Library and Documentation Collections
Of course the IISH reference library contains all relevant publications on global labour history, the theory and history of the international labour movements, labour relations, and migration. In addition to this, the publications of the social movements themselves, such as periodicals and leaflets, are available for research on this subject. Printed sources originating from the International Working Man's Association (IWMA) from 1864 to 1876 are fully covered.
Extensive documentation deals with the Second International from 1889 to 1914 and its social-democratic successors after World War I. Despite a few gaps, the collection of the communist Third International is also respectable. Here, too, the original periodicals are major pillars of the collection.
The IISH library holds many subject-based collections of books, leaflets, pamphlets, and periodicals. These can be retrieved by searching the library catalogue under Special Collections. Three large collections are mentioned here:
- Nearly 6000 publications of consumer and production cooperations worldwide (collection code: Cooperations)
- International Mass Media Research Center (IMMRC), a special library of marxist writings on mass communication and culture that includes books, magazines, manuscripts, and documentation on all aspects of communication and culture in over 50 countries. (collection code: IMMRC)
- Nearly 1000 publications from new social movements worldwide (collection code: CSD Library)
Many archives and collections also contain photographs and other audiovisual materials. These have been transferred to the Image and Sound Department. Other Image and Sound items have no direct connection with archives. For instance, all materials relating to the anti-globalist demonstration in Hong Kong in December 2006, including T-shirts, life jackets, flags, pictures, and gadgets, is but one example; these are stored in the IISH Image and Sound Department.
These multimedia records may be retrieved through various types of searches in the IISH library catalogue and/or search platform.