Filing Collection

Dewey Decimal System
Card index showing use of the Dewey Decimal Classification system, the most widely used library classification system, devised by Melvil Dewey in the 1870s

Black and white digital illustration surform rasp

A diagram showing the lines of magnetic force. The bar magnet is placed on a table covered with a piece of card
5311308 A diagram showing the lines of magnetic force. The bar magnet is placed on a table covered with a piece of card: iron filings are shaken on to the card

A diagram showing the lines of magnetic force demonstrated by using two magnets and iron filings, 19th century
5311306 A diagram showing the lines of magnetic force demonstrated by using two magnets and iron filings, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1890); Universal History Archive/UIG.

A diagram showing the lines of magnetic force demonstrated by using two magnets and iron filings, 19th century
5311303 A diagram showing the lines of magnetic force demonstrated by using two magnets and iron filings, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1890); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Needles: Cutting from steel wire (1), flattening end (4), stamping eye (2), punching eye (3)
542210 Needles: Cutting from steel wire (1), flattening end (4), stamping eye (2), punching eye (3), filing eye and pointing end (7), polishing (8). Specific monotonous task

Poro College; The general office; A section of the files, 1922. Creator: Unknown
Poro College; The general office; A section of the files, 1922

Poro College; The general office; Partial view of agents directory and accounts, 1922. Creator: Unknown
Poro College; The general office; Partial view of agents directory and accounts, 1922

Emery in the Shape of a Strawberry, c. 1937. Creator: Ann Gene Buckley
Emery in the Shape of a Strawberry, c. 1937

Finishing shells at Woolwich Arsenal, 1862. Creator: W Thomas
Finishing shells at Woolwich Arsenal, 1862. Exertions are continued at Woolwich to supply munitions of war to the British possessions in North America...The splendid shell foundry is capable of

Medical Records Department at Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital, Coventry, West Midlands, 8th May 1973. Transferring files into new medical records library are (left to right) Jean Bate

Index of fingerprints at Scotland Yard, London, c1912, (1935). Creator: Unknown
Index of fingerprints at Scotland Yard, London, c1912, (1935). The vast Scotland Yard index that contains more than 250, 000 finger-print entries

University Of London Senate House & Library Central File
A photograph which shows the central file storage room at the University of London Senate House and Library, designed between 1932 and 1937, by architect Charles Henry Holden

Aisle of Files, Division of War Department, National Archives, Washington DC, 1939 (b/w photo)
3964006 Aisle of Files, Division of War Department, National Archives, Washington DC, 1939 (b/w photo) by Harris & Ewing (1905-45); Private Collection; (add.info.: After processing)

Employees Filing Patents, Patent Office, USA, 1940 (b/w photo)
5974356 Employees Filing Patents, Patent Office, USA, 1940 (b/w photo) by Harris & Ewing (1905-45); Private Collection

Employees in Patent Office File Room, Washington DC, 1940 (b/w photo)
3964008 Employees in Patent Office File Room, Washington DC, 1940 (b/w photo) by Harris & Ewing (1905-45); Private Collection; (add.info.: Patent Office files. Washington, D.C. Feb. 29)

War production workers at the Vilter [Manufacturing] Company making M5... Milwaukee, Wis. 1943. Creator: Howard Hollem
War production workers at the Vilter [Manufacturing] Company making M5 and M7 guns for the U.S. Army, Milwaukee, Wis. Ex-housewife, age 24, filing small parts

One of the girls of Vilter [Manufacturing] Co. filing small gun parts, Milwaukee, Wisc. 1943. Creator: Howard Hollem
One of the girls of Vilter [Manufacturing] Co. filing small gun parts, Milwaukee, Wisc. One brother in Coast Guard, one going to Army

Factory worker at the Paragon Rubber Company, Massachusetts. 1936 (b / w photo)
875298 Factory worker at the Paragon Rubber Company, Massachusetts. 1936 (b/w photo) by Hine, Lewis Wickes (1874-1940); Private Collection; (add.info)

A new form of collective protest (colour litho)
2808950 A new form of collective protest (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: A new form of collective protest)

I Am Too Busy (colour litho)
2800777 I Am Too Busy (colour litho) by American School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: I Am Too Busy. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

The Typist - a typewriter saves time and makes work a pleasure (colour litho)
2795373 The Typist - a typewriter saves time and makes work a pleasure (colour litho) by American School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Economy Steel Letter File - Filing Cabinet - produced by Hobart Cabinet Company, Troy, Ohio, USA (established in 1907). Strong, Neat and Serviceable for Office and Transfer use. Date: circa 1923

An English woman-blacksmith filing a horse shoe (b / w photo)
5998571 An English woman-blacksmith filing a horse shoe (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: An English woman-blacksmith filing a horse shoe)

Detail of a Damascus tile panel, 16th-17th century (ceramic)
LGH250613 Detail of a Damascus tile panel, 16th-17th century (ceramic) by Syrian; Leighton House Museum, Kensington & Chelsea, London, UK; eLeighton House; Syrian, out of copyright

The Crowd filing Past the Body of Mr Gladstone Lying in State in Westminster Hall (b / w photo)
1039594 The Crowd filing Past the Body of Mr Gladstone Lying in State in Westminster Hall (b/w photo) by English photographer

The Carpenter, c. 1899 (colour litho)
CHT168604 The Carpenter, c.1899 (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, France; eArchives Charmet; French, out of copyright

The night of 9 February 1651, the militia filing past the bed of the young Louis XIV (colour litho)
2795483 The night of 9 February 1651, the militia filing past the bed of the young Louis XIV (colour litho) by Leloir, Maurice (1853-1940); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Locksmith (colour engraving)
CHT163291 The Locksmith (colour engraving) by Leclerc, Jean (c.1587-1633); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France; eArchives Charmet; French, out of copyright

Sundermalah having her front foot trimmed by one keeper, with a file
3550633 Sundermalah having her front foot trimmed by one keeper, with a file, as another sits on her back, London Zoo, August 1926 (b/w photo) by Bond

Goorkahs filing off before Maharajah Jung Bahadoor, on the Morning of the Occupation of Goruckpore (engraving)
1609470 Goorkahs filing off before Maharajah Jung Bahadoor, on the Morning of the Occupation of Goruckpore (engraving) by English School

Lady filing her Corn (chromolitho)
732962 Lady filing her Corn (chromolitho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lady filing her Corn.); Look and Learn / Barbara Loe Collection

The Veterinarian, engraved by J. R. Mackrell (colour litho)
BSA266824 The Veterinarian, engraved by J.R. Mackrell (colour litho) by Turner, F. C. (1795-1865) (after); Private Collection; eThe British Sporting Art Trust; English, out of copyright

Addressing machine, Preparing the address stencils for use (b / w photo)
6008265 Addressing machine, Preparing the address stencils for use (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Addressing machine)

Review of Federal Troops on 4 July by President Lincoln and General Scott, the Garibaldi Guard filing past (engraving)
1619662 Review of Federal Troops on 4 July by President Lincoln and General Scott, the Garibaldi Guard filing past (engraving) by English School

An Old File (engraving)
5212816 An Old File (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: An Old File. Illustration for The Boys Own Annual, 1889/90.); © Look and Learn

160 specially selected Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), NCOs and privates have been chosen to work in the Statistical Branch of the War Office to co-operate with civilian experts in finding out

New Scotland Yard. Classification of criminals. The crime index. May 1929

A Farriers Shop, 1648. Creator: Paulus Potter
A Farriers Shop, 1648

The scene in the Lord Chancellors office... General Election, 1923, (1935). Creator: Unknown
The scene in the Lord Chancellors office when the writs were issued for the General Election, 1923, (1935). Officials with paperwork during the British general election of 1923

Female workers in the filing and postal room, Stanley Tools works, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, 1967

Pneumatic Tube Transport system at at Duckmanton Colliery stores near Chesterfield, 1962
Administration staff check stock levels for the stores at Duckmanton Colliery near Chesterfield, 28 December 1962. Comunication was via Capsule Pipelines where the paperwork was sent via

Coppersmith, 16th century (1849). Artist: Jost Amman
Coppersmith, 16th century (1849). A 19th century version based on an original 16th century wood engraving. From Le Moyen Age et la Renaissance, by Paul Lacroix, Ferdinand Sere and A Rivaud

Spur maker, 16th century (1849). Artist: Jost Amman
Spur maker, 16th century (1849). A 19th century version based on an original 16th century wood engraving. From Le Moyen Age et la Renaissance, by Paul Lacroix, Ferdinand Sere and A Rivaud

Coventry Evening Telegraph library department, Corporation Street, Coventry. Circa 1969

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"Filing: Organizing Knowledge and History in Black and White" In the world of information management, filing is an art that brings order to chaos. From the Dewey Decimal System to digital illustrations, various tools have been employed to tame the vast expanse of knowledge. Picture a black and white digital illustration capturing this process - perhaps a surform rasp delicately shaping files into perfect alignment. Filing cabinets stand as silent sentinels, guarding countless treasures within their metal frames. At the University of London Senate House & Library Central File, rows upon rows of cabinets house centuries' worth of wisdom waiting to be discovered. A glimpse into history takes us back to 1939 Washington DC, where an aisle filled with files at the Division of War Department in National Archives tells tales untold. Not all files contain words; some hold secrets locked away by fingerprints. Scotland Yard's Index of fingerprints from 1912 reveals mysteries concealed within its pages - a snapshot frozen in time since 1935. Chief Superintendent Winifred Barker sits amidst these records, her office a sanctuary for justice seekers. Beyond law enforcement lies another realm where filing plays a crucial role - patent offices around the world. In 1940s USA, employees diligently filed patents at Patent Office locations in Washington DC and Milwaukee's Vilter Manufacturing Company. These workers ensured that innovation found its place among historical archives. But filing extends beyond paperwork; it infiltrates factories too. The Paragon Rubber Company in Massachusetts witnessed factory workers meticulously organizing materials on shelves while Howard Hollem captured their dedication through his lens in 1936. As we reflect on these glimpses into history, let us appreciate those who dedicated themselves to preserving knowledge through meticulous filing practices – whether it be organizing books or safeguarding fingerprints or ensuring patents find their rightful place among inventors' legacies.