The Barbican Library

The Barbican Library is a public library located in the City of London.  Which, not to be confusing or anything, is in London, but isn't the public library for London.  The City of London is a borough in London, so London within London...no confusion at all.  Anyway.  The Barbican Library is located within the Barbican Centre which was opened in 1982.  The Centre is a cultural hub bringing together art, music, and theatre into one space.  And trying to function normally within the cacophony and humdrum of those events, all of which echo in the concrete colossus, is a public library. 
     Although, the space was purpose built to house a library, the concrete structure creates several problems.  Because the supports of the building are concrete there is no way to remove or redesign the footprint of the space, meaning that collection flow and storage is at the mercy of the original design.  Also, heating and cooling are a challenge due to the building design, not just the concrete but the incorporation of large, empty open air spaces.  Those large empty space also help to amplify the echoes produced throughout the Centre.  I'm not sure as an employee or as a patron I could ever become accustomed to hearing theatre calls echoing throughout the library frequently.
     The library consists of the general collection, the children's library, as well as the music library.  The library collection is organized in Dewey decimal order with some sections housed in other locations, i.e. art and computers.  The fiction section is organized by author’s last name, as well as by genre via a smaller shelving display.  This allows for easier browsing for readers know what genre they like but are looking for a specific author, and vice versa.  The library utilizes RFID technology, and several self-checkout stations are located within the central foyer of the main floor.  There are also self-return stations located outside the main doors for patron convenience after hours.  Funding for the library is supplied mainly through the City of London government, with little coming from the central government.  Other sources of funding are fines, and joint ventures.
     Our guide of the Barbican, Jonathan Gibbs, was wonderful.  Funny, informative, and energetic, he made the tour of the facilities so enjoyable.  His enthusiasm in conducting the tour, talking about the library and his work was both heartening and reminded me why I enjoy working in public libraries.  The people, both the staff and patrons are characters, and make life so much more enjoyable and unpredictable.