Today our group was invited to tour the library located within the Barbican, a multiuse building project in the heart of London. Conceived of and built in the 1960's and 70's, the Barbican houses apartments, theaters, gardens, and more within one large, imposing, Brutalist structure. Some videos outlining the creation and reception of the Barbican can be found HERE and HERE. On top of a multitude of features within this development, the Barbican also houses some of the City of London libraries. These are the Barbican Library, the Barbican Children's Library, and the Barbican Music Library. All City of London libraries are free to visit, however a library card must be issued for checking out materials.
Our view upon entering the Barbican.
Jewelry for sale from their jewelry club.
Our tour guide today was Helen, who joined the Barbican several years ago. She was able to guide us through each section and answered questions about the library, the staff, and the collections. As this is a functioning public library, the set up was far more familiar to many of us. Community assistance notices were hung on walls and events flyers were free to take. Books were arranged similarly to our own home libraries in the US, using Dewey for Non-Fiction and author's last name for fiction. The children's room held books for younger children, often at their level, as well as toys and engaging decorations. The ten section included space just for teens. The adult areas had tables, chairs, and a chess set laid out. Public PCs were available for usage, and it was noted that without a library card you could still get access with a guest pass. The feel of the main and children's libraries were very similar to public libraries all over the US, and it was good to see how the majority of Londoners are likely engaging with a library. A staff member in the children's room, Curtis, was just finishing up a baby story time when we visited and was able to give us more information about his work experiences and what patrons can expect, which aligned well with what most of us had experienced in children's librarianship.
The music library at the Barbican was located on a lower floor. Unlike the main library and children's library, the music library felt far more like an academic library. While still open to the public, it held space for exhibitions, which was focused on 2Tone at this time. A couple of pianos with headphones were available to play, where the pianist could hear their music while it was silent to everyone else. The music library itself contained a large collection of volumes on everything music: sheet music for every instrument, vocals, operas, musicals, books about teaching music, music theory, and books on musicians themselves. This is not something the public would have easy access to back home and it was exciting to see how much arts were promoted here.
One of the cases displaying 2Tone memorabilia
Looking over the flyers and pamphlets displayed in various spaces in the library, it became clear that this public library functions similarly to every other public library I've been to in the US. That is, the library is a public service that does not simply provide access to literature and entertainment, but actively promotes public assistance and connecting patrons with services they may find useful. Programs ranged from creative clubs to teen volunteers to ticketed speeches to infant feeding drop ins. The staff of this library is around 25 people, less than half of whom are qualified librarians. The Barbican libraries have a shared collection with other City of London libraries, and promote programs in those other branches as well. After a week of very specialized archives and displays, it was exciting to see the familiar landscape of a vibrant public library!
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