I was expecting to be in awe of the collection size and operation of the British Library, but I wasn’t expecting to be bowled over by the contents of the collection. Maybe if I had done more research I would have been prepared to see sketches by Galileo and DaVinci, musical scores by Mozart and Beethovan, and a letter from Queen Elizabeth I. I think seeing part of a Dead Sea Scroll and a book penned by Jane Austen’s were what got me the most. Like others there, I had to sit down for a minute to wrap my head around what I was seeing. It is so incredible that anyone from the public can walk in and see these items for free. On that note, I was surprised to learn that anyone from the public – with a research a need – can access library materials for free. I think it’s great that the library is devoted to meeting the information needs of the entire community and not just those with a lot of money or power. In fact, the library hosts events almost every day and almost all of them are free and open to the public.
Before I continue on my thoughts about the library I’ll offer up a few facts. The British Library is the 2nd largest library in the world, behind the Library of Congress, with over 150 million items. Interestingly, books are stored by size not subject. There are four levels above and below ground housing the materials. It is the most government funded institution in the UK, but also relies on donations from the public. It is purely a reference library, and patrons cannot pull books off the shelves; rather, they must get assistance from a staff member. There are 1200 workers at this institution and their jobs mainly consist of helping the public by working on the welcome team, as a library assistant, a curator, or in the conservation center.
Besides the Sacred exhibit and Sir John Ritblat Gallery, I was most struck by the system they have set up for book delivery within the library. There are conveyor belts that have a barcode unique to each floor. To send a book to a different floor they scan the barcode of the destination, place the book(s) in a bin, scan the barcode on the bin, and the books are delivered in that way. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It may take longer than just running it up or down a floor or two (15-20 minutes), but it certainly makes it easier!
One final thing that stood out to me is the Turning the Pages touch-screen system that lets you flip through, magnify, and hear audio commentary on 15 historical books. Of course I was most enthralled by Jane Austen’s History of England! Because of the system I was able to read and see sketches from the whole book instead of just the two pages on display behind the glass. Our guide informed us that the initiative was started by Bill Gates, who had half of a historical document that fit with a half that the British Library had. He wanted to make sure that the public was able to see these masterpieces in their full form. It’s also a great way to make sure that the documents are available for inspection long after their physical deterioration.
I had a great time at the library and am hoping to go back to inspect more of the floors and maybe do some research for my Jane Austen project.
Before I continue on my thoughts about the library I’ll offer up a few facts. The British Library is the 2nd largest library in the world, behind the Library of Congress, with over 150 million items. Interestingly, books are stored by size not subject. There are four levels above and below ground housing the materials. It is the most government funded institution in the UK, but also relies on donations from the public. It is purely a reference library, and patrons cannot pull books off the shelves; rather, they must get assistance from a staff member. There are 1200 workers at this institution and their jobs mainly consist of helping the public by working on the welcome team, as a library assistant, a curator, or in the conservation center.
Besides the Sacred exhibit and Sir John Ritblat Gallery, I was most struck by the system they have set up for book delivery within the library. There are conveyor belts that have a barcode unique to each floor. To send a book to a different floor they scan the barcode of the destination, place the book(s) in a bin, scan the barcode on the bin, and the books are delivered in that way. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It may take longer than just running it up or down a floor or two (15-20 minutes), but it certainly makes it easier!
One final thing that stood out to me is the Turning the Pages touch-screen system that lets you flip through, magnify, and hear audio commentary on 15 historical books. Of course I was most enthralled by Jane Austen’s History of England! Because of the system I was able to read and see sketches from the whole book instead of just the two pages on display behind the glass. Our guide informed us that the initiative was started by Bill Gates, who had half of a historical document that fit with a half that the British Library had. He wanted to make sure that the public was able to see these masterpieces in their full form. It’s also a great way to make sure that the documents are available for inspection long after their physical deterioration.
I had a great time at the library and am hoping to go back to inspect more of the floors and maybe do some research for my Jane Austen project.
