What a great piece! I have posted a note recently asking for library recommendations in London. Like hidden gems. I'm eager to discover new ones and spend more time in libraries.
When Brent closed half their libraries, back in 2011, protesters carried signs reading "Opened by Mark Twain [one of them was], closed by Councillor John".
Opened just a few months before the Reading Room at the British Museum I think. I recall reading that one of the reasons that public libraries were so popular when they opened was that they were one of the few places where you could get shelter/warmth without having to buy anything or pay to enter. Still performing that role today...
It’s fun to see the stats of our bookworm ancestors. What joy for them to have had this sudden access to so many books. It appears that this library’s patrons were avid readers if in 1881 around 1,000 people borrowed books approximately 89,000-90,000 times from the one library. That certainly tracks for reader patterns of books read per year these days, too. (If I’m inferring the wrong conclusion from these stats, do let me know.)
Thanks Sarah. Those stats are the sum of borrowed books and those studied in the library. Readers had to request books rather than helping themselves, so accurate records were possible. It would be good to know if the log books were kept -- perhaps they're at Westminster Archives -- and we could draw up a 'top 10' of the most read books for each year.
Absolutely fascinating information. Really interesting details. I’m a recently retired teacher librarian and live in Sydney, Australia. Visiting London again next year and will have to have a look. Luckily libraries in Australia are still thriving, particularly amongst young people l.
What a great piece! I have posted a note recently asking for library recommendations in London. Like hidden gems. I'm eager to discover new ones and spend more time in libraries.
Clapham old library opened in 1889, in 1891 it started an open access bookcase, one of the first in London.
https://claphamsociety.com/green-plaques/clapham-library/
When Brent closed half their libraries, back in 2011, protesters carried signs reading "Opened by Mark Twain [one of them was], closed by Councillor John".
https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/brent-libraries-shut-doors-for-last-time-after-court-decision-6453061.html
Opened just a few months before the Reading Room at the British Museum I think. I recall reading that one of the reasons that public libraries were so popular when they opened was that they were one of the few places where you could get shelter/warmth without having to buy anything or pay to enter. Still performing that role today...
It’s fun to see the stats of our bookworm ancestors. What joy for them to have had this sudden access to so many books. It appears that this library’s patrons were avid readers if in 1881 around 1,000 people borrowed books approximately 89,000-90,000 times from the one library. That certainly tracks for reader patterns of books read per year these days, too. (If I’m inferring the wrong conclusion from these stats, do let me know.)
Thanks Sarah. Those stats are the sum of borrowed books and those studied in the library. Readers had to request books rather than helping themselves, so accurate records were possible. It would be good to know if the log books were kept -- perhaps they're at Westminster Archives -- and we could draw up a 'top 10' of the most read books for each year.
A top ten, if the records were kept, would be fascinating
Absolutely fascinating information. Really interesting details. I’m a recently retired teacher librarian and live in Sydney, Australia. Visiting London again next year and will have to have a look. Luckily libraries in Australia are still thriving, particularly amongst young people l.