LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

Gallacher Memorial library

Based on the library of William Gallacher, last Communist Party M.P. in U.K. The library has grown by further donations since his death in 1965. It contains an extensive, wide-ranging collection of material on almost all aspects of the Soviet Union and CPSU including: the Russian revolution; World War II; politics; literature and art.

Glasgow Novel Collection

Extensive collection on Scottish literature. The strength of the collection lies in contemporary material and emphasis has been placed on post-1945 writing. The collection reflects the needs of teaching and research within the University. An Archive on the Glasgow Novel has been established. The archive includes fictional works in which the City of Glasgow is a significant theme.

Latin American Collection

The Latin American Collection was demarcated in the 1960s as part of a failed attempt by Manchester to become a Parry Centre for Latin American studies. It comprises both Spanish/Portuguese and English material classified in the Dewey classes 460-469 and 860-869.

Latin American Collection

One of the most important Latin American library collections in Europe. Holdings total c.80,000 monographs and over 1,600 journals of which about 100 are current. The collection is not housed separately but is integrated into the main stock of the University Library and dispersed throughout it on a subject basis. All items are recorded in the Library's online catalogue.

Rubeo Collection

The Rubeo Collection was purchased from the collector Capitano Giuseppe Rubeo. It consists of some 4000 books, many rare, on a variety of subjects. They include many hundreds of volumes relating to Italian fascism, published during the fascist period itself, which are particularly rare, as such books were usually thrown out and destroyed at the end of the war, by both private collectors and libraries, and are now extremely hard to locate in Italy. Probably the most interesting sub-category here are the many books published in the 1920s and 1930s on the Italian colonies (Libya and Ethiopia). There is also literature, including first or early editions of important literary texts by writers such as Ardengo Soffici, Giovannli Papini, and Giuseppe Prezzolini. The Library is currently seeking funding for the full cataloguing of this collection.

Sprigge Collection

Cecil Jackson Squire Sprigge was chief correspondent for Reuters in Italy during World War II. He had previously been Italian correspondent for the Manchester Guardian, where he was succeeded by his wife Sylvia. The Sprigge collection covers the period c. 1920-1970 and reflects the Sprigges' interest in all aspects of Italian affairs, including the Fascist regime, Vatican politics, post-war reconstruction, art and literature. They also contain material about European politics and diplomatic relations. Printed books from the Sprigge collection were added to the Main Library stock and include material on Italian history, politics and philosophy, as well as a number of guidebooks and pamphlets collected by the Sprigges during their time in Italy. A number of the books are not yet fully catalogued.

Gallacher Memorial Library Collection

The Gallacher Memorial Library is based on the library of William Gallacher, it has grown by further donations since his death in 1965. Major additonal sources of materials on Ireland are donations from the collection of Pat Devine and materials from the CPI.

Cuban Women Writers Collection

The collection was donated in late 2001 by Professor Catherine Davies of the University of Manchester. It consists of literary works by Cuban women writers of the 20th century.

Papers of the Musil Research Unit

A collection relating to the Austrian author Robert Musil, author of Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Törleß and Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften. It comes from the Musil Research Unit, which was run at The University of Reading by Ernst and Eithne Kaiser 1967-1975.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation/CODE Europe Special Collection

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation/CODE Europe Special Collection on Publishing in Africa includes books, reports and other grey literature covering publishing and the booktrade in Africa, plus examples of publishing output. Highlights are materials from the Zimbabwe International Book Fair, titles from the Heinemann African Writers Series and books from African literary projects.