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Library Of Birmingham 2013

Well as an inquisitive kid, I did go down those excavations with a friend once. He ran down the embankment in front of me to land at the bottom into two feet of sandy mud up to his knees. His shoes came off when he pulled his legs out, so started shouting for me to help him.

I said something like “first come, first served”
 
i admit that although the original library was not really suitable for modern day usage it just seems a shame that it did not receive some tidying up and used for something else...sadly i never went inside it

lyn
 
I went in on quite a few occasion in the 1950s as I used their sheet music quite extensively. But also on the open lending shelves I was amazed to find a copy of a Birmingham Trade Directory for 1786 - not a photocopy, but the original suitably bound, and I took it home for several days quite legitimately.

Maurice :cool:
 
I remember the "last concrete eyesore" being built. I used to work just off Broad St and sometimes I would walk into the centre of Brum to meet my girlfriend ( now my wife ) and go past the building site which had a small viewing area. The hole for the foundations was absolutely huge. It seemed like 4 or 5 stories down to the bottom. I have always speculated the this was intended as a fallout shelter for the great and the good of Brum. Can anyone else remember it being built?

Regards from Redruth

Arnold

I remember it being knocked up as my mother lived behind the HoM . I used to think to myself it's an upmarket Anderson shelter . In other words nobody in their right minds could desin/build anything as ugly as this
 
i admit that although the original library was not really suitable for modern day usage it just seems a shame that it did not receive some tidying up and used for something else...sadly i never went inside it

lyn
Unfortunately old buildings do pass their sell by date and it takes an enormous cost and effort to make them fit for their original purpose or convert them to another purpose. What we have to make sure is that the new building is better than the building it replaces. Even St. Peters cathedral in Rome was built on the site of the old cathedral which was demolished.

I was a member of the old library, I seem to remember it as rather dark and dismal place with some of shelves were on galleries reached by cast iron spiral staircases. I don't think it could be saved.

Regards from Redruth

Arnold
 
Unfortunately old buildings do pass their sell by date and it takes an enormous cost and effort to make them fit for their original purpose or convert them to another purpose. What we have to make sure is that the new building is better than the building it replaces. Even St. Peters cathedral in Rome was built on the site of the old cathedral which was demolished.

I was a member of the old library, I seem to remember it as rather dark and dismal place with some of shelves were on galleries reached by cast iron spiral staircases. I don't think it could be saved.

Regards from Redruth

Arnold

Yes I agree with you to a certain extent ,( What we have to make sure is that the new building is better than the building it replaces. ) but don't you think after seven years is a taking the mick , plus a waste of money
 
I remember the "last concrete eyesore" being built. I used to work just off Broad St and sometimes I would walk into the centre of Brum to meet my girlfriend ( now my wife ) and go past the building site which had a small viewing area. The hole for the foundations was absolutely huge. It seemed like 4 or 5 stories down to the bottom. I have always speculated the this was intended as a fallout shelter for the great and the good of Brum. Can anyone else remember it being built?

Regards from Redruth

Arnold

I watched it from day one I lived just behind the HoM , till 1970 and visited my Mother who still lived there till the early 90's . my visits were a couple of days a week and for dinner on Saturday, which was a good excuse to go into town for a tipple and clock the progress on this nonentity
 
I finally made it to the Wolfson Centre at the library although the trams were out of action and we had to walk from the station. We had to wait until 11am before we could go upstairs to the research department although we were allowed in the foyer.

Despite having booked my slot and ordered my research on-line I had to wait an hour before it appeared. The staff were very pleasant and apologetic and said it doesn't usually happen. You have to book your ticket through Event Brite and can renew your CARN card through the website. If you're thinking of doing this you will need a photograph to upload. I didn't know this until I'd almost completed my application but they took one there for me.

The opening hours are very limited with the only full day being Tuesday when they're open till 6pm. They're open one Saturday in four, the next being 4th December. 11-4pm. Open Thursdays too 11-4pm.

Everywhere was very quiet and I was most shocked by the Family History department where there used to be queues for the computers. There was only one user and very few people seated at the tables.

I will probably be returning but not until the trams are working!
 
thanks pen with all the faff we now have to go through to view material coupled with the limited opening hours i doubt very much if i will ever use the library again...i feel sorry for people who do not have a computer and like myself even if they did would not know how to upload a photograph of oneself...surely there must be an alternative way to renew our carn cards...also feel sorry for people who work 5 days a week and can only get to the archives one saturday out of every 4...as i have said many times this library is just not fit for purpose its just a showcase for incoming visitors....moan over

lyn
 
Totally agree Lyn. I especially think that the Saturday opening hours are a complete disgrace. Totally unfair to workers. It hadn't dawned on me until the other day but Sutton Library closes for lunch! What happens to the workers then?
 
Do ou have to have a photo on your carn card now?. Mine hasn't, but doesnt expire till 2023
mike pen may will know but i would like to think that carn cards still in date will be ok to be used until they expire...however its best to check..mine ran out 18 months ago but like i said i very much doubt if i will be using the library again unless i really had to....total white elephant...

lyn
 
What is a Carn card? Thanks for the heads up on the opening times, because when my wife comes up for one of her NEC Visits (or did pre Covid), I would try to get into the library to do some family tree research, now it looks like I shall just have to rely on Janice and all the other BHF experts for info
Bob
 
bob a carn card is something you need to get into the main archives dept...so you need this card to access certain material...as said you need to make an appointment just to go in then you tell them what material you would like them to retrieve from the archives then they will make you another appointment to go and see them...far too long winded for me now...of course you dont need an appointment for looking at electoral rolls and kellys directories things like that as that is in a seperate room...best of luck to anyone wanting to visit and the only advise i can give is do not go up on speck as you wont get into the main archives area without an appointment...

lyn
 
CARN (County Archives Research Network) cards are accepted at other archives as well as Birmingham and you can use your current one until it runs out. I got mine at Warwick RO.

There is no picture on my card Mike. They took my photo when I was at the desk. Sort of waved a gun thing at me - perhaps they'll do the same when you check in. I used my driving licence and debit card as ID but there are lots of other options. You can take your own on a webcam but my laptop is not in position to take photos. I use a large monitor.

Bob, you can use the Birmingham Archives website before you go to see if there is anything on there and then order it so you would only need one appointment. I think you're right though and it's best to ask for help here. I requested three different things yesterday (or thought I had as they all had different numbers) but when the material came it was just one item. It didn't answer any of my questions either!
 
I doubt if I will use the Library again either, the opening times are ridiculous. I used to love looking at all the shelves, dipping in here and there for snippets and using the microfilms. I think my final straw was those dreadful electrified cabinets where you have to wait for someone to finish before you can close one section and move to another. When I spoke to one of the staff the attitude was "Hard luck, come back later". In a huge new building why wasn't there eough room for accessible shelves? I won't be renewing my Carn card either!
rosie.
 
Look up at the Wolfson Centre, Birmingham
The Wolfson Centre Archives are ..."unable to provide a reprographics/copying service:, and I live in North America.
I am looking for a digital copy of the following Inquest:
The Archives' response is "The Archives hold the Inquest for Edward Lee, held on February 13th 1879. The reference number for it is CO 2/1879/A/103, but when making your appointment you can just put the name of the person and the date of the Inquest, we will find it."
If someone is going to visit the Wolfson Centre and can include my request as part of their visit, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
hello keith such a pity that the library cant email you a copy of the inquest...even at a small charge i dare you would not mind paying it....i am sure we have willing members to help you but unless the format has changed you have to go to the library fill in a request form with the reference number on and then they make you an appointment to go and view the material so that means another trip...i still find it astonishing that they will not email you a copy...so really they are saying that this library is only any use to those who can physically get there...having said that if i were you i would email them or better still phone them up just to confirm that they cant help you

lyn
 
Thank you for your reply. I have contacted them twice, and they have been consistent with their replies:
"As before unfortunately we are unable to run a reprographics/copying service, and so access to view original registers is by appointment in our Wolfson Centre for Archival Research. An Archives Card is also required on the day of visiting."
Appointments for The Wolfson Centre can be made online: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wedn...rchival-research11am-4pm-tickets-261818695767
On the booking form, one can list up to seven references that the Archives can have readied for you.
 
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