Though I was not able to visit Wales, the work done there in safeguarding the collections of so many institutions in the UK makes it worth mentioning. I am interested in how libraries and archives survive in times of conflict. The factors involved in: the initial decision to move the collection, the choice of where to move the collection, the work involved in preparing the chosen site, etc. are all things that could lead to saving priceless works or the destruction of so much. Many of the same places that house Britain's fine art also housed their library collections and archives. One example of wartime relocation of fine art was The National Gallery . Image from The National Gallery website A slate mine in Wales was chosen and unused sections of it were converted into storerooms for the collection. The temperature controlled environments in these mines even led to adjustments to how works of art were stored and displayed once the war was over back at the museum. The
Our final journey to the Royal Geographical Society 's (RGS) Library and Archive brought us to a quiet little corner north of the bustling sidewalks outside The Victoria & Albert Museum and The Natural History Museum and directly across the street from an entrance to Hyde Park. Upon entering we made our way downstairs to the reading room and settled in for a briefing on the history of the RGS, given by the Principal Librarian, Eugene Rae. A table in the Reading Room laid out with the items Mr. Rae discussed. In 1830 the Geographical Society of London was formed and its precursor was the Raleigh Club, a sort of dinner club for gentlemen who traveled and explored and would share their findings. It was a way to gather and then disseminate data by publishing articles and journals to exchange their data information with other geographical societies. The RGS also offered training in the use of navigation instruments. The items that Mr. Rae shared with us are rare or o