Union List of Official Gazettes in Europe

Today I learnt that the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies hosts a union list of Official Gazettes from European jurisdictions on its website as part of the FLARE project.

According to the website, the list “brings together the holdings of national official gazettes of the British Library and the Library of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London. It is hoped that the holdings of other UK institutions will be added in future with a view to providing a comprehensive union listing of these hard-to-find materials.”

Although is somewhat limited in terms of contributing libraries, I can definitely see how it could be useful for foreign law researchers.

http://ials.sas.ac.uk/flare/flare_fog_unionlist_europe.htm

InforM25’s Union List of Serials

Today I learnt that there is an easy way to check journals holdings from the University of London, Imperial College London and the University of Westminster, namely InforM25’s Union List of Serials.

You can search by title, keyword, ISSN, etc., across the entire union list or select from the list of individual institutions. The following libraries participate:

• Birkbeck, Univ. of London
• Courtauld Institute of Art
• Goldsmith's Coll., Univ. of London
• Heythrop Coll., Univ. of London
• Imperial College
• Institute Cancer Research
• Institute of Education
• King's College London
• London Business School
• London School Economics
• Lon. Sch. Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
• Queen Mary, Univ. of London
• Royal Holloway, Univ. of London
• Royal Veterinary College
• School of Advanced Study
• School of Oriental & African Studies
• School of Pharmacy
• St. George's Hospital Medical Sch.
• Univ. College London
• Univ. London Library
• Univ. Westminster

It’s obviously useful for students and researchers based in London who don’t want to travel very far to access a journal.

http://www.inform25.ac.uk/ULS/

BIALL’s Duplicates Exchange Scheme is back

Today I learnt that BIALL’s Duplicates Exchange Scheme (for exchanging duplicate journal issues) is back.

For a wee while we all thought the scheme was no longer, but it is still going strong and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year! The BIALL website describes the scheme as follows:

“The scheme is the means by which all Libraries can share resources, helping both large and small firms, academic and government Libraries. The scheme facilitates the obtaining of missing periodical parts, old textbooks and directories and off-loading surplus material you can’t face throwing in the bin.”*

It operates 3 times a year (October, February, June). You have to be a member to take part in the scheme and the annual subscription price is £32 plus VAT for organisations or individuals who are BIALL members or £50 plus VAT for non-members. More information on how the scheme works can be found on the BIALL website:

*http://www.biall.org.uk/pages/duplicates-exchange-scheme.html

Why Post Magazine is called Post Magazine

I've learnt something already today and it's only lunch time! This morning I learnt why Post Magazine is called Post Magazine when it covers the insurance industry and has nothing to do with post whatsoever. I ponder this question every Thursday when I'm putting together the insurance industry newsletter. Today, inspired by my new blog, I decided to find out. According to the Post website:

Post Magazine first appeared on Saturday 25 July 1840, just seven months after the introduction of the Penny Post and was the first publication anywhere in the world to be sent by post - hence its name.

This the best thing I've learnt so far.

http://www.postonline.co.uk/static/posthistory