Gibson Library Society We have maintained good attendances at our varied programme of meetings throughout the year. Without resorting to Zoom it has sometimes been difficult to engage speakers since Covid, which explains the slightly erratic scheduling of meetings over the past 12 months. Thanks to Ljiljana, however, we were able to organise a visit to the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.
VolunteersAs always we owe a considerable debt of gratitude to our many volunteers, who contribute several hundred hours each year organising, indexing, sorting, and processing the books, journals and photographs in the Gibson Library. These include Richard Woods, Margaret Graves, Jill Palmer and David Pearl. Several of our committee officers, members, and trustees, also act as volunteers in the Library, including Ian Willard, Peter Walker, Charles Rees, Bruce Tice, Ljiljana Ortolja-Baird and Pat Gregory.
Much of the volunteers' work in the past year has been devoted to sorting and processing donations received in the previous two years, but the work on these is now reaching an end, with many of Geoffrey Ball's books being incorporated into the general lending collection. Part of John Nicholson's publishing archive will be retained here in the Gibson Library. Fortunately, there are sufficient duplicates to enable similar size collections to be sent to Cambridge University Library and the special, Small Publishers' Collection at University College London, this latter specifically concentrating on Nicholson's work as a founder of the Small Press group.
During this year, we have received a collection of albums diaries and family history records from John Maddams, formerly archivist for the local Baptist Church, and a local historian. A large part of this donation will be sent to the Essex Record Office.
In addition to his role as Society Secretary, Ian Willard has also laboured hard in the cellars in order add a considerable number of badly needed shelves.
Heritage Lottery BidCommittee member and Trustee, Kelly Cole has been working hard to prepare a funding application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, in order to finance a new website for the Gibson Library, and a 'shadow catalogue' which will enable us to promote the Gibson Library more effectively, as well as digitisation equipment and funding to enable a programme of digitisation of items in the Gibson Library.
Essex County CouncilClive Armitage and Andy Jackson have been helpful and supportive throughout the year, and with their assistance the outstanding financial matters relating to the Trust Accounts have been resolved. Staffing changes they have introduced have also helped ease the backlogs in adding items to the consortium. While re-arrangement of the shelving in the Corn Exchange gallery has enabled more of the Gibson Library lending stock to be placed on open access.
FinanceOur finances are in good order, thanks to the careful ministrations of our Treasurer Peter Walker, who has prepared a detailed set of accounts for the past year. The Gibson Library has received an additional donation from the sale of the book "Lost Walden" prepared for publication by authors Martin Turnbull and John Tenant, much of which will be put towards putting ;a large selection of David Campbell's photographs online.
It is with great sadness that we heard of the recent, sudden death of John Oswin Smith. A member of the Society for many years, John also inspected our annual accounts with great efficiency. He will be sorely missed, and we extend our sincere sympathies to his wife Berenice, also a member of the Society. We are very grateful to Martin Gruselle, Treasurer of the Fry Art Gallery who has taken on the task of inspecting the Society accounts this year.
The Library Book: The Gibson Library and its CollectionI am pleased to be able to report that the book has now been printed, and that a launch to mark publication will be held next Monday on 19th May. Clare Mulley's text has exceeded our expectations, making often difficult topics accessible and our graphic designer Clare Webber has produced a book that is beautiful to look at and to read.
Looking to the Future - Local GovernmentThe government's proposed changes to the structure of local government will have a knock on effect on the Gibson Library, depending on their final form, and the resulting re-organisation of the County Library service, as Essex County Council is the Corporate Trustee of the Gibson Library, and has developed a close working relationship between the County Library service and the Gibson Library.
Educating our readersThe introduction of artificial intelligence into several walks of life, could well exacerbate the decline in use of physical libraries, that has provided the excuse to cut library budgets, reduce and simplify book-stocks and reduce the levels of service. It will therefore fall to us to demonstrate the importance of physical books to combat illiteracy, and stimulate an understanding.
ChangesOur President, Bruce Munro has decided that it is time for him to retire from his role after some 20 years on the committee, and committee member and trustee Pat Gregory has also resigned from the committee but will continue to come into the library as a volunteer, accessing new books, replacing spine numbers on older volumes and invigilating in the Reading Room on Saturday afternoons. I am sorry to have to add my own name to the list, as I am not standing for re-election as Chairman.
I hope to be re-elected onto the committee, and that I will be more effective in my support for the Gibson Library in a new role.
Martyn Everett,
Chairman, Gibson Library Society, May 2025
Return to the AGM 2025 page.
