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| 1: Institution | The Guildford Institute |
| 2: Founded | 1834 |
| 3: Postal address | Ward Street, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4LH |
| 4: Tel. Fax. Email Web |
Tel: 01483 562142 Fax: 01483 451034 website: www.guildford-institute.org.uk email: library@guildford-institute.org.uk |
| 5: AIL contact | Liz Markwell, Institute Manager |
| 6: Library Hours | Tuesday-Friday 10.00-15.00; first Saturday in the month 10.00-13.00 |
| 7: Membership details | Currently 500 members (subscription rates on application). |
| 8: Activities, publications etc. | Activities include exhibitions, talks, clubs and language groups; the Library is open to visitors, though only members may borrow books. A members' journal, The Keep, incorporating a library newsletter is published twice a year. |
| 9: Refreshments | Vegetarian lunches and licensed bar available to both members and non-members 12.00-14.00 during term-time. Light refreshments are also available. |
| 10: Visitors / Researchers | Non-member library enquiries to the Librarian by telephone, letter or in person. |
| 11: Background information | The Institute (originally the Guildford Mechanics Institute) has been serving its members since 1834. It moved to its present town centre home in 1892 and developed with a range of social, cultural and educational activities. The Library has occupied the same room since that date; it originally accommodated the book collection acquired during the latter half of the 19th century. |
| 12: Collections | The Library holds 14,000 volumes of which nearly 2,000 pre-date the First World War. The newer
stock consists of up-to-date fiction, and non-fiction. Newspapers and periodicals are also
available. The catalogue of books is computerised. Since the mid 19th century the
Institute has collected local history books, ephemera, photographs, prints
and drawings relating to the history, people, antiquities and topography of
Guildford and the county of Surrey. Extensive albums of ephemera are
indexed and hand-lists of photographs and graphic items are available. Information on the special collections may be accessed via the website.
Appointments to study these collections must be made in advance. The institutional archive, rich in material relating to the activities of the Guildford Institute in the 19th century, is held by the Surrey History Service: 130 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 1ND. Tel. 01483 594594 (www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreyhistoryservice). |
| 13: Building | Grade II listed building. |
| 14: Status | Registered charity no 1125031; The Guildford Institute has been registered in England and Wales as a company limited by guarantee, no. 6571640 |