Project update 7 - Council minutes and melodies

The week started off with a "casual" read of the Library Council minutes from 1870 to 1900. I was looking for references to purchases or donations plus picking up interesting discussions. As previously discussed in Project Update 5, W. J. Stephens as Trustee and President, is frequently referred to in the minutes. He personally selects material for the collections from Booksellers catalogues and assists the Librarian with donations and selection lists.
I would like to look at the correspondence from the 1870s - 1880s. Does it exist? Any suggestions? I'm still looking for a lead on why and how we acquired the Slave Trade manuscripts!

On Friday I met John Stinson, formerly from La Trobe University. Some years ago he examined and organised the filming of the Rimini Antiphonal. He was in Sydney to attend the performance on Friday night (Fantastic event - the accoustics were amazing - Gallery seats were excellent!) John was interested in a Gradual from the Richardson collection, Not as beautiful as the Rimini but worth digitising. The folios have been bound in the wrong order. We wouldn't disbind the volume and re-order but this could be done electronically! John is keen to study the manuscript further when it is online.
While I had an expert on hand I took the opportunity of showing John a couple of other items from the collection. According to a brief card entry this image from Richardson 223 is the first leaf of a small 15th century manuscript containing the Office of the Dead. It is much smaller and less ornate than the larger antiphonals from the Richardson collection.

RB/MSS 90 is a small bound manuscript of approximately 21 leaves. The hand Gamut uses a theory from medieval music attributed to Guido of Arezzo. Each section of the hand represents a note within the hexachord. It allows a singer to simply represent and recall the notes of a song or chant.
This manuscript, c. 1790, needs some conservation work.