Records of the Arts and Libraries Branch and predecessor

Division within ED

1948-1996

Records reflecting the responsibilities of the Arts and Libraries Branch and its predecessors for the administration of libraries, museums and galleries.

Registered files of the Branch are in ED 221 and ED 236, with those relating to libraries and information systems in ED 242, public library services in ED 244, and museums and galleries in ED 245.

Committee records, including those of the 1969 Working Party on the Export of Documents, are in ED 202.

Records of the British Library Organising Committee are in ED 253 and ED 274, with those of the Committee on Provincial Museums and Galleries in ED 255.

Minutes and papers relating to public libraries research projects may be found in ED 268.

Records of the Library Co-operation Research Consultative Committee are in ED 275.

Material relating to public library schemes and the National Central Library is in ED 80 ED 171

Records of the Technical and Further Education branches relating to public libraries are in:

Public Record(s)

English

• Department of Education and Science, Arts and Libraries Branch, 1970-1979
• Department of Education and Science, Arts, International and External Relations Branch, 1966-1970
• Department of Education and Science, External Relations Branch, 1964-1966
• Department of Education and Science, Office of Arts and Libraries, 1979-1982
• Ministry of Education, External Relations Branch, 1949-1964
• Ministry of Education, Information and External Relations Branch, 1945-1949

12 series

Topics

Archives and libraries

Art, architecture and design

Trade and commerce

Research

Museums and galleries

Suggestions that government should be active in the field of the arts and that central grant aid should be available for public libraries and museums had begun in the years immediately after the Second World War, including the suggestion that a separate ministry for the arts should be established. Little progress on this front was, however, made until after the formation of the Department of Education and Science (DES) in 1964. A white paper, A Policy for the Arts was published in February 1965 and as a consequence, responsibility for the arts was transferred from the Treasury to the DES. This included responsibility for the Advisory Council and Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

Responsibility for the arts function was added to the remit of the External Relations Branch which consequently changed its name in 1966 to the Arts, Intelligence and External Relations Branch. The Branch administered grants to major institutions, especially to the national museums and galleries, the Arts Council, National Film Institute and National Sound Institute. It was also concerned with the provision of funding for the National Theatre on the South Bank, London. In 1970 a new Arts and Libraries Branch was set up to deal specifically with these matters.

The Secretary of State delegated his responsibility in this field to a Joint Parliamentary Under Secretary (later Minister of State) until, in 1970, responsibility was delegated to the Paymaster General. After the general election of 1974, direct responsibility was resumed within the DES under a Minister for the Arts.

In November 1979, an Office of Arts and Libraries was created and responsibility for arts and libraries was transferred to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.