My love for the British library.

There are a number of expos and conventions that I attend each year. Sometimes this brings me to London and I get to treat myself by visiting the British Library. For all the love that I am about to give this august institution, I want to say that I hate the way the building looks.

For those who have never been, this is what the inside looks like:

Now look at the outside.

The prison like exterior does not do the majesty of its collections, study rooms and architecture any Justice. Indeed, there is a certain kind or silence that only a library study can bring which is a joy to simply exist in. I’m currently writing the first draft of this article in the library now. There are the sounds of rustling pages and people moving around and having quiet conversations. The sounds ebb and flow around you and, for reasons that I cannot explain, quiet the mind just as much.

There is something beautiful about places like this, were you have this respectful quiet. I am reminded or both Coventry cathedral and St Martin’s church in Birmingham. Again these are places that seem to be a port in a storm to the hustle of everyday life, a quiet oasis where the very stone seems to swallow the noise of outside.

Whenever I travel around, especially on foot and doubly so in London, the constant backgrounds noise and visual stimulation that you wade thorough does seem to take a toll over time. So finding places like this where my mind can relax is important. It is also why you can often find me just enjoying the atmosphere of a good café.

Do support your local library and if you’d like to learn more about the British Library, may I recommend this video by Tom Scott.