UCL Special Collections
@uclspeccoll.bsky.social
UCL Special Collections is open to everyone. Our collections of rare, unique and historic archives & books cover themes including history of UCL, education, arts and sciences.
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections
Reposted by UCL Special Collections
2025 marks the 60th anniversary of UCL's Small Press collections. UCL has collected widely in this area of independent radical publishing to preserve the outputs of these activities. The collections comprise 4,500 periodicals and 20,000 pamphlets. Watch a new celebratory video at lnkd.in/eAhT7M6t.
November 4, 2025 at 9:11 AM
2025 marks the 60th anniversary of UCL's Small Press collections. UCL has collected widely in this area of independent radical publishing to preserve the outputs of these activities. The collections comprise 4,500 periodicals and 20,000 pamphlets. Watch a new celebratory video at lnkd.in/eAhT7M6t.
Happy Halloween! 💀🎃 What could be scarrier than a skeleton whose bones bend in unnatural ways?
This drawing of a skeleton is from the 1696
Pharmacopœia Londinensis. While the skeleton may look unrealistic, the bones are accurately labelled.
This drawing of a skeleton is from the 1696
Pharmacopœia Londinensis. While the skeleton may look unrealistic, the bones are accurately labelled.
October 31, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Happy Halloween! 💀🎃 What could be scarrier than a skeleton whose bones bend in unnatural ways?
This drawing of a skeleton is from the 1696
Pharmacopœia Londinensis. While the skeleton may look unrealistic, the bones are accurately labelled.
This drawing of a skeleton is from the 1696
Pharmacopœia Londinensis. While the skeleton may look unrealistic, the bones are accurately labelled.
UCL Research Institute for Collections Fellow, Dr. Liz Bruchet and Ming Tiampo will be presenting at this symposium next week. Their paper will focus on 'Slade Overseas Students and Conjunctures of Global Activism' and will draw on records from our College Archive. benuri.org/events/80-sy...
Event: SYMPOSIUM AND BOOK LAUNCH: Metropolitan Crossings: Art, Displacement, and the Making of Modern London (1930s–1970s)
In person and Online SYMPOSIUM AND BOOK LAUNCH Metropolitan Crossings: Art, Displacement, and the Making of Modern London (1930s–1970s) Ben Uri Gallery and Museum 108a Boundary Road, St John’s Wood, L...
benuri.org
October 29, 2025 at 11:39 AM
UCL Research Institute for Collections Fellow, Dr. Liz Bruchet and Ming Tiampo will be presenting at this symposium next week. Their paper will focus on 'Slade Overseas Students and Conjunctures of Global Activism' and will draw on records from our College Archive. benuri.org/events/80-sy...
Reposted by UCL Special Collections
Coming soon to British Online Archives — Witchcraft and Magic in England, c. 1400–1920.
Featuring rare records from The National Archives, British Library, UCL, and The Folklore Society.
Register your interest: buff.ly/YBeFCF1
Featuring rare records from The National Archives, British Library, UCL, and The Folklore Society.
Register your interest: buff.ly/YBeFCF1
October 22, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Coming soon to British Online Archives — Witchcraft and Magic in England, c. 1400–1920.
Featuring rare records from The National Archives, British Library, UCL, and The Folklore Society.
Register your interest: buff.ly/YBeFCF1
Featuring rare records from The National Archives, British Library, UCL, and The Folklore Society.
Register your interest: buff.ly/YBeFCF1
Join us on 4 Nov for a workshop with @wikimediauk.bsky.social and discover how this project used historic student publications to support research, teaching, and public engagement. You'll also have the chance to see the original material and get hands-on training processing historical documents.
October 20, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Join us on 4 Nov for a workshop with @wikimediauk.bsky.social and discover how this project used historic student publications to support research, teaching, and public engagement. You'll also have the chance to see the original material and get hands-on training processing historical documents.
We love inscriptions, though "Nausea" is an uncommon name to find! This inscription is from vol 1 of Denis Diderot's 1751 Encyclopédie. It is a later addition, as it is on late 19th/early 20th century paper added when the book was rebound.
Who added the inscription, and why? Suggestions welcome!
Who added the inscription, and why? Suggestions welcome!
October 17, 2025 at 3:32 PM
We love inscriptions, though "Nausea" is an uncommon name to find! This inscription is from vol 1 of Denis Diderot's 1751 Encyclopédie. It is a later addition, as it is on late 19th/early 20th century paper added when the book was rebound.
Who added the inscription, and why? Suggestions welcome!
Who added the inscription, and why? Suggestions welcome!
In 2025 UCL Special Collections celebrates 60 years of collecting small press. This year also marks 50 years of publishing by Coracle Press @coracle.bsky.social
Join us for a birthday bash!
12 November
17:00 - 20:00
Free & open to all / booking essential.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-continu...
Join us for a birthday bash!
12 November
17:00 - 20:00
Free & open to all / booking essential.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-continu...
We continue to wave a small handkerchief at the world: Coracle Press @ 50
Join us to celebrate 50 years of Coracle Press!
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 3:55 PM
In 2025 UCL Special Collections celebrates 60 years of collecting small press. This year also marks 50 years of publishing by Coracle Press @coracle.bsky.social
Join us for a birthday bash!
12 November
17:00 - 20:00
Free & open to all / booking essential.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-continu...
Join us for a birthday bash!
12 November
17:00 - 20:00
Free & open to all / booking essential.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-continu...
Reposted by UCL Special Collections
@uclspeccoll.bsky.social has appointed Monitor Books as the inaugural Small Press in Residence as part of celebrations marking 60 years since UCL’s Small Press Collection was established. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news...
October 14, 2025 at 9:55 AM
@uclspeccoll.bsky.social has appointed Monitor Books as the inaugural Small Press in Residence as part of celebrations marking 60 years since UCL’s Small Press Collection was established. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news...
Reposted by UCL Special Collections
Happy National Poetry Day! For more information on the @uclspeccoll.bsky.social Poetry Store visit www.ucl.ac.uk/library/spec...
October 2, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Happy National Poetry Day! For more information on the @uclspeccoll.bsky.social Poetry Store visit www.ucl.ac.uk/library/spec...
Join us on October 23rd for our Bloomsbury Open Morning! We'll be looking at items from our collection related to sewers & clean water in C19th London 🚰
To book your free ticket, visit:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ucl-specia...
#londonhistory #londonwater
To book your free ticket, visit:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ucl-specia...
#londonhistory #londonwater
September 23, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Join us on October 23rd for our Bloomsbury Open Morning! We'll be looking at items from our collection related to sewers & clean water in C19th London 🚰
To book your free ticket, visit:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ucl-specia...
#londonhistory #londonwater
To book your free ticket, visit:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ucl-specia...
#londonhistory #londonwater
A unique, free pop-in event to celebrate World Food Day. Come along on 14 Oct to explore our fascinating collections and discover the stories behind food and daily life through the ages at UCL East in Stratford.
Book your ticket on tinyurl.com/UCLSpecCollF... now!
#worldfoodday
Book your ticket on tinyurl.com/UCLSpecCollF... now!
#worldfoodday
September 22, 2025 at 11:39 AM
A unique, free pop-in event to celebrate World Food Day. Come along on 14 Oct to explore our fascinating collections and discover the stories behind food and daily life through the ages at UCL East in Stratford.
Book your ticket on tinyurl.com/UCLSpecCollF... now!
#worldfoodday
Book your ticket on tinyurl.com/UCLSpecCollF... now!
#worldfoodday
We are grateful to Professor Timon Screech for gifting these two coffee mugs and saucers that used to be in the academic staff common room. They will be added to the College Archive.
September 22, 2025 at 9:12 AM
We are grateful to Professor Timon Screech for gifting these two coffee mugs and saucers that used to be in the academic staff common room. They will be added to the College Archive.
Yes! And if you want to explore Orwell as a social commentator and journalist, check out our free online schools resource: Orwell in the Archive www.ucl.ac.uk/library/coll...
September 2, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Yes! And if you want to explore Orwell as a social commentator and journalist, check out our free online schools resource: Orwell in the Archive www.ucl.ac.uk/library/coll...
Last chance to see!
Our #display of 'spinless' objects from @ucl.ac.uk Small Press Collections is on display @senatehouselib.bsky.social until 9 September, and can be see as part of the excellent Spinless Wonders #exhibition there.
Free and open to all! On display in the 4th floor membership area
Our #display of 'spinless' objects from @ucl.ac.uk Small Press Collections is on display @senatehouselib.bsky.social until 9 September, and can be see as part of the excellent Spinless Wonders #exhibition there.
Free and open to all! On display in the 4th floor membership area
September 1, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Last chance to see!
Our #display of 'spinless' objects from @ucl.ac.uk Small Press Collections is on display @senatehouselib.bsky.social until 9 September, and can be see as part of the excellent Spinless Wonders #exhibition there.
Free and open to all! On display in the 4th floor membership area
Our #display of 'spinless' objects from @ucl.ac.uk Small Press Collections is on display @senatehouselib.bsky.social until 9 September, and can be see as part of the excellent Spinless Wonders #exhibition there.
Free and open to all! On display in the 4th floor membership area
The 80th anniversary of George Orwell's Animal Farm was just a few days ago, and @uclnews.bsky.social has an article about its publication and legacy.
You can read it at: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/au...
#GeorgeOrwell #AnimalFarm
You can read it at: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/au...
#GeorgeOrwell #AnimalFarm
"All Animals Are Equal": UCL marks 80 years of George Orwell’s Animal Farm
Celebrating the 80th anniversary of Orwell’s Animal Farm, UCL Special Collections reminds you that we have a treasure trove of historic archives free and open to all to explore.
www.ucl.ac.uk
August 22, 2025 at 9:41 AM
The 80th anniversary of George Orwell's Animal Farm was just a few days ago, and @uclnews.bsky.social has an article about its publication and legacy.
You can read it at: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/au...
#GeorgeOrwell #AnimalFarm
You can read it at: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/au...
#GeorgeOrwell #AnimalFarm
Today is International Cat Day, so please appreciate this distinguished feline from the cover of Little Folks magazine!
Little Folks featured stories, songs and poems for children and encouraged submissions from readers.
Shelfmark: LAURENCE HOUSMAN COLLECTION 321
#InternationalCatDay #BlackCat
Little Folks featured stories, songs and poems for children and encouraged submissions from readers.
Shelfmark: LAURENCE HOUSMAN COLLECTION 321
#InternationalCatDay #BlackCat
August 8, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Today is International Cat Day, so please appreciate this distinguished feline from the cover of Little Folks magazine!
Little Folks featured stories, songs and poems for children and encouraged submissions from readers.
Shelfmark: LAURENCE HOUSMAN COLLECTION 321
#InternationalCatDay #BlackCat
Little Folks featured stories, songs and poems for children and encouraged submissions from readers.
Shelfmark: LAURENCE HOUSMAN COLLECTION 321
#InternationalCatDay #BlackCat
Reposted by UCL Special Collections
A small exhibition of material from the @uclspeccoll.bsky.social Small Press Collections is on at @senatehouselib.bsky.social until 31/8, complementary to their excellent Spineless Wonders. If you can't make it to SHL, here's a online guide to all the exhibits: sway.cloud.microsoft/tWg56jeuiFaQ...
Spineless Wonders and 60 years of Small Press at UCL
The 1960s was a period of unprecedented access to affordable printing technologies for writers, artists, and activists; commercial offset printing had become more economically viable and workplace tec
sway.cloud.microsoft
July 11, 2025 at 10:34 AM
A small exhibition of material from the @uclspeccoll.bsky.social Small Press Collections is on at @senatehouselib.bsky.social until 31/8, complementary to their excellent Spineless Wonders. If you can't make it to SHL, here's a online guide to all the exhibits: sway.cloud.microsoft/tWg56jeuiFaQ...
Reposted by UCL Special Collections
Grateful to have attended #ISCHE46 @ische-news.bsky.social in Lille. My reflections on 'Teachers, Teaching and a Fragile Sense of Hope' are now on the @uclspeccoll.bsky.social blog: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll... #TeacherTraining #Eugenics #Hope #Imperialism #EduSky
Teachers, Teaching and a Fragile Sense of Hope: Reflections on ISCHE46 | UCL UCL Special Collections
UCL Homepage
blogs.ucl.ac.uk
July 14, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Grateful to have attended #ISCHE46 @ische-news.bsky.social in Lille. My reflections on 'Teachers, Teaching and a Fragile Sense of Hope' are now on the @uclspeccoll.bsky.social blog: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll... #TeacherTraining #Eugenics #Hope #Imperialism #EduSky
During July and August, ‘spineless’ items from our Small Press Collections are on display @senatehouselib.bsky.social and can be seen as part of the wider Spineless Wonders exhibition there.
Free & open to all!
Many thanks to our friends at Senate House for having us!
Image by Christos Fotelis
Free & open to all!
Many thanks to our friends at Senate House for having us!
Image by Christos Fotelis
July 11, 2025 at 10:05 AM
During July and August, ‘spineless’ items from our Small Press Collections are on display @senatehouselib.bsky.social and can be seen as part of the wider Spineless Wonders exhibition there.
Free & open to all!
Many thanks to our friends at Senate House for having us!
Image by Christos Fotelis
Free & open to all!
Many thanks to our friends at Senate House for having us!
Image by Christos Fotelis
Our exhibition on 19th century sanitation is now open at the Cruciform Hub! It covers the debate over water & sanitation in the lead up to the 1875 Public Health Act.
If you have a UCL card, drop by and see it!
For more info: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
@uclhealthlibraries.bsky.social
If you have a UCL card, drop by and see it!
For more info: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
@uclhealthlibraries.bsky.social
June 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Our exhibition on 19th century sanitation is now open at the Cruciform Hub! It covers the debate over water & sanitation in the lead up to the 1875 Public Health Act.
If you have a UCL card, drop by and see it!
For more info: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
@uclhealthlibraries.bsky.social
If you have a UCL card, drop by and see it!
For more info: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
@uclhealthlibraries.bsky.social
The New Curators Project 2025 participants are launching their exhibition titled "The Best of Newham" tomorrow. Join us to celebrate with free local food, craft and games. Just show up – everyone’s welcome!
Tue 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, 328 Barking Road, E6 2RT
Tue 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, 328 Barking Road, E6 2RT
June 9, 2025 at 11:03 AM
The New Curators Project 2025 participants are launching their exhibition titled "The Best of Newham" tomorrow. Join us to celebrate with free local food, craft and games. Just show up – everyone’s welcome!
Tue 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, 328 Barking Road, E6 2RT
Tue 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, 328 Barking Road, E6 2RT
We are excited to announce our new resource for GCSE History teachers that covers the topic of migration. It will be the first of a series of free, digital resources that explore our collection, presenting primary sources that reveal unique perspectives and voices. www.ucl.ac.uk/library/coll...
June 6, 2025 at 10:24 AM
We are excited to announce our new resource for GCSE History teachers that covers the topic of migration. It will be the first of a series of free, digital resources that explore our collection, presenting primary sources that reveal unique perspectives and voices. www.ucl.ac.uk/library/coll...
Sharpen your #knitting needles and join us for Craft Thing on 10 June, an afternoon of #crafting explored through UCL's Special Collections.
Free and open to all but only a few tickets remain: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/craft-thin...
Free and open to all but only a few tickets remain: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/craft-thin...
Craft Thing!
Join us for an afternoon of exploring textile and craft in history, theory, and practice at UCL Special Collections
www.eventbrite.co.uk
June 5, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Sharpen your #knitting needles and join us for Craft Thing on 10 June, an afternoon of #crafting explored through UCL's Special Collections.
Free and open to all but only a few tickets remain: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/craft-thin...
Free and open to all but only a few tickets remain: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/craft-thin...
The New Curators Projects participants are launching their exhibition next Tuesday! Come celebrate with us and enjoy free local food, crafts and games inspired by the exhibition theme “The Best of Newham”.
Tuesday 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, E6 2RT
No need to sign up – just turn up!
Tuesday 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, E6 2RT
No need to sign up – just turn up!
June 4, 2025 at 2:34 PM
The New Curators Projects participants are launching their exhibition next Tuesday! Come celebrate with us and enjoy free local food, crafts and games inspired by the exhibition theme “The Best of Newham”.
Tuesday 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, E6 2RT
No need to sign up – just turn up!
Tuesday 10 Jun, 5-7pm
East Ham Library, E6 2RT
No need to sign up – just turn up!
Dr Michelle Reynolds is our 2025 Special Collections Visiting Fellow! Michelle is a researcher in 19th-20thC art & visual culture. They will be using our Laurence Housman #rarebooks collection to explore Housman's role in the women's suffrage movement in the context of his life as a queer activist
June 4, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Dr Michelle Reynolds is our 2025 Special Collections Visiting Fellow! Michelle is a researcher in 19th-20thC art & visual culture. They will be using our Laurence Housman #rarebooks collection to explore Housman's role in the women's suffrage movement in the context of his life as a queer activist