Celebrating UCL SSEES Library: milestone anniversaries
21 October 2024
Contributions and memories from past and present users of our UCL SSEES library to celebrate significant milestone anniversaries
This academic year marks a remarkable union of anniversaries for UCL SSEES Library: 90 years since the creation of our unique classification scheme, 25 years since our merger with UCL and approaching 20 years since our move to our purpose-built premises in Taviton Street. These milestones, alongside UCL's upcoming bicentenary offer us a unique opportunity to celebrate our heritage and contributions to facilitate study and research.
- In May 1934, Dr Sergius Yakobson, our first full-time librarian, presented to the Library Committee what would become the foundation of our distinctive classification system. This scheme offered a comprehensive approach to organising materials about Eastern Europe and Russia, and demonstrated remarkable intuition in anticipating the future growth and complexity of our collections.
- Twenty-five years ago, in 1999, SSEES joined UCL, beginning a new chapter in our history. This merger has enhanced our capacity to serve the academic community while preserving our unique identity and specialist nature. The merger led to another significant milestone - our move in 2005 to our current purpose-built premises in Taviton Street. Our new building, described in architectural reviews as "engagingly idiosyncratic, and reminiscent of a small palazzo", was designed specifically to house our unique collections and provide an inspiring environment for research and study.
Our classification system, maintained and evolving throughout this transition, continues to demonstrate the value of specialist knowledge in supporting area studies research. Therefore we will be celebrating these important anniversaries throughout the 2024-25 academic year. This timing allows us to properly commemorate our triple anniversary while also beginning to explore and document SSEES Library's distinctive contribution to UCL's history as we approach the University's bicentenary in 2026.
Throughout the academic year 2024-25, we will be sharing stories about our classification system and our role in supporting Slavonic and East European studies. Through social media channels and special events, we will explore how our unique approach to organising specialist collections has supported generations of researchers and students.
We welcome contributions and memories from past and present users of our library as we celebrate these significant milestones. Whether you remember using our card catalogue in Senate House, have navigated our unique classification system or have witnessed our transition into the digital age, we would love to hear your stories.
Please contact Gill Long or Wojciech Janik: ssees-library@ucl.ac.uk