Manchester Branch Library
[Due to the lack of use the Library was disposed of in 2024. The branch does still retain a small selection of books that have sentimental value to the branch. If you would like to view this please speak to Peter or Chris at one of the meetings.]
The Branch has a small, but well stocked, library from which members can borrow books for one month for a small fee.
From July 2022 the process for borrowing a book has changed. As a number of books have been removed from the library for being too general or outdated the books are at the moment NOT being stored at the hall. Below is a list of books we currently hold in the library (which may yet be thinned out further).
If you would like to borrow a book please email librarian@manchester.bcss.org.uk at least 48 hours before the meeting you would like to borrow the book at and Chris will bring the book along. You may need to right-click and copy and paste the email address into your preferred email client.
Please note that some books will only be allowed to be viewed at the hall and not taken home as they contain branch history and/or are very fragile.
| Author | Book Title |
| B LeRoy Davidson | Lewisias |
| Barbara Jeppe | South African Aloes |
| Bolton Cactus Soc | Twenty One |
| Britton and Rose | The Cactaceae Vol 1 & 2 |
| Britton and Rose | The Cactaceae Vol 3 & 4 |
| Brown, Tischer and Karsten | Mesembryanthema |
| Carolyn Trapp | The Cacti of Zion National Park |
| Carruthers and Ginns | Echeverias |
| Carter, Lavranos, Newton and Walker | Aloes The Definitive Guide |
| Carter, Lavranos, Newton and Walker | Aloes The Definitive Guide |
| Chris Leather | Branch History |
| Clive Innes and Bill Wall | Cacti, Succulents and Bromeliads (RHS) |
| Curt Backeberg | Cactus Lexicon |
| D R Hunt | Flora of Tropical East Africa |
| David Brewerton | The Succulent Euphorbias |
| David Hunt | The New Cactus Lexicon (2013 Reprint – Illustrations) |
| David Hunt | The New Cactus Lexicon |
| Desmond T Cole | Lithops Flowering Stones (original printing) |
| E W Putnam | Gymnocalyciums |
| Ed Storms | Growing the Mesembs |
| Edgar & Brian Lamb | Pocket Encyclopedia of Cacti in Colour |
| Edward Abbey | Cactus Country |
| Eric Walther | Echeveria |
| Franz Baxbaum | Cactus Culture |
| G Schwantes | The Culitvation of the Mesembryanthemum |
| Gilbert Westcott Reynolds | The Aloes of South Africa |
| Gordon Rowley | Teratopia |
| Gordon Rowley | Name That Succulent |
| Gordon Rowley | Caudicform and Pachycaul Succulents |
| Gordon Rowley | Flowering Succulents |
| Gordon Rowley | Flowering Succulents |
| Gordon Rowley | Illustrated Encyclopedia of Succulents |
| Harry Chi-king Mak | Photo Album of Succulents in Colour Volume 1 |
| Harry Chi-king Mak | Photo Album of Succulents in Colour Volume 2 |
| Harry Chi-king Mak | Photo Album of Succulents in Colour Volume 3 |
| Hermann Jacobsen | Lexicon of Succulent Plants |
| Hermann Jacobsen | A Handbook of Succulent Plants Volume 1 |
| Hermann Jacobsen | A Handbook of Succulent Plants Volume 2 |
| Hermann Jacobsen | A Handbook of Succulent Plants Volume 3 |
| Hermann Jacobsen | Succulent Plants |
| J Borg | Cacti |
| John Pilbeam | Sulcorebutia and Weingartia |
| John Pilbeam | Haworthia and Astroloba |
| John Pilbeam | The Genus Echeveria |
| John Pilbeam | The Instant Guide to Healthy Cacti |
| John Pilbeam | Gymnocalycium A Collectors Guide |
| John Pilbeam | Mammillaria A Collectors Guide |
| Ken Preston-Mafham | Cacti and Succulents in Habitat |
| Lyman Benson | The Native Cacti of California |
| Lyman Benson | The Cacti of the United States and Canada |
| M.B. Bayer | The New Haworthia Handbook |
| Marcus Schneck | Cacti |
| Meena Singh | Succulent Plants of India |
| Nigel P Taylor | The Genus Echinocereus |
| Norman and Naureen Cole | Lithops Flowering Stones (Cactus & Co reprint) |
| Oliver Leese | Desert Plants |
| Piante Grasse | Cactaceae Identification Handbook |
| R B Ivimey-Cook | Succulents A Glossary of Terms and Descriptions |
| R T Craig | The Mammillaria Handbook |
| Rolf Rawe | Succulents in the Veld |
| Sara Oldfield | Cactus and Succulent Plants |
| Scott e Haselton | Succulents for the amateur |
| Steven Hammer | Dumpling and his Wife |
| Strawberry Press | Euphorbia Volume 1 |
| Tony Mace | Notocactus |
| Walther Haage | Das praktische Kakteenbuch |
Library History
The earliest known Branch Librarian is our Chairman, Brian Darnell. In 1970, having attended a few meetings he was asked by Mrs. Kidd if he would be willing look after the library. Having agreed, he was asked at the following meeting if he was attending the next committee meeting. Brian replied that he was not on the committee. But you are, replied Mrs. Kidd – you look after the library, don’t you?
Since then there have been two other Librarians – Tony Butterworth (1994 – 1997), and Harry Mak (1998 – to present).
Who acted as Librarian before Brian is not at present known. Other people known to be librarians are K. Lewis, Mr. A. R. Coleman and Mrs. J. Hayes.
Several books in the library are known to have been donated by previous members, who include Les Nyman and Harold Gaulton, amongst others.