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Library Of Birmingham 2013

Today went back. And went to the 7th and 9th floors!

Used the lifts and stairs!

Amazing views from the Secret Garden. And from the skyline viewpoint on the 9th floor.

Shakespeare Memorial Room was impressive!

Saw where one of the cafes was (ground floor - right of main entrance) but did not use it.
 
A couple of videos / slideshows I made

[youtube]d5T-Uu7rVNY[/youtube]

Panoramic views from Secret Garden and skyline viewpoint

[youtube]9zEoTw0EiX0[/youtube]
 
my daughter and myself spent today in the new library.
Not being a fan of the outside the inside was stunning
two cafes
a gift shop (if not very big)
lots of places to sit a read in some very funky chairs
easy to get around
a glass lift (went in it not a fan)
lockers to store you stuff
2 roof top gardens to sit and read and eat you lunch (weather permiting)
the Shakespeare room very stunning (it wasn't as big as I thought it would be )

all in all im very impressed with it even if it still looks like a chicken coop on the outside
 
The alternative to the escalators, are the lifts and stairs. Access to the right of the main entrance.

Some lifts only go up to the fourth floor. Other lifts today went from 7 to 4.

The lift from 4 to 7 (near the Travelator) doesn't go any higher or lower.

The stairs were quiet when I used them (7 to 9) (9 to 7) then (4 to G).



Directory of all floors accessible by the lifts (3 from the ground floor)



Stairs as seen nearing the ground floor



Stairs between 7th and 9th floors (access to Skyline Viewpoint and Shakespeare Memorial Room)

 
I went yesterday with my friend, but only as far as the 4th Floor (Archives).
You can get to the Secret Garden via the stairs then? There's no way you'd get me in a glass tube masquerading as a lift!
 
hi Charlie
yes you can get the secret garden by the stairs. The glass tube the call a lift only goes up one floor.
We did go in the lift lets just say never again don't like lifts as rule so I will using the stairs lol.
 
Thanks for all your photos Ell. Its a big help to me to see the layout, and the floors the lifts go up to as I plan to visit in a couple of weeks, although I will probably use the stairs to go up to the 4th floor and try the lift coming down (not a fan of lifts or heights!). So it was good also to see the stairs and to know where they lead to.

Judy
 
The three lifts on the right hand side of the building, you can't see out of.

No problem.

Some people who are scarred of heights might not want to go all the way to the top! But it is will worth the effort (which ever way you go up!)
 
Thanks to everyone who's posted on this thread. I'm planning to go tomorrow afternoon - before going down the Blues later - and all the info is a great help.
Cheers everyone!
 
My daughter went last night to The Cube for a meal which is the back of Broad Street. The restaurant was on the top floor with a panoramic view of Birmingham. In her opinion the best building in view was the new library closely followed by the museum. She said it looked fantastic as it was all lit up.
 
My daughter went last night to The Cube for a meal which is the back of Broad Street. The restaurant was on the top floor with a panoramic view of Birmingham. In her opinion the best building in view was the new library closely followed by the museum. She said it looked fantastic as it was all lit up.
Which Museum? The closest would be the Art Gallery but that would be the other side of the Town Hall/Council House wouldn't it?
 
These pics from the Cube in May
 

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Have been to the new library today, look forward to paying another visit now that I have read the Visitor Guide. Most impressed by all the views. Loved the Shakespeare Memorial Room, and the Book Rotunda. Think we should have a meet up there!!!!!!
 
Another trip to the library today and a first visit to the archive but a fairly fruitless search of baptismal records. You never seem to get as much done as you had hoped.

The archive itself was light and spacious and not very busy. Staff implied that booking the day before would probably be ok, just to give them time to get the records you want.
 
I paid my second visit today with two of my grandaughters (teachers strike) they had a wonderful time exploring all nine floors. They voted it a huge success. Also bumped into a very nice young man, our very own David Fowler. Had a little chat before he went of to drown his sorrows ahead of the Blues match. I must say it realy is worth a visit.
 
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I paid my second visit today with two of my grandaughters (teachers strike) they had a wonderful time exploring all nine floors. They voted it a huge success. Also bumped into a very nice young man, our very own David Fowler. Had a little chat before he went of to drown his sorrows ahead of the Blues match. I must say it realy is worth a visit.
Robert, you beat me to it! Although it seems you posted last night when I was basking in another 4 goal feast at St Andrews.
I agree, it's well worth the visit.
I'm changing my opinion a bit about the outside. I've gone from hating it to giving it a chance to - having actually been up close and personal - quite liking it. I think it will grow on me as time goes by.
BUT. The inside. What can I say? It's bloody brilliant! I went up all floors to the top, including the glass lift. Despite the poor overworked teachers having a jolly day off there weren't that many kids. Those I did see seemed to be enjoying it and many were either working or sitting around chilling. As others have said, if it gets them in and involved that's a good thing.
It was a pleasure to be interrupted by Robert (no longer The Late) while taking some pics on my phone when I was in one of the gardens. And his 2 granddaughters are a credit to his family. Well done mate!
Here are the photos I took, apologies if they replicate some that others have posted. Can't wait to get back there.
DSC_0132.jpgDSC_0133.jpgDSC_0134.jpgDSC_0137.jpg
 
Thanks for that Ell - it took me awhile to orientate myself when up on high with places not where I may have assumed when at street level. I resorted to using the inbuilt compass on phone in the end.
 
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How good to hear such positive reports! It's interesting that it's almost like a tourist attraction. Just like our ancestors who'd make a special day trip to see some new building, a warehouse of merchandise, a factory etc. And I guess Birmingham is the only UK city that has had two central libraries constructed in the last 50 years. Viv.
 
There is a limit of 5 photos per post with the normal forum photo uploads - to keep this thread non technical we could continue discussion here
 
That's a good view of the cube MWS, now that I have seen the view from the library and looked it up on the Internet, can't wait to visit. We really do have some lovely buildings in Birmingham old and new. We need to stop and stare sometimes. Can anyone tell me was it a Lyons corner house in New Street or Pattisons, and which corner was it, I think it was opposite the Burlington Arcade, was it on the corner of Cannon Street. There is still a lovely old building there which looks typical 'Lyons corner house'. I remember visiting one or two of them in London, lovely!
Went into the Hall of Memory on Tuesday, in all the years that I worked and studied in Broad Street had never been in there, too busy, I suppose and let's face it I was more interested in the West End in those days.
 
Thankyou for your kind words David, Viv you are right about a tourist attraction, there were many forien tourists snaping away with thier cameras.
 
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