Foxcroft Lecture
This free annual lecture honours the pioneering work of Albert Broadbent Foxcroft in the field of bibliography. Librarian, author and founding member of the Australian Institute of Librarians, Foxcroft made a significant contribution to both the State Library of Victoria and the field of librarianship.
AB Foxcroft joined the Public Library of Victoria (now the State Library of Victoria) as a Junior Assistant in 1907. From 1910 to 1916 he worked with RD Boys reclassifying the reference library to the Dewey Decimal System. In the ensuing years he produced several important indexes and other publications, including Catalogue of English Books and Fragments from 1477 to 1535 in the Public Library of Victoria (Melbourne, 1933) and Catalogue of Fifteenth Century Books and Fragments in the Public Library of Victoria (Melbourne, 1936).
A recognised authority on incunabula and early printing, Foxcroft was influential in developing the Library's rare books and medieval manuscripts collection in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1938 he was awarded a Carnegie grant to study library methods in Europe, England and America. He not only used this opportunity to further his knowledge on early European printing history, but also to acquire rare books for the Library. On his return voyage to Australia in December 1938, he died of a brain tumour and was buried at sea.
The annual Foxcroft lecture at the State Library of Victoria was originally the idea of Professor Wallace Kirsop. The first lecture in the series was delivered by Keith Maslen in February 2006.
Listen to Mary Ronnie, one of New Zealand's most distinguished librarians, give an insightful account of Dunedin's first free public library, opened in 1908 with funding from American benefactor Andrew Carnegie.
Hear Dr David McKitterick (Fellow and Librarian, Trinity College, University of Cambridge) provide a fascinating introduction to the study of medieval manuscripts, focusing on the University of Cambridge’s rich collection.
On 22 February 2007, Professor TH Howard-Hill spoke about his forthcoming publication Bibliography as Memory: The British book trade, 1475-1890.
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