The Bibliographical Society: The Annual General Meeting

The one hundred and fourteenth Annual General Meeting was held at the Royal Society, Carlton Terrace, London, on Tuesday 17 October 2006. The President, Professor John Flood, was in the Chair. The minutes of the previous AGM (which had been printed in The Library for June 2006) were taken as read, seconded by Professor Mirjam Foot, and confirmed.

The President summarized the Society's recent activities. Three new publications were due to be published in the next calendar year: an Index to the Courtbooks of the Stationers' Company, Richard Gameson's book on Canterbury Cathedral manuscripts, and Nigel Tattersfield's Bewick bibliography, to be followed by a reprint of E. G. Duff's Fifteenth-Century English Books, and Lotte Hellinga's Marks in Books. Slower progress was being made on two other initiatives, a bibliography of chapbooks and a London Book Trades database. The President thanked Dr David Shaw, Dr Rowan Watson, and Professor Mirjam Foot for their work on publications on behalf of the Society. The Library in its entirety is now online, and he thanked Dr Oliver Pickering, Editor of The Library, for overseeing this. The Society's library would be rehoused at Senate House Library, University of London, early in Janurary 2007 and new arrangements for members' access would be announced. The Society had made nineteen grants totalling over £13,000 during 2006, and the President thanked Professor Simon Eliot and Dr John Hinks for overseeing the Society's fellowships and bursaries programme. He announced that the Society had received a bequest of just over £150,000 from the estate of the late Katharine Pantzer, the income from which would be used to fund an additional major research grant. The President then formally presented the Annual Report for 2005–06 and proposed its adoption; this was seconded by Dr Elisabeth Leedham-Green and carried.

The Treasurer presented the Accounts for 2005, noting steady subscriptions, increased sales revenue owing to the Society's arrangement with Oxford University Press for online access to The Library, and slight increases in investments. He proposed adoption of the Accounts; this was seconded by Dr Kristian Jensen, and carried. The proposal to reappoint Mr Peter Duffell as Auditor for 2006 was also passed after being seconded by Dr Martin Davies.

The President stated that Dr Maureen Bell, Professor Warwick Gould, and Dr Mark Purcell were due to retire from Council under normal rules of rotation and he thanked them for their contribution. The following nominations were put forward to fill the vacancies: Dr Bill Bell, Mr Robin Halwas, and Dr Keith Manley. These nominations were formally seconded by Miss Robin Myers, and approved.

Dr Mervyn Jannetta had resigned his Vice-Presidency, and the President expressed the Society's gratitude for his long service to the Society, including editing The Library from 1983 to 1992.

The President also announced that his own term of office was ending, and thanked Council for its support and in particular Ms Meg Ford, Hon. Secretary, Mr Richard Linenthal, Hon. Treasurer, and Wim van Mierlo, administrative assistant. Dr Elisabeth Leedham-Green (as senior Vice President) was nominated to succeed as President. This was seconded by Mr Giles Mandelbrote.

All other officers were willing to serve in their respective positions for another one-year term; their election was proposed, seconded by Dr Elisabeth Leedham-Green, and carried.

The President reminded members of the forthcoming joint conference with the Royal Historical Society on 4 November.

Dr Leedham-Green thanked Professor Flood for the assiduity, acuity, and good humour in his stewardship of the Society as its President.

The President closed the meeting by introducing Mr Keith Moore, Librarian of the Royal Society, who spoke about the history of the Royal Society and its library.

Annual Report 2005–06

Officers of the Society

President: J. L. Flood; Past Presidents: R. Myers, D. J. McKitterick, M. M. Foot, D. J. Shaw; Vice-Presidents: E. S. Leedham-Green, M. J. Jannetta, D. R. S. Pearson, L. Hellinga, J. Barnard, C. Y. Ferdinand.

Hon. Secretary: M. L. Ford; Hon. Treasurer: R. A. Linenthal; Hon. Librarian: R. Myers; Hon. Editor of The Library...