RLMH News: Finding a new way around the RUSI Library

The RUSI Library of Military History has a collection in excess of 20,000 books. Housed in a building over 100 years of age, the Library is now introducing a new classification scheme to allow users to find historic books easily.

Whilst the RUSI Library of Military History is a stunning example the synergy between libraries and architecture it hasn't always been the easiest of places to navigate when you want to find a particular book or article. Not only are the shelves high but the scheme of classification is daunting and bewildering.

Regular users of the library will have noticed that stock has been moving around and that on the catalogue you may now see new call marks. This is because we have introduced a new more streamlined classification scheme. The scheme, although based on the old topic based system has been narrowed to considerably fewer separate sections. These sections are slowly being put into alphabetical order by author.

The sections are loosely gathered into four main groups, types - biographies, official histories, guides; geographical area - Asia, Africa, Europe; conflicts - the Boer Wars, World War I, Vietnam and concepts  - warfare and weapons, global security.

Alongside the new classification scheme we have also devised a map of the library to help you navigate to the right section.  So, in future members will find packs of classification schemes, with a helpful map of the world along with a map of the library with the OPAC catalogues in the library.

You can find a copy of this information pack to download below. We really appreciate our member's patience whilst we work on the library and are hopeful that in future it will be a much easier service to use.

Download

RLMH Shelf Plan >