23 October 2024

Spotlight on the IOM3 Library

Explore IOM3 Library on International Day of Libraries, and take advantage of your member benefits.

In celebration of International Libraries Day on 24 October, Sarah Daniels, our new Librarian in Grantham, shares what the IOM3 Library offers and how you can make the most of its resources as a member. From historical collections to the latest journals, explore how this invaluable resource supports your research and professional growth.

'As I’ve only recently joined IOM3 as Librarian, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find the edges of this amazing resource. And for the International Day of Libraries, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some of what the library has to offer and what role it can play in our communities and professional lives.

The IOM3 Library is a standout resource for anyone interested in materials science, engineering, and related fields. Located at The Boilerhouse in Grantham, our library is more than just a collection of books and journals - it’s a place where members and researchers can dive into a huge knowledge bank, get help to source hard to find information, and discover the untapped potential of our historical collections and archives.

The Boilerhouse houses journals, books, conference proceedings and the archives of the various organisations that have contributed to IOM3. Our holdings include the Manns-Kaufmann Library (The Plastics Historical Society), the Tata collection, the Minerals and Mining collection, as well as a dedicated map room where visitors can view our collection of more than a thousand items.

One of the library's key roles is to provide a wide variety of information. Our historical collections stretch back two centuries, and, as a former archaeologist, I rarely get bored browsing the IOM3 heritage collections and archives (the handwriting in some primary sources is an art form). Our programme of digitisation is gradually making our resources available online. For those whose research has a more contemporary focus we have a growing number of peer reviewed journals accessible online so that our members can stay up-to-date with the latest research and developments in their field.

The IOM3 membership is spread throughout the world and it’s understandable that not everybody can get to Grantham for an in person visit. UK and EU members can borrow by post, or for journal articles or book sections we offer a document supply service.

As a relatively new member of the IOM3 team, I’m still building relationships with other institutions. IOM3 is part of a network of engineering institute libraries that offer reciprocal services to their members. That means that IOM3 members can access even more library resources and facilities, including the option to visit other libraries in other cities.'

The library is open for visitors Monday – Thursday. Get in touch at [email protected] to arrange a visit.

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