
Quiet, please: In praise of the British Library - Petiver
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/22/quiet-please-in-praise-of-the-british-library-celebration-users-love-it-olivia-laing
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dingaling
I'm sure it's a fantastic resource, if you qualify for being granted the
sacred Reader's Card.

University students are granted access automatically. Journalists just need to
present their professional credentials ( and a utility bill for proof of
residence ).

The rest of the commoners? Depends on the attitude of the assessor as to
whether your topic of research is subjectively 'worthy'.

I've tried once, didn't gain approval and there is no appeals process.

What good is a ( tax-funded ) library if you can't use it?

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tomcam
They allowed me in with an American passport! I just wanted to look at their
secular music books 1500-1800.

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billforsternz
I'm a library lover, but my only two (attempted) visits to the British Library
left me annoyed (at best). The first time was in the 80s. I joined a queue to
go into the library. I thought that was weird, but what the hey. After many
long minutes we went into the library. Great. Time to start exploring the
rooms, wander through the aisles, have a great day fossicking about right?
Wrong. It turned out what I was queuing for was the opportunity to be marched
into the reading room, stand there for 30 seconds or so, then be marched
straight out again. One of the true WTF moments of my life.

In London again in 2014 I decided to check out the new British Library,
heavily promoted. Surely things have changed. I rock up. There are any number
of guides, promotions, pamphlets, exhibitions, whatever on offer. After a
while though I realised that I wasn't going to be in luck this day either. I
approached the friendly ladies at the information counter. "I just want to go
into the library and read some books. That's not going to be possible is it?".
"No, no it's not" she replied just slightly sheepishly.

