The Edward James Archive Project has moved to the cataloguing stage following the installation of the new Adlib collections management software. Cataloguing of the Cultural Papers section of the archive, comprising material relating to James's patronage of the arts, began in July. Significant groups of letters catalogued so far include James's personal correspondence with the fashion photographer, Cecil Beaton (beginning in 1935), and with the Mexican art curator, Inés Amor. Photographs by Beaton (some signed) of James, Salvador Dalí and the American actress, Ruth Ford, are included. The catalogue, when completed, will provide us for the first time with a full description and referencing of the Cultural Papers. This will enable us to gain complete knowledge of the content of the Papers and the interconnections between the various projects and people represented. The catalogue is also expected to augment existing provenance knowledge for some of the artworks that once formed Edward James's collection.

The Adlib software creates a structured catalogue which conforms to international archival description standards and which will be made searchable on the internet in 2019. The software will also enormously enhance the management of West Dean's collections of objects and artworks.