My World Tour of Libraries!

***Please note, the first part of this post was written in November 2008, soon after I had visited the libraries in that part. Part two has been added to include libraries visited after original post was written***

Part 1.

Our trip is only a few months from the end so I thought I'd put together a little blog of all the libraries we have visited throughout our travels. This blog will take you through photos of many of the libraries we have seen.

What better place to start than the Alexandria library in Egypt!

#1 Alexandria Library, EgyptWe went to Alexandria for two days. This library was huge and very interesting to explore.The library is designed in such a way that the windows are angled so there is never direct sunlight shining through them, but there is still plenty of light. The outside of the building is supposed to symbolise a rising sun, with the planetarium (top picture, left) symboling the earth. The planetarium was closed when we were there.

#2 Austrian National Library, Vienna

This library charged people to go in so we didn't stay too long. We got as far as the part where you needed to have tickets and then left. We got in for a second though before we were asked for our tickets that we didn't have. I got a sneaky photo of it but it is out of focus so I didn't put it up here. The photo above though was before the main part of the library so we were allowed there. To see how great it is inside, have a look here - you will need quicktime installed to see this properly.

#3 Prague Library, Czech Republic.

We visited the Prague Library on our last day it Prague. It felt quite uninviting to me and was hard to find (which is why we didn't go till the last day). I liked the statues at the fountain though.

#4 Berlin Library, Germany

The library in Berlin was undergoing renovations, or some sort of work that required a big banner to be put up in front of it that shows what it would look like if it had a huge ad covering most of it. I really didn't see the point. But the interesting thing about this photo is the courtyard. This is where many many books were burned during the war. I can't remember if this is the Berlin Library, or a University library, or if it only used to be. But it definitely held a lot of books during the war. The library below may be the proper Berlin Library.

#5 Staatsbibliothek (State Library) Berlin, GermanyWe didn't spend too much time in this library. Had a quick look at the catalogue but couldn't understand much of it due to my not knowing any German.

#6 Small local library, Berlin, GermanyThis was our hostel located between a library and a record store, which you'd think would be great. But it was a terrible, terrible hostel. Great library though. I didn't get any photos inside. But they had board games! What a great idea!
#7. Amsterdam Library.This library is easily my favourite so far of my world tour of libraries. We spent a lot of time here as Liz was applying for a job in Scotland and was making use of the free internet quite a bit. You didn't have to sign up or book in to use the computers so that was handy. This library had more dvds than a dvd store, more cds than a cd store, and I think they had some books too! They also had so many computers that no one ever had to wait. More than I have seen in university libraries. They also had a nice little cafe with newspapers from all over the world, and any magazine you'd ever want to read (but the coffee was not that great).

#8. British Library, London.
Yes, it was a little windy on this day. This was a pretty awesome place to visit, inside they have original and handwritten writings from all sorts of people from history- Shakespeare, Charles Darwin, Captain Cook, old maps, and even some Beatles lyrics written on the back of coasters and plenty more interesting stuff to check out. To get into the proper part of the library you need to be a member, to be a member you need to be researching something.

#9 Salisbury Library, England.

This was a really nice little library. In fact it was a really nice little town in general. This library had RFID in action and it was the first time I'd seen it being used. Looked very interesting and I can't wait to see it happening back home. They also had other ideas that I liked. I stole a bunch of flyers from this library so I could steal/borrow some of their ideas.

#10. The Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Scotland

We were in only in Glasgow for a weekend so this library was closed. Looked nice though. Around the corner was this...

#11. Anderston Library, Glasgow, Scotland

This library was closed also. Didn't look as nice or as interesting as the Mitchell Library, just a door in the wall.

#12. Library inside random Highlands castle, Scotland.

We stayed in a haunted castle during our tour of the Highlands. There was a small library in the castle. Didn't find many good books there though, didn't find any ghosts either.

#13. National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh.
We didn't go inside this library. We didn't have a lot of time in Edinburgh. Although, we did get a chance to see the place the first Harry Potter book was written and some of the places that inspired it. We also saw Dolly the sheep in the museum, and the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.

#14. Belfast Central Library, Northern Ireland.

We only popped into this library for a minute to check if they had free internet, which they didn't. But around the corner we found...
Library Street! Our hostel was on this street and down the end of this street was the...
Library Bar! The night we went to the library bar it was pretty much empty except for us. In fact most of Belfast seemed empty (and also closed) the whole time we were there. I thought the library bar would be full of rowdy librarians, but there was nothing! I hope their libraries aren't this quiet!

#15. Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland.

This library was basically one long room that looked amazing! I would have loved to get a photo but couldn't so I bought a postcard instead. It's the first postcard of ever bought without the intention of sending it. I just needed a picture of the inside of this library. Oh, and the Book of Kells was interesting as well. It was quite awe inspring seeing the work that went into books made so long ago. So much tiny detail used and so much care taken.

#16. National Library of Ireland, Dublin.

We didn't actually go inside here because we were on our way to see the bog men in the archaeological museum but I had to get a photo of me here anyway.

#17. The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, Ireland.The Chester Beatty Library houses an amazing collection of writing, books and art from all over the world. The work on display encompasses many different regions and religions. All of it is very old and very very interesting. Well worth a visit if you're ever in Dublin. Unfortunately photos were not permitted. It also has a very nice roof top garden with nice views of the surrounding area.

#18. End of the Road Library, Larmer Tree Gardens, England.

This small library was in the middle of the hidden away part of the music festival we went to. They had some good books here, and they somehow survived the rain on the first night.

#19. Liverpool Library.

The three pictures below are all from Liverpool, and are all the same building. Not sure if this library has 3 different names, or if it's 3 different libraries. It was all closed when we were there (a Sunday) so I guess I'll never know unless I go back.
#20. Xaghra Library, Gozo, Malta.
This library was only open about three days a week, in the mornings. I went back another day and checked it out. It was the most bland library I've ever seen. But it was great that this Village had a library at all. I wish I'd gotten a photo or two of the inside.

So that's all I've seen so far. Still have Africa to go though so I may see some more, but I'll be on a tour so I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to. I'd thought I'd finish with this last shot of me holding the hand of Demetrius Phalereus (350-280 B.C.) who was "The inspirer of the Foundation of the Ancient Library" - This photo was taken in the foyer of the Alexandria Library. I hope this blog wasn't too boring for you. I hope at least someone reads it.
Glenn 

Part 2 - The World Tour Continues.

#21. National Library of South Africa, Cape Town.

Another closed library. Not much to see there. Would have been interesting to see the inside of it.

There was a nice walk through the Company Gardens to get to the library though.

#22 Victoria Falls Public Library, Zimbabwe.

We didn't come across too many library on our travels through Africa. In fact, the one that we did happen to stumble upon was quite a surprise. All the news at the time about Zimbabwe and their poverty and their government and their financial situation was all not good. But one good thing they did have, right there in Victoria Falls near the bridge that crosses the Zambezi to Zambia, was the Victoria Falls Public Library.

We were on our way to the national park for a look at the falls from this side of the river when we saw the library. Zimbabwe wasn't exactly the sort of place that you would go out and mingle with the locals, the hostel we were staying in had high fences and we generally only went out in groups and were constantly hassled by kids wanting our shoes or money or trying to sell stuff they'd made. It was quite sad as sometimes the "tourist police" would take them away in their trucks if they were seen doing all this actually quite harmless stuff.

Anyway, being a library I naturally wanted to go in and check it out. It is open to the public so why not. As we got to the door I saw a sign saying "members only" and there was a small charge to join if you wished. I just wanted a little look around and was not interested in joining. We went in the door and saw the not-so-large space was actually quite busy. There was a computer with internet that had one man using it, and a number of men reading newspapers. We were quite out of place being the only white people in the building. Obviously they all thought we had come to the wrong place. The manager said hello and asked if we needed help with anything. I introduced myself and said I was a librarian from Australia and I was interested in seeing the library. It was at this point that the manager smiled, shook my hand and told me his name (Douglas) and then we got a full tour of the library. Front of house and the offices out the back. He was very welcoming and lovely and showed me the collection, work spaces, etc. They even had the old card catalogue system! I asked why it's not all online and he showed me a computer on a desk that was switched off and he said "Oh, we tried that but you're a librarian, you know what it's like, computers always breaking down. It's much easier and more reliable to use the card catalogue." I just nodded and smiled. I guess they can't afford an IT team to help when there's a computer problem. They did have one computer with the internet working, but he pointed out that the printer was broken (and asked if I knew how to fix it). Out the back there were two small offices. It was interesting seeing a library so different from all the others I've ever seen. Their new book display was showing a number of Danielle Steel titles that look like they were published in the 80s and well-read since. I didn't have much spare money on me but donated what I could at the time. I have Douglas $20 US dollars which was quite a lot of money for that library. He was very excited that he could finally buy some more glue to stick slips in some "new" books he has so he can add them to the collection. He showed me the piles and piles of books waiting to be processed.

It was quite an eye-opener and Douglas was one of the nicest people I met on the trip. This is us out the front of the library as we were leaving.

23. San Francisco Public Library , Chinatown Branch, San Francisco.

Not much to say about this one really, just managed a quick photo on the tram ride past. Didn't have time to go back and check it out.

24. New York Public Library.

25 State Library, New York City.

26 library hotel