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HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
we are now using a backup solution
Viv
The last thing I would do would be to complain about the staff who do the work. What I meant was that, with so few staff , it may be impossible to arrange anything better. As I understand it there are now only two staff in the archives to do all the work
The last thing I would do would be to complain about the staff who do the work. What I meant was that, with so few staff , it may be impossible to arrange anything better. As I understand it there are now only two staff in the archives to do all the work
Lady Penelope
master brummie
Mike, I think we're all in agreement on that. Slightly off topic but I use Erdington library quite a lot and they have had to dispense with their lovely old oak desk to accommodate chairs for people waiting for help with various forms. The librarians are having to do this in addition to their usual tasks.
john knight
signman
Never been fully open since it opened, typical Birmingham council again.
Lady Penelope
master brummie
Further to my post #479, being almost retired I hadn't realised but if you are at work you can only go to the library for an hour on Tuesday evenings and if you work outside the city centre you've had your chips in the week. That leaves one Saturday in four. Not much of an incentive to do any research and use the facilities.
yes pen i mentioned this this fact some time ago...always said this library would end up a white elephant and it most certainly is not fit for purpose..such is the situation they have resorted to asking for volunteers to work there and also asked people to donate books..the building was intended as a show stopper for tourists and blow the people of birmingham who has suffered as a result
devonjim
master brummie
Had one of my rare visits to Brum this weekend, grandson's birthday. Fleeting visit to city centre, FREE parking at King's Norton, frequent fast trains into town, two went past while walking from the car park but another came almost as soon as I got to the platform, all with six carriages! Eventually found my way out of New St. station up to the library, saw Phyllis Nicklin photo exhibition, did a lookup in the archives, the staff were so, so helpful. Back home in sleepy Devon and found there had been two murders while we were away, things like that don't happen here.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Tesco's Barnstaple was awash with policemen and the old white tent covering the murder scene, bet they don't get that sort of excitement in Birmingham.
Bob
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
Saw this new view of the Library of Birmingham from the top floor of the IKON Gallery (level 2). With the BT Tower.
The library has been open for 6 years now.
Some more 2019 views.
June 2019 with The Cube from the Jewellery Quarter. Frederick Street.
July 2019 - bunting at the turnstiles for Brasshouse Languages on Level 1.
July 2019 - new paving open in Centenary Square.
The library has been open for 6 years now.
Some more 2019 views.
June 2019 with The Cube from the Jewellery Quarter. Frederick Street.
July 2019 - bunting at the turnstiles for Brasshouse Languages on Level 1.
July 2019 - new paving open in Centenary Square.
Williamstreeter
master brummie
I have just read in one of the rags online today, that the above monstrosity needs £11 million over the next 10 yrs spent on it . This will enable it fit to occupy . How long has this been up , this replaced the last concrete eyesore that lasted about 40yrs if that . I've said it once and I will repeat it yet again , what in heavens was wrong with the original library ? That was up for nearly 200 yrs , does the council like wasting money on eyesores and non starters ?
echo your sentiments john...so the library now needs another £11 million spent on it...its only been open for 7 years...not surprised though as where others thought it the best thing since sliced bread i always thought it a white elephant from the start which resulted in half the staff and opening hours cut and only open for one saturday in every month so yet again the people of birmingham are sold down the river...
lyn
lyn
Williamstreeter
master brummie
I totally agree with you Lyn, throwing good money after bad and all that
superdad3
master brummie
Just a few observations from a retired [Birmingham] librarian:
1. The new building: attrocious. too small, lots of wasted space, poorly guided and few staff to help. Local Studies & Archives in particular inadequate in space & staffing. Try using a run of Kellys directories - can't use in situ, often no seating close bye and you risk getting pressed in the mobile stack - that is if you can get it to work.
2. The John Madin building had its problems but at least there was more stock available on the open shelves and more staff to help. Local Studies Dept in particular was brilliant.
3. The Victorian Library: clearly distance leads to rose coloured spectacles. Rat infested, chewing books up in the stack - serious health hazard. Totally inadequate facilities - lucky to get a seat a lot of the time. A horrible building - well past it's use by date.
I guess it all depends on how you found them when using.....
1. The new building: attrocious. too small, lots of wasted space, poorly guided and few staff to help. Local Studies & Archives in particular inadequate in space & staffing. Try using a run of Kellys directories - can't use in situ, often no seating close bye and you risk getting pressed in the mobile stack - that is if you can get it to work.
2. The John Madin building had its problems but at least there was more stock available on the open shelves and more staff to help. Local Studies Dept in particular was brilliant.
3. The Victorian Library: clearly distance leads to rose coloured spectacles. Rat infested, chewing books up in the stack - serious health hazard. Totally inadequate facilities - lucky to get a seat a lot of the time. A horrible building - well past it's use by date.
I guess it all depends on how you found them when using.....
Williamstreeter
master brummie
I always found the Victorian one a joy to use , I never went near the latter day ones .
Arnold Mason
master brummie
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 too recall it being built too, and the enormous excavations around the site. A significant part of the A38 tunnel was built by cut and cover and there was also a very large underground car park built for the council house.
I am in no doubt that a fallout shelter for the great and the good was built, but whether or not this was incorporated into to the anchor project, which was being built around the same time, I don’t know.
I am in no doubt that a fallout shelter for the great and the good was built, but whether or not this was incorporated into to the anchor project, which was being built around the same time, I don’t know.
Arnold Mason
master brummie
Thanks very much Morturn. I am glad someone else has remembered it more or less the same as me after nearly 60 years.
Regards Arnold
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 said something like “first come, first served”
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
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
Maurice
Williamstreeter
master brummie
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
Arnold Mason
master brummie
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
Williamstreeter
master brummie
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
Williamstreeter
master brummie
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
Lady Penelope
master brummie
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!
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
lyn
Lady Penelope
master brummie
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?
