My current library books: The Waves by Virginia Wolf. Urien's Voyage by Gide.
Most loved library loan recently: It Chooses You, by Miranda July.
Some favourite libraries and why: Bangor University library (architecture, layout, grandeur, stock, smell of old books!), Milton Keynes Central (profound in shaping and supporting me as a teenager, excellent wide range of stock, and archive, architecture and layout), Performing Arts Library of Surrey (setting, as it's on a vineyard in rolling hills of Surrey! Also stock and staff and layout and huge, unique, precious archive and the smell of old materials), Stuart Hall library @ Iniva (fanzine collection, knowledgeable staff, valuable community facility), Westminster Reference (historical, architecture, traditional shelving and layout, and balcony with ladders to access stock!), Battersea (architecture, and also for the old reference library with its balcony), Guildford Library (interior layout), Hammersmith (architecture and stained glass windows, also the high shelves), Darlington Library (architecture, and staff that are kindly to the elderly), Stony Stratford Library (important small community library), Karl Marx Memorial Library (historical, layout, architecture, stock, so inspiring a place!), Poetry Library (knowledgeable staff, events, stock, archive, wonderful place). and so many more.
Missed libraries: Kensal Rise library (closed by the council), York Gardens (services reduced).
Favourite library memories: sitting cross-legged on the floor in a corner of MK Central Reference reading Shelley and Ginsberg poetry as a teenager, also reading music magazines there, borrowing the many CDs and books that changed my life, photocopying my fanzines, as a teen, and the excellent outdoor table-top book sales as a kid, doing work experience at various libraries as a youth, Stony Stratford library campaign, seeing British Sea Power play an amplified rock concert at Westminster library!
I'm certain to have missed many libraries and memories here. I will come back and write more soon... Feel free to re-post a similar style blog, or to comment. Spread library love!