(photo taken from www.stpauls.co.uk )It is not everyday that someone has the opportunity to visit St. Paul's Cathedral library, but thanks to some wonderfully connected British liaisons, we were able to experience this space and take a guided tour through the chambers encompassing the Triforium of the building.
Our tour guide, Jo Wisdom, who is the sole librarian at St. Paul's, welcomed us warmly and served as a witty and knowledgeable guide. We began our excursion at the Dean's Stairs, a spiral staircase that was used during the filming of Harry Potter. At the top, we reached the Triforium and were able to peek through a key hole of the library and get a sneak preview of the wonderful treat that awaited us.
Walking through the hallways, my eyes found walls that hint to all passersby that these rooms were dedicated to literature. The first library chamber we entered did not contain books though. Instead, this room displays Christopher Wren's architectural model of St. Paul's Cathedral that was rejected. We learned through our guide that many English Protestants during the 17th century believed that the dome structure too much resembled Catholic churches like Saint Peters in Rome.
Finally, we reached the library. The dimly lit room contains musty smelling, leather-bound books that reside in numbered shelving within the walls, from floor to ceiling. A majority of the collection consists of biblical texts and sermons, but does include some works on the subject matters of the classics, sciences, art, and medicine. When we asked Mr. Wisdom what classification system the library used he said matter-of-factly, "The larger books go on the bottom while the smaller go on top."
Although St. Paul's library is not open to the public, the general population can call or email Mr. Wisdom and his colleagues with research questions. Mr. Wisdom noted that he is currently monitoring the environmental impact on the collection for preservation purposes. Because of the latter, the size of our tour and time we spent in the library was monitored.
Our tour guide, Jo Wisdom, who is the sole librarian at St. Paul's, welcomed us warmly and served as a witty and knowledgeable guide. We began our excursion at the Dean's Stairs, a spiral staircase that was used during the filming of Harry Potter. At the top, we reached the Triforium and were able to peek through a key hole of the library and get a sneak preview of the wonderful treat that awaited us.
Walking through the hallways, my eyes found walls that hint to all passersby that these rooms were dedicated to literature. The first library chamber we entered did not contain books though. Instead, this room displays Christopher Wren's architectural model of St. Paul's Cathedral that was rejected. We learned through our guide that many English Protestants during the 17th century believed that the dome structure too much resembled Catholic churches like Saint Peters in Rome.
Finally, we reached the library. The dimly lit room contains musty smelling, leather-bound books that reside in numbered shelving within the walls, from floor to ceiling. A majority of the collection consists of biblical texts and sermons, but does include some works on the subject matters of the classics, sciences, art, and medicine. When we asked Mr. Wisdom what classification system the library used he said matter-of-factly, "The larger books go on the bottom while the smaller go on top."
Although St. Paul's library is not open to the public, the general population can call or email Mr. Wisdom and his colleagues with research questions. Mr. Wisdom noted that he is currently monitoring the environmental impact on the collection for preservation purposes. Because of the latter, the size of our tour and time we spent in the library was monitored.
No comments:
Post a Comment