The Little Ship Club Library
The Little Ship Club Library
Come in and browse
We warmly encourage members to come in and browse – particularly on a Tuesday evening when you are most likely to find it open and the Librarian at work.
Library Notice
Anyone interested in the Club's collection of original copies of Yachting Monthly published during the first half of 20th Century should contact the Hon Librarian@littleshipclub.co.uk to arrange a viewing.
Congratulations to Rodney Pell, Club member & HPO Ramsgate, owner of the little ship Sheemaun, and author of “Little Ship, Big Story”. He has been nominated for the Mountbatten Award for Best Book, one of the Maritime Foundation Awards.
Our collection
We have a small but comprehensive collection of specialist books on all aspects of boats and boating. Some of these books have been in the Club's possession since its foundation in 1926 and make fascinating reading, while some are the latest publications.
Borrowing books
If the Hon Librarian is not about, ask the Club Office about access to the Library and to the bookshelves. You will find instructions on how to find a book and how to borrow a book in the Sign Out Shelf in the right-hand bookcase. There is a Blue Folder which contains a printout of the Catalogue and a brown Borrowing Log where you can record the book you wish to borrow.
Boats
Design, building, buying, rigs, fittings, engines, electrics, repair and maintenance.
Cruising
Techniques, boat handling, seamanship, crewing, anchors and moorings, knots, flags, safety and cooking.
Data
The latest pilot books, cruising guides, almanacs and tidal data, legal matters. These are reference books for use only within the Club House; they can be found in the left-hand cupboard. All questions yoiu might have on the catalogue system in this section are answered on the information sheet pinned up in that cupboard
Fun/Fact/Fiction
Factual of general nature, oceans, seas and marine biology, marine art fiction —' tales, long, short and tall', nautical humour and bunkside books.
History
Naval History, biographies, descriptions of evolution of nautical arts & crafts
Metereology
Meteorology in general, weather forecasting, equipment and instruments
Navigation
Techniques of pilotage, coastal and offshore navigation, development and use of navigation equipment
Racing
Racing rules, techniques
Sails
Design, care and repair of sails, sailmaking & sailmakers.
The authors are listed alphabeticaly within each category and each book has its own catalogue number.
Buying books
Can't get into the Club to borrow a book? Visit our book reviews page and buy from our Amazon Store. Click on the green box Buy from Amazon and continue shopping on Amazon.
Can't see what you want? Browse the catalogues of some of the Club's favourite publishers.
Fernhurst Books
An independent company, run by a team of enthusiastic sailors and racers. With a catalogue that reflects this.
Whittles Publishing
A wide range of excellent non-fiction books and professional titles.
The world’s largest nautical publisher,with books for all levels of expertise and on all topics of interest.
Imray
For charts, electronic charts and guides and pilot books by leading authors.
Geoff Quentin, Club Librarian
Book reviewers needed!
The library receives a steady supply of new books from publishers who like to see reviews of their new publications. If you would like to try your hand at reviewing, email the Librarian@Littleshipclub.co.uk.
Researchers welcome
We are very happy to make our archive of older books and Club records available in the Club house for research both to members and also to non-members. We have early editions by authors who were founder members and specialist collections, for example the Marten Van Mesdag Bequest of books about boat building on the East Coast of both the UK and the USA. For more information contact the Hon Librarian@Littleshipclub.co.uk
Gifts and donations
The Club acknowledges the generosity of maritime institutions, nautical publishers and Club members who have donated books. For more information about gifts to the Club and our donors, email: Librarian@Littleshipclub.co.uk