Designation
Through the The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) Designation Scheme, a number of our major collections have won recognition as being of outstanding national and international importance.
The Designation Scheme recognises that organisations with such collections care for a significant part of England's cultural heritage. Only some 40 manuscript collections, held in libraries and archives across England, have been awarded Designation status.
In October 2005, this distinction was achieved for several of our largest and most popular family and estate papers. The Portland (London), Portland of Welbeck and Newcastle of Clumber stretch from the 12th to the 20th centuries and provide a rich resource for local historians and international scholars alike. They are particularly important for their range of political correspondence, and include significant literary papers. Further details about these collections and the families who created them are available in the Family and Estate Resources section of our website.
In February 2008 the University’s D H Lawrence Collection was similarly recognized. The award acknowledges the cultural and historical importance of the Lawrence Collection. Its exceptional range and depth results from the close personal association between Lawrence and his native city, where he attended Nottingham University College and where local family members and friends have supported the development of the Collection. Further details about Lawrence and Nottingham can be found on the DH Lawrence Portal; information about the Collection is available on our pages of D H Lawrence Resources and from our online DH Lawrence exhibition.
We are delighted that these holdings have been recognised as some of the most important collections in England. They are available for consultation by registered readers, and we encourage new users to find out more about these unique treasures.