a red tip to its beak and small areas of crimson plumage; they therefore reported that the pelican fed its young with blood flowing from its breast. The reddish tinge on the pelican is in fact natural colouring, and the behaviour of the pelican which may have resulted in this legend is part of its ordinary feeding process. The pelican has a sack which acts as a container for the fish that it feeds to its young. When feeding its chicks, the bird presses the sack back against its neck in an action which mimics opening its breast with its bill.

As Jesus Christ set forth the redemption through His blood, which he willingly shed for His children, early Christians adopted the pelican as an emblem of Jesus Christ.[ii]

“Then sayd the pellycane

   When my byrdts be slayne

With my bloude I them reuyue (revive)

   Scrypture doth record,

   The same dyd our Lord,

And rose from deth to lyue.”

                     Skelton, Armory of Birds 

---

[i] One of the most popular books of the Middle Ages, Physiologus, contains a number of moralised tales about beasts.

Anon, Physiologus: A Medieval Book of Nature Lore, 1587, translated by Michael Curley, 2009.

[ii] J. Vinycomb, Fictitious and Symbolic Creatures in Art, 1909.

Volunteering FAQ

What types of volunteering opportunities do you offer at The Angus?

There are many different ways to get involved with the work of The Angus. We would like to hear from you regarding what your interests are and see how your skills, gifts and abilities can be used to help us continue to develop The Angus.

We are recruiting for the following roles:

- General Angus Volunteer

- Archiving for the Future Volunteer

- Education Research Volunteer

- Exhibition Guiding Volunteer

- Exhibition Interpretation Volunteer

- Exhibition Research Volunteer

- Student Support Volunteer 

- Digital Preparation Volunteer

- Volunteer Advocate

If you are interested in any of the above roles and would like a detailed role description, please email:  anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk

What benefits are there to volunteering and what training will I receive?

Volunteering is fun and fulfilling! Whilst many people chose to volunteer in order to gain valuable experience for their CV, there are also plenty of other reasons to volunteer, including:

- Learning new skills

- Helping others

- Meeting new people and becoming part of a team 

- Finding out about local history and enriching the local community  

- Improving your employability through training and development

We will provide an induction tailored to each volunteer position, including: Background History, Information about The Angus and its Collections, Health and Safety, Handling Fragile Documents, Equal Opportunities, Safeguarding Policy, Volunteer Policy, and Procedures.

We will also provide relevant training agreed upon according to an individual’s development needs.

How much time must I give and is there a minimum commitment?

The Angus Library is open 9.30am – 4.30pm (Monday – Friday).

Volunteer hours will be agreed upon with each individual; the majority of volunteer work will take place within the opening hours, however some roles do require weekend hours which will be specified within the role description. 

What skills and experience do you ask for?

To request a role description detailing what skills are required, please email the title of the role that you are interested in to: anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk

Volunteer placements are made after an informal chat during which the applicant’s skills, talents, interests and desires will be discussed so that a suitable role can be determined.

Can I claim for my expenses?

We will reimburse all reasonable volunteer expenses, such as travel costs. We are also able to provide lunch if a volunteer is on site between 1pm-2pm.

Will I have to undergo a police check?

The need for a police check depends on the volunteering role and will be specified in the role description.

Are there any age limits?

We currently only accept volunteers aged 18 or over. There are no upper age limits to volunteering at The Angus.

How do I apply to be a volunteer?

Please send an email stating your interest to: anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk

Application forms can be downloaded, please click here and send the form to the above email address or post them to:

Anja Clark, Angus Library and Archive, Regent’s Park College, Pusey St, Oxford OX1 2LB

If you have any further questions about volunteering, please let us know.

HLF Volunteer Opportunities!

Learning and Participation Officer - Last Chance to Apply!

The closing date for applications for the Learning & Participation Officer is tomorrow, 21st March at 12pm Midday!!

If you still wish to apply, please email anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk for an application pack.

Learning and Participation Officer Wanted!

We are now looking to recruit a new position in connection with the HLF project:

Learning and Participation Officer

The Angus Library and Archive

2 years 9 months, part-time, 20 hours p/w

£22,000 pro rata

 

Regent’s Park College (RPC), a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, has a part-time, grant- funded position for a Learning and Participation Officer. RPC has secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Baptist Union’s Newington Court Fund to deliver an exciting project which will enable The Angus Library and Archive (The Angus) to reach a wider audience resulting in greater participation.

We are therefore looking to recruit an enthusiastic, highly organised and motivated person with educational experience in the museum, archive or culture sector, to fill this varied and interesting post. This position will focus on coordinating the outreach activities by liaising with schools and heritage groups and assisting with the development of exhibitions and seminars to promote treasures held in The Angus. The role will also involve launching online teaching materials for KS3 and supporting Archive Taster sessions. The role requires previous experience in public engagement in the museum, archive or other cultural sector. Knowledge and experience of Heritage Lottery Fund projects would be desirable but not essential.

For more information regarding this position or to request an information pack please contact the Project Administrator, anja.clark@regents.ox.ac.uk or (01865)288142.

 A job description can be found on our website

Closing date is 12pm Thursday 21^st March 2013. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 27^th March 2013.

 

Project Activity Plan Available Online

The main part of a HLF Round 2 application is the Activity Plan.

This is a comprehensive document that discusses in detail the project and more specifically the outreach activities that will be udertaken as part of the project.

If you would like to look at the Activity plan it is now available to view online here

If you have any questions or comments you can wither post them at the bottom of this post or email us at angus.library@regents.ox.ac.uk 

Project Administrator wanted

Regent’s Park College (RPC), a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, has a full-time, 3 year, grant- funded position for a Project Administrator. RPC has recently secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Baptist Union's Newington Court Trust to deliver an exciting project which will enable The Angus Library and Archive (The Angus) to reach a wider audience resulting in greater participation.

We are therefore looking to recruit an enthusiastic, highly organised and motivated person to fill this varied and interesting post. This position will provide administrative support for the newly developed outreach project, alongside providing office management and administrative support for The Angus, in particular the College Librarian. Experience with HLF projects would be an advantage.

For more information regarding this position or to request an information pack please contact the College Librarian, emma.walsh@regents.ox.ac.uk or (01865)288142.

Closing date is 5pm 25^th January 2013. Interviews will be held on the 30^th January 2013.

For the Job description please click here

 

 

 

 

 

Let the fun begin!

Well 2013 is here which means the start of our exciting new project.

Thank you everyone for your congratulations it has been a long road thus far but now the fun starts.

Coverage

The news has spread and has been reported in the news section of the National Archives website and in the online denominational newsletter Baptist Times.

We are continuing to promote our successful grant application and would be happy to talk with anyone further about it.

So the work begins

The first steps to be taken are the setting up of the project with much of the activities beginning in a few months time.

The key tasks that will be initially undertaken will include the appointment of the Project Administrator and also the first meeting of the Project Board.

New Position
The Project Administrator will be a full time position what will provide admin support for the project and also The Angus, this is a crucial role in ensuring the smooth running of the project.

We expect to advertise this position this week and information will be posted on the blog once this has happened so stay tuned.

Once again thank you for all your well wishes, please check back to the blog often as we will be updating it regularly now that the project has begun.

Best wishes to all for 2013.

Emma