A splendid gift: new life for old journals

The complete collection of Acta Crystallographica: a welcome addition to the library of the Institute of Applied Mineralogy at the Bulgarian Academy of Science. (Photo courtesy of BCA News)

The March 1994 issue of the BCA Newsletter included an account of a generous gift that illustrates the wisdom of the donor, as well as the admirable conduct and sound judgment of the BCA. It also exemplifies the international spirit fostered by the IUCr and should encourage all of us to reflect on ways we might make better use of the material and intellectual resources at our disposal to advance science and international relations.

"An elderly crystallographer, JR, in Leeds, had subscribed to Acta Crystallographica from its beginning in 1948 until his retirement, and felt that his collection of 40 years of Acta issues, A, B, and C, would really be better used somewhere else than sitting on his shelves in Leeds. Having met J. Macicek, a crystallographer from Sofia, Bulgaria at a number of IUCr meetings and ECMs, and having established that his Institute in the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences did not possess these back issues and would be glad to have them, JR packed his collection into four suitable wooden boxes (total weight nearly half a ton!) and sent them off to Sofia, paying the cost of transportation.

When writing to the BCA to say what he had done, JR asked whether the BCA funds might possibly refund him that transport cost. The journals arrived safely at their destination (after a brief skirmish with the Bulgarian customs). Dr Macicek and his colleagues were delighted. Meantime, the BCA committee had decided that this sort of help for crystallographic friends in less-advantaged countries, such as those of Eastern Europe, was worth supporting and JR was sent a check. This story illustrates the kind of thing that can be done and is being published so that it might stimulate other useful activities."