Barbican Library

Check out the website: https://www.barbican.org.uk/your-visit/general-info/library

 

The Barbican Centre houses the public Barbican Library, and that is the only public territory in the Barbican. Bureaucracy aside, this is the only public library we are visiting for class, so I was excited. I expected general information, and I got more than I asked for even with discussions of librarianship during our snack break.

The Barbican Library was established in 1982 for the residents of the City of London. However, the infrastructure of the library never was fitted for a library, and since it is a Grade 2 building, the library has a difficult time even changing shelves. Space is always running out because the library cannot expand either. Despite this, the library prevailed by switching up its organization. Instead of just straight up using the Dewey Decimal System, they use a modified version to help group certain materials together. As a results, young adult materials are together, and computer materials are by the computer lab. Languages are also set aside the guides and maps. Sadly, the oversized books are just lumped together to save on space,  There are also small shelves scattered throughout serving small functions, such a wellness section, or a world cup section. There was even a section on skills, which included steps on becoming a citizen. 

The public library, despite having its problems with bureaucracy, infrastructure, and having to charge people, strive to serve everyone that sets foot in the library. This friendly, and even enthusiastic environment, reminds of the Hoover Public Library, which I grew up with. Despite any problem, it seems that only librarians discuss their issues with others concerning themselves with library and information science.

I feel as if the problems libraries face will just slowly stagnate. One problems solved will just be replaced with another, until there is public favor to solve these issues. For example, while not a public library, the Christ Church library has all the budgeting in the world surprisingly, possibly because it is an Oxford college focused on education, but sometimes the storage faces problems such as restructuring buildings to serve other purposes (such as building a part of a building next to the library as high class dormitories for summer conference visitors). The head librarian there, Mr. Archer, also faces problems with being paid for less than half of his hours and his long commute.

Another example is the Kew Gardens. There is a lot of effort to preserve botanical archivism, but at the cost of a lack or organizational system within the herbarium. Or for the case of the Caird Library, where there is a wonderful amount of naval materials, yet some of the items are stored in Canada because of a lack of space.

I suppose the main problems are because of budgeting and infrastructure. Yet, I have not had a sufficient education in information science, nor accounting or architecture or business practices, so I do not think I am qualified to speak on the matter. Besides, I can barely think of probable profound solutions, only minor details that can slowly chip away problems, such as volunteerism and fundraising.