Pepys Library Cambridge

The Pepys Library has been on my list of 'University Libraries to break into' for a couple of years now. It is only open for an hour some days so it is a matter of being in the right place at the right time. So on Saturday afternoon I persuaded Joe (my son) that we should go and have a look. He is fairly long suffering about looking in old libraries as long as it only takes 15 mins max.
It was one of the fustiest libraries I've ever been in - basically one big room with glass cases of books. I liked the fact they are arranged by size - that appeals. I didn't know that Samuel Pepys diary was written in a short of short hand - that was interesting to see. There was also some books and illustrations about boats and ships. We bought 3 postcards for which you had to leave the right money on an old china plate not give to the librarian.









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Disadvantages of reading in bed

I always read in bed before I go to sleep (and on a weekend when I wake up). I fall asleep reading so the book ends up either falling on to the floor or in the bed somewhere slightly crumpled. Sometimes I read paper based books and sometimes my Kindle. The Kindle has worked well as it's quite light so easy to hold and turn pages with one hand and has not taken up much room.
However today I discovered that I must have leant on it in the night as I discovered it in the bed with a slightly broken screen :( It now has a small part in the top left hand corner which is 'smudged' and a couple of lines down it.






It's still ok and usable but it's a bit disappointing - more so than a few crumpled pages of a paperback. I'll keep using it though.
(ps the book is Bulldog Drummond in case you're wondering)

St Andrews

Yesterday was another University visit with Ben, this time to St Andrews. It took about 4 hours to get there, 3 hours to look round and 4 hours back home but it was worth it. We had a really great day and it was good to spend the day together just us two.
As ever we didn't make it to the library as we didn't have time and there were places he wanted to check out - but at least I found it and saw it from the outside and will be able to go and visit it another time hopefully.

Senate House Library - a bit of nostalgia

I attended the FOTE conference in London which was held at Senate House.
It was a great event and provided some nostalgia for me as I spent quite a lot of time in the library at Senate House in the the 80s while doing my first degree. My friend and I were at Kings College but used Senate House library for philosophy books I seem to remember. In our second year it was en route to the flat where we lived so we would call at a launderette near by and go in the library while waiting for our washing :)
I tried to visit the library while at the conference but there was a queue and it didn't seem likely that I would have been able to persuade them to let me in. Maybe next time.

University of Sheffield

I have been visiting some Universities lately with my son as he is in the process of deciding where he wants to apply to. I keep hoping to get to visit some libraries while I'm there but have not been very successful as yet. This is because either the campus tour doesn't take us in the library, we don't have time or Ben insists that I don't wander off being an embarrassing parent by nosing around the library.
We went to Sheffield a couple of weeks ago and liked it especially the Students Union and the mixture of old and new buildings. We were shown round by a post grad student and the last stop was the library which he said was the 'jewel in the crown' etc. etc. So I thought great. We got to the entrance .....and that was it. He said it wasn't possible to look round and just pointed at things from the entrance. So I don't know why - whether it was because the library doesn't admit visitors or whether he didn't want to take us in - but it would have been interesting.

Great Malvern Library - August 2011

After the hurly burly of Birmingham we went to the Cotswolds - we thought that if the riots happen in Moreton in Marsh then surely that is the end of the world. From there we went to Great Malvern which is one of my favourite places. We have had some glorious times there. Anyhow I decided to visit the library (as you do when on holiday). It has beautiful gardens and is a very nice building. In fact it was very civilised, lots of great books but not fusty. It was busy with a wide range of ages using the resources. I liked the signage - bright and cheery and there was a cafe with cake.

Birmingham City Library - August 2011

We visited Birmingham in August at the beginning of a holiday. We stayed at Malmaison for two nights which was great despite the riots which happened on our second night. However on the first day we looked round the city and as usual I took the opportunity to visit a library.

I was impressed with the library - it had a good atmosphere and was busy with lots going on. There was a wide and diverse range of resources and was welcoming and accessible. The only thing I didn't see the point of was having a sign to say no mobile phones as it would make no difference whatsoever as it was noisy with chatter and goings on. Apart from that it was great.