The Bibliographical Society: The Annual General Meeting 2011

The one hundred and nineteenth Annual General Meeting was held at Christie’s, 8 King Street, London sw1y 6qt on Tuesday, 18th October 2011. The President, Dr David Pearson, was in the Chair. The minutes of the previous Annual Meeting (which had been printed in The Library for June 2011) were taken as read, seconded by Professor Mirjam Foot, and confirmed.

Speaking to the Annual Report, the President noted the deaths of several eminent bibliographers over the past year: Julian Roberts, Robin Alston, William Todd, Richard Landon and Trevor Howard-Hill. He outlined the Society’s activities such as its full lecture programme and summer visit, and its publication of Vervliet’s conspectus of French Renaissance printing types and, in 2011, of Tattersfield’s volumes on Thomas Bewick. Forty new members were elected since the last Annual Meeting, and membership is stable. The Society’s Archive has been deposited at the Bodleian Library and some funds are being spent to expand its listing; a memorandum of agreement had been signed to make freely available on the Society’s website the database of British armorial bookbindings by the late John Morris and Philip Oldfield; and the Society has developed a policy on e-publications. Looking ahead to another active year, Dr Pearson encouraged the audience to attend lectures and events. The Society’s Gold Medal will be awarded to Dr Paul Needham at the meeting on 15 November 2011. Dr Pearson proposed the adoption of the Annual Report; it was seconded by Dr Kristian Jensen, and carried.

The Treasurer presented the Accounts for 2010, noting that any losses are primarily paper ones and that the Society’s financial position is healthy and allows it to maintain its activities, including publishing The Library and monographs and granting fellowships and bursaries. Income from on-line sales of The Library continue to be strong but the Society is aware that this may not continue beyond the short or medium term. There were no questions from the floor, and the Treasurer proposed the adoption of the Accounts. This was seconded by Miss Robin Myers, and carried. The proposal to re-appoint the firm Thornton Springer as Auditor for 2011 was also passed, after being seconded by Miss Myers.

The President explained that as a result of changes to terms of office some years ago, no members of Council are due to rotate off this year, and therefore no new members are to be elected.

All existing officers were willing to serve in their respective positions for another one-year term; their election was proposed, seconded by Mr Giles Mandelbrote, and carried.

The President expressed Council’s desire to co-opt Professor David McKitterick for another year; the proposal was seconded by Professor Nicholas Pickwoad, and carried.

There was no other business.

The President closed the meeting and Margaret Ford, Hon. Secretary and Vice-President, and Head of the Department of Books and Manuscripts at Christie’s introduced Lynda McLeod, Christie’s Archivist. Ms McLeod gave an overview of the archives and history of Christie’s with particular reference to historic book auctions. Ms Ford then introduced Jane Oldfield, Deputy Librarian of the London Library, who spoke about the London Library past and present. Afterwards members were invited to view highlights of Christie’s archives and forthcoming book auctions and to tour the London Library with Ms Oldfield.

Annual Report 2010–11

Officers of the Society

President: D. R. S. Pearson; Past Presidents: J. L. Flood, E. S. Leedham-Green, J. Barnard; Vice-Presidents: C. Y. Ferdinand, K. Jensen, H. Woudhuysen, M. L. Ford;

Hon. Secretary: M. L. Ford; Hon. Treasurer: R. A. Linenthal; Hon. Librarian: R. Myers; Hon. Editor of The Library: W. Bell; Hon. Edior of Monographs: D. J. Shaw.

Council: M. Bell, N. Bell, J. Ing Freeman, J. Goldfinch, R. Gaskell, D. J. McKitterick (co-opted), R. Ovenden, N. Pickwoad, E. Potten, J. Raven.

Membership

The membership of the Society now stands at 775.

27 new members were elected during 2010.

Meetings

The Annual General Meeting was held at the Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury, London, ec2...