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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

Links: Library Of Birmingham Web Site

Hi this has been mentioned previously - it looks promising.

Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk 2
 
Does anyone know if the library web site has closed down ?, I somehow cannot find a link to it anymore ?....
 
Following the disappearance of the Shoothill images I had a look at the Birmingham Library website and was distinctly unimpressed. There seem to be pages with lots of white spaces and looking for local images just seems to get lost in more non-useful pages. I tried one of their links to something called 'Calmview' ... not much use.
I have previously seen their 'Themes' pages but they don't seem to use screen space efficiently.

As a comparison I tried a test with the Manchester Library.
A simple well laid-out page appeared ...
Scroll down to the search box and enter trams ... 50 tram images are listed with dates etc.
Click on any thumbnail pics and they enlarge.

If you don't want to look at trams type the word Oldham and a 933 pics are listed.

It was quick and efficient with more useful information per screen page.
 
oldMohawk said:
Following the disappearance of the Shoothill images I had a look at the Birmingham Library website and was distinctly unimpressed. There seem to be pages with lots of white spaces and looking for local images just seems to get lost in more non-useful pages. I tried one of their links to something called 'Calmview' ... not much use.
I have previously seen their 'Themes' pages but they don't seem to use screen space efficiently.

As a comparison I tried a test with the Manchester Library.
A simple well laid-out page appeared ...
Scroll down to the search box and enter trams ... 50 tram images are listed with dates etc.
Click on any thumbnail pics and they enlarge.

If you don't want to look at trams type the word Oldham and a 933 pics are listed.

It was quick and efficient with more useful information per screen page.
Click to expand...

well phil even before the foundations to the new libaray was laid i was predicting that this library would not work and would not be fit for purpose...in the few years since it has opened i see no reason to take back my words..wish i could...but repairs have been needed to various parts of the building...staff cut in half...opening hours cut in half including the archives dept only being open every 4th saturday( unless things have changed)...how ridiculous is that...we were definately sold down the river with this one..just my own opinion but we were promised so much from the new build and in reality we got so little..

lyn
 
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I used to spend a lot of time in the former library and got to know staff such as Peter Drake and Patrick Baird. Can you guess how long I have spent researching in the new library?
Zero. I had a quick look not long after it opened and saw rows of empty book shelves and lots of people looking at computer screens. Oh, and seemingly more coffee shops than counters. I realise things have moved on but, for me, there's nothing quite like a tangible item in your hands. I went to have a look at the archives but the shelf I wanted to look at was unavailable because somebody was using another shelf and the whole thing was on rollers so access is limited.
The cut in staffing and hours extinguished any hopes of using the library. Due to work I used to go in the evenings and on Saturdays. So, and it seems incredible to me, I have not used the building for any research.
I wonder if they will also need buckets to catch rain water in 20 years time!
 
I'm still wondering whether the 1000 or so digitised images which we knew as the 'shoothill' collection are still on a server somewhere or are they lost and only the original photos exist in a filing cabinet somewhere.

It was good while it lasted ...

oldMohawk said:
Remember how it looked ... one of the best image search tools I ever used ... :)
index.php

The photos were digitised and stored on a server somewhere .. and one wonders whether they still are on a server ?
Click to expand...
 
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totally agree with you kieron...just another white elephant...i rarely use it..

lyn
 
Was a great resource, especially if you were looking for images of houses in old courts before clearances. Pity. I liked to simply browse the photos too, amazing what details there were in many of the photos.

It must still be held somewhere, surely ? Viv.
 
On the positive side, I think a lot of the photos will be on BHF. I know Oldmohawk has posted quite a few and I certainly posted a lot on here. So all is not lost, they’re just posted on many different threads.

Hopefully a search will throw up many, and the word ‘shoothill’ will probably pick up quite a few too. Viv.
 
I have started to identify all the images which are on the BHF, it might come in useful someday ... :)
I presume the Library supplied the images to Shoothill who did a similar thing to what has been done below with images supplied by NASA.
apollo11.shoothill.com

Shoothill - Apollo 11 moon landing 50th anniversary megafiche

Using Shoothill’s ‘Megafiche’ technology, this gigantic image of Buzz Aldrin on the Moon contains 50,000 cells with over 8000 individual images from the Apollo program (courtesy of NASA). The mosaic itself contains over one trillion pixels, and is by far the largest digital mosaic ever created.
apollo11.shoothill.com apollo11.shoothill.com
zoom in and out ...
 
Once when I was in the old library I stumbled upon an index card for a book that sounded quite interesting. Just to see if I was right I filled in a slip and requested to view it. The librarian was both flabbergasted and slightly annoyed. Apparently, I was the first to ask for this book for almost 12 years! Apparently, if a book was not used in 15 years [I think that was the figure] the library could dispose of the book as it was no longer required. My request would mean that it would have to wait another lengthy spell before it could be dumped. It made me wonder how much stuff was simply binned - not simply through lack of use but the fact it was so hard to know what they had. The stack was massive and the boxes of material held in storage apparently equalled that last scene in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark." I could be completely wrong, but I doubt if all that stuff was moved to the underground part of the new library. I don't think there was the capacity for it all. It is a bit frightening to think of the volume of material that may not have survived the move.
 
Brilliant Phil. Thanks.

I remember you also rescued the Keith Berry photos a few years back.

Is this something we should worry about as sites are no longer funded/maintained ? And can we do more through BHF to make sure we have a copy of the images ? Such a waste otherwise.

I was wondering the other day about the Digital Handsworth site. Is it now hovering in limbo in the ether ?! Viv.
 
www.midlandspubs.co.uk said:
I used to spend a lot of time in the former library and got to know staff such as Peter Drake and Patrick Baird. Can you guess how long I have spent researching in the new library?
Zero. I had a quick look not long after it opened and saw rows of empty book shelves and lots of people looking at computer screens. Oh, and seemingly more coffee shops than counters. I realise things have moved on but, for me, there's nothing quite like a tangible item in your hands. I went to have a look at the archives but the shelf I wanted to look at was unavailable because somebody was using another shelf and the whole thing was on rollers so access is limited.
The cut in staffing and hours extinguished any hopes of using the library. Due to work I used to go in the evenings and on Saturdays. So, and it seems incredible to me, I have not used the building for any research.
I wonder if they will also need buckets to catch rain water in 20 years time!
Click to expand...
The place sounds more like an internet cafe in a large, costly building! ;)
 
Vivienne14 said:
Brilliant Phil. Thanks.
I remember you also rescued the Keith Berry photos a few years back.
Is this something we should worry about as sites are no longer funded/maintained ? And can we do more through BHF to make sure we have a copy of the images ? Such a waste otherwise.
I was wondering the other day about the Digital Handsworth site. Is it now hovering in limbo in the ether ?! Viv.
Click to expand...
devonjim asked the Library about the collection (post below) and the links in their reply were unsatisfactory when I tried them.
devonjim said:
Had a "winge" about this collection disappearing. This is reply from Library.
Screenshot (232).png
index.php
Click to expand...
I note their website appears to be unsecure when I click on it !
They do have a link to 'digital Handsworth'.

I compared the Birmingham Library's website to another city's website in post#7

Links: Library Of Birmingham Web Site

Birmingham Central Library have released an application for smartphones and iphones, its got a strange name, dozens and trails, the link below explains what its all about, i think its something that they will expand with time, looks interesting as it has trails around Birmingham...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
I am interested in getting a copy of a photograph in a book that the author said came from Birmingham libraries. Just after Christmas I visited the central library. My first problem was finding it! I found the building OK but all I could find inside was a cafe and a theatre. There was an escalator that appeared to be out of action and was guarded by a posse of security staff.
Turned out that was the gateway to the library but that it didn't open until 11 a.m. Fortunately I only had to wait 15 minutes.
Ascending to the top floor I spoke to a lady at the desk, after she had dealt with someone else. She knew the book that I was interested in and went off to fetch her 'reference copy'. Unfortunately the picture that I was interested in wasn't indexed, (presumably not popular?). I was given a form and told that it was probably filed under 'miscellaneous' at the Wolfson Centre.

So far I haven't taken my search any further. I would be grateful to hear of others experiences with the Wolfson Centre, 'forewarned is forearmed'! I am aware of this How to use the Wolfson Centre.
 
Spargone, I have also had problems locating material at the library. I don't seem to be able to find out exactly what there is on offer to want if you see what I mean. You can access the Wolfson centre (when it's open) and look through other folders on the shelves and then order whatever you want. Unlike the old library, you then have to make an appointment to return to view the papers. There is a lot of information locked away but finding out how to find it is a mystery to me. I remember a librarian at the old site telling me that there was much more archive stuff in storage but they didn't have the time to catalogue it all. Now that staffing levels have been reduced it seems unlikely that this material will ever see the light of day.
 
www.midlandspubs.co.uk said:
Once when I was in the old library I stumbled upon an index card for a book that sounded quite interesting. Just to see if I was right I filled in a slip and requested to view it. The librarian was both flabbergasted and slightly annoyed. Apparently, I was the first to ask for this book for almost 12 years! Apparently, if a book was not used in 15 years [I think that was the figure] the library could dispose of the book as it was no longer required. My request would mean that it would have to wait another lengthy spell before it could be dumped. It made me wonder how much stuff was simply binned - not simply through lack of use but the fact it was so hard to know what they had. The stack was massive and the boxes of material held in storage apparently equalled that last scene in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark." I could be completely wrong, but I doubt if all that stuff was moved to the underground part of the new library. I don't think there was the capacity for it all. It is a bit frightening to think of the volume of material that may not have survived the move.
Click to expand...
Most if not all archived material from the city council is stored in the Dollman st warehouse. The public have no access to this part of the warehouse, even on open days.
 
I noticed that Shoothill ,in 2018on their Facebook account, was promoting the Birmingham library Shoothill site, so made a comment, which Shoothill has replied to. Not that it says anything
Facebook Shoothill.jpg
 
I did see it thank you but those are Phyllis Nicklin aren't they? Not the same as the Warwickshire Project - or am I confused?
 
Yes Janice. The Phyllis Nicklin collection is different - supported by Birmingham University.

What a loss to those interested in Birmingham history, genealogy etc when a site is no longer funded.

An aside. Acknowledging sources of images and information is a common courtesy and expected of those posting on this site. It also serves another useful purpose in that a search with the originators title could also find images. If you type in ‘Shoothill’ in the search box it throws up a lot of the threads containing images from that site. Not a solution but at least quite a few are on BHF. Viv.
 
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Sorry for the confusion ladies. The link to the photos do mention Nicklin, so I did not delve further. Anyway it seems enough of us are aware of the Nicklin archive and it being missing so hopefully one of us will stumble upon it.
 
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