Cam Papers
Cam Papers consists of uncatalogued printed ephemera relating to the University and its societies, and the City of Cambridge. These include leaflets, posters, notices, programmes and newspaper cuttings. Anything which may be more properly regarded as a pamphlet has been placed in the class Cam and entered in the catalogue. None of the material in Cam Papers is in the catalogues. Readers should consult the annotated copy of Cambridge Papers Classification, available at the Staff Desk - an outline of the classification scheme is given below. There is also a card index to societies, which stands in the Rare Books Microfilm Annexe. Neither of these lists individual items held, so if you are interested in a particular society or subject area, staff will fetch the relevant boxes for you to examine. Cam Papers complements the University Archives, available through the Manuscripts Room.
Official papers issued by the University or its officers between 1818 and 1870 form the basis of the collection (although the earliest item dates back to 1643). It was then the custom to distribute all official notices and announcements printed on single sheets of paper, and it is due to the foresight of half a dozen members of the University who presented those loose sheets and gave their collections to the Library that we possess an almost complete series.
In 1870 it was decided to compose these official notices into a weekly gazette, the Cambridge University Reporter, and thereafter the need to preserve individual sheets ceased. As the number of official papers coming into the collection falls around this time, the extent of miscellaneous material increases. Notices of societies, meetings, lectures, dinners; programmes of theatrical and musical events; this ephemeral printed evidence of Cambridge's social, intellectual and cultural life appears in the Cam Papers in ever increasing volume.
Up to 1913 the collection was deposited in a number of albums; but for some years from that date it suffered neglect, new accessions being stored in boxes as they came in. At length in 1938 the material was sifted and duplicates removed. The 27,000 pieces which remained were grouped according to subject or to the bodies responsible for their issue. The scheme of subject headings - listed below - has remained the same since that time, though it has been extended to take in new kinds of material. A more detailed guide is available at the Staff Desk. The papers are placed in loose-leaf albums or archive boxes in alphabetical or chronological order within the subject heading.
The staff of the Rare Books Department will be pleased to receive at any time material thought to be suitable for the collection.
Outline classification scheme for Cam Papers
| A | ADMINISTRATION |
| AB | University Officers |
| AC | Administrative bodies |
| AM | Preachers |
| B | FINANCE |
| BA | University property: buildings |
| BB | University property: land |
| BE | Purchases |
| BG | Benefactions |
| BM | Pensions |
| BP | Memorial funds |
| C | LEGISLATION. STATUTES |
| CH | Discipline and Residence |
| CM | Town and University relations |
| D | STUDIES: GENERAL |
| DC | Special |
| DF | Advanced and external |
| E | Teaching Officers. Lectures. Examinations |
| EA | Professors |
| EC | Readers |
| EE | Lecturers |
| EG | Teachers |
| EI | Demonstrators |
| EJ | Assistant Directors of Research |
| EL | Assistants to Professors |
| EM | Special foundations (e.g. Rede, Sandars) |
| EP | Lectures |
| ER | Examinations |
| ET | Extra-University studies |
| F | BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS: GENERAL |
| FA | Separate |
| FH | Colleges (Men) |
| FI | Colleges (Women) |
| FM | Training Colleges |
| FO | Other institutions |
| G | SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES: GENERAL |
| GA | Scholarships, etc. |
| GF | Prizes, etc. |
| H | DEGREES: GENERAL |
| HB | B.A. degree: general |
| HC | B.A. degree, Ordinary |
| HD | B.A. degree, Honours |
| HF | M.A. and higher degrees |
| HH | Diplomas |
| HM | Ceremonies |
| HN | Complimentary addresses, etc. |
| HO | Complimentary or commemorative dinners, etc. |
| HV | Congresses, etc. at Cambridge |
| I | UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATION |
| IH | Church Patronage |
| J | UNIVERSITY SOCIETIES |
| M | MISCELLANEOUS: GENERAL |
| MA | Chronological series |
| MC | Religion |
| MD | Missions |
| ME | Politics |
| MG | Art and Music |
| MI | Sport |
| MK | Unofficial dinners |
| MM | Private entertainments |
| MO | Meetings not included elsewhere |
| MP | Facetiae |
| MQ | Student protest |
| MR | Advertisements for publications by or about members of the University, etc. |
| MT | Advertisements for University magazines, etc. |
| MU | Buildings, etc. controlled by members of the University |
| MY | Obituary notices and service sheets |
References
- Bartholomew, A.T. Catalogue of the books and papers for the most part relating to the University, town, and county of Cambridge, bequeathed to the University by John Willis Clark. Cambridge, 1912. B125:7.CAM.2
Links
- Oates, J.C.T. Cambridge University Library, a historical sketch. Cambridge, 1975 http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/History/
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