A valuable adjunct to the Local Collection is the Norfolk and Norwich
Photographic Survey Record which was inaugurated in January, 1913.
Shortly after the disastrous flood in Norfolk and Norwich during August,
1912, the Committee favourably considered a report from the City
Librarian on the collection of photographs of everything interesting,
valuable and characteristic of Norfolk and Norwich. A conference was
convened between a Sub-Committee of the Public Library Committee and
representatives of the local learned and scientific societies on 13th
January, 1913, and ultimately a comprehensive scheme was adopted. It is
carried out by the Public Library in collaboration with the Norwich and
District Photographic Society and other local scientific societies, with
the following object: "To preserve by permanent photographic process,
records of antiquities, art, architecture, geology and palaeontology,
natural history, passing events of local or historical importance,
portraits, old documents, prints, and characteristic scenery of the
county of Norfolk." The photographs contributed to the Survey become the
property of the Public Library, under the care of the City Librarian, who
is the Secretary and Curator of the Survey. The Public Library has
undertaken the responsibility of the mounting, storage and cataloguing of
the photographs. The Collection is increased by donations of prints, and
the purchase of prints from money specially subscribed for the purpose.
[Picture: Exhibition and Lecture Room]
With the view of stimulating public interest in the Photographic Survey,
and of acquainting persons with the scope and methods of photographic
survey work, Mr. L. Stanley Jast, who was then the Chief Librarian of the
Croydon Public Libraries, and the Hon. Curator of the Surrey Photographic
Survey, delivered a public lecture with lantern illustrations to a large
audience at Blackfriars' Hall on 24th January, 1913. The first
exhibition of photographs illustrative of the work of the survey was
arranged by the City Librarian, and was held in the new Exhibition Room
at the Library during December, 1913. An illustration of the room, from
a photograph taken during the exhibition, faces this page. The opening
ceremony was performed by Mr. Russell J. Colman, D.L., J.P., the
President of the Survey, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor of
Norwich (Mr. James Porter) who was accompanied by the Lady Mayoress and
the Sheriff (Mr. C. T. Coller). The collection of photographs, which
commenced in May, 1913, increased at a rapid rate, and although the work
of the Survey has been practically at a standstill since the beginning of
the war, the collection numbers 1,847 mounted prints and 59 lantern
slides. The technique of the photographs reaches a very high standard,
the majority of them are platinotypes, and many are of whole-plate size.
The collection will undoubtedly be of service to antiquaries, historians,
architects, geologists, naturalists, photographers, artists, and all
lovers of the beautiful in nature and art, and it will also be of
inestimable value to posterity.