.. to material from "Self Help", the second Mechanics Institutes Worldwide Conference, which was held in Bath, UK from September 24th - 28th 2009.

The event followed the first Conference, "Buildings, Books and Beyond" held in Melbourne in 2004. Like the Melbourne event, it was aimed at the fraternity of Mechanics' Institutes, Athenaeums, Schools of Arts, Literary and Philosophical Societies and other related organisations.

Hosting the second conference was Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (pictured above), located in the centre of the World Heritage City of Bath, near Bristol in the West of England.

The theme of the conference was "Self Help", in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the publication of the seminal work of that title by Samuel Smiles in 1859. The Association of Independent Libraries, of which the BRLSI is a member, held its AGM at the Institution over the same weekend.

Here you'll find the original conference Programme of lectures and other events, abstracts and full copies of the papers presented by speakers, and the day-by-day conference diary written during the weekend, complete with a link to an online video of the event. Click the options in the blue menu bar above to find them - and enjoy reliving the conference!

Bob Draper MBE	Dr Peter Ford MBE

Bob Draper and Peter Ford,
Conference Organisers.