The Cyril Lionel Robert James Collection
Related Documents
Cyril Lionel Robert (C.L.R.) James (1901-1989) was born in Trinidad and Tobago, but spent much of his life in Britain and the United States. He was the main ideologue and leftist thinker of the nationalist movement in Trinidad and Tobago, 1958-1960, as well as a leading theoretical of the Trotskyism wing of American communism. C.L.R. James was an esteemed author and his book, The Black Jacobins, is a highly influential historical study of the Haitian Revolution. It has been published in four languages. The C.L.R. James Collection consists mainly of primary documents and comprises correspondence, manuscripts, pamphlets, posters, newspaper clippings, sound and video recordings as well as the books that formed James’ personal library.
The C.L.R. James Collection was inscribed on the Memory of the World Regional Register for Latin America and the Caribbean in 2004, on the international Memory of the World Register in 2005 and on the Trinidad and Tobago Memory of the World Register in 2010.
Risks encountered
Environmental issues
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Moisture | None |
Temperature | Low |
Light (visible light, ultraviolet radiation, etc.) | Low |
Dust | Low |
Pollution | None |
Pests (rodents, animals, insects, etc.) | None |
Microorganisms (bacteria, mould, etc.) | Moderate |
Management or organizational issues
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Lack of maintenance, including cleaning | Low |
Inadequate building | None |
Building with structural damage | None |
Lack of an adequate warehouse | None |
Lack of boxes and/or archive materials | Low |
Lack of human resources | Moderate |
Lack of security measures | Low |
Insufficient budget to operate | None |
Natural disaster risks
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Fires | Low |
Rains | Low |
Mudslides or landslides | None |
Floods | None |
Hurricanes, cyclones, storms | Low |
Earthquakes | Low |
Tsunamis | None |
Volcanic eruptions | None |
Temperature increase | Low |
Political and/or social risks
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Armed conflicts | None |
Illegal trafficking of documents | None |
Thefts or robberies | None |
Vandalism | None |
Threatening socio-cultural environment | None |
Lack of support/public policies | None |
There are no threats detected in this area.
Environment (location) issues
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Material/storage units | Low |
Furniture | None |
Room or warehouse | None |
Building | None |
Site or neighbourhood | None |
Area or region, beyond the neighbourhood | None |
Indicators
| Identified risks | |
|---|---|
Management Plan | Partially |
Response Protocol | Partially |
Documentary heritage digitization | No, in planning |
Documentary heritage availability on the internet | No |
While mould growth has been detected on materials in the library, the organization is engaged in continuous testing and remedial efforts.