The Macmillan Brown Library (also known by its Māori name Te Puna Rakahau o Macmillan Brown) is a research library based in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. It is a library collection of national significance[citation needed] administered by the University of Canterbury.

Macmillan Brown Library
Te Puna Rakahau o Macmillan Brown
Entrance to Macmillan Brown Library at the University of Canterbury in 2023.
Map
General information
Coordinates43°31′24″S 172°35′10″E / 43.523459°S 172.585977°E / -43.523459; 172.585977
Opened1935
OwnerUniversity of Canterbury

Overview

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The Macmillan Brown Library's collections consist mainly of items relating to Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. It holds over 100,000 published items, over 5,000 linear metres of archival collection (including documentary archives, photographs and architectural drawings), approximately 5,000 artworks, and rare book and modern fine print collections. Some notable items in its collections include copies of Māori Land Court Records, official and government documents from various Pacific Islands states, trade union records, and the personal papers of various Members of Parliament and government ministers. Three archival collections are listed on the UNESCO Memory of the World: The Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection,[1] the Armson Collins Architectural Drawing Collection[2] and the Ursula Bethell Collection.[3] Its art collection also has over 5,000 works, making it one of the largest collections in the Canterbury region,[citation needed] with a particular focus on Canterbury | Waitaha art and artists, particularly those who have taught or studied at the University of Canterbury.

The Macmillan Brown Library was established in 1935 as a separate collection within the University of Canterbury Library. It was created through the philanthropy of Professor John Macmillan Brown, who was one of the first academics at the newly established Canterbury College in 1874,[4] one of the constituent colleges of the University of New Zealand, which later became the University of Canterbury. In his will he allocated a large proportion of his fortune and his personal collections to the university for the formation of the library.[5][6]

The library is located within the university's Ilam campus on the second floor of the Te Ao Tūroa building.

Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection

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The Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection is an archival collection held at the library based on the personal papers of Sir Erima Harvey Northcroft, one of the eleven judges on the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. It is notable because in 2009[7] it was included as one of three New Zealand entries on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.[8][9]

A comprehensive finding aid has been published.[10] Most of the collection is in the form of bound volumes of news-print quality documents.

References

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  1. ^ "Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection". Memory of the World Aotearoa New Zealand. UNESCO. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Armson Collins Architectural Drawing Collection". Memory of the World Aotearoa New Zealand. UNESCO. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Ursula Bethell Collection". Memory of the World Aotearoa New Zealand. UNESCO. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Professor Macmillan Brown: Resolution of College Council", The Press, p. 4, 29 January 1935, retrieved 3 February 2024
  5. ^ "Bequest to his College: Prof. Macmillian Brown's Will", The Press, Christchurch, p. 12, 23 January 1935, retrieved 3 February 2024
  6. ^ "Chancellor's Will", The Star, Christchurch, p. 7, 22 January 1935, retrieved 3 February 2024
  7. ^ "First inscription from Macao on Memory of the World Register at MOWCAP 4". Archived from the original on 14 March 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Asia/Pacific Region MOWCAP Register
  9. ^ "UC's war crime archive receives international recognition". Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  10. ^ Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection MB1549
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