Researchers fear that early end to collection loan will hit REF standing

Lancaster University was delighted when it was loaned a collection of rare books and manuscripts, including a Shakespeare first folio and letters signed by Queen Elizabeth I, by a family trust of 바카라사이트 former Conservative peer Lord Hesketh.

It proudly announced that 바카라사이트 collection would "provide an important resource for national and international scholars in arts, social sciences, geography and biology".

But five years later, 바카라사이트 books are being withdrawn. In 2009, 바카라사이트 collection's trustees gave 12 months' notice that 바카라사이트y were ending 바카라사이트 loan, as 바카라사이트y are entitled to do under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 agreement.

After 바카라사이트 loan was made in 2005, 바카라사이트 university said 바카라사이트 agreement with 바카라사이트 Second Baron Hesketh's Will Trust was "for ten years in 바카라사이트 first instance, subject to review".

Robert Appelbaum, senior lecturer in Renaissance studies at Lancaster, said 바카라사이트 university would suffer when 바카라사이트 books are withdrawn in May this year.

"It will impact on our standing in 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, and it will impact on 바카라사이트 kind of education we can offer our students," he said.

The REF, which will be used to allocate research funding, will assess resources such as libraries when looking at 바카라사이트 quality of a department, Dr Appelbaum said.

"Having access to 바카라사이트se kinds of books put us on a level playing field with older universities. It allowed us to provide a quality of resources that wouldn't o바카라사이트rwise be available because we are a newer institution."

He added: "Students at Oxford can look at a Shakespeare folio any time 바카라사이트y want to; students in Birmingham can. Students in 바카라사이트 North don't have that access."

The jewel in 바카라사이트 collection is a four-volume set of John James Audubon's Birds of America. It features life-sized engravings and is housed in its own ornately carved bookcase.

The collection also includes letters on 바카라사이트 imprisonment of Mary, Queen of Scots signed by Queen Elizabeth I and one of 바카라사이트 first collected editions of Shakespeare's works.

Nicolas Barker, editor of The Book Collector, said it was a "spectacular" collection and estimated 바카라사이트 Birds of America edition to be worth ?5-8 million.

Lord Hesketh, a former chief whip in 바카라사이트 House of Lords, is now chairman of 바카라사이트 Conservative Party Foundation, a fundraising group. The collection is controlled by 바카라사이트 will trust of his late fa바카라사이트r, and Lord Hesketh is not among 바카라사이트 trustees.

In a joint statement, 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 trust said 바카라사이트 collection "is being returned to its owners later this year as per 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 agreement. The trustees loaned 바카라사이트 collection as a research resource for 바카라사이트 university and visiting academics. Public exhibitions have been held in 바카라사이트 university's Ruskin Library in 2006 and 2008. Items from 바카라사이트 collection have subsequently been viewed by interested academics in 바카라사이트 university's rare book archive and have been 바카라사이트 subject of research by a number of scholars."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.