The Eccles Centre for American Studies

The Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library

Jean Kemble (Bibliographical Editor) writes about the facilities available

The Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library was established in 1991 both to promote the Library's North American collections among academics, students and the general public and to support the study of North America, primarily among students at institutions of higher education, but also among students in schools and sixth form colleges.

At present the Centre's activities fall within the following categories: the creation and distribution of bibliographical guides to the Library's collections, answering letter and telephone enquiries on all aspects of North American history, literature and culture, teaching bibliography courses to MA students in American Studies, compiling and distributing to secondary schools and sixth form colleges a comprehensive annual guide to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the United Kingdom, operating jointly with the Fulbright Commission a programme that brings scholars from eastern and central Europe and Egypt to London to use the Library's collections for several weeks, editing both the journal of the European Association of American Studies American Studies in Europe and the American Studies Library Newsletter, the journal of the Library and Resources Sub-Committee of the British Association for American Studies, and curating or contributing to exhibitions in the British Library's galleries.

The limited number of staff at the Eccles Centre (a part-time Director, a part-time secretary, and a full-time Bibliographical Editor) combined with the admissions policy of the British Library (i.e. that entrance will only be granted if it is impossible for the reader to see the materials elsewhere) means that the Eccles Centre focuses its activities upon helping those conducting research at the undergraduate level and above. However, the Centre receives a significant number of enquiries from A level students asking for information. To these requests we are able to provide a bibliography and it is generally the case that the students will be able to obtain the books and periodicals via inter-library loan.

If you need further information about the Centre, or if you wish to receive a copy of American Studies in the United Kingdom: Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes, or if you would like a list of the Guides published by the Centre or a copy of any Guide please contact R.A. Burchell (Director) or Jean Kemble (Bibliographical Editor) at:

The Eccles Centre,
The British Library,
96 Euston Road,

American Studies Resources Centre, Aldham Robarts Centre, Liverpool John Moores University, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5UZ, United Kingdom

The views expressed are those of the contributors, and not necessarily those of the Centre or the College.

Articles in this journal may be freely reproduced for use in subscribing institutions only, provided that the source is acknowledged.

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