Library

IOM3 Investigates...Rewind to the Starpack Students' Competition 2022 Jude Allan MIMMM, Chair of the IOM3 Packaging Group, chats with Jake Inglis, 2022 Starpack Students Competition sponsor’s award winner on his experience, the Starpack Students Competition, progress si

From the archive: Rewind to the Starpack Students' Competition 2022 on.soundcloud.com/q1oy0Et43x0y...

IOM3 President, Christine Blackmore sits in an archive room surrounded by drawers and stacks of vintage maps. She’s holding an open map and smiling at the camera. The image is framed in a colourful, geometric design with the IOM3 in the bottom left corner. This photo is taken at the IOM3 library.

Last week, our President Christine Blackmore CEnv CSci FIMMM visited the @iom3library.bsky.social

Did you know we hold a vast collection of materials science and engineering resources, from classic texts to digital archives?

We offer both physical and digital library services.

#IOM3Library

International Women in Engineering Day graphic with iom3 logo, and headshots of 3 historic women (left to right) Mary Lawson, Constance Tipper and Helen Monica Maurice

Headshot of Constance Tipper with text detailing how she devised the 'Tipper Test' for ascertaining the brittleness of steel under cold temperatures, author of The Distortion of Metal Crystals (1935) and The Brittle Fracture Story (1962)

Headshot of Helen Monica Maurice and text explaining how she was the first female member of the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers in 1938 and a strong advocate for women in engineering. Helen trained as a mine lighting engineer and went on to become Managing Director and Chairperson of the Wolf Safety Lamp Company Ltd and was awarded OBE in 1975

Headshot of Mary Lawson and text explaining how she was a Graduate of London University, went on to work for the BBC Engineering Division during WW2 and subsequently spent 40 years with Building Research Station and BRS Scottish Lab researching into concrete and clay. Mary was Chairman of Scottish Branch of Institute of Clay Technology in 1982.

Today is #INWED25 and we're proud to celebrate #TogetherWeEngineer recognising the achievements of women in engineering. 👩‍🔬⚙️

This year, we’re spotlighting three women from our #HeritageStaircase who helped shape the field.

@iom3library.bsky.social

An Oxford river with punts lined up on the bank.

And a sunny walk by the river.

Large sheet maps spread on a table.

We looked at projections, scale, elevation, and of course cataloguing. There were contemporary maps, antiquarian maps, maps of fictional places and places that never made it further than the planning room (like this canal, planned but never created).

The lobby of Weston Library, one of the Bodleian libraries.

Books on the mezzanine 😍

Last week I spent a day at the beautiful @bodleianlibraries.bsky.social learning about maps (and how tricky they can be for librarians). The @iom3.bsky.social map room has 1352 of them!

GIF showing the International Materials Review (IMR) journal front cover on a yellow and orange background, followed by slides highlighting the top 5 titles, the journal's Impact Factor of 16.8 and the benefits available to IOM3 members, including free journal access, discounted print subscriptions, additional Sage journals and expert library services.

Celebrating International Materials Review (IMR) 🏆

📈 With an Impact Factor of 16.8, IMR continues to publish leading research as part of #IOM3Journals

IOM3 members get free access to IMR, plus discounts, additional SAGE journals and expert @iom3library.bsky.social services.

A vellum bound book from 1667 that has developed a dark green colour, perhaps from dying or patination.

And this one from 1667 (disclaimer - I *think* this is vellum that has been dyed or else developed a strange, dark green patina over time).

Vellum bound record book from 1668 with leather thong tie

Inside of a record book from 1668. Two pages show elaborate cursive writing in Spanish.

The best part? We have several stunning examples in our heritage collections. Like this record from 1668

Unlike leather, vellum isn't tanned. Instead, skins were soaked in lime, scraped, and stretched. The result is a stiff, durable, waxy material in a variety of colours (depending on the original and how the patina has developed).

The word "vellum" comes from the Latin vitulinum (meaning "made from calf"), evolving into Old French vélin. In the medieval period it was the material of choice for religious texts, and later became a favourite for bookbinding.

Vellum is a durable material made from untanned animal skin, usually calf or lamb, and has been prized for centuries in bookbinding. It is resilient, smooth, and ages well. If you've come across an old book with a creamy, slightly translucent cover - that's vellum.

Happy Monday! Today in the @iom3.bsky.social library I'm thinking about VELLUM - materials science lovers, this one's for you 🧵

Our communities Whether you're looking for like-minded individuals in your technical field, support in your career or networking with local members, our communities will make you welcome

We unite specialisms from mining to nanotech, offering networking and collaboration.

With local and global connections, we help you engage at home and abroad, while volunteers support your development.

Explore our communities and find your network.

👇
iom3.info/3ReNuN5

Golborne Colliery closed in 1989. The @iom3.bsky.social library holds reports on the official investigations into historical mining accidents, preserving the history of disasters like Golborne so that they are never forgotten.
#WeAreIOM3 #MiningDisaster #MiningHistory

Investigations found that when an auxiliary ventilation fan stopped working methane levels spiked dangerously. Following the disaster, new safety measures aimed at improving methane monitoring, enhancing ventilation systems, and tightening safety checks on electrical equipment.

By 1:40 PM, rescuers had found the last missing miner - John T. Berry, buried under debris. All eleven missing men were accounted for. Tragically, despite several being pulled from the rubble alive, only one survived his injuries - 20 year old Brian Rawsthorne.

As the search continued, the rescuers found Desmond Edwards, Patrick Grainey, Raymond Hill, and John McKenna.

At 12:00 PM, just 40 minutes after the explosion, professional rescue teams arrived from Boothstown Mines Rescue Station. Stretcher crews pushed deeper underground, where they discovered Brian Sherman, trapped under rubble but still alive. Nearby lay Colin Dallimore, already deceased.

Maguire and Baxter soon found the first casualty - Bernard Trumble, badly burned and crawling blindly toward safety.

One by one, the rescuers found others:

Peter Grainey, burned but able to walk.

Walter McPherson, barely able to move.

Brian Rawsthorne, severely burnt and disoriented.

McGuire, along with locomotive driver Baxter, were the first to push into the dust-filled tunnels. 80 meters into the Plodder Seam, visibility dropped due to airborne debris.

Elsewhere in the mine, Smith heard a bang and saw ventilation doors blown open by the force. Both of them raised the alarm, setting into motion the rescue efforts that would unfold over the next few hours.

18th March 1979 11:20 AM. Deputies McGuire and Smith sensed something was terribly wrong. McGuire heard muffled thuds, saw a cloud of dust, and felt a popping in his ears - a telltale sign of a pressure wave from an underground explosion.

But the men of Golborne Colliery weren't to be lucky again. Here's how the day unfolded.

Two decades earlier in 1957, there was a similar explosion caused by firedamp - the buildup of methane inside the mine. In 1957 the community was lucky; 18 men were injured but all escaped with their lives.

#OnThisDay March 18, 1979 – A firedamp explosion tore through Golborne Colliery, near Wigan. Ten miners died. One survived with life-changing injuries. A community was shattered. Golborne was sunk in 1882 and had a long history of problems with firedamp 🧵

Report highlights major challenges for UK materials supply chain The UK may require as much as 40% of the global lithium supply and nearly 30% of graphite supply to meet demand by 2030.

IOM3 responds to the UK study on materials for decarbonisation, highlighting the UK's potential need for 40% of global lithium and 30% of graphite by 2030.

IOM3 CEO @drcolinchurch.bsky.social comments on responsible mining and global trade to meet demand.

Read more 👇
iom3.info/4inLFcE

IOM3 Investigates podcast Welcome to IOM3 Investigates... the IOM3 podcast series

Some really interesting Engineering & Chemistry crossovers @iom3.bsky.social. the @iom3library.bsky.social is also on here and they have an awesome podcast series that delves into diversity as well as materials, minerals and mining!
www.iom3.org/news/iom3-in...

Rolled maps stored square shelves. Some are labelled with country names.

Did you know @iom3.bsky.social has a dedicated map room chock-full of resources? There's space to unfurl even our biggest maps and members can visit totally gratis. Maps are included in ICON, our online open-access catalogue

Search ICON here: tinyurl.com/5n6cvdf3
#WeAreIOM3 #archives #library