Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Oxfam to donate its archive to Bodlean

 

Alison Kershaw
Monday 25 February 2013 13:48 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Oxfam is to donate its 70-year archive to Oxford University's Bodleian Libraries, it was announced today.

The international charity was founded in Oxford in 1942 as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, and its archive fills almost 10,000 boxes, and contains papers, film, digital materials, audio recordings and oral histories.

Among the material is information on Oxfam's projects between 1955 and 2005, covering issues such as agricultural development, water and sanitation and primary healthcare, the Bodleian said.

There are also documents on Oxfam's adverts for campaigns and appeals, and council and executive minute books and papers charting the charity's rise and expansion.

The library said it has been given a grant by the Wellcome Trust to fund a four-and-a-half-year project to catalogue the material.

Librarian Sarah Thomas said: "The archive will be an essential resource for a range of scholars, complementing our existing holdings in the areas of science, medicine, history and development."

Karen Brown, chair of Oxfam, said the archive was a "unique record" of Oxfam and the international aid movement.

"It is wonderful that the Wellcome Trust funding has enabled us to work with the Bodleian to preserve material and make it available to the public. I hope it inspires future generations to continue striving to overcome poverty worldwide."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in