A Library Visit

Today I went to my local library, and, as usual found there was a queue to check-out books. The book that was waiting for me I had ordered on interlibrary loan a couple of months ago, and so was excited to get it. It was a book by Thomas Wardle, the silk entrepreneur, and to my excitement saw that he had signed it twice. Once in a dedication


and once underneath his photo.


I have written about Thomas Wardle before on this blog, and feel privileged to have something he owned in my hands.

The library is something I use very often, of course. I find it an invaluable place because it is the source of such material as this, which would be impossible for me to know without it.

Today there was a day in support of this institution of the library because it is under threat in this country due to the cuts and the advent of the computer and internet. But, as this article points out, the internet cannot replace the library, but merely complements it. There is much hidden away in vaults that would be completely inaccessible without the catalogue and the interlibrary loan. Places to work, study and consult are still needed - now more than ever.