Durham

 Durham, England is home to Durham Cathedral. Durham Cathedral was built in the early 1000's and continued on into the next century. The cathedral is a focal point of town. Surrounded by water, it is only accessible by three bridges. There are daily services with a men's choir.

I loved Durham Cathedral! It was amazing, especially the great architecture. To see such a magnificent building and walk inside was astounding. Even amazing is how old it is. The stonework of the cathedral is one of the first times such a technique was used, and it still stands to this day.

http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/library

Bill Bryson Library, the latest library on Durham university campus, is used as the main library. It has a unique spot as one of the original non-academic libraries in England. It catered more to lawyers, doctors, and those sorts. They originally used six different classification systems, but have switched over to the Dewey system.

This library was really interesting! The architecture was unique in that the surrounding water really limits their ability to expand. Being confined in one space has made them come up with some interesting add ons with multiple floors. I also find it interesting that they have a separate room for grad students. Colleges I've seen don't do that. It makes me think of them as spoiled lol. 

Ushaw College, a branch of Durham University, lies offsite of the original university. The college, founded in 1808 is its own small town. It wasn't monastic in reality, but followed very similar conditions. Students were policed on where they went and who they associated with, much like a monastery. The big library, dating around the 1850's, contains over thirty thousand titles. About twelve thousand were donated by Thomas Wilkinson. The big library is a theological library, and yet it contains a large array of literature on math, science, bibles, law, and church history.

Ushaw College was gorgeous and I really wish we would have had more time to look at the grounds. It really was its own small town, away from the rest of Durham. The room we dined in was beautiful, with some really amazing paintings adorning the walls. To be seated at such a historic table and dine in the room was a real treat! 

https://www.dur.ac.uk/library/

Additional Entry: Stonehenge

Stonehenge, one of the world's oldest mysteries, is a collection of stones dating back to the Neolithic era. In the surrounding countryside are hundreds of burial mounds. The rock formation is protected and managed by English Heritage.

No one is quite sure as to why Stonehenge was created, but there are many theories out there. A prolific one is that Stonehenge is a burial ground. Human bone deposits have been found in the area, dating back to around 3000 BC. There is also an idea of the site being used to mess with sound. The large stones and their circular formation has an interesting effect on acoustics. There is even an idea that it was used an observatory, keeping track of the sun and other celestial bodies.

The building contained an exhibit of the known information and theories surrounding the large set of rocks. There were small plastic formations that showed the evolution and movement of the rocks over the years. Aside from that was information on the people who created Stonehenge, including things such as what they looked like, how the moved the rocks, tools they used, and how they lived. 

I'm so glad I got the chance to go here! The area around Stonehenge was gorgeous. Even better, there were tons of raven in the area. The rocks themselves were smaller than I imagined. It was also disappointing that tourists had to stay so far away from the rocks. I understand the need for preservation, but it was still disappointing, seeing as how people used to picnic among the rocks. 

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

Middle Temple Library

Middle Temple Library, part of the four Inns of Court, is a law library specializing in American and European law. There are over two hundred and fifty thousand items within their collection, for any member of the four Inns of Court to use. Middle Temple library works in tandem with the other three libraries so as not to do any unnecessary work.

The library, founded in 1641, actually began a century prior. Sadly, the library was open to everyone with doors wide open. This lead to the books being stolen and the library no longer being useful once all said books were stolen. It was re-founded in 1641 by Robert Ashley. Upon his death, he left his own collection to the library. Since his initial contribution, the library has added to its collection through donations and acquisitions.

Middle Temple Library was a truly spectacular building. Books aside, Middle Temple Hall was gorgeous. The large room is used for lunch, music, and can even be rented for special occasions. The room is filled with large dining tables, the windows are paned with historical stained glass, and the walls are covered in shields.

http://www.middletemple.org.uk/library-and-archive/library

Maughan Library

King's College Library, founded in the 1800's, specializes mainly in humanities, law, and special collections. There are currently over two hundred thousand items within their collection, which is taken care of by seven workers and extra volunteers. The Foyle Special Collections Library itself holds over one hundred eighty thousand items.  Like most other libraries and archives of our times, they are undergoing a digitization project to make their collections more accessible.

When we were brought in, we were sat down among a carefully selected example of what the library had to offer. There were so many items that interested me, but the one that stood out the most was the Hortus sanitatus. Translated as 'Garden of Health', it dates back to 1491. The book covered hundreds of medicinal plants, animals, minerals, and other interesting topics. Even more interesting was the inclusion of random facts such as detecting an errant spouse, how to capture a unicorn, and how to never suffer from sickness or tiredness again.

The library itself contains traces of its old architecture while offering students and researchers more modern conveniences such as elevators, self checkout kiosks, laptops, and other things of the sort. One thing of note was the care taken in how the library was built. The bookshelves are all made of metal, each room has its own fireproof door. Even zinc, a nonflammable substance, was used for decoration.

The Weston Room, site of the recent Shakespeare exhibition, was truly beautiful. Once used as a records room and a chapel, it is now used for special functions. The antique tile floor, stained glass windows, chandeliers, and statues all make it one of the more interesting rooms within the library.

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/index.aspx

Royal Geographical Society and Archive

The Royal Geographical Society and Archive, begun in 1830, is one of the world's leaders in geography. There are over sixteen thousand members and two million items housed within the archive. Within these two million items are one million maps, four thousand atlases, half a million photographs, two hundred and fifty thousand books, and many more items such as globes and glass slides.

There was so much to look at in the Royal Geographical Archive! Maps, journals, a compass, a boot, old food, all of it interested me! But the thing that interested me even more was the story behind each item. Each and every item could be accounted for and described in great detail why it was important. It was this alone that made each item in the collection that much more important!

The story I was most interested in was the exploration and search for the Northwest Passage in the 1820's. The search for a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans was a task the Royal Geographical Society decided to undertake, sending out numerous members. Many men left and few returned. One man, John Franklin, died while searching for the Northwest Passage. His second in command took over, and slowly the crew died in the harsh conditions with no way back to sea.

It's stories like this that pull me into history. Things were so much different back then, life so much more uncertain and frightening. It's through the Royal Geographic Society that we can know what happened and properly recall and understand these pivotal moments in the history of exploration. The brave men that ventured into unknown territory should be immortalized for their contributions and sometimes sacrifices.

http://www.rgs.org/ourwork/collections/collections.htm

Greenwich Maritime Museum Library and Archive

The Greenwich Maritime Museum Library and Archive is a joint library and archive located in Greenwich among other important areas. The name was actually suggested by Rudyard Kipling, and opened in 1937. Rudyard Kipling died before the museum opened, but his widow understood his love for all things maritime and donated a portion of his collection to the museum.

The library, while relatively small, was great! The size did nothing to subtract from itself, as the number of users is relatively low. The subject matter is very specific, only drawing in those who wish to seek specific information. Family historians, researchers, and students are among the few who use the library, and they will certainly find a good deal of information inside! Along with books comes periodicals and other useful items for any maritime researcher. 

All in all, I have to say the archive was the more interesting part. These stacks were deep and organized oddly, but that made it even more interesting. It made me even more curious as to how British archives are organized. I'm still very amazed by the fact that books are organized by size, with larger books on the bottom shelves. Aside from the organizational aspect, the collection of logs, journals, and other information was jaw dropping! Knowing that deep within Greenwich crew logs from hundreds of years ago are kept safe made me so very happy. The information is very specific, but very important nonetheless.

Another point of interest was the gorgeous portrait of queen Elizabeth. Seeing it in person was breathtaking and truly made me understand why the museum wanted it so badly. I truly hope they raise the funds to purchase it!!

http://www.rmg.co.uk/researchers/library/

Barbican Center Library

The Barbican center library, located directly within the Barbican center, is a public library that has really made a name for itself. Going beyond the call of a public library, the Barbican library has ingrained itself within the local population, pushing to be a staple within the patrons' lives. They serve the public by offering every service they can, catering to disabled, elderly, and those of lower income. The Barbican even has an amazing children's center. 

The Barbican center began its life after WW II. The area had been decimated by enemy bombers, destroying any previous buildings. In its place, the Barbican was built. Originally it was public housing, catering to those of a lower eco comic status. Today, though, the area is home to the more wealthy members of society. The Barbican has become known as a posh area to live in, the giant stone structure losing its once low status. 

To start off, this public library was amazing!! I was floored by how many services they provided. They had children, young adult, and multiple other sections that catered different readers. The children's area was sectioned off from the rest of the library, allowing them a place to play without disturbing any of the readers. The young adult section had an area where children could come and get help with reading. Of course there was a computer lab with a good number of desktops for the patrons to use. One thing that really stood out was the automated book check out. I've never seen one like that before. But then I was sadly reminded that librarians had to be let go due to budget cuts. Another great thing was the music library. I've never seen one like it before! And they even had practice pianos!! 

All in all, the Barbican center library was the best public library I've ever been too. They went above and beyond the call of a public library and did what other libraries only dream of doing. They have amazing resource allocation skills, considering all the cutbacks they've had to deal with. I'm so pleased I was able to visit and see the amazing library. I now know what I'll want to strive for in the future.

http://www.barbican.org.uk/visitor-information/barbican-library

British Library Conservation Center

- image from Londontown.com

The British Library Conservation Center, a branch of the British Library, is a state of the art facility dedicated to preserving and conserving relics of the past. Separate from the library, it’s its own little world, with multiple floors and rooms for their various projects. The room we were shown was a large, studio-like room with multiple large tables. Each one seemed to have its own purpose, each one being used for a different task.

The first person we talked to, Vanya, has one of the most interesting jobs in my opinion. Taking large chunks of dirt, clay, and whatever else had accumulated over the years, she was able to remove old scrolls. Removing these bits and pieces of the scroll, she was able to properly identify them as Tangut, the language of a dead people. Finding something so rare and unravelling the mystery of what it was just fascinates me. I’m really jealous of her job!

Second was Daisy. She was in charge of binding old books that needed to be taken care of. She showed us multiple binding techniques and even did a simple one for us to observe.

Liz was third. Her job was to conserve textiles. The project she was working on was a flag of the Royal East India Company volunteers. These men were responsible for watching storehouses and even aiding the police in London. This flag, covered in soot, was being cleaned and repaired.

Last was Jenny. She was working on the Hebrew project, which consisted of digitizing Hebrew manuscripts. Digitizing parts of a collection is very important, but it can also be dangerous for books. When working, Jenny was sure to minimize the risk of harming the books by using gelatin and other items to protect the fragile pages.

The Conservation Center has been one of my favorite visits, as I enjoy learning about the field of this important task. I’m so glad we got to visit and speak to conservationists. Being in the room and watching them work was an experience I won’t ever forget. One key thing I learned to always remember in the world of conservation: Everything must be reversible.

http://www.bl.uk/abo

British Museum

The British Museum, founded by Hans Sloane, was constructed in the 1700's. Hans Sloane was a naturalist who gathered a plethora of items from across the world. At the time of his death, he gave his collection to King George II to share with the country. By allowing his collection to be seen by the public, he kick started what would one day be the biggest museum in the world. The collection of over 8 million objects covers a massive number of country and time periods.

With the British Museum Act of 1753, two libraries were added onto the original collection of Sloane. From there on, it continued to grow into what it is today. Popular items in the collection include the Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, an Easter Island head, and multiple mummies.

The British Museum is a huge collection of items from all over the world, so of course I loved it! Egyptian culture has always fascinated me, and the British Museum gave me plenty to look at. Going down to the archive was a bit unsettling. I understand that there’s gobs of information to care for and keep track of, but the fact that there’s no catalogue really bugged me. I feel as though there’s so much more that needs to be done there, but the lack of funding and people to take on the huge task aren’t there. It hurts to know that so much history is down beneath the museum, and yet there’s really no way of knowing what all is down there. The museum really opened my eyes to how bad a situation in a library can be.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/libraries_and_archives.aspx