Food and Drink Collections Guide

The relevant shelfmarks are all part of the larger Science & Miscellaneous collection which covers all subject areas not part of the main humanities and arts collection that form the majority of the Library’s stock.

There are more than 1400 volumes across all the Food and Drink shelfmarks and coverage is from generally the 18th century to the present.  The Library continues to collect across all the aspects of the collection but the smaller shelfmarks will have little added due to the nature of their specialism. There are works in many European languages, especially in the earlier parts of the holdings.

Founded in 1841, the Library’s collection has grown each year and we hold titles from the late 18th century onwards on the open shelves.  As a result, our collection reflects the evolution and changes in thinking in a particular subject and does mean that you may come across titles which contain ideas and vocabulary that would be considered abhorrent today. The collection continues to grow with some 5,000 new titles being added each year. As we develop the collection, we seek to ensure that the controversial topics of today are represented from all sides of a debate.