History Collections
Find out more about history collections and History Day

History Collections

Find out more about history collections and History Day

Discover history collections at the annual History Day.

History Day

History Day is a free one-day event bringing together students, researchers and anyone with an interest in history with information professionals from libraries, archives and research organisations.

History Day 2021 will take place on Thursday, 4 November. Find out more about our programme and sign up:

To receive updates on History Day subscribe to our mailing list.

If you are a library, archive, history organisation or publisher interested in participating in next year’s History Day, find out more about how to get involved.

Information on this site is produced in collaboration with the History Research Libraries Committee and other History Day participants. Find out more on the About us page.

Latest Posts

Why did the National Library of Scotland write its Climate Action Plan?

by katewilcox | 03/11/2021 | General | 0 Comments

Henry Roberts, Climate Crisis Intern at the National Library of Scotland shared this post for History Day 2021. Nature isn’t the only thing we stand to lose from climate change. Our cultures, our languages and even our histories are also under threat. As coastlines...

Linnean Society Collections Profile

by katewilcox | 02/11/2021 | Linnean Society | 0 Comments

This post was written by Will Beharrell, Librarian at the Linnean Society. It is part of a series of posts on the theme of Environmental History for History Day 2021. The Linnean Society of London, founded by James Edward Smith in 1788, is the world’s oldest learned...

Introducing the Bibliography of British and Irish History’s Reading Lists

by chloeforsyth | 01/11/2021 | Bibliography of British and Irish History | 0 Comments

The Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) is the largest and most comprehensive guide available to what’s been written about British and Irish history from 55BCE to 2021. The Bibliography defines British and Irish history very broadly. It covers the...

Account of the Fatal Hurricane by which Barbados suffered in August 1831

by katewilcox | 30/10/2021 | General | 0 Comments

This post was written by Oscar Webber and describes the Account of the Fatal Hurricane by which Barbados suffered in August 1831 – Printed for Samuel Hyde, Bridgetown, Barbados. This is part of a series of posts on Environmental History for History Day 2021. Oscar...

Collection Ecologies: History Day 2021- Environmental History

by chloeforsyth | 29/10/2021 | Collection Ecologies | 0 Comments

This post was written by Collection Ecologies. It is part of a series of posts on the theme of Environmental History for History Day 2021. Both environmental history, as well as the history of natural history collections and collecting, have gained much momentum and...

Bristol Museums – Collecting to Represent and Support the Climate Movement

by katewilcox | 28/10/2021 | Bristol Museums | 0 Comments

This post was shared by Lee Hutchinson, curator of history at M Shed, Bristol for History Day 2021. Bristol has been the scene of numerous climate protests in recent years. They have become a part of the ongoing Bristol story. Two groups, in particular – Extinction...

The Warburg Institute: Books and Plant Classifications

by chloeforsyth | 27/10/2021 | Warburg Institute | 0 Comments

This blog post was written by Chloe McCarthy, graduate library trainee at the Warburg Institute. It is part of a series of posts on Environmental History for History Day 2021.Books and plants. Two distinct things and yet when considering the history of man’s attempt...

People’s Experiences of Nature and the Environment in the IHR Library Collections

by katewilcox | 26/10/2021 | Institute of Historical Research | 0 Comments

This post was written by Kate Wilcox, Reader Experience and Technical Services Manager at the IHR Library. It is part of a series of posts on Environmental History for History Day 2021. It is cross-posted from the Institute of Historical Research’s blog On History....

Richard Burton Archives: Image Gallery

by chloeforsyth | 25/10/2021 | Richard Burton Archives, Swansea University | 0 Comments

This image gallery from the Richard Burton Archives, Swansea University is part of a series of posts on Environmental History for History Day 2021. It focuses on the impact of the copper industry on Swansea and its environs, and the Lower Swansea Valley Project, which...

Natural History archive collections at the Royal College of Surgeons of England

by katewilcox | 23/10/2021 | Royal College of Surgeons of England | 0 Comments

This post is part of a series from the Royal College of Surgeons of England for History Day 2021. Separate posts describe Medical History archive collections and Tracts. Alongside the more expected surgical history collections at RCS England, our archives are a rich...