Canterbury Cathedral Library

Last updated  12th January 2009
Name of library  Canterbury Cathedral Library
Address  The Precincts, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2EH
Telephone  01227 865288
Fax  01227 865222
E-mail  library@canterbury-cathedral.org
Website  http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org
Alternative names  
Contact & Job Title  Mrs Karen Brayshaw, Canterbury Cathedral Librarian
Purpose & main user community of the library  Reflect and support spiritual values and intellectual interests of clergy and others
Terms of access  
Opening hours  Tues-Thurs 9.15 to 4.45; 1st Sat in the month 9.15 to 12.45
Disabled access  None. Disabled access access (Lift)
Lending to other libraries & visitors  No. None
Number of volumes  52,000 (c.30,000 pre C20)
Periodicals – Back Issues  175
Current Periodicals  10
Other materials  80 mss, 100 maps
Volumes added per year  120
Coverage  Bibles in diverse languages, 1470 to present; liturgy of Anglican church; relations of Anglican church with other churches, esp. RC.; history of CofE and constituent churches – especially Canterbury Cathedral; biography of Anglican communion – archbishops, deans etc.
Special Collections  Howley-Harrison collection – 16,000 books and pamphlets on theology and diverse other subjects including anti-slavery movement, travel, natural history. William Somner’s private library – Anglo-Saxon scholarship. Mendham Collection – 5,000 Catholic and anti-Catholic works dating from C15 to C19. Stephen Hunt’s collection on medicine, bibliography and medicine. John Coombe’s collection of Bibles – c. 60. Elham parish collection – 1,200 books on diverse subjects (literature, history, medicine) dating from C16 to C19. Preston next Wingham parish collection in original Dr Bray cabinet (1709) contains 37 volumes of liturgical works e.g. collections of sermons by Tillotson. Canterbury Catch Club – collection of scores Crundale Rectorial Library
Manuscripts  Several illuminated mss – Books of Hours (one dating from c. 1400)
Research resource  As above
Catalogue Type  Computer and hand list
URL of catalogue  http://opac.kent.ac.uk
Other facilities  Photocopying by staff upon request
Full Time Staff  2
Part Time Staff  1
Voluntary Staff  variable
Changes in next five years affecting the above  
Anything else about the library