Library acquires
p. 96 · Read in the full issue
Firth Collection
THE Library of the University of Califoria, Santa Cruz, has acquired the Oceanic library of Dr. Raymond Firth, Professor of Anthropology at the University of London since 1944.
The collection will be of inestimable value to the university’s Institute for South Pacific Studies, and is a major step toward the university’s goal in building a Pacific research library.
Dr. Firth has done extensive re search in the British Solomon Islands, including one year on Tikopia, 1928- 29, and research in peasant econo mics and anthropology in Malaya, as Leverhulme Research Fellow, 1939- 40.
The collection contains over 4,000 books and pamphlets of anthropolo gical works on peoples of Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Polynesia, and general Pacific works, and greatly strengthens the library’s hold ings, particularly in the area of Pacific linguistics. Items include hard-to-find periodicals, reprints, proof copies, and Press clippings which help to make a research col lection and have values as exhibit material.
Groundwork for acquisition was initiated early in 1967 by Professor Roger Keesing. The university, with the help of friends of the library, successfully outbid other interested parties and arrangements for pur chase were made by the Librarian, Mr, Donald Clark.