Records relating to the RCOG Bookshop

Records of the RCOG Bookshop comprising catalogues of books relating to obstetrics and gynaecology and of books published under RCOG Press, updates and bulletins, and some sample College diaries.

The Bookshop opened in June 1993 at 78 Park Road, London NW1 under the governance of the College Secretary, and run by the then publications administrator. The aim was for the business to become a nationally known centre for both the medical profession and the public wanting books on a range of women's health problems. In September 2000 it became part of the Publications Department, then from April 2005 the Bookshop formed a separate department of its own right. It sold a comprehensive range of books and software for women's health professionals, College gifts, book tokens and stamps. It also distributed and marketed the RCOG Press titles. In May 1999 it moved to premises within the College at 27 Sussex Place. It also operated an online store on the College website that went live in July 1997 and which by June 2001 offered the full stock range and a 'shopping basket' purchasing system. The College Bookshop was wound down in 2012.

The Bookshop initially produced two catalogues: College publications and other publications for sale; in 1995 the two catalogues were combined. An additional separate catalogue for RCOG Press titles continued until 1999 when it too was incorporated into the RCOG Bookshop catalogue. The catalogue was discontinued after 2003 and replaced by Bookshop news updates which were expanded into bulletins in 2004. A new Publications catalogue featuring items from the RCOG Press was produced in 2005. The Bookshop also issued gift catalogues listing College regalia for sale.

Unrestricted

Internal transfers from the RCOG Bookshop

Copyright of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

The Bookshop began transferring copies of its catalogues to the Archives on an ad hoc basis in 1998. Regular transfers of records commenced in 2000. Several early catalogues were not transferred and are no longer extant. In 2010 the boxes of College gifts at previous reference A9/1 and A9/2 were moved to the Museum Store; these were deaccessioned from the Archive and transferred to the Museum in May 2012 during cataloguing, and this sub-sub-fonds was restructured accordingly.

In 1998 the Publications Department agreed to send one copy of all RCOG Press publications produced by the Publications Office and sold by the Bookshop to the Archives for permanent retention, and these may be found at reference RCOG/P1, as well as in the RCOG Library.

Other related material may be found at reference RCOG/B25 Records of the Publication Management Committee