The National Maritime Museum: Caird Library and Archive

Caird Library & Archive


It seems only fitting that to get to the National Maritime Museum I would be zipping along the Thames River on a commuter boat to Greenwich! It was a beautiful morning. Clear skies and just about the perfect temperature for time outdoors. It helped establish a tone for the day viewing library and archival material focusing on England's sailors and sea faring expeditions. I had not been to the museum prior to this visit and truthfully knew very little about the work that they do. It was another example of the diversity of the information profession and the records and material that are being maintained and preserved.

After being greeted by our guide our class was taken to a room within the museum where a brief explanation of the organization was shared with us. The Caird library and archive contains pamphlets, books and periodicals. The material ranges from rare books to contemporary items. The subject areas covered by the collection include information about the Merchant and Royal Navy, shipping companies, astronomy, and shipwrecks. The Caird staff are available to provide research assistance and material can be accessed by anyone as long as they have a readers ticket. There is physical and digitized material for research purposes. I was very interested in what kinds of records there would be for specific servicemen.

Our guide Stawell Heard provided background information for the archival material set out for our examination. One area represented from this sample of items was the documents and service records of a specific sailor. It was incredible to see the original paperwork from a different era so well preserved. I think it is very exciting, especially for people who have ancestors that served in the Merchant and Royal Navy. The Caird library and archive is an excellent resource for this kind of research. There are crew lists, voyage and vessel information, and certificates for masters', mates', and engineers. One feature of particular use is the copying center available in the library. While it is not free, it provides people with the ability to take information with them for further study after they leave the library.

I feel very fortunate to have been able to have a back stage pass to the archives during our visit. During our tour below where some of the most sensitive materials are stored we got to see where different staff access lists of items researchers request to view. Our guide through the archive, Librarian Penny Allen, shared valuable insights with our class about the role of a supervisor. She told us that she tries to do all of the tasks periodically whether they are within her job classification or below it. She stated that it is essential to know how to do everything when you are in a supervisory role, otherwise how can you expect it of your staff? It testament to valuing all aspects of work being done at the library, and a reaffirmation of something I believe to be vital to leadership.