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Photography books

DGP

pfm Member
I want to pass on my library of photography books. Background: I'm a published author of photography textbooks and a dictionary - I've a Masters in photographic history and have taught at all levels latterly as a lecturer at the then Cumbria Institute of the Arts and a visiting lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art/Napier. These were the books I used.

I originally wanted to sell my small collection of 250-260 books - some technical but some catalogue and monographs. A handful would probably generate £200-300 sold privately; the rest are worth 50p or a £1 each on the market but would be very very useful in a college library.

The majority of booksellers did not reply to my enquiries; those that did weren't interested in so many photography titles. I contacted specialist photography book sellers - one wanted to cherry pick and offered £60 for half-a-dozen books; one offered to pay the postage to transfer them all to him.

So I decided to gift them to an academic institute. Most librarians don't even reply. The two that have want to cherry pick and have me pay to send the few books they want. Some cite the inordinate costs of storage and cataloguing as preventing them accepting any donations.

Any suggestions - short of book burning - as to where to donate these books?
David
 
Have you tried contacting any local camera clubs? They might take them off your hands, and you could cherry pick the valuable ones and sell them separately.

Did you try contacting the media museum in Bradford to see if they’d be interested?
 
I Don't think that the Media Museum is in Bradford any more, and I don't suppose there are that many photography clubs left.

Such a shame. I'd like to think books are coming back. I spent half an hour in the bookshop at the National Portrait Museum yesterday, browsed through a book of McCullin photos, absolutely captivating, so much better than looking at them online.

I've just got to save up the £50.
 
The media museum has been rebranded, but there's a lot photographic content still...

https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

I'd Google for local camera clubs, there are still a number near to where I live, so it's probable there's one near you.

Ah, I thought Bradford had been closed and the photograph collection had gone down to the V&A in London.

I get the feeling that camera club memberships are mainly rather elderly now, I might be wrong. Our local one closed about 3 years ago for lack of new members. I borrowed some of their old display stands for an exhibition a while back, the fellow that had them in storage was in his 90s!
 
It's the RPS collection that has been moved out to the V&A effectively eviscerating the Bradford 'museum'.

As an aside I have taken residential courses and taught at Bradford - I had possibly the largest collection of Polaroid cameras, literature and memorabilia in the UK and on one of my teaching visits offered it to the then curator of photography. 'We wouldn't even entertain it' was the reply. I eventually sold it at auction for about £400 - probably proving it was only me that was interested in Polaroid in the UK!

The books - camera clubs can buy their own. I would like students in particular to benefit - I'm just astonished that all the university libraries I've contacted have no interest in or need for donations - except from the famous or fabulously wealthy!
David
 
It's the RPS collection that has been moved out to the V&A effectively eviscerating the Bradford 'museum'.

As an aside I have taken residential courses and taught at Bradford - I had possibly the largest collection of Polaroid cameras, literature and memorabilia in the UK and on one of my teaching visits offered it to the then curator of photography. 'We wouldn't even entertain it' was the reply. I eventually sold it at auction for about £400 - probably proving it was only me that was interested in Polaroid in the UK!

The books - camera clubs can buy their own. I would like students in particular to benefit - I'm just astonished that all the university libraries I've contacted have no interest in or need for donations - except from the famous or fabulously wealthy!
David

To be frank, as a museum of photography Bradford is terrible, with only occasional exhibition interesting me. A great place to take kids - lots of interactive things aimed at children. I just thought they may be interested in the books, I’m assuming they have a library.

Your story about their attitude towards your Polaroid kit is depressing.
 
Your story about their attitude towards your Polaroid kit is depressing.

It is indeed.

The British Library has a comprehensive collection of photographically illustrated books https://www.bl.uk/collection-guides/photographically-illustrated-books

They also hold the Fay Godwin catalogue, which I must see if I can view one day; https://www.bl.uk/collection-guides/fay-godwin-collection

They are currently running an exhibition relating to recorded sounds - they hold examples of many of the technological means of replaying sound, I believe.
 
David, i had a fairly large collection of photography books at one stage and would spend a fair amount on books every week, i even had my own specialist photography book dealer!
I can understand a dealer not wanting any of the technical books, same goes for library's as many aren't simply relevant anymore for many students or the way they study. I know of one college in the NW that has an astounding collection of art and photography books, the tragedy is that the college is now closing and i can see lots of the books disappearing, probably to the dump!
 
Banbury Camera Club has a healthy membership, and photo books get exchanged and distributed at meetings regularly. I'm not a committee member so can't speak for the club itself, but I could act as intermediary. There are no funds to pay for books, but if you sold off the 'valuable' ones via eBay, I suspect local (to you) camera clubs would be able to find new homes for the rest.
 


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